Episodios

  • The Little Prince and the Aviator (1982)

    The Little Prince and the Aviator (1982)
    Apr 30 2025
    In the early 1980s, producer Joseph Tandet put the failure of the 1974 movie musical of The Little Prince behind him and set his sights on Broadway. He secured the rights and assembled an award-winning creative team—including Academy Award-winning composer John Barry and his lyricist Don Black as well as three-time Tony winner Hugh Wheeler. But what unfolded behind the scenes was anything but magical. From rewrites and cast changes to last-minute creative disagreements, The Little Prince and the Aviator was plagued by setbacks from the very beginning. The show never officially opened on Broadway, but it made it all the way to the theater, with sets built, actors rehearsed, and a score ready to be sung—until everything fell apart. In this episode, we explore the chaotic and fascinating path of a musical that almost was, using firsthand accounts from Tandet’s revealing memoir and a personal interview with Anthony Rapp, who was just 10 years old when he was cast in the title role. It’s a story of ambition, mismanagement, and the delicate balance between creative vision and theatrical reality—and why some shows never make it to opening night. --- Theme Music created by Blake Stadnik. Click here for a transcript and list of all resources used. Produced by Patrick Oliver Jones and WINMI Media with Dan Delgado as co-producer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    40 m
  • The Little Prince (1974)

    The Little Prince (1974)
    Apr 15 2025
    The Little Prince has been enchanting readers of all ages since 1943, when French aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupéry first introduced the boy from a distant planet. Inspired by his own life and a desert crash landing, this poetic tale has become one of the most translated and best-selling books in the world. In this episode, we begin a two-part look at The Little Prince on stage and screen—both versions produced by Joseph Tandet. There’s the ambitious 1982 Broadway-bound musical starring Michael York and a young Anthony Rapp, which never made it past previews. And before that, the 1974 movie musical directed by Stanley Donen and featuring Lerner and Loewe’s final collaboration—complete with Bob Fosse, Gene Wilder, and a surprisingly rocky production history. Theme Music created by Blake Stadnik. Click here for a transcript and list of all resources used. Produced by Patrick Oliver Jones and WINMI Media with Dan Delgado as co-producer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 m
  • Senator Joe

    Senator Joe
    Mar 31 2025
    History and politics have long found their way onto the Broadway stage, from Hamilton and 1776 to Parade and Fiorello! But in 1989, one musical took a wildly unconventional approach—bringing the infamous Senator Joseph McCarthy to life in Senator Joe. Helmed by Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar director Tom O’Horgan, this audacious and bizarre production featured everything from Brechtian satire to a musical number inside McCarthy’s alcohol-ravaged liver. Yet, after only three Broadway previews, the show collapsed under the weight of its own chaos, ending in scandal when its producer was arrested in a phone booth. How did Senator Joe go so wrong? And why did anyone think a musical about McCarthyism would work in the first place? This episode dives into the missteps, mayhem, and misguided ambition that turned a political firebrand into one of Broadway’s most infamous flops. Theme Music created by Blake Stadnik. Click here to find a transcript for this episode and a full list of materials and resources used. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    38 m
  • BONUS: Jeremy Benton Spills the Beans on Lone Star Love

    BONUS: Jeremy Benton Spills the Beans on Lone Star Love
    Mar 24 2025
    In this bonus episode of Closing Night, we dive into more of the stories and backstage drama that surrounded the ill-fated Lone Star Love. This is the full interview with dance captain Jeremy Benton, where he reveals further details of what really happened behind the scenes. From the involvement of Randy Quaid and his wife Evi, whose erratic behavior grew in unexpected ways, to the memorable Cheesecake Factory meeting that became a pivotal moment in the show's history, Jeremy shares candid anecdotes that shed light on the chaos and creativity that brewed during rehearsals and performances. You’ll also learn more about Evi’s tumultuous past, and how the havoc she brought to Lone Star Love was just one example in a long history of troublemaking for this tempestuous individual. Closing Night Theme Music created by Blake Stadnik. “Lazy Day” by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. “Sunday Morning” by Maarten Schellekens is licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    59 m
  • BONUS: Lauren Kennedy Talks about Lone Star Love (and The Last Five Years)

