What The Musical
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
WTM Ep. 66: Bright Star
13 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Content Warning: family separation I Can't Wait for this episode on Bright Star! We talk Chelsey's Personal Review Corner, community storytelling, and...
WTM Ep. 65: Into the Woods, Part II
07 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Content Warning: infertility, sexual predation & assault, family loss & death It Takes Two (episodes) to head Into the Woods! In the second half of th...
WTM Ep. 64: Into the Woods, Part I
30 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Content Warning: infertility, sexual assault, family loss & death Maybe They're Magic, or maybe it's time to venture Into the Woods! In the first half...
WTM Ep. 63: The Who's Tommy
02 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Content Warning: child abuse, murder, sexual assault, racism, ableism There's an Amazing Journey ahead with The Who's Tommy! We talk rock ballets, set...
WTM Ep. 62: Darling Grenadine
26 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Content Warning: alcoholism Manhattan is never far away when we sip our way through Darling Grenadine! We talk new musical development, centering off-...
WTM Ep. 61: Cinderella
20 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A Lovely Night is only made better by the magic of Cinderella! We talk contemporary casting, love at first sight, and fairy tale revolutions. PLUS: we...
WTM BONUS INTERVAL: Hadestown
05 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Even the prettiest flowers can have a few wilting petals--but in case you want to look past any possible blemishes, we separated all of our Hadestown...
WTM Ep. 60: Hadestown
15 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hey, Little Songbird, let's venture into the new year with Hadestown! We talk holistic creativity, Chelsey's inner eco-Marxist, and the struggles of l...
WTM Ep. 59: The Lion King
31 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Morning Report calls for The Lion King! We talk Julie Taymor Magic (TM), the Hamlet King, and a show that is, truly, for everyone. PLUS: an update...
WTM BONUS INTERVAL: Company
13 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Yes, we had plenty more to say about Company! Join us for a bonus interval on the most recent revival, the wonder of Matt Doyle, and our modest plea ...
WTM Ep. 58: Company, Part II
02 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Let's venture Side by Side by Side into Part II on Company! We talk likable narrators, unattractive desperation, and the wonder of adult friendships. ...
WTM Ep. 57: Company, Part I
23 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bell rings, door chimes, let's talk Company! In the first half of this 2-part episode, we talk breaking gender norms, affectionate but loveless marria...
WTM Ep. 56: Songs for a New World
29 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
I'm Not Afraid of Anything, especially not this episode on Songs for a New World! We talk JRB's debutante ball, the inescapable male gaze, and letting...
WTM Ep. 55: Carrie: The Musical
08 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
CW: bullying, religion, homicide Do Me A Favor and turn up this episode on Carrie! We talk literal translations, the troubles with stage telekinesis, ...
WTM Ep. 54: Anything Goes
21 Jul 2020
Contributed by Lukas
CW: racism, misogyny Let's Misbehave--time to dive into Anything Goes! We talk the cheese crackers of musicals, maximum triple threats, and what to do...
WTM Ep. 53: Footloose
27 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Content warning: mentions of bullying, family loss, religion, abusive partners I Can't Stand Still any longer--we gotta cut Footloose! We talk taking ...
WTM Ep. 52: King Kong
20 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Skull Island can't contain this episode on King Kong! We talk the new dream ballet, screaming about feminism, and literally smashing patriarchy. PLUS:...
WTM Ep. 51: Moulin Rouge! the Musical
24 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Content Warnings: mentions of sexual harassment, assault, TB and COVID-19. Your Song is one of the many we'll hear at the Moulin Rouge! We talk specta...
WTM Ep. 50: Newsies
04 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The World Will Know when they open our take on Newsies! We talk imagining Santa Fe, little stories entwined with big wealth, and instinctive coordinat...
WTM Ep. 49: Come From Away
22 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Content warning: 9/11. Welcome to the Rock, where we fly into Come From Away! We talk with special guest Eric Braman about courageous kindness, fish k...
WTM Ep. 48: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
14 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Content Warning: mentions of rape & kidnap. We Gotta Make It Through the Winter, so let's swing through Seven Brides for Seven Brothers! We talk winn...
WTM Ep. 47: [title of show]
15 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What Kind of Girl is She? The kind that does an episode on [title of show], of course! We talk the value in creativity, early internet phenoms, and pr...
WTM Ep. 46: The Wiz
25 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Be A Lion and pounce on this episode about The Wiz! We talk storytelling through genre, otherism in reviews, and casting teenagers. PLUS: a check-in o...
WTM Ep.45: Cats
09 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Moments of Happiness have arrived in the new year with our episode on Cats! We talk cat nip as plot device, audience consent, and defending a musical ...
WTM Ep. 44: The Phantom of the Opera
24 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
All I Ask of You is a deep breath before diving into The Phantom of the Opera! We talk bad optics, ear-wormy repetition, and the worst stage mom ever....
WTM Ep. 43: Dreamgirls
06 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
And I Am Telling You it's time for Dreamgirls! We talk powerhouse female leads, non-jukebox Mowtown, and Jennifer Holliday being right. PLUS: Jimmy ma...
WTM Ep. 42: Xanadu
22 Nov 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Strange Magic is at play--it's time to roll on into Xanadu! We talk the dangers of roller skates, Chelsey's Charles Isherwood impression, and acrosti...
WTM Ep. 41: Little Shop of Horrors
25 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ya Never Know what will happen when we dive into Little Shop of Horrors! We talk the rules of mushroom foraging, life when you're endearingly patheti...
WTM Ep. 40: Be More Chill
11 Oct 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Do You Wanna Hang? Let's jump into Be More Chill! We welcome special guest Montana to talk catchy lyrics, teenage reality, and the dangers of Mountai...
WTM Ep. 39: Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
21 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
No One Else understands Tara's love for this show--it's time for Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812! We talk drinking vodka in your 30s, how t...
WTM Ep. 38: Cambodian Rock Band
05 Sep 2019
Contributed by Lukas
No need to fight Tooth & Nail--it's time for Cambodian Rock Band! We talk the anti-Miss Saigon, teaching an audience to code switch, and why you shoul...
WTM Ep. 37: The Color Purple
09 Aug 2019
Contributed by Lukas
All We've Got To Say is that it's time to discuss The Color Purple! We talk plot squiggles, syncretic spirituality, and rage at Steven Spielberg. PLUS...
WTM Ep. 36: The Last Five Years
19 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
See, I'm Smiling--it must be time to discuss The Last Five Years! We talk brooding youth, collaborative artistry, and writers getting dangerously auto...
WTM BONUS INTERVAL: How to Succeed
12 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We had lots to say about How To Succeed... and business! Join us for a bonus interval all about pep talks, Chelsey's Rules for How To Succeed, and bas...
WTM Ep. 35: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
10 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Take a long Coffee Break to discuss How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying! We talk Tara's eventual book, scheming spouses, and coffee drink...