Broadway Bound: The Musicals That Never Came to Broadway

Somewhere in America, a producer once looked at Watergate and said, "You know what this scandal needs? A kick line." This week, we follow Gene Barry through not one but two Broadway-bound curiosities: Spotlight and Watergate. The real story isn't politics. It's about Broadway's eternal belief that absolutely anything can become a musical. Sometimes that belief gives us Hamilton. Sometimes it gives us this. If you like what we are doing DONATE HERE Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances. Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976 provides the statutory framework for determining whether something is a fair use and identifies certain types of uses—such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research—as examples of activities that qualify as fair use. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most actors spend the rest of their lives trying to escape the role that made them famous. Robert Preston spent the rest of his career trying to find another one. This week, we look at We Take the Town and The Prince of Grand Street, two fascinating near-misses that reveal a star stubbornly refusing to become his own tribute act. It's a story about reinvention, risk-taking, and the terrible burden of being Harold Hill forever. If you like what we are doing DONATE HERE Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances. Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976 provides the statutory framework for determining whether something is a fair use and identifies certain types of uses—such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research—as examples of activities that qualify as fair use. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jerry Lewis looked at one of the craziest stage comedies ever written and thought, "Needs more Jerry Lewis." The result was Hellzapoppin' '76, a musical so ambitious, so expensive, and so gloriously overstuffed that it practically collapsed under the weight of its own enthusiasm. This week, we explore the age-old Broadway question: when does confidence become hubris? Or, put another way, how many clowns can you fit into one flop? If you like what we are doing DONATE HERE Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances. Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976 provides the statutory framework for determining whether something is a fair use and identifies certain types of uses—such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research—as examples of activities that qualify as fair use. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By 1974, Bette Davis had spent forty years winning fights, collecting enemies, and becoming Bette Davis. Then she decided to do a musical. What could possibly go wrong? Everything. This week, we tell the story of Miss Moffat, the legendary out-of-town disaster that finally met its match in an equally legendary star. At its heart, this isn't a story about a flop. It's about what happens when Broadway and Bette Davis both expect to be the boss. If you like what we are doing DONATE HERE Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances. Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976 provides the statutory framework for determining whether something is a fair use and identifies certain types of uses—such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research—as examples of activities that qualify as fair use. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CW: This episode frequently mentions the word r**e in relation to the story Angela Lansbury survived murder mysteries, Tom Bosley's New England accent, and a murderous nephew. But could she survive a musical about a Southern woman who decides the solution to racism is......well, you just need to listen to this episode about the Styne/Merrill musical Prettybelle This week, we examine one of the most baffling concepts ever set to music and discover how one of Broadway's most beloved stars managed to walk away from a catastrophe with her reputation not only intact—but somehow improved. If you like what we are doing DONATE HERE Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances. Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976 provides the statutory framework for determining whether something is a fair use and identifies certain types of uses—such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research—as examples of activities that qualify as fair use. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices