A new, original musical has arrived on Broadway: “Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York).” Book writer and lyricist Kit Buchan and composer Jim Barne have brought their musical romcom to the Longacre Theatre — inspired by movies like “When Harry Met Sally,” “Crossing Delancey” and Richard Linklater’s “Before” trilogy.
“Two Strangers” started in the U.K. before coming to America. It follows a young Brit (played by Sam Tutty) who has dreamt of New York City and comes for the first time for his estranged father’s wedding. Retrieving him from the airport is a native New Yorker (Christiani Pitts) and the sister of the bride.
In this episode, Buchan and Barne reveal how they invented the story of “Two Strangers,” how they found their pop sound and how they balance the reality and fantasy of NYC. Director Tim Jackson also talks with host Ruthie Fierberg about his vision for the show and getting deep into these two characters. Finally, Tutty and Pitts share how they’ve built their characters and what people can expect from the musical.
Nearly 40 years since “Chess” debuted on Broadway, a revival of the musical by Sir Tim Rice (“Jesus Christ Superstar,” “Evita”) and Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (ABBA) has opened on Broadway. But this “Chess” is more a revisal — It features the songs of the original (albeit in a different order) and a brand new book by Emmy Award winner Danny Strong (“Game Change,” “Dopesick”).
In this episode of “Broadway Press Day,” host Ruthie Fierberg talks to Strong about rewriting the known “problem musical” to give it a plot that makes sense and clear characters we can root for. Set during the Cold War, Aaron Tveit plays American chess champion Freddie Trumper. He and his strategist (and lover) Florence, played by Lea Michele, are prepared to face off against the Russian champion Anatoly Sergievsky, played by Nicholas Christopher. But chess is more than a board game — it’s the game these three are playing with their hearts, and it’s the game the KGB and CIA are playing with nuclear weapons.
Stars Lea Michele, Aaron Tveit and Nicholas Christopher (the actors playing out this sexy love triangle) describe their characters and why they said yes to the project. Tony Award-winning director Michael Mayer offers up what to expect from the experience; music supervisor Brian Usifer and choreographer Lorin Latarro give a preview of the orchestral sound and high-flying dance; while the supporting cast (Bryce Pinkham, Bradley Dean, Hannah Cruz and Sean Allan Krill) all share secret insights about the Cold War musical.
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Tony Award-nominated playwright Bess Wohl ("Grand Horizons") and Tony-nominated director Whitney White ("Jaja's African Hair Braiding") each return to Broadway with the new play "Liberation."
The ensemble play premiered Off-Broadway in the spring of 2025 and played a sold-out run with the Roundabout Theatre Company. Now, "Liberation" has transferred to Broadway for a limited engagement at the James Earl Jones Theatre.
The production features the entire original ensemble in a groundbreaking work. The play toggles between present day and the 1970s as a woman named Lizzie imagines what her mother’s consciousness-raising group during feminism’s second wave might have been like. A theatrical piece on this topic could feel heavy, but Wohl’s script and its mounting have a glow and a lightness to it.
In this latest episode: Wohl, White and members of the cast dive deep with host Ruthie Fierberg to discuss what audiences can expect from "Liberation" and the process behind making it.
Two-time Tony Award nominee Bobby Cannavale, Tony winner James Corden and Tony winner Neil Patrick Harris return to Broadway in the first revival of Yasmina Reza's Tony-winning play “Art.”
A comedy about male friendship, “Art” begins when Serge buys a white painting for $300,000. The purchase creates a crack in his longtime friendship with Marc — how could Marc be friends with someone who values something so basic, boring and trendy? And how could Serge be friends with someone who thinks something he loves isn’t more than meets the eye? And whose side will their buddy Yvan take?
In this episode, all three actors reveal why they said “yes” to the project, what they relish about their character and what the meaning is at the center of “Art.” You'll also hear from nine-time Tony-nominated director Scott Ellis about assembling the cast and more.
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Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter became best buds 40 years ago when they starred in what would become the first movie of the “Bill & Ted” franchise. Now, the two are on Broadway together in the latest revival of Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot.”
As Reeves tells host Ruthie Fierberg, doing the play with Alex and director Jamie Lloyd was his idea. Here, Keanu explains why he reveres the play; Alex describes their long friendship; Jamie shares his vision and co-stars Brandon J. Dirden and Michael Patrick Thornton reveal what they are excited for audiences to experience.
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After years of building Broadway back after the COVID-19 shutdown, the industry enjoyed a resurgent 2024-2025 season. But the business is also at a turning point.
Those who work in entertainment know about the “crowded landscape” and the need to “break through the noise.” As Broadway turns toward a new chapter, Broadway News wanted to learn from the advertisers themselves. What are the challenges of advertising Broadway shows in 2025? What are the innovations to which industry mavens need to pay attention?
Host Ruthie Fierberg chats with Liz Furze, chief executive officer of AKA NYC; Callie Goff, managing director and chief creative officer of SpotCo; Jeremy Kraus, managing partner of Situation; Ilene Rosen, founder of RPM; and Matt Upshaw, chief executive officer of Serino Coyne shared their expert perspectives on advertising in the biz.
What ensued was a dynamic conversation that included 1) how they measure a successful campaign, 2) why every show needs to be a brand — or not, 3) what shows they think have created an effective brand, 4) what they’re concerned about with Broadway audiences, 5) what they think of budgets and more.
Want to watch the video of this conversation? Click here.
In July 2011, 18-year-old Jacob Dunne was a renegade, running amok, selling drugs, partying and always looking for a fight. But one night, when he joined a brawl, he threw a single punch that killed James Hodgkinson.
Jacob went to prison and, upon his release, nearly returned to the aggressive life he'd been living. But then James’ parents reached out with questions. What ensued was a restorative justice process between Jacob, David and Joan to repair the harm that was done. The true story is now dramatized in the play “Punch,” written by Tony Award-nominated playwright James Graham.
The play premiered in 2024 at the Nottingham Playhouse in the U.K. and began Broadway performances on Sept. 9, 2025.
In this episode, Graham, director Adam Penford and the cast of Manhattan Theatre Club’s new Broadway production tell host Ruthie Fierberg about what to expect from the drama and how they hope it will change the world.
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In 1999, “Mamma Mia!” debuted in London’s West End — and musical theater was never the same. It was the first show of the modern era to use a single artist’s catalog, namely pop sensation ABBA, to tell an original story that had nothing to do with those artists. “Mamma Mia!” became a massive hit and transferred to Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre in 2001.
Today, “Mamma Mia!” has returned to the Winter Garden, where it is playing a six-month limited run.
But the musical has evolved over the last 25 years. In this episode, host Ruthie Fierberg talks to the production’s supervising director, choreographer and music maven about the details embedded in this Broadway mounting. Plus, hear from the actors playing Donna, Tanya and Rosie about stepping into their characters and onto the Broadway stage.
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Best known as Comedy Central’s “roastmaster,” comedian Jeff Ross will make his Broadway debut with his show “Take a Banana for the Ride.” The show begins performances on Aug. 5, 2025, at Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre.
Here, Ross speaks with Broadway News executive editor Ruthie Fierberg about what to expect from “Take a Banana for the Ride,” why it’s different from his usual roasting and what inspired him to come to Broadway.
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The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, located at Lincoln Center in New York City, opened in 1965. It houses collections like the Jerome Robbins Dance Division, Music and Recorded Sound Division, Billy Rose Theatre Division as well as a circulating collection. According to the branch’s executive director, Roberta Pereira, it houses the largest known collection of theater photography in the world.
This year, as the institution celebrates its 70th year, the Tony Awards have granted the library a Tony Honor for Excellence in the Theatre. Host Ruthie Fierberg, executive editor of Broadway News, spoke to Pereira about what makes the library special and what programs and exhibits to expect in the coming months.
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Photo credit: Roberta Pereira; photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions
Each year, the Tony Awards recognizes outstanding achievements on Broadway with special Tony Awards. This year, one of those was bestowed upon the illusions and visual effects team of Broadway’s new sci-fi thriller “Stranger Things: The First Shadow.”
To watch “The First Shadow” is to witness innovation in design and technical theater — in addition to its dramaturgical and performance accomplishments. “The First Shadow” leveraged the talents of illusions and visual effects designers Jamie Harrison and Chris Fisher, technical director Gary Beestone and scenic design supervisor Edward Pierce.
Harrison, Fisher, Beestone and Pierce are the recipients of the special Tony for creating battleships that disappear in a flash, mind flayers that descend from the heavens, levitating actors and much more.
Here, Pierce delves into the team’s approach to the stage magic, a secret of the mind flayer and the most complex task he had to accomplish for the Broadway production in a conversation with host Ruthie Fierberg, executive editor of Broadway News.
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Photo credit: Edward Pierce, photo by Mike Coppola for Getty Images/Tony Awards Productions
The Muny opened its first production on June 16, 1919. This year, 106 years later, the Muny received the 2025 Regional Theatre Tony Award.
Current artistic director and executive producer Mike Isaacson joined the Muny in 2011, launching his first season in 2012. Isaacson is only the third person to lead the Muny in its history.
