Jim And Tomic's Musical Theatre Happy Hour

Fol-de-rol and fiddledy dee; fiddledy, faddledy fodcast - Jimi and Tommy are fin’ly doing a ‘Cinderella’ podcast! Yes indeed, we are talking all about Rodgers and Hammerstein’s foray into television broadcasting and the eventual Broadway output, stopping for some Whitney along the way of course. We get down and dirty about the future of musical theatre, how this musical has developed over the years and discover Tommy’s magnum opus. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Original Broadway Cast Recording) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify Support the Show ➤ SHOW NOTES Is Chance the Rapper tied to the R+H’s Cinderella through destiny? It’s certainly looking that way. Here’s the song from the quiz question! See if you can spot the Cinderella references. It’s always a good time for Jeremy Jordan. Even if it’s in these particularly peculiar R+H goes pop videos… If you’re interested in how the CBS recording came together then have a read of this great coverage from Playbill. What do you think about the idea of musical theat

Happy Hour #85: The Podcast on the Wall - 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' Will this be the podcast episode that never ends?! The jury’s out as we deep dive into Rupert Holmes’ “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” - please insert your own gavel. With two incredible, classic productions there is plenty to talk about with this Tony Award winning musical. We get into the general brilliance of Mr Holmes, the race issues related to the recent productions and how they could be easily remedied and Chita Rivera’s octogenarian athleticism. Support the Show ➤ The Mystery of Edwin Drood (New Broadway Cast Recording) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify SHOW NOTES Are you ready for our next new podcast - Stephanie J. Talk? Besides being a musical theatre writing extraordinaire, Rupert Holmes is an incredible pop writer working with the likes of Barbra Streisand! Check out one of his songs here! Believe it or not, there is a symphonic heavy metal version of The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Do you think it works? Here’s a great article to give some

Happy Hour #84: Mobius Podcast - 'A Strange Loop' Let’s get metaphysical! It’s about darn time we discussed Michael R. Jackson’s Pulitzer winning ‘A Strange Loop.’ Potentially one of the most challenging musicals we have ever listened to, we are so excited delve into this extremely unique piece of musical theatre. Join in the conversation as we chat about what this show winning the Pulitzer means for musical theatre, how Michael R. Jackson’s raw honesty is refreshing and important, and muse on the future of Broadway once it has reopened. Support the Show ➤ A Strange Loop (Original Cast Recording) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify SHOW NOTES Black lives matter. As well as listening and hearing ‘A Strange Loop’ here’s a list of ways in which you can support the ongoing movement, and if you’re in the UK you can go here. The article posted by Vogue is interesting as it was released when it won the Pulitzer, but before the George Floyd protests began. Definitely worth a read! Frustratingly we don’t get the full story from

Happy Hour #83: ...and Pink and Podcast and Blue! - ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' It was bound to happen again at some point, Jimi and Tommy are discussing another Andrew Lloyd Webber show - this time it’s ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’! Will they agree? Will this be another Cats debacle? It’s time to find out! The boys discuss the unique origin story of this show, work out how ‘Joseph’ could exist nowadays and debate whether or not escapism is dead. Bold stuff - tune in! Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (London Palladium Cast Recording) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify SHOW NOTES If you’re looking for more of a serious discussion and Joseph doesn’t take your fancy, then check out our episode on ‘The Scottsboro Boys’ where we both learned a lot while studying it. Were you in the Original Choral Cast of Joseph? Get in touch! If you’ve never seen the animation Joseph King of Dreams and are a fan of Prince of Egypt, definitely check it out! If you’ve not checked out any of

Happy Hour #82: Verbatim Podcasting - ‘London Road’ Support the Show ➤ It’s time to try things a little bit differently as we delve into the uncharted territories of verbatim musical theatre and the fascinating British creation, ‘London Road.’ Charting a community’s rebirth after a serial killer ravaged their town, this show discusses the issues of policing, press, sex work and community spirit using the words of those who actually experienced it. Jimi and Tommy discuss the curious origins of a show like this, how international audiences might view the show differently and ponder if this is one of the rare instances where the film is better than the original production. London Road (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify SHOW NOTES If this is your first encounter of ‘London Road’ then you should DEFINITELY watch the film, and if you love it then read the play and listen to the cast recording! Verbatim theatre is a fascinating world. If it’s something you want to learn more about then c

Happy Hour #81: Podcast for the Recently Deceased - 'Beetlejuice' Support the Show ➤ Someone must’ve said our name three times unbroken cause we have appeared and we are talking all about the musical that rose from the dead - ‘Beetlejuice’. With a tumultuous Broadway journey there is plenty to discuss about this show. Jimi and Tommy discuss how it measures up as a movie-to-musical adaptation, the mysterious Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures and Grandpa Jimi tries to wrap his head around TikTok. Poorly. Beetlejuice (Original Broadway Cast Recording) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify SHOW NOTES Although a pretty different vibe from the musical, the original film is an absolute cult classic and well worth a watch, even if just for that injection of pure Tim Burton excellence! This article gives you a good chronicle of Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures’ venture into musical theatre making and a bit about their future! If you’re interested in vocal health/voice studies then watching Alex Brightman’s folds will be the best way

Happy Hour #80: Podcast and Be Gay - 'Candide' Support the Show ➤ Hold onto your optimism as this time around the riverbend Jimi and Tommy are talking all about Leonard Bernstein’s ‘Candide'.’ With a history full of as many twists and turns as the show itself, ‘Candide’ offers a wealth of fascinating discussion. The boys try and piece together why this show has had some many wildly different incarnations, debate the existence of philosophy in the show and try to answer the unaswerable question: what is the difference between opera and musical theatre? Candide (Original Broadway Cast Recording) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify SHOW NOTES If you’ve never experienced ‘Candide’ before, the best place to start is the 1974 ‘Chelsea’ recording as it includes clips from scenes as well as Bernstein’s beautiful music! We also want to send out a massive thank you to Colden for sharing his bountiful knowledge of the show with us and helping us traverse the behemoth that is ‘Candide.’ If you’re ready to start learning all about

LIVE at BroadwayCon: Podcastical Cats - "Cats: the Movie" This January Jimi and Tommy flew all the way to Broadway’s heartland to settle a score, to come to terms with and to try to provide closure on something which has changed the face of musical theatre forever: the Cats movie. Join the lads alongside a wonderful live audience as they try to comprehend cockroaches with faces, whether Judironomy actually lifted her leg, contemplate Sir Ian McKellan’s Oscar chances and attempt to answer the age old question: was this enjoyable? Cats (Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify SHOW NOTES First of all, we’d like to give a huge thank you to our wonderful network - the Broadway Podcast Network - for welcoming us in NYC! Go to their website and check out over 40 podcasts all related to theatre! The Brits among us should know Alan Partiridge I’m sure, but for those of you throughout the rest of the world - here’s a sample! How would you shake up some of the upcoming musical adaptation

Happy Hour #79: Only In The Podcasts - ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman’ This time around we are stepping into the fantastical mind of Luis Molina as we explore Kander and Ebb’s gem ‘Kiss of the Spider Woman.’ Jimi and Tommy discuss the horrific events of the ‘Dirty War’ which acts as the backdrop to the musical, evaluate the merits of workshopping musicals and taking your time to get to Broadway, and deep dive into the world of abstract thought and ‘metaphoralising’ while they work out what the musical’s thematic intentions are. WE’RE GOING TO BROADWAYCON! Where can theatre lovers, Broadway Stars, and industry professionals come together to celebrate Broadway? BroadwayCon! As part of the three-day event in New York City from January 24 - 26, Broadway Podcast Network is producing over 20 live events, which of course include us! We’ll hosting a live show on Friday, January 24th at 5:30pm, and we need to see you there! Day passes and weekend passes are still available on BroadwayCon.com, so get your tickets today. Tw

Discuss on Reddit ➤ Support the Show ➤ Waitress (Original Broadway Cast Recording) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify  Who knew we would ever reference Come On Eileen on the podcast outside of a ‘SMASH’ reference? Anyway, here is uncategorically the worst live vocal you’ll ever hear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3rg4psdHxw A fun game! A weird concept! Tweet us what you think certain musical lobbies would smell like?  Sara Bareilles has spoiled us with ‘Waitress’ supplementary content. Here you can check out her version of the ‘Waitress’ OBC, the songs from the cutting room floor, and a commentary on the origins and meanings of every song!  If you want the ‘Part of Your World’ story in full, check out this amazing ‘Side by Side by Susan Blackwell’ episode!  We pose you the question, if you would have any recording artist write a musical - who would you want and what it would it be? Hit us up over on Reddit! Last 5 years podcast If you’re at all interested in our views on monogamy and infidelity then it’s worth ha

Happy Hour #77: The Podcast Hour - ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ Did you hear about Hugo and Kim getting pinned? We simply can’t believe it to be honest, so that’s why we’re pulling apart all things ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ this week! From the stage musical, to the film, to the live event that never happened this show has had a full life! The boys talk all about where this show stands in the Musical Theatre Timeline, debate the representation of teens, women and rock and roll in the show and try to work out exactly what Ann margaret was meaning when she sang ‘Bye Bye Birhee.’ Let’s make this happen! Bye Bye Birdie (Original Broadway Cast Recording) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify  If you’re brand new to Bye Bye Birdie then the movie is a great place to start! Although the plot deviates from the stage musical you get a good sense of it! Plus, Ann Margaret!  What is a Birhee? Does Ann Margaret know something we don’t?  If you can’t be bothered watching the film, someone you may know has digested it for you! What do you think about giving

Discuss on Reddit ➤ Support the Show ➤ Hey half-bloods, have we got a show for you! This time we are heading on a journey across America with everyone’s favourite demigod, Percy Jackson as we explore ‘The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical.’ Jimi and Tommy work out why this show is so faithful to the source material, analyse the many different characters in the show and discuss the fallout from the recent Broadway reviews, and why it may highlight a bigger systemic issue in the world of theatre critics. The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical (Original Cast Recording) Amazon / Spotify  If you, like us, have never delved into the Percy Jackson books then there’s no time like the present! Jimi just picked up his copy from his local second-hand book store but you can get yours here!  There are a plethora of musical adaptations from books, but what ones have caused as much fan dedication as the Lightning Thief? Were there people who were devastated at the changes in Wicked from Gregory Maguire’s

Discuss on Reddit ➤ Support the Show ➤ This time around we are diving head-first into the magical waters of Cora Hoover Hooper’s town and breaking open the Cookie Jar as we explore Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Anyone Can Whistle.’ Often penned as his biggest flop, ‘Anyone Can Whistle’ has opened the doors for a ton of discussion and Jimi and Tommy never shy away from that. Here they discuss what caused it to flop and why sometimes that can be a good thing, some of the genius music Sondheim wrote for the show and start the revolution - #MusicalTheatreNerdsUnite! Anyone Can Whistle (Original Broadway Cast) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify  As we do with every Sondheim episode, check out his incredible collection of lyrics and attendant comments, principles, heresies, grudges, whines and anecdotes. A must-have for any musical theatre nerd.  For some more analysis about why it flopped check out Tommy’s video guide from his Sondheim September series.  If you’ve burned through your copy of the OBC and want more of the story, then

Discuss on Reddit ➤ Support the Show ➤ We meant what we said, and we said what we meant: this podcast is faithful 100%. Faithful, that is, in our commitment to talk all about Ahrens and Flaherty’s Broadway flop-turned-amateur success story ‘Seussical the Musical!’ With it’s time on Broadway being tumultuous at best, Jimi and Tommy band together to work out what went wrong and why this show has such a fantastic life outside of the Great White Way. With backstage drama, complex book dissections and plenty of made-up words this Happy Hour is one not to be missed! Seussical the Musical (Original Broadway Cast) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify Zania is the Dr. Seuss inspired word of the day. Get it trending! Why does Aaron Carter have so many Broadway credits?! We’ll never know. Here’s a fantastic article from the New York Times which talks about why Seussical took a nosedive when it came to Broadway. If you want to get a sense of where the Seussical creative team was emotionally at opening, have a look at this video...

Happy Hour #73: Just Another Podcast - ‘Next to Normal’ Discuss on Reddit ➤ Support the Show ➤ We are very excited that this time around we are talking all about the exquisite, original rock musical ‘Next to Normal.’ Considered a masterpiece of its time, the show even won the prestigious Pulitzer for drama in 2010. Come and join Jimi and Tommy as they work out why it’s just so good in its lyrics, music and book, discuss why the show hasn’t had its West End premiere yet and the potential ways to explore the show in the future. Next to Normal (Original Broadway Cast) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify Instantly iconic, Alice Ripley’s Tony Award acceptance speech for Next to Normal is one not to be missed! If you want a bit of flavour of The Real Fierce Alice Ripley, check out her Obsessed! video with Seth Rudetsky. If you can bear it, see if you can get through the trainwreck that was the 2009 Tony Awards opening to see Aaron Tveit mashup with Stockard Channing...for some reason. Fun question alert - this show has alwa

Discuss on Reddit ➤ Support the Show ➤ With September just around the corner, it seems like the best time to tackle Schmidt and Jones’ ‘The Fantasticks.’ Currently the longest running musical in the world with a staggering 17,000+ performances, ‘The Fantasticks’ has been a bit of an enigma in the musical theatre world in more ways than one. The boys try and pull apart why it lasted so long, discuss the problems that come with musicals running for a long time, and share some personal stories when reflecting on the themes of youth and love in the show. The Fantasticks (New Off-Broadway Recording) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify SHOW NOTES If you’re as fascinated as us about why The Fantasticks lasted as long as it did then check out this documentary. What do you think about the movie adaptation of The Fantasticks? Does it work? Or can this show only exist on a small Off-Broadway stage? Here are some great interviews from the revival of the Off-Broadway production, from backstage and from the cast recording! Are you a

Discuss on Reddit ➤ Support the Show ➤ The wind is firmly blowing in from the east which spells the arrival of the world’s favourite nanny, ‘Mary Poppins.’ An absolute classic, this show has had a fascinating journey from page to stage. As we team up with the Banks family from Cherry Tree Lane we discuss how Mary Poppins became a cultural phenomenon, work out why the show had to change during its run and work out if the new additions to the musical cut the mustard. Spit-spot! Mary Poppins (Original London Cast) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify SHOW NOTES: Mary Poppins inspired our inner children to open the show today reminiscing on Rocko’s Modern Life and Wacky Races. What would be on your vintage reboot list? If you’ve somehow managed to miss the original movie, you MUST correct that immediately. The opening ceremony to the UK Olympics as some kind of fever dream but nothing more feverish than Mary Poppins squaring up to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named himself! Mary Poppins has been parodied across all forms of media. Me

Discuss on Reddit ➤ Support the Show ➤ Quick! Let’s hop on the trolley and head on down to the World's Fair as we deep dive into the classic ‘Meet Me in St. Louis’. This time around the bend we talk about music-making in the Freed unit and the finesse of Judy Garland’s incredible performance; try and work out just what went wrong with the stage adaptation and analyse how to make a turn of the 20th century show feel fresh in the 21st. Meet Me in St. Louis (Original Broadway Cast) Amazon / iTunes / Spotify SHOW NOTES If you’ve never heard of Meet Me in St. Louis before then you absolutely must watch the movie starring Judy Garland. If you are well acquainted, then why not have a gander at the forgotten TV pilot from the 60s, featuring eternal housekeeper Retta Shaw. Here’s a great book which goes into fantastic detail about Arthur Freed’s process of making these beloved movie musicals. Frank Sinatra re-popularised ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ with some slight lyric changes. What do you think? To giv

Discuss on Reddit ➤ Support the Show ➤ We don’t even know how to begin, but we certainly know that we are here and discussing Dave Malloy’s spookily exquisite song-cycle, ‘Ghost Quartet.’ Spanning two full episodes where they dissect the show track-by-track, the boys get existential and talk about the other side, universal consciousness theory, the complex human relationship with alcohol, artist idolatry, how simple can often be best and the nature of protagonist and antagonist. Studio Recording: Amazon / iTunes / Spotify Live at the McKittrick: Amazon / iTunes / Spotify SHOW NOTES: The question we’re all asking is, WILL a Fosse neck do it? I guess we’ll never know. In true Prayer style, Jimi will try his hardest to not quote the Rainbow Sponge Lady video in future podcasts. If you’re batting about London this winter then check out London’s premiere of Ghost Quartet! So Jimi’s opinion on digesting Ghost Quartet is to see it first (if possible), listen to the McKittrick Live Recording, then listen to the studi

Discuss on Reddit ➤ Support the Show ➤ We don’t even know how to begin, but we certainly know that we are here and discussing Dave Malloy’s spookily exquisite song-cycle, ‘Ghost Quartet.’ Spanning two full episodes where they dissect the show track-by-track, the boys get existential and talk about the other side, universal consciousness theory, the complex human relationship with alcohol, artist idolatry, how simple can often be best and the nature of protagonist and antagonist. Studio Recording: Amazon / iTunes / Spotify Live at the McKittrick: Amazon / iTunes / Spotify SHOW NOTES: The question we’re all asking is, WILL a Fosse neck do it? I guess we’ll never know. In true Prayer style, Jimi will try his hardest to not quote the Rainbow Sponge Lady video in future podcasts. If you’re batting about London this winter then check out London’s premiere of Ghost Quartet! So Jimi’s opinion on digesting Ghost Quartet is to see it first (if possible), listen to the McKittrick Live Recording, then listen to the studi