'Ragtime' Story and Characters | The BSB Podcast

'Chess' Story and Characters | The BSB Podcast

Few musicals have enjoyed a reputation as gloriously complicated as Chess. For decades, it has occupied a peculiar place in Broadway lore: too beloved to be forgotten, too messy to be universally embraced. Its long-awaited Broadway revival finally gives audiences another chance to witness a show that has spent nearly forty years trying to win a match against its own reputation. Set amid the geopolitical tensions of the Cold War, Chess transforms an international chess tournament into a battlefield of egos, ideologies, and romantic entanglements. In lesser hands, a musical about competitive chess might sound about as exciting as watching paint dry on a Soviet apartment block. And yet, there's something special happening eight times a week at the Imperial Theatre. The stage, or chessboard, is set, and this Broadway show is ready to check the king! In this episode of the BSB Podcast, hosts Brian Kitson and RJ Miller-Zelinko talk about the story and characters of Chess, which is a feat unto itself. With the show being more of a staged musical concert, how does the story translate to this latest revival? When a Queen is stuck between two impossible Kings, who will come out on top? And when it comes to love, does anyone truly win? You'll have to give this episode a listen to find out all those answers and more! Find the video of this podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@BoxSeatBabes] For more entertainment coverage, visit BSB Insider [https://www.bsbinsider.com/] Follow us on social media @bsb.insider or check out our Linktree [https://linktr.ee/bsb.insider]!

Exclusive Interview: Adam Wager & Celeste Blanch of Avon Players' 'A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder'

A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder proves that murder can be surprisingly charming when wrapped in wit, elegance, and a perfectly tailored Edwardian suit. The musical follows Monty Navarro, an ambitious young man who discovers he is ninth in line to a noble title and decides that waiting for fate to do its work is simply inefficient. What follows is a delightfully absurd parade of accidents, disguises, and increasingly creative murders as Monty works his way up the family tree. We had the pleasure of speaking with the fast-talking Monty, or at least the actor behind him, Adam Wager, and fellow cast member, Celeste Blanch, about their time in this Avon Players production! In this exclusive BSB Insider interview, Wager and Blanch talk about what drew them to A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder at Avon Players! How is this local Michigan playhouse bringing the world of Monty Navarro to life on stage? How has this show challenged these actors, and what is their favorite song from the production? Check out this interview to learn all these answers and more! Find the video of this podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@BoxSeatBabes] For more entertainment coverage, visit BSB Insider [https://www.bsbinsider.com/] Follow us on social media @bsb.insider or check out our Linktree [https://linktr.ee/bsb.insider]!

Exclusive Interview: Michael Alan Herman & Josie Herman of Theatre Nova's 'The Last Wide Open'

Life seems full of What-ifs, which is something I think about constantly. Not in a way that I'm regretting the decisions I've made up to this moment, but looking more with a fascination of what could have been, if something small had been changed. I know I'm not alone in this, as the idea of what could be is enchanting to think about, since life could look vastly different because of a choice that feels perhaps insignificant at the time. The Last Wide Open, which is making its Michigan premiere at Theatre Nova, explores those possibilities across three different timelines and their impact on the power of love. We spoke with the two cast members from this production, Michael Alan Herman and Josie Herman, about what it's like to bring this show to Theatre Nova! In this exclusive BSB Insider interview, Michael and Josie Herman discuss what it's like to tell this out-of-time love story, and how being married in real life influences the show unfolding on stage! With those three distinct timelines in The Last Wide Open, how do these two actors approach developing their characters? As a play, how does music factor into the show? And with this show utilizing fourth wall breaking, how does that dynamic impact The Last Wide Open? Find out these answers and more in this exciting interview! Find the video of this podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@BoxSeatBabes] For more entertainment coverage, visit BSB Insider [https://www.bsbinsider.com/] Follow us on social media @bsb.insider or check out our Linktree [https://linktr.ee/bsb.insider]!

Exclusive Interview: Cece King of 'Redemption Song'

BSB Insider sat down with writer, director, and performer Cece King to discuss her new original play, Redemption Song, premiering at The Broadwater Second Stage as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival. Set in rural Kentucky, the play follows Joe Malone, a gifted musician returning home after serving time in prison, as he attempts to reconnect with the family he left behind. Through emotionally driven storytelling and original music, Redemption Song explores addiction, family trauma, forgiveness, and the difficult road toward healing. In our conversation, Cece King opens up about the inspiration behind the play, the choice to weave original music into the story, and what it means to create character-driven theatre that does not shy away from complicated people or painful truths. With original songs by Matt Pynn and Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer Wes Hutchinson, Redemption Song brings together theatre, music, and deeply human storytelling in a way that feels intimate, honest, and timely. Learn more about this incredible show and the multi-talented performer behind it, in this exclusive interview! Find the video of this podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@BoxSeatBabes] For more entertainment coverage, visit BSB Insider [https://www.bsbinsider.com/] Follow us on social media @bsb.insider or check out our Linktree [https://linktr.ee/bsb.insider]!

'Ragtime' Music and Stagecraft | The BSB Podcast

I vividly remember reading the novel Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow in college. It was during an English course focused on the American Dream, with a series of books to show us what that really meant throughout the decades. I'm sure plenty of us grew up with the promise that we'd graduate from school, get a job, have a family, and that damn picket fence. This was the idea that our parents were sold, and their parents before them; that dream was only realized for some, and a nightmare for many more. While the message of Ragtime was understood, it didn't fully sink in until I was sitting in Lincoln Center listening to the dazzling music of this Tony Award-winning revival. In this episode of the BSB Podcast, hosts Brian Kitson and RJ Miller-Zelinko break down the music and stagecraft of Ragtime! While both hosts are familiar with this project in different ways, how enchanting was the musical's soundscape? As a show that is told mostly through song, which numbers stood out? There are a few that RJ draws from his theater history that people tend to keep coming back to. Join these two as they also discuss the recent landscape of Broadway, with concert-esque shows seeming to be all the rage! Find the video of this podcast on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@BoxSeatBabes] For more entertainment coverage, visit BSB Insider [https://www.bsbinsider.com/] Follow us on social media @bsb.insider or check out our Linktree [https://linktr.ee/bsb.insider]!