Here, Isaacson talks about what makes the Muny special, how the theater has become a St. Louis institution and how the venue puts on a new production every week for seven weeks each summer for over 300,000 audience members.
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Photo credit: Mike Isaacson; photo by Mike Coppola for Getty Images/Tony Awards Productions
“Sunset Boulevard” opened at Broadway’s St. James Theatre on TK, after a successful run in London’s West End. The four principal actors from the London production transferred to Broadway: Nicole Scherzinger, Tom Francis, David Thaxton, Grace Hodgett Young. Scherzinger and Francis are nominated for Tony Awards for their individual performances and “Sunset Boulevard” is nominated for Best Revival of a Musical.
The four actors told host Ruthie Fierberg, executive editor of Broadway News, about their fresh perspectives on their characters, the skills they honed to act onstage and on camera simultaneously (in this unique multimedia revival) and more.
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Costume designer Holly Pierson made her Broadway debut this season with the runaway comedy hit “Oh, Mary!” by Cole Escola. Prior to Broadway, Pierson designed for television, including the comedy series “At Home with Amy Sedaris.”
Learn how Pierson designed character through costume for “Oh, Mary!” in this chat with host Ruthie Fierberg, executive editor of Broadway News.
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Photo credit: Holly Pierson; photo by Mike Coppola for Getty Images/Tony Awards Productions
After making his Broadway debut with “English,” Knud Adams earned his first Tony Award nomination for Best Direction of a Play. Sanaz Toossi’s play started Off-Broadway and won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
Hear more of the director’s insights, including counsel for directors taking on the work in this conversation with host Ruthie Fierberg, executive editor of Broadway News.
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Photo credit: Knud Adams; photo by Mike Coppola for Getty Images/Tony Awards Productions
Actor Kara Young has been nominated for four Tony Awards in four consecutive years — and is the first Black actor (and only the second overall) to do so. Young currently appears in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Purpose” as Aziza.
Here, Young tells host Ruthie Fierberg, executive editor of Broadway News, about her history-making moment, the essence of her character and the change in her from performing “Purpose.”
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Photo credit: Kara Young; photo by Mike Coppola for Getty Images/Tony Awards Productions
Cartoon character Betty Boop is known quite literally for her image. Costume designer Gregg Barnes used the illustration for the foundation of the look for “Boop! The Musical!”’s titular character to create multiple styles for her.
In addition to Betty herself, Barnes created two distinct worlds in which the musical lives: a black-and-white cartoon land and multicolored New York City. The worlds collide in the number “Where Is Betty?” as you can see in this video.
Now, Barnes is nominated for a Tony Award for his “Boop!” creations. Learn how Barnes designed every outfit in this chat with host Ruthie Fierberg, executive editor of Broadway News.
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Photo credit: Gregg Barnes; photo by Mike Coppola for Getty Images/Tony Awards Productions
Marco Pennette has spent much of his career as a television writer, so he knows how to write “down to the second,” as he put it. Those skills served him as he adapted the movie “Death Becomes Her” into a stage musical. Pennette packs a wallop in his Tony Award-nominated book for the musical, making room for the story the movie-lovers know, new twists, additional character development and joke after joke.
Listen to the latest episode of “5 minutes with a Tony nominee” hosted by Ruthie Fierberg, executive editor of Broadway News, to hear directly from Pennette about putting a fresh take on the story for the stage and penning a new ending.
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Photo credit: Marco Pennette; photo by Mike Coppola for Getty Images/Tony Awards Productions
During the curtain call of “The Hills of California,” numerous audience members could be caught looking around for a “missing” actor. But there was no one missing. Actor Laura Donnelly played the dual roles of Veronica/Joan. But her complete embodiment of the two characters led many to believe that two different actors had played them.
Donnelly is nominated for a 2025 Tony Award for her performance. In this latest episode, Donnelly describes her process of creating each character, her re-envisioning of Joan after major rewrites and her creation of an emotional climax night after night.
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Photo credit: Laura Donnelly; photo by Lee Malone
Marsha Ginsberg is a longtime scenic designer in the theater and opera worlds. She has such experience, in fact, that she is an associate arts professor at New York University in Abu Dhabi. But, until this season, Ginsberg had not designed on Broadway. That changed with “English”; and Ginsberg earned her first Tony Award nomination for her design of Sanaz Toossi’s play.
Here, Ginsberg details why designing a simple-looking Iranian classroom was actually a fun challenge and how her time in Abu Dhabi paid off for “English.”
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Photo credit: Marsha Ginsberg; photo by Mike Coppola for Getty Images/Tony Awards Productions