Episode 117: POD SWAP! Broadway Nation meets A Musical Theatre Podcast

This is a special POD SWAP editions of Broadway Nation! Last December it was my great pleasure to be a guest on Jeffrey Scott Parson’s terrific show, A Musical Theatre Podcast, and this week I am thrilled to share that episode with my Broadway Nation audience. Think of this “pod swap” as sort of a “Summer Replacement Special.” If you are too young to remember those, then let me fill you in. Back in the heyday of television variety shows, the big prime time series would take a break during the summer months and be replaced by what they called a “summer replacement.” As a kid, I always looked forward to those because they often served as “pilots” for what would become the next hit prime time variety series. So, this week Broadway Nation takes a break and is replaced by A Musical Theatre Podcast. On this episode I join Jeffrey Scott Parsons to explore Jerry Herman’s 1961 Broadway debut musical, Milk And Honey, which starred the great Yiddish Theater star Molly Picon, and star of The Most Happy Fella, Robert Weede. This show, which was set in (then) modern-day Israel, had a book by Don Apell, and judging from the script and production photos it featured extensive dance sequences and ballets choreographed by Donald Sadler that showcased a chorus of hunky shirtless male dancers wearing very short shorts, and the musical’s triple-threat co-star, Tommy Rall. The success of the show put Jerry Herman firmly on the Broadway map and led directly to him being selected by producer David Merrick to create the score for Hello, Dolly! Jeffrey and I discuss all of that and more! As you will hear, there is a tremendous resonance and kinship between our two podcasts. Both Broadway Nation and A Musical Theatre Podcast take deep thoughtful looks inside the history of the Broadway Musical, its shows, and its creators — in a manner that is both critical and celebratory. I feel certain that if you enjoy Broadway Nation you will love A Musical Theatre Podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices