Schmigadoon is back on Apple TV! The second season takes us in a slightly different direction, and today Peter &amp; Nathan explore the theology of the musicals being lovingly "spoofed" by "Schmicago" and wonder what it means that "every day can be a happy beginning." (By the way: if you missed our episode on Schmigadoon Season 1, you can listen here, or wherever you like to listen!)   We talk about: – The power of parables, and how stories can (and can’t) transform us. – The theology of the Broadway musicals of the 60s &amp; 70s, steeped in sex &amp; nihilism, and how Schmicago navigates – and ultimately rejects – that theology. – We explore the show’s ending, and what kind of theology is implicit in the final number.   You’ll hear:  Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Kristen Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Tituss Burgess, Dove Cameron, Aaron Tveit and the cast of Schmigadoon Season 2.   Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

Schmigadoon is back on Apple TV! The second season takes us in a slightly different direction, and today Peter &amp; Nathan explore the theology of the musicals being lovingly "spoofed" by "Schmicago" and wonder what it means that "every day can be a happy beginning." (By the way: if you missed our episode on Schmigadoon Season 1, <a href="https://gospelofmt.podbean.com/e/bonus-schmigadoon/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">you can listen here,</a> or wherever you like to listen!) We talk about: – The power of parables, and how stories can (and can’t) transform us. – The theology of the Broadway musicals of the 60s &amp; 70s, steeped in sex &amp; nihilism, and how Schmicago navigates – and ultimately rejects – that theology. – We explore the show’s ending, and what kind of theology is implicit in the final number. You’ll hear:  Cecily Strong, Keegan-Michael Key, Kristen Chenoweth, Alan Cumming, Tituss Burgess, Dove Cameron, Aaron Tveit and the cast of Schmigadoon Season 2. Continue the conversation with Peter (<a href="http://twitter.com/pgeinvan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pgeinvan</a>) and Nathan (<a href="http://twitter.com/nathan_lerud" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nathan_lerud</a>) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on <a href="http://instagram.com/gospelofmt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="http://twitter.com/gospelofmt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> @gospelofmt.

BONUS: Schmigadoon – Season 2!

Nathan and Peter welcome Ian Farthing, Vancouver-based actor &amp; director and one of the original London ushers for the West End Production of Starlight Express (1984). We explore the theology &amp; themes of Starlight Express – as well as Lloyd Webber’s more recent musical Sunset Boulevard (1993). We talk about: – Theatre as a vocation, and how vocations – religious or artistic – change over the course of a life. – Where does “the power to move” come from – and how do we learn to run the race with integrity? – Who knew (other than Peter!) that Donald Trump’s favorite film is Sunset Boulevard? – We gossip a bit about our favorite Norma Desmonds, but don’t come to any real theological conclusions (but we love flannel on a man!) You’ll hear: – Excerpts from the original cast recording of Starlight Express (1984) – Betty Buckley performing “With One Look” live at Carnegie Hall (2006) – Patti LuPone singing “As If We Never Said Goodbye” and “The Lady’s Paying” from the Original London Cast Recording of Sunset Boulevard (1993) – Rex Smith &amp; Anita Louise Combe singing “Sunset Boulevard” &amp; “Too Much In Love To Care” from the Canadian Cast Recording of Sunset Boulevard (1996)   Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

Nathan and Peter welcome Ian Farthing, Vancouver-based actor &amp; director and one of the original London ushers for the West End Production of Starlight Express (1984). We explore the theology &amp; themes of Starlight Express – as well as Lloyd Webber’s more recent musical Sunset Boulevard (1993). We talk about: – Theatre as a vocation, and how vocations – religious or artistic – change over the course of a life. – Where does “the power to move” come from – and how do we learn to run the race with integrity? – Who knew (other than Peter!) that Donald Trump’s favorite film is Sunset Boulevard? – We gossip a bit about our favorite Norma Desmonds, but don’t come to any real theological conclusions (but we love flannel on a man!) You’ll hear: – Excerpts from the original cast recording of Starlight Express (1984) – Betty Buckley performing “With One Look” live at Carnegie Hall (2006) – Patti LuPone singing “As If We Never Said Goodbye” and “The Lady’s Paying” from the Original London Cast Recording of Sunset Boulevard (1993) – Rex Smith &amp; Anita Louise Combe singing “Sunset Boulevard” &amp; “Too Much In Love To Care” from the Canadian Cast Recording of Sunset Boulevard (1996) Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

4.6 Starlight Express & Sunset Boulevard!

We descend into the depths of the Paris Opera for the 1986 musical phenomenon The Phantom of the Opera – one of the most successful &amp; beloved musicals of all time, which centers around a troubling story about abuse, lust, and the power of music. We talk about: – Is the Phantom (or "Erik" as he’s known in the original novel) a serpent or a savior? – What is the relationship between Christine and the Phantom? An abusive mentor relationship, a forbidden love, an artistic partnership or a classic Gothic obsession? – How did power and patriarchy operate in the Victorian world of the Paris Opera – and in the 1980s world of rock musicals?   You’ll hear: – Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman and the cast of the 1988 Broadway Cast Recording.   Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

We descend into the depths of the Paris Opera for the 1986 musical phenomenon The Phantom of the Opera – one of the most successful &amp; beloved musicals of all time, which centers around a troubling story about abuse, lust, and the power of music. We talk about: – Is the Phantom (or "Erik" as he’s known in the original novel) a serpent or a savior? – What is the relationship between Christine and the Phantom? An abusive mentor relationship, a forbidden love, an artistic partnership or a classic Gothic obsession? – How did power and patriarchy operate in the Victorian world of the Paris Opera – and in the 1980s world of rock musicals? You’ll hear: – Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman and the cast of the 1988 Broadway Cast Recording. Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

4.5 Phantom of the Opera!

Peterskins &amp; Grumblethaniel (Peter &amp; Nathan) ascend to the Heaviside Layer for a close theological reading of one of the strangest, silliest, and most sensational mega-musicals ever to tread the boards: the much-beloved and much-reviled 1981 spectacle that is CATS. We talk about: – The naming of cats and humans – the names that culture and society give us, and the ineffable name that is known only to God. – Whether the feline characters are stand-ins for the seven deadly sins, and whether or not there is a morality tale at work (...or if maybe this is just a show about cats) – The power of memory and finding meaning in moments of happiness (and the deeply theological question: “does the right cat die?”)   You’ll hear Betty Buckley, Ken Page, Terrance Mann, and the cast of the 1983 Broadway Cast Recording.   Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

Peterskins &amp; Grumblethaniel (Peter &amp; Nathan) ascend to the Heaviside Layer for a close theological reading of one of the strangest, silliest, and most sensational mega-musicals ever to tread the boards: the much-beloved and much-reviled 1981 spectacle that is CATS. We talk about: – The naming of cats and humans – the names that culture and society give us, and the ineffable name that is known only to God. – Whether the feline characters are stand-ins for the seven deadly sins, and whether or not there is a morality tale at work (...or if maybe this is just a show about cats) – The power of memory and finding meaning in moments of happiness (and the deeply theological question: “does the right cat die?”) You’ll hear Betty Buckley, Ken Page, Terrance Mann, and the cast of the 1983 Broadway Cast Recording. Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

4.4 CATS!

Continuing our tour through the works of Andrew Lloyd Webber, today we're looking at Evita (1978)! The culmination of Lloyd Webber’s collaboration with lyricist Tim Rice, this show offers an epic look at politics, celebrity, and gender through the life of a contemporary saint, Argentina’s beloved First Lady Eva Peron (1919-1952).   We wonder: – Whose politics are at work in Evita? What does the musical say about Argentinian politics, British politics, and maybe even North American politics? – What does Evita have to say about sainthood? If Eva Peron is beatified by the Roman Catholic Church, what will that mean about how she is remembered?  – Do acts of charity enable or indict the structural forces that keep some people in power and others in poverty? What kind of social justice is Evita illustrating?   You’ll hear: – Mandy Patinkin, Patty LuPone and Bob Gunton on the 1979 Original Broadway Cast Recording – Madonna singing “You Must Love Me” and “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina (Miami Mix)” from the 1996 Motion Picture Soundtrack   Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt!

Continuing our tour through the works of Andrew Lloyd Webber, today we're looking at Evita (1978)! The culmination of Lloyd Webber’s collaboration with lyricist Tim Rice, this show offers an epic look at politics, celebrity, and gender through the life of a contemporary saint, Argentina’s beloved First Lady Eva Peron (1919-1952). We wonder: – Whose politics are at work in Evita? What does the musical say about Argentinian politics, British politics, and maybe even North American politics? – What does Evita have to say about sainthood? If Eva Peron is beatified by the Roman Catholic Church, what will that mean about how she is remembered?  – Do acts of charity enable or indict the structural forces that keep some people in power and others in poverty? What kind of social justice is Evita illustrating? You’ll hear: – Mandy Patinkin, Patty LuPone and Bob Gunton on the 1979 Original Broadway Cast Recording – Madonna singing “You Must Love Me” and “Don’t Cry for Me, Argentina (Miami Mix)” from the 1996 Motion Picture Soundtrack Continue the conversation with Peter (<a href="http://twitter.com/pgeinvan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pgeinvan</a>) and Nathan (<a href="http://twitter.com/nathan_lerud" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nathan_lerud</a>) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt!

4.3 Evita!

It's finally here... Today, we turn to the Gospel According to Andrew Lloyd Webber: the phenomenon that is Jesus Christ Superstar (1970)!   We talk about: – The context of the late 60s/early 70s that gave rise to a rock opera treatment of the Jesus story – The eroticism in Mary Magdalene’s (and maybe Judas’?) relationship with Jesus and the question of how sexuality &amp; love intersect in the Christian tradition. What does it mean to fall in love with a God with a human body? – Mary Magdalene (not a prostitute in the Bible!) and the way the musical treats her as a woman, a sex worker, and a romantic lead. – Anti-Judaism and Anti-Semitism in Jesus Christ Superstar and in the New Testament and what responsibility Christians bear in challenging it. – What kind of Christology (big fancy theological word for “understanding Jesus”) undergirds Jesus Christ Superstar, and whether there’s any good news in this musical.   You’ll hear: – Ian Gillan, Murray Head, Yvonne Elliman and the cast of the Original Studio Recording (a.k.a. “The Brown Album”) from 1970. – "Could Ye Not Watch With Me One Hour?" from John Stainer’s Crucifixion sung by the St. Michael Singers (Fox Records, 2009). – Joshua Mostel singing "Herod’s Song" from the 1973 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.   Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt!

It's finally here... Today, we turn to the Gospel According to Andrew Lloyd Webber: the phenomenon that is Jesus Christ Superstar (1970)! We talk about: – The context of the late 60s/early 70s that gave rise to a rock opera treatment of the Jesus story – The eroticism in Mary Magdalene’s (and maybe Judas’?) relationship with Jesus and the question of how sexuality &amp; love intersect in the Christian tradition. What does it mean to fall in love with a God with a human body? – Mary Magdalene (not a prostitute in the Bible!) and the way the musical treats her as a woman, a sex worker, and a romantic lead. – Anti-Judaism and Anti-Semitism in Jesus Christ Superstar and in the New Testament and what responsibility Christians bear in challenging it. – What kind of Christology (big fancy theological word for “understanding Jesus”) undergirds Jesus Christ Superstar, and whether there’s any good news in this musical. You’ll hear: – Ian Gillan, Murray Head, Yvonne Elliman and the cast of the Original Studio Recording (a.k.a. “The Brown Album”) from 1970. – "Could Ye Not Watch With Me One Hour?" from John Stainer’s Crucifixion sung by the St. Michael Singers (Fox Records, 2009). – Joshua Mostel singing "Herod’s Song" from the 1973 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. Continue the conversation with Peter (<a href="http://twitter.com/pgeinvan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pgeinvan</a>) and Nathan (<a href="http://twitter.com/nathan_lerud" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nathan_lerud</a>) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt!

4.2 Jesus Christ Superstar!

We're baaaackkkk! Today we kick off our fourth season, a deep dive into the musicals of the one &amp; only Andrew Lloyd Weber, one of the most esteemed and prolific musical theatre composers of all time. In this episode, Nathan &amp; Peter take a look at an early success he and lyricist Tim Rice had in 1968: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat!   We talk about: - The intersection of "liturgical" music (Lloyd Webber’s father was a church organist) with pop music - Dreams, and how they function both in the religious tradition andcontemporary pop psychology and musicals. Is it really true that, as Joseph sings, "any dream will do?" - What Bible stories we think are appropriate for children – and which parts of the Bible we sanitize or gloss overto preserve a romanticized ideal of childhood innocence   You’ll hear Donny Osmond, Janet Metz and the cast of the 1992 Canadian Cast Recording (Really Useful Group Ltd under exclusive license to Universal Music Operations Limited).   Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

We're baaaackkkk! Today we kick off our fourth season, a deep dive into the musicals of the one &amp; only Andrew Lloyd Weber, one of the most esteemed and prolific musical theatre composers of all time. In this episode, Nathan &amp; Peter take a look at an early success he and lyricist Tim Rice had in 1968: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat! We talk about: - The intersection of "liturgical" music (Lloyd Webber’s father was a church organist) with pop music - Dreams, and how they function both in the religious tradition andcontemporary pop psychology and musicals. Is it really true that, as Joseph sings, "any dream will do?" - What Bible stories we think are appropriate for children – and which parts of the Bible we sanitize or gloss overto preserve a romanticized ideal of childhood innocence You’ll hear Donny Osmond, Janet Metz and the cast of the 1992 Canadian Cast Recording (Really Useful Group Ltd under exclusive license to Universal Music Operations Limited). Continue the conversation with Peter (<a href="http://twitter.com/pgeinvan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pgeinvan</a>) and Nathan (<a href="http://twitter.com/nathan_lerud" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nathan_lerud</a>) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on <a href="http://instagram.com/gospelofmt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="http://twitter.com/gospelofmt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> @gospelofmt.

4.1 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat!

To celebrate Pride Month, Peter and Nathan are joined by the incredible Isaac Lamb and Stephanie Smith, director and musical director for a new and groundbreakingly queer production of Meredith Wilson’s 1957 classic musical The Music Man – which opens at Third Rail Repertory Theatre in Portland, OR, on June 17th. We talk about: – Theatre and church, chamber pieces versus extravagant spectacles, and what led Meredith Wilson to create The Music Man. We reference Meredith Wilson’s 1957 book But He Doesn’t Know the Territory which was reissued by University of Minnesota Press in 2020. – The nature of “political” casting choices, what it means for six women and non-binary actors to take on these roles, and why casting choices matter. (You can learn more about Third Rail Rep’s production (and purchase tickets!) by visiting  – Learning how to sing and learning how to play an instrument – both in the story of The Music Man and in this production, where the actors accompany themselves. -The purity (and politics!) of joy, and why a show like The Music Man can help us imagine new possibilities in a multi-racial, multiply-abled, diverse, and rapidly changing world.   You’ll hear: Robert Preston, Barbara Cook and the company of the original New York production singing “Seventy-Six Trombones,” “My White Knight” “Sincere,” “Gary, Indiana,” “Rock Island,” “Pick-a-Little” and “Shipoopi”    Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

To celebrate Pride Month, Peter and Nathan are joined by the incredible <a href="http://isaaclamb.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Isaac Lamb</a> and <a href="http://misssmithpresents.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Stephanie Smith,</a> director and musical director for a new and groundbreakingly queer production of Meredith Wilson’s 1957 classic musical The Music Man – which opens at Third Rail Repertory Theatre in Portland, OR, on June 17th. We talk about: – Theatre and church, chamber pieces versus extravagant spectacles, and what led Meredith Wilson to create The Music Man. We reference Meredith Wilson’s 1957 book But He Doesn’t Know the Territory which was reissued by University of Minnesota Press in 2020. – The nature of “political” casting choices, what it means for six women and non-binary actors to take on these roles, and why casting choices matter. (You can learn more about Third Rail Rep’s production (and purchase tickets!) by visiting <a href="https://thirdrailrep.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a> – Learning how to sing and learning how to play an instrument – both in the story of The Music Man and in this production, where the actors accompany themselves. -The purity (and politics!) of joy, and why a show like The Music Man can help us imagine new possibilities in a multi-racial, multiply-abled, diverse, and rapidly changing world. You’ll hear: <ul><li>Robert Preston, Barbara Cook and the company of the original New York production singing “Seventy-Six Trombones,” “My White Knight” “Sincere,” “Gary, Indiana,” “Rock Island,” “Pick-a-Little” and “Shipoopi”</li> </ul> Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

PRIDE BONUS: The Music Man!

Ed Bacon

Peter &amp; Nathan welcome a very special guest: the Rev’d Ed Bacon: legendary leader of progressive Christian causes, retired rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, and inveterate Sondheim fan. With Ed’s help, we pull apart the spirituality, theology (and the trichology!) of what is probably Stephen Sondheim’s best-known (and arguably best-loved) musical, the 1987 masterpiece Into the Woods.   We talk about: - The subversive nature of fairy tales, and what we think we’re doing when we tell these stories to children - What it means to go “into the woods” – and how can we befriend it? - Being nice, being good, losing our innocence – and what it means to be "white" - The complicated nature of community, and the promise and threat of the idea that "no one is alone" - The Gospel as Fairy Tale (with apologies and gratitude for Frederick Buechner’s Telling the Truth, the book that caused at least one of us to become a priest!)   You’ll hear: - Bernadette Peters, Chip Zien, Joanna Gleason and the cast of the Original Broadway Cast Recording (1987) singing “Prologue,” “Giants in the Sky,” “Hello, Little Girl,” “I Know Things Now,” “No One Is Alone”, “Last Midnight,” and “Children Will Listen”   Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

Peter &amp; Nathan welcome a very special guest: the Rev’d Ed Bacon: legendary leader of progressive Christian causes, retired rector of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, and inveterate Sondheim fan. With Ed’s help, we pull apart the spirituality, theology (and the trichology!) of what is probably Stephen Sondheim’s best-known (and arguably best-loved) musical, the 1987 masterpiece Into the Woods. We talk about: - The subversive nature of fairy tales, and what we think we’re doing when we tell these stories to children - What it means to go “into the woods” – and how can we befriend it? - Being nice, being good, losing our innocence – and what it means to be "white" - The complicated nature of community, and the promise and threat of the idea that "no one is alone" - The Gospel as Fairy Tale (with apologies and gratitude for Frederick Buechner’s Telling the Truth, the book that caused at least one of us to become a priest!) You’ll hear: - Bernadette Peters, Chip Zien, Joanna Gleason and the cast of the Original Broadway Cast Recording (1987) singing “Prologue,” “Giants in the Sky,” “Hello, Little Girl,” “I Know Things Now,” “No One Is Alone”, “Last Midnight,” and “Children Will Listen” Continue the conversation with Peter (<a href="http://twitter.com/pgeinvan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pgeinvan</a>) and Nathan (<a href="http://twitter.com/nathan_lerud" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nathan_lerud</a>) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

