The fiends are excited to welcome Andrea Syglowski, who can be seen in Amerikin at 59E59 Theaters through April 13th. Andrea breaks down her role in the show, its complex themes, and why it is the perfect piece of theatre for this political moment. Topics include dancing, self-care, and the importance of theatre in fostering empathy.
Amerikin is a new play by Chisa Hutchinson and directed by Jade King Carroll. In small-town Maryland, Jeff Browning resolves to give his newborn son every possible advantage – by joining a local white supremacist group. When his attempt to join is thwarted by some surprising ancestry test results, the line between “us” and “them” gets incredibly blurry. Jeff scrambles to maintain appearances, but his sanitized story starts to unravel when a prominent Black journalist and his daughter start asking questions. Amerikin is currently running at Primary Stages’ 59E59 Theatre, and will be open through April 13th. This is the final production in 59E59’s Amplify Festival, which this season has honored Chisa by presenting three of her plays.
The fiends welcome Cellino and Barnes in the flesh! Eric William Morris and Noah Weisberg, stars of the hit off-Broadway comedy Cellino v. Barnes join the fiends to discuss the four-times-extended play! Topics include why audiences are fiending for the show, what it was like working with directors Alex Wyse and Wesley Taylor, the burger Noah can’t stop thinking about, and that infamous jingle.
The Drama Fiends 2024 Wrapped is here! We discuss all the fiends and flops of the year. Topics include fan fiction, awards season, Shaina Taub, the Idina Menzel World Tour, pre-show eats and post-show bevs, and everything we held space for this year.
The fiends dive deep into Sunset Blvd lore, from its conception to the current Broadway revival. Topics include the Witches’ Road, Dancing with the Stars hot takes, a comprehensive history of the Patti LuPone vs. Andrew Lloyd Webber diva-off, and a complete breakdown of Broadway’s latest iteration of this iconic mega-musical.
The long-awaited Gatsby sequel is here! The fiends unpack the second in a tale of two Gatsbys. Topics include the cult of American Apparel, autumnal cooking, Gavin Creel appreciation, women being plot devices, and what makes a musical good or bad.
The Fiends are back from summer vacation, and we have much to discuss! Topics include Patti’s beef with Madonna and Kim Kardashian, the Idina Menzel World Tour, Theatre Kid Coachella, and our dream Elsie Fest lineup.
We’re officially in the Tonys home stretch! The fiends catch you up on our road to the 2024 Tony Awards. Topics include sipping that me espresso, initial Tony nominations thoughts, dentata, why Shaina Taub is a girl with grit, and a fateful night at the theatre.
The fiends are once again joined by fam of the pod Joe - so you know we have a lot to discuss. We unpack our theory of the Post-Spring Awakening Teen Angst Musical. Topics include our favorite pop girlies, 2012 X Factor USA, current bops and flops, Wicked: Part 1, and what makes the perfect teen angst musical.
The fiends have so many thespian activities to catch you up on! Topics include LinkedIn influencers, Glee writer Brad Falchuk’s wife, the Lea Michele Eras Tour, ambulatory theatre, and shows that improve in the second act.
The fiends are absolutely swept away by Adrian Blake Enscoe, star of the new Avett Brothers musical Swept Away, which just finished a successful run at Arena Stage. Topics include the importance of composting, authentic storytelling through song, being stranded at sea, and Adrian’s upcoming tour with John Gallagher Jr.!
The fiends break down the first in a tale of two Gatsbys - The Great Gatsby at Papermill Playhouse. Topics include why 2024 is the year of the Drama Fiend, the drama of being in TECH, Mama Rose being the Hamlet of musical theatre, and how The Great Gatsby musical lives up to its legendary source material.
The fiends are joined by screenwriter, librettist, and novelist Heather Hach to discuss her new thriller The Trouble with Drowning. Topics include Heather’s iconic past projects including Legally Blonde: The Musical and Freaky Friday, books we’re all fiending for, and the wildly entertaining, unique storytelling of her new novel. Heather even fan-casts the novel and breaks down the intriguing title and cover!
Oh what a celebration we’ll have today because it’s Wicked’s 20th anniversary! We finally fiend (publicly) for the most magical show on Broadway, and we cannot shut up about it. Topics include which upcoming shows we’re already fiending for, our official endorsements of best Elphies and Glindas, the many hours of Elphaba riff compilations we have clocked, and how this show reminds us all that the future is unlimited.
The fiends are super excited to be joined by cabaret and theatre performer Ava Nicole Frances ahead of her solo show at 54 Below! She tells us all about her journey as a performer, her cabaret act, and some theatre-related fiending experiences. Topics include some devastating Broadway news, Troye Sivan and James Charles, Ava’s heartwarming introduction to theatre, telling stories through song, and the incredible classic film and theatre costume recreations Ava does with her dads every year.
Get tickets to Ava’s show “Here’s Looking at You Kid” at 54 Below here: https://54below.org/events/ava-nicole-frances/
For more about Ava, check out her website: https://www.avanicolefrances.com/
The fiends unpack the phenomenon of the Live TV Musical - the good, the bad, and all the ugly. Topics include Taylor Swift thriving in her single era, the one performance that Aaron Tveit really Tv-ate, and America’s Idol, Chris Daughtry. Plus - our picks for the best Live TV Musical yet and which ones we hope to see next.
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The fiends are so excited to welcome Crissy and Jocelyn, hosts of Breaking the Curtain. We talk about our journeys as theatre podcast hosts and best fiends forever, and then we challenge each other to a game of Battle of the Besties!
Desireé Rodriguez, fresh off an incredible run as The Unsinkable Molly Brown in Titanique, joins the fiends for one of our most exciting episodes to date! We discuss facing your fears, Celine Dion, theatre that makes you gasp and grab your friends’ hands, and why we are all “fanatiques.”
The fiends welcome comedians Zach Schiffman and Reid Pope as they spill on their many fiend credentials, including who has them blocked on Twitter, attending the Jimmy Awards live in person, and their upcoming 54 Below show “Comedians Earnestly Singing Musical Theatre.”
Buy tickets here: https://54below.com/events/comedians-earnestly-singing-musical-theatre-2/
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