Jena Tesse Fox, Peter Filichia, James Marino, and Michael Portantiere talk about Ragtime @ LCT’s Vivian Beaumont Theater, Not Ready for Primetime @ Newman Mills Theater at MCC, Kiss of the Spider Woman (movie), Oh Happy Day @ The Public Theater, Theatre for a New Audience’s production of Playing Shylock, Heaux Church @ Ars Nova, NY Pops From Stage to Screen, Daniel Reichard – Hello, Neighbor! @ Laurie Beechman, and The NYC Cabaret Convention Night Two Revels in the Music of Jule Styne

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Playwright and actor Jordan E. Cooper in rehearsal for the New York premiere production of OH HAPPY DAY!, directed by Stevie Walker-Webb. Photo credit: Joan Marcus

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Panel:

Peter Filichia | peter@broadwayradio.com | Facebook
PETER FILICHIA is a playwright, journalist, and historian with a number of books. Peter’s new day-by-day desk calendar – A SHOW TUNE FOR TODAY – 366 Songs to Brighten Your Year – is available at finer retailers! Peter also has columns at Masterworks Broadway, Broadway Select, and many other places.

Showtune for Today: The Two of Us from Look, Ma, I’m Dancin’!

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Jena Tesse Fox | Twitter | Instagram
JENA TESSE FOX has written about theater for many publications, including Playbill Magazine, BroadwayWorld, Time Out New York and HowlRound. She is a member of The League of Professional Theatre Women and the Drama Desk, and is a contributor to BroadwayRadio

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Michael Portantiere | michael@broadwayradio.com | Facebook
MICHAEL PORTANTIERE is a theater reviewer and essayist. He is the founder and editor of CastAlbumReviews.com. He is also a theatrical photographer whose photos have appeared in The New York Times and other major publications. You can see his photography work at FollowSpotPhoto.com.

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James Marino | james@broadwayradio.com | Facebook
BroadwayStars

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Reviews:

PF + JM: Ragtime @ LCT’s Vivian Beaumont Theater, through January 4, 2026

Brandon Uranowitz and Shaina Taub were out on Sunday, Oct 19, 2026

(Michael reviewed Ragtime last week and we had a longer discussion. Click here to listen.)

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MP + PF: Not Ready for Primetime @ Newman Mills Theater at MCC Theater Space, through November 30, 2025
In 1975, late-night TV was a wasteland of bad programming and even worse ratings. So nobody paid much attention when a new show debuted with a cast of virtual nobodies.
Not Ready for Prime Time is not affiliated with NBC or SNL.
Not Ready for Prime Time is not a production of MCC Theater.

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JTF: Kiss of the Spider Woman (movie)

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Franco’s reign in Spain should see out the forties
So you’ve just acquired an ally who
Looks as secure in his job as you

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Latrice Pace, Sheléa Melody McDonald, and Latrice Pace (The Divines) in rehearsal for the New York premiere production of OH HAPPY DAY!, written by Jordan E. Cooper and directed by Stevie Walker-Webb. Photo credit: Joan Marcus

PF: Oh Happy Day @ The Public Theater, Martinson Hall, through November 09, 2025
By Jordan E. Cooper
Original Songs by Donald Lawrence
Directed by Stevie Walker-Webb
Presented in Association with Baltimore Center Stage

An impending flood is the least of the Johnson family’s troubles in this outrageous reimagining of Noah’s Ark from Tony Award-nominated writer and director duo Jordan E. Cooper and Stevie Walker-Webb. OH HAPPY DAY! begins in Laurel, MS, at a birthday BBQ for Lewis, the patriarch of the family. Shortly after his estranged son Keyshawn (played by Cooper) makes a surprise appearance, absurdity ensues on a day that will change their world forever. Grammy Award-winning gospel artist Donald Lawrence writes original songs for this biting new play about confronting the divine.

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PF + MP: Theatre for a New Audience’s production of <a href="https://pl