3.10 Into the Woods! (with Ed Bacon!)

It's time for Peter’s favorite Sondheim musical: Sunday in the Park with George! Stephen Sondheim &amp; James Lapine’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1985 musical masterpiece is a beautiful meditation on art and art-making. We love this show, and we hope you will too.   We talk about: - Making art, preaching sermons, and the art of living – and suffering &amp; failure in art... and life - Noticing &amp; cultivating attention as a spiritual practice - The relational power of art – and the challenge of living with artists! - The multi-faceted nature of the word (and the hymn!) "Sunday:" a day of rest, a day of sabbath, the finding of shalom   You’ll hear: -  Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin and the cast of the Original Broadway Cast Recording (1984) singing "Putting It Together," "Finishing the Hat," "We Do Not Belong Together," "Sunday Hymn," "The Day Off," "It’s Hot Up Here," and "Move On"   Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

It's time for Peter’s favorite Sondheim musical: Sunday in the Park with George! Stephen Sondheim &amp; James Lapine’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 1985 musical masterpiece is a beautiful meditation on art and art-making. We love this show, and we hope you will too. We talk about: - Making art, preaching sermons, and the art of living – and suffering &amp; failure in art... and life - Noticing &amp; cultivating attention as a spiritual practice - The relational power of art – and the challenge of living with artists! - The multi-faceted nature of the word (and the hymn!) "Sunday:" a day of rest, a day of sabbath, the finding of shalom You’ll hear: -  Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin and the cast of the Original Broadway Cast Recording (1984) singing "Putting It Together," "Finishing the Hat," "We Do Not Belong Together," "Sunday Hymn," "The Day Off," "It’s Hot Up Here," and "Move On" Continue the conversation with Peter (<a href="http://twitter.com/pgeinvan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pgeinvan</a>) and Nathan (<a href="http://twitter.com/nathan_lerud" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nathan_lerud</a>) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

3.9 Sunday in the Park with George!

A priestly &amp; profane podcast about your favorite musicals, with your favorite deans and musical theatre queens Nathan LeRud &amp; Peter Elliott!

Peter &amp; Nathan's keep rolling through the Sondheim oeuvre with his most notorious "flop," the 1981 Merrily We Roll Along! Is it really a bitter, nihilistic look at growing older? Or is there actually something like the Gospel at work in this experimental, bittersweet musical about growing up?   We Talk About: - Is it true that, as Mary says, "God don’t answer prayers a lot?" - How Merrily illustrates a theology of friendship and an  understanding (a queer understanding?) of the spiritual life - What Merrily says about human relationships and the need to "burn your bridges every now and then" - Different ways of thinking about time – sacramental, liturgical, narrative – and how Merrily subverts conventional notions of the narrative and reflects a more sacred sense of time.  You’ll Hear: - The Original Company of Merrily We Roll Along on the Original Broadway Cast Recording singing "The Hills of Tomorrow," "Opening Doors," "Now You Know," "Good Thing Going," "Our Time" and "Bobby and Jackie and Jack" - Celia Keenan-Bolger and Lin-Manuela Miranda singing "Old Friends" and "Like It Was" from the 2012 Encores! Cast Recording - Bernadette Peters singing "Not A Day Goes By"   Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt!

Peter &amp; Nathan's keep rolling through the Sondheim oeuvre with his most notorious "flop," the 1981 Merrily We Roll Along! Is it really a bitter, nihilistic look at growing older? Or is there actually something like the Gospel at work in this experimental, bittersweet musical about growing up? We Talk About: - Is it true that, as Mary says, "God don’t answer prayers a lot?" - How Merrily illustrates a theology of friendship and an  understanding (a queer understanding?) of the spiritual life - What Merrily says about human relationships and the need to "burn your bridges every now and then" - Different ways of thinking about time – sacramental, liturgical, narrative – and how Merrily subverts conventional notions of the narrative and reflects a more sacred sense of time. You’ll Hear: - The Original Company of Merrily We Roll Along on the Original Broadway Cast Recording singing "The Hills of Tomorrow," "Opening Doors," "Now You Know," "Good Thing Going," "Our Time" and "Bobby and Jackie and Jack" - Celia Keenan-Bolger and Lin-Manuela Miranda singing "Old Friends" and "Like It Was" from the 2012 Encores! Cast Recording - Bernadette Peters singing "Not A Day Goes By" Continue the conversation with Peter (<a href="http://twitter.com/pgeinvan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pgeinvan</a>) and Nathan (<a href="http://twitter.com/nathan_lerud" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nathan_lerud</a>) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on <a href="http://instagram.com/gospelofmt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="http://twitter.com/gospelofmt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> @gospelofmt!

3.8 Merrily We Roll Along!

Sweeney Todd

Sort of-guest Arwen Myers—soprano, Sweeney stan, and executive producer of this podcast—joins Peter and Nathan for a wide-reaching conversation about her favorite musical, which just happens to be about murder &amp; meat pies (&amp; Victor Garber). That's right: it's the 1979 Tony-Award winning Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street!   We talk about: - The medieval chant Dies Irae and how it frames Sweeney Todd as a story about death, violence, and revenge with explicitly religious overtones.   – Who’s the real villain of Sweeney Todd? We talk about how none of these characters are who they appear to be, and how the music helps to signal what’s going on underneath. – The various versions of Christianity that haunt this show, notions of sacred violence, sin &amp; sacrifice, and the redemptive promise—or false lure?—of blood.   – The social and cultural aspects of the world that’s being presented – and we make of the warning embedded in this very dark musical. Is Sweeney "out there..." or is he inside each of us?   You’ll hear: Angela Lansbury, Len Cariou, Ken Jennings, Victor Garber, and Edmund Lyndeck on the Original Broadway Cast Recording singing "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd," "A Little Priest," "Johanna," "The Worst Pies in London," "Epiphany," and "Not While I’m Around."    Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

Sort of-guest <a href="http://arwenmyerssoprano.com/bio" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arwen Myers</a>—soprano, Sweeney stan, and executive producer of this podcast—joins Peter and Nathan for a wide-reaching conversation about her favorite musical, which just happens to be about murder &amp; meat pies (&amp; Victor Garber). That's right: it's the 1979 Tony-Award winning Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street! We talk about: - The medieval chant Dies Irae and how it frames Sweeney Todd as a story about death, violence, and revenge with explicitly religious overtones.   – Who’s the real villain of Sweeney Todd? We talk about how none of these characters are who they appear to be, and how the music helps to signal what’s going on underneath. – The various versions of Christianity that haunt this show, notions of sacred violence, sin &amp; sacrifice, and the redemptive promise—or false lure?—of blood.   – The social and cultural aspects of the world that’s being presented – and we make of the warning embedded in this very dark musical. Is Sweeney "out there..." or is he inside each of us? You’ll hear: <ul><li>Angela Lansbury, Len Cariou, Ken Jennings, Victor Garber, and Edmund Lyndeck on the Original Broadway Cast Recording singing "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd," "A Little Priest," "Johanna," "The Worst Pies in London," "Epiphany," and "Not While I’m Around."</li> </ul> Continue the conversation with Peter (<a href="http://twitter.com/pgeinvan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pgeinvan</a>) and Nathan (<a href="http://twitter.com/nathan_lerud" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nathan_lerud</a>) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on <a href="http://instagram.com/gospelofmt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="http://twitter.com/gospelofmt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> @gospelofmt.

3.7 Sweeney Todd! (with Arwen Myers!)

This week, Peter and Nathan turn to Sondheim’s most commercially successful musical, A Little Night Music (1973) – a witty, clever sex comedy made up, in Hal Prince’s famous words, of "whipped cream with knives."   We Talk About: – The show’s big themes: love, sex and time – and how they find expression in the music, especially the now-iconic "Send in the Clowns."  – Three generations exploring love &amp; relationships and the nature of aging.  – The complicated nature of intergenerational relationships – both creepy and beautiful.  – The problem of timing, and the complication of lining up sexual attraction with the commitment that love demands.     You’ll Hear: – Both Glynnis Johns and Catherine Zeta-Jones singing "Send in the Clowns" from the 1973 Original Broadway Cast and the 2010 Broadway Revival Cast recordings. – Elaine Tompkinson singing “The Glamorous Life” from the 1975 Film Soundtrack.  – The company of the Original Broadway Cast singing "Overture," "Remember," "You Must Meet My Wife," "Now," "Liasons,” and "The Miller’s Son."

This week, Peter and Nathan turn to Sondheim’s most commercially successful musical, A Little Night Music (1973) – a witty, clever sex comedy made up, in Hal Prince’s famous words, of "whipped cream with knives." We Talk About: – The show’s big themes: love, sex and time – and how they find expression in the music, especially the now-iconic "Send in the Clowns."  – Three generations exploring love &amp; relationships and the nature of aging.  – The complicated nature of intergenerational relationships – both creepy and beautiful.  – The problem of timing, and the complication of lining up sexual attraction with the commitment that love demands.  You’ll Hear: – Both Glynnis Johns and Catherine Zeta-Jones singing "Send in the Clowns" from the 1973 Original Broadway Cast and the 2010 Broadway Revival Cast recordings. – Elaine Tompkinson singing “The Glamorous Life” from the 1975 Film Soundtrack.  – The company of the Original Broadway Cast singing "Overture," "Remember," "You Must Meet My Wife," "Now," "Liasons,” and "The Miller’s Son."

3.6 A Little Night Music!

Today we welcome two very special guests: Cantor Ida Rae and Rabbi Michael Cahana of Portland’s Congregation Beth Israel!  We're chatting about Sondheim’s Jewish heritage – and the subversive power of ritual &amp; theatre in Jewish contexts.   We talk about: Jewishness in the music of Leonard Bernstein &amp; Stephen Sondheim West Side Story as an immigrant show exploring the tension between alienation and assimilation "Outsider" narratives in Sondheim’s stories as a reflection of both his Judaism and his homosexuality The "problem of the ending" – and the phenomenon of unresolved musical, dramatic, and theological conclusions Purim, the tradition of the Purim Spiel, and the subversive nature of Purim How we pass down our stories to our children  *Read Gabrielle Hoyt’s article "Kaddish for Steve" at https://www.americantheatre.org/2022/01/28/kaddish-for-steve-on-the-jewishness-of-sondheim/    You’ll hear: The Prologue and Quintet ("Tonight") from West Side Story (2022 film soundtrack) The documentary Original Cast Album (You can find it on YouTube!) The Finale ("Children Will Listen") from Into The Woods (Original Broadway Cast recording) "I Remember" from Evening Primrose (Sung by Bernadette Peters on the 2016 Album The Essential Sondheim) The cast of Congregation Beth Israel’s 2016 production of West Side Spiel. Watch the whole Spiel on CBI’s YouTube page: https://youtu.be/Ely7r_Ax_AE 

Today we welcome two very special guests: Cantor Ida Rae and Rabbi Michael Cahana of Portland’s <a href="https://www.bethisrael-pdx.org/about/our-clergy/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Congregation Beth Israel! </a> We're chatting about Sondheim’s Jewish heritage – and the subversive power of ritual &amp; theatre in Jewish contexts. We talk about: <ul><li>Jewishness in the music of Leonard Bernstein &amp; Stephen Sondheim</li> <li>West Side Story as an immigrant show exploring the tension between alienation and assimilation</li> <li>"Outsider" narratives in Sondheim’s stories as a reflection of both his Judaism and his homosexuality</li> <li>The "problem of the ending" – and the phenomenon of unresolved musical, dramatic, and theological conclusions</li> <li>Purim, the tradition of the Purim Spiel, and the subversive nature of Purim</li> <li>How we pass down our stories to our children</li> </ul> *Read Gabrielle Hoyt’s article "Kaddish for Steve" at <a href="https://www.americantheatre.org/2022/01/28/kaddish-for-steve-on-the-jewishness-of-sondheim/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.americantheatre.org/2022/01/28/kaddish-for-steve-on-the-jewishness-of-sondheim/</a> You’ll hear: <ul><li>The Prologue and Quintet ("Tonight") from West Side Story (2022 film soundtrack)</li> <li>The documentary Original Cast Album (You can find it on YouTube!)</li> <li>The Finale ("Children Will Listen") from Into The Woods (Original Broadway Cast recording)</li> <li>"I Remember" from Evening Primrose (Sung by Bernadette Peters on the 2016 Album The Essential Sondheim)</li> <li>The cast of Congregation Beth Israel’s 2016 production of West Side Spiel. Watch the whole Spiel on CBI’s YouTube page: <a href="https://youtu.be/Ely7r_Ax_AE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/Ely7r_Ax_AE</a></li> </ul>

BONUS: Sondheim & Judaism (with Michael & Ida Rae Cahana)!

Peter &amp; Nathan turn to Sondheim’s 1971 iconic Follies, a show that takes a loving—but brutal—look at nostalgia, camp, the power of memory, and the danger of looking back.   We talk about: The role of nostalgia and the warning articulated in Follies: "never look back" The nature of camp, Susan Sontag’s essay "Notes on Camp" and how Follies explores campiness, drag culture, and the excesses of the 20th century Follies as a show about women and women’s bodies Ghosts, the communion of saints, and the past's impact on the present The spirituality of aging, what it means to be fully alive, and the power of endurance     You’ll hear: The Prologue, "Beautiful Girls," "Broadway Baby," and "In Buddy’s Eyes" as performed by Bernadette Peters, Jayne Houdyshell, Michael Haynes and the company of the 2012 Broadway Revival production The late, great Barbara Cook singing "Losing My Mind" from the 1985 Concert Recording The legendary Elaine Stritch performing "I’m Still Here"—which you have to watch on YouTube and then find all the other women in red singing their Sondheim tributes: https://youtu.be/3Xz1TUgdG6A 

Peter &amp; Nathan turn to Sondheim’s 1971 iconic Follies, a show that takes a loving—but brutal—look at nostalgia, camp, the power of memory, and the danger of looking back. We talk about: <ul><li>The role of nostalgia and the warning articulated in Follies: "never look back"</li> <li>The nature of camp, Susan Sontag’s essay "Notes on Camp" and how Follies explores campiness, drag culture, and the excesses of the 20th century</li> <li>Follies as a show about women and women’s bodies</li> <li>Ghosts, the communion of saints, and the past's impact on the present</li> <li>The spirituality of aging, what it means to be fully alive, and the power of endurance </li> </ul> You’ll hear: <ul><li>The Prologue, "Beautiful Girls," "Broadway Baby," and "In Buddy’s Eyes" as performed by Bernadette Peters, Jayne Houdyshell, Michael Haynes and the company of the 2012 Broadway Revival production</li> <li>The late, great Barbara Cook singing "Losing My Mind" from the 1985 Concert Recording</li> <li>The legendary Elaine Stritch performing "I’m Still Here"—which you have to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xz1TUgdG6A" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">watch on YouTube</a> and then find all the other women in red singing their Sondheim tributes: <a href="https://youtu.be/3Xz1TUgdG6A" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://youtu.be/3Xz1TUgdG6A</a></li> </ul>

3.5 Follies!

We're moving into the "great" Sondheim musicals of the 1970s and 80s, starting with the groundbreaking Company (1970) with its perennial questions about gender, sexuality, and the changing nature of marriage &amp; human relationships.   We talk about: - "New morality” in the works of John A.T. Robinson, Harvey Cox, and how it is explored in the work of Sondheim - The isolation &amp; verticalization of urban life in the 1960s and 70s. - Bobby’s questions about human relationships—sexual, romantic, platonic—and the deep ambivalence he represents - Attempts to update Company—often by changing gender roles - The women of Company – especially Joanne and her great number “The Ladies Who Lunch” - The changing nature of marriage and human commitment – in society and in the church   You’ll Hear: - “Company,” “The Little Things You Do Together,” “Sorry-Grateful”, “Getting Married Today,” “The Ladies Who Lunch” and “Being Alive” from the Original Broadway Production on the 1970 cast album - “Marry Me A Little” sung by Raul Esparza from the 2006 Broadway Revival Album. - “Happily Ever After” sung by Craig Lucas on the 1986 album “A Collector’s Sondheim”

We're moving into the "great" Sondheim musicals of the 1970s and 80s, starting with the groundbreaking Company (1970) with its perennial questions about gender, sexuality, and the changing nature of marriage &amp; human relationships. We talk about: - "New morality” in the works of John A.T. Robinson, Harvey Cox, and how it is explored in the work of Sondheim - The isolation &amp; verticalization of urban life in the 1960s and 70s. - Bobby’s questions about human relationships—sexual, romantic, platonic—and the deep ambivalence he represents - Attempts to update Company—often by changing gender roles - The women of Company – especially Joanne and her great number “The Ladies Who Lunch” - The changing nature of marriage and human commitment – in society and in the church You’ll Hear: - “Company,” “The Little Things You Do Together,” “Sorry-Grateful”, “Getting Married Today,” “The Ladies Who Lunch” and “Being Alive” from the Original Broadway Production on the 1970 cast album - “Marry Me A Little” sung by Raul Esparza from the 2006 Broadway Revival Album. - “Happily Ever After” sung by Craig Lucas on the 1986 album “A Collector’s Sondheim”

3.4 Company!

Today, Nathan &amp; Peter take on an unlikely duo... TWO musicals with music &amp; lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (a hit &amp; a flop!)—A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962) and Anyone Can Whistle (1965)— which lead to an unexpected conversation about comedy, farce... and miracles.   We Talk About: Sondheim’s love of obscure source material – how many musicals do you know that are based on the plays of an ancient Roman? Opening numbers—especially Forum’s famous "Comedy Tonight"—and Jerome Robbins’ legacy What to do with sexual jokes that haven’t aged well ("Everybody Ought to Have a Maid", anyone?) A theology of comedy: what do we learn about God through laughter? Sondheim’s wrestling with his own sexuality in songs like “Anyone Can Whistle” – and his romance with Lee Remick, who introduced the song on Broadway The social upheaval of the mid-1960s and the sweetness of human connection – what French theologian Jean-Pierre de Caussade calls "the sacrament of the present moment"   You’ll Hear: "Comedy Tonight," "Free," and "Pretty Little Picture," sung by Zero Mostel, Bryan Davies, and Preshy Marker from the Original Broadway Cast Recording of A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum "Everybody Ought to Have A Maid," sung by David Burns, Zero Mostel, Jack Gilford and John Carradine from the Original Broadway Cast Recording The Cookie Speech, "Everybody Says Don’t," and "With So Little To Be Sure Of," sung by Bernadette Peters and Scott Bakula on the 1995 Carnegie Hall Concert Recording of Anyone Can Whistle "Anyone Can Whistle," sung by Lee Remick on the Original Broadway Cast Recording – as well as a “demo” version sung by Sondheim himself (available as a bonus track on the Original Broadway Cast Recording) 