    BONUS: Lauren Kennedy Talks about Lone Star Love (and The Last Five Years)
    Mar 17 2025
    In this bonus episode of Closing Night, we revisit a compelling conversation with Broadway star Lauren Kennedy. While exploring the tricky politics and pressures of theater careers, Lauren candidly shares her experiences after Sunset Boulevard and Side Show that led into Lone Star Love. You heard only a couple of quotes from her in the main episode, but here you’ll get the full discussion of the intriguing yet chaotic behind-the-scenes story of a production that was derailed by unexpected challenges and the whims of a high-profile star. Lauren gives an insider's view on how creative visions can clash and projects can unravel despite the promise of a Broadway opening. The episode also touches on her connection with composer Jason Robert Brown and The Last Five Years, and how it prompted her transition into directing and producing, leading to her current role as the Executive Director of Theatre Raleigh. Listen to Lauren's full episode (and bonus episode) on Why I’ll Never Make It. Closing Night Theme Music created by Blake Stadnik. “Mountain Sun" by Jason Shaw is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 United States License. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    17 m
  • Lone Star Love

    Lone Star Love
    Feb 28 2025
    What happens when Shakespeare meets Texas, bluegrass, and a Broadway-bound disaster? Lone Star Love had all the makings of a crowd-pleasing hit—an inventive twist on The Merry Wives of Windsor, music by The Red Clay Ramblers, and a history of successful regional productions. But when the show set its sights on Broadway, everything started to unravel. From an A-list comedian dropping out to Randy Quaid coming in with an oversized codpiece (and even bigger demands), this is a backstage saga filled with twists, turmoil, and a production that never made it to the Great White Way. In this episode, we’re diving deep into the wild journey of Lone Star Love, exploring its promising start, the chaotic Seattle tryout, and the fallout that left Broadway dreams in the dust. With behind-the-scenes drama, big personalities, and a show that spiraled into theatrical infamy, this is a cautionary tale of how even the best-laid plans can go hilariously—and disastrously—off track. Theme Music created by Blake Stadnik. Click here to find a transcript for this episode and a full list of materials and resources used. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    44 m
  • Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge

    Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge
    Jan 29 2025
    The idea of an Annie Part II had actually been floating around since 1982, while the original Annie was still on Broadway, and rather than a traditional sequel, the production was framed as a continuation of the original story, beginning six weeks after the events of Annie, with Miss Hannigan devising her revenge from prison. This continuing story was initially set to open on Broadway in 1983, just months after the original closed. However, it would take until June of 1989 before the show would finally announce an opening date, first in Washington, DC then on Broadway. However, what started out as Miss Hannigan’s Revenge became a revenge of a different kind altogether. And the events that followed underscore a broader truth about Broadway (one that resonates throughout the episodes of this podcast): that even the most seasoned and award-winning of creators can still produce a flop. So was the tumultuous journey and hard-knocked life of Annie 2. Click here to find a transcript for this episode and a full list of materials and resources used. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    38 m
  • Season 2 is coming!

    Season 2 is coming!
    Jan 28 2025
    Season 2 of Closing Night is finally here—the theater history podcast that takes you behind the curtain to uncover stories about famous and forgotten Broadway show that closed too soon. While season 1 focused on musicals that came and went from the Marquis Theatre, this season I’m tackling a whole new kind of theatrical heartbreak: shows that never actually opened on Broadway. These are the productions that fizzled out during out-of-town tryouts or preview performances, including Lone Star Love, The Little Prince and the Aviator, Lolita, My Love, Let My People Come, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, among others. Episodes start at the end of January and will drop once a month throughout the year, with the first episode being all about Annie 2: Miss Hannigan’s Revenge, which was actually slated to open at the Marquis Theatre but was canceled after a disastrous run in Washington, DC. Make sure to follow Closing Night on your favorite podcast app and stay connected on Instagram at @closingnightpodcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    3 m
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