Today, Nathan &amp; Peter take on an unlikely duo... TWO musicals with music &amp; lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (a hit &amp; a flop!)—A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962) and Anyone Can Whistle (1965)— which lead to an unexpected conversation about comedy, farce... and miracles. We Talk About: <ul><li>Sondheim’s love of obscure source material – how many musicals do you know that are based on the plays of an ancient Roman?</li> <li>Opening numbers—especially Forum’s famous "Comedy Tonight"—and Jerome Robbins’ legacy</li> <li>What to do with sexual jokes that haven’t aged well ("Everybody Ought to Have a Maid", anyone?)</li> <li>A theology of comedy: what do we learn about God through laughter?</li> <li>Sondheim’s wrestling with his own sexuality in songs like “Anyone Can Whistle” – and his romance with Lee Remick, who introduced the song on Broadway</li> <li>The social upheaval of the mid-1960s and the sweetness of human connection – what French theologian Jean-Pierre de Caussade calls "the sacrament of the present moment" </li> </ul> You’ll Hear: <ul><li>"Comedy Tonight," "Free," and "Pretty Little Picture," sung by Zero Mostel, Bryan Davies, and Preshy Marker from the Original Broadway Cast Recording of A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to the Forum</li> <li>"Everybody Ought to Have A Maid," sung by David Burns, Zero Mostel, Jack Gilford and John Carradine from the Original Broadway Cast Recording</li> <li>The Cookie Speech, "Everybody Says Don’t," and "With So Little To Be Sure Of," sung by Bernadette Peters and Scott Bakula on the 1995 Carnegie Hall Concert Recording of Anyone Can Whistle</li> <li>"Anyone Can Whistle," sung by Lee Remick on the Original Broadway Cast Recording – as well as a “demo” version sung by Sondheim himself (available as a bonus track on the Original Broadway Cast Recording)</li> </ul>

3.3 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum & Anyone Can Whistle!

We're back! We're starting 2022 right and continuing our discussion of the musicals of the great Stephen Sondheim - and today, we're talking about the iconic Gypsy (1959), Sondheim’s early collaboration with Jule Styne.   *We apologize for the audio quality in today's episode - we had some technical difficulties with Nathan's mic!   We talk about: The diva phenomenon, domineering mothers, and queer men’s mommy issues. Cultural &amp; religious shifts in sexual norms in the 20th century. The agency of women, the use of women’s bodies for entertainment, and questions of morality &amp; ethics around characters like Mama Rose and Gypsy Rose Lee. The "death of vaudeville" as a way of thinking about any institution balancing old traditions with a changing world (can you say 21st century Christianity?) The power of bodies and how sex work is an image of the Kingdom of God.  You’ll hear: The Overture and "Rose’s Turn" from the 2003 Broadway Revival Cast with Bernadette Peters. "Some People," "Small World," "Everything’s Coming Up Roses" and "Rose’s Turn" as sung by Ethel Merman &amp; Jack Klugman on the Original Broadway Cast Album from 1959. Bernadette Peters, Julia McKenzie, Ruthie Henshall as well as (!) Judi Dench, David Kernan, Lea Salonga, Maria Friedman, Michael Ball &amp; Millicent Martin singing "You Gotta Get A Gimmick" from the 1998 Concert Album, Hey Mr. Producer!    Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

We're back! We're starting 2022 right and continuing our discussion of the musicals of the great Stephen Sondheim - and today, we're talking about the iconic Gypsy (1959), Sondheim’s early collaboration with Jule Styne. *We apologize for the audio quality in today's episode - we had some technical difficulties with Nathan's mic! We talk about: <ul><li>The diva phenomenon, domineering mothers, and queer men’s mommy issues.</li> <li>Cultural &amp; religious shifts in sexual norms in the 20th century.</li> <li>The agency of women, the use of women’s bodies for entertainment, and questions of morality &amp; ethics around characters like Mama Rose and Gypsy Rose Lee.</li> <li>The "death of vaudeville" as a way of thinking about any institution balancing old traditions with a changing world (can you say 21st century Christianity?)</li> <li>The power of bodies and how sex work is an image of the Kingdom of God.</li> </ul> You’ll hear: <ul><li>The Overture and "Rose’s Turn" from the 2003 Broadway Revival Cast with Bernadette Peters.</li> <li>"Some People," "Small World," "Everything’s Coming Up Roses" and "Rose’s Turn" as sung by Ethel Merman &amp; Jack Klugman on the Original Broadway Cast Album from 1959.</li> <li>Bernadette Peters, Julia McKenzie, Ruthie Henshall as well as (!) Judi Dench, David Kernan, Lea Salonga, Maria Friedman, Michael Ball &amp; Millicent Martin singing "You Gotta Get A Gimmick" from the 1998 Concert Album, Hey Mr. Producer!</li> </ul> Continue the conversation with Peter (<a href="http://twitter.com/pgeinvan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pgeinvan</a>) and Nathan (<a href="http://twitter.com/nathan_lerud" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nathan_lerud</a>) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

3.2 Gypsy!

That's right... We're not done with the 1957 Broadway classic West Side Story! Today in this very special holiday bonus episode, we're talking about the 2021 Steven Spielberg adaptation. We talk about: - Spielberg’s style and the political &amp; sociological context that he and screenwriter Tony Kushner bring to the original material - Shifts in religious imagery from 1961 to 2021 - and how the film shifts the setting of the story's religious/liturgical moments - How the film raises the stakes of Tony &amp; Maria’s love by paying deeper attention to the political &amp; racial context of the late 50s - A deeper and more nuanced take on Maria &amp; Anita and the ways they navigate white society - Valentina, the new character created by Kushner and Spielberg - and what it means to have Rita Moreno’s presence in the film - The phenomenon of midrash in the Jewish exegetical tradition and how this film riffs on the complications &amp; tensions inherent in the original material - The theological question of whether it’s true that when “love comes on so strong, there is no right or wrong” – and Maria as a (literal!) Marian figure   You’ll hear tracks from the 2021 Film Soundtrack: - David Alvarez and the Sharks singing “La Borinquena”. - Gustavo Dudamel leading players from the New York and LA Philharmonics in “Mambo” from the Dance at the Gym - Ansel Elgorty and Rachel Zegler singing “One Hand, One Heart” - Rachel Zegler, Ana Isabelle, Ilda Mason, Annelise Cepero, Jamila Velazquez, Andrea Burns, Tanairi Sade Vazquez &amp; Yassmin Alers singing “I Feel Pretty” - Ariana DeBose and Rachel Zegler singing “A Boy Like That/I Have A Love” - Rita Moreno singing “Somewhere”   Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

That's right... We're not done with the 1957 Broadway classic West Side Story! Today in this very special holiday bonus episode, we're talking about the 2021 Steven Spielberg adaptation. We talk about: - Spielberg’s style and the political &amp; sociological context that he and screenwriter Tony Kushner bring to the original material - Shifts in religious imagery from 1961 to 2021 - and how the film shifts the setting of the story's religious/liturgical moments - How the film raises the stakes of Tony &amp; Maria’s love by paying deeper attention to the political &amp; racial context of the late 50s - A deeper and more nuanced take on Maria &amp; Anita and the ways they navigate white society - Valentina, the new character created by Kushner and Spielberg - and what it means to have Rita Moreno’s presence in the film - The phenomenon of midrash in the Jewish exegetical tradition and how this film riffs on the complications &amp; tensions inherent in the original material - The theological question of whether it’s true that when “love comes on so strong, there is no right or wrong” – and Maria as a (literal!) Marian figure You’ll hear tracks from the 2021 Film Soundtrack: - David Alvarez and the Sharks singing “La Borinquena”. - Gustavo Dudamel leading players from the New York and LA Philharmonics in “Mambo” from the Dance at the Gym - Ansel Elgorty and Rachel Zegler singing “One Hand, One Heart” - Rachel Zegler, Ana Isabelle, Ilda Mason, Annelise Cepero, Jamila Velazquez, Andrea Burns, Tanairi Sade Vazquez &amp; Yassmin Alers singing “I Feel Pretty” - Ariana DeBose and Rachel Zegler singing “A Boy Like That/I Have A Love” - Rita Moreno singing “Somewhere” Continue the conversation with Peter (<a href="http://twitter.com/pgeinvan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pgeinvan</a>) and Nathan (<a href="http://twitter.com/nathan_lerud" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nathan_lerud</a>) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

BONUS: Steven Spielburg’s West Side Story!

Today, we begin our long awaited exploration of the musicals of the great Stephen Sondheim (1930-2021) who died recently at the age of 91. We're starting with one of Sondheim’s early collaborations: the 1957 classic West Side Story, which saw Sondheim working as lyricist alongside composer Leonard Bernstein. We talk about: - The death of Sondheim and his emerging status as a guru/wisdom teacher in the “church” of musical theatre – a reputation famously sent-up by the song “God” - The origins of West Side Story (1957) in the racial &amp; religious tensions between Jewish &amp; Catholic immigrants in New York City’s East Side at the turn of the 20th century, and how race in America had shifted by the 50s - "Something’s Coming," "The Jet Song," and the two dueling religious systems in West Side Story: group belonging vs. love, and the desire for a conversion experience - The show’s classic love songs—"Tonight," "Maria," and "Somewhere"—with their theological ideas about the full embodiment of sexual desire, and the power (and lure) of forbidden love - West Side Story’s social agenda, explored in "Gee, Officer Krupke" and "America," and the tension between whether we hold society or individuals responsible for violence - Whether the show ends in tragedy or hope – the challenge of redemptive violence and the promise of Maria as the priest of her community You’ll hear: - The company of the 2010 revue Sondheim on Sondheim (including the great Barbara Cook, Vanessa L. Williams, Leslie Kritzer, Erin Mackey, Tom Wopat, Norm Lewis, Euan Morton, and Matthew Scott), singing the song “God” - Isaac Cole Powell singing "Something’s Coming" (available to watch here) - Larry Kert &amp; Carol Lawrence singing "Tonight," "Somewhere" and "I Feel Pretty" from the original 1957 Broadway Cast Recording. - Max Goberman, Eddie Roll, Grover Dale and the company of the original Broadway cast singing "Gee, Officer Krupke" - Carol Lawrence, Carmen Gutierrez, Marilyn Cooper and Elizabeth Taylor singing "I Feel Pretty" from the Original Broadway Cast recording.   Continue the conversation with Peter (@pgeinvan) and Nathan (@nathan_lerud) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on Instagram or Twitter @gospelofmt.

Today, we begin our long awaited exploration of the musicals of the great Stephen Sondheim (1930-2021) who died recently at the age of 91. We're starting with one of Sondheim’s early collaborations: the 1957 classic West Side Story, which saw Sondheim working as lyricist alongside composer Leonard Bernstein. We talk about: - The death of Sondheim and his emerging status as a guru/wisdom teacher in the “church” of musical theatre – a reputation famously sent-up by the song “God” - The origins of West Side Story (1957) in the racial &amp; religious tensions between Jewish &amp; Catholic immigrants in New York City’s East Side at the turn of the 20th century, and how race in America had shifted by the 50s - "Something’s Coming," "The Jet Song," and the two dueling religious systems in West Side Story: group belonging vs. love, and the desire for a conversion experience - The show’s classic love songs—"Tonight," "Maria," and "Somewhere"—with their theological ideas about the full embodiment of sexual desire, and the power (and lure) of forbidden love - West Side Story’s social agenda, explored in "Gee, Officer Krupke" and "America," and the tension between whether we hold society or individuals responsible for violence - Whether the show ends in tragedy or hope – the challenge of redemptive violence and the promise of Maria as the priest of her community You’ll hear: - The company of the 2010 revue Sondheim on Sondheim (including the great Barbara Cook, Vanessa L. Williams, Leslie Kritzer, Erin Mackey, Tom Wopat, Norm Lewis, Euan Morton, and Matthew Scott), singing the song “God” - Isaac Cole Powell singing "Something’s Coming" (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS2VXgKwmvQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">available to watch here</a>) - Larry Kert &amp; Carol Lawrence singing "Tonight," "Somewhere" and "I Feel Pretty" from the original 1957 Broadway Cast Recording. - Max Goberman, Eddie Roll, Grover Dale and the company of the original Broadway cast singing "Gee, Officer Krupke" - Carol Lawrence, Carmen Gutierrez, Marilyn Cooper and Elizabeth Taylor singing "I Feel Pretty" from the Original Broadway Cast recording. Continue the conversation with Peter (<a href="http://twitter.com/pgeinvan" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@pgeinvan</a>) and Nathan (<a href="http://twitter.com/nathan_lerud" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@nathan_lerud</a>) on Twitter, and follow the Gospel of Musical Theatre on <a href="http://instagram.com/gospelofmt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> or <a href="http://twitter.com/gospelofmt" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> @gospelofmt.

3.1 West Side Story! (Sondheim Season Premiere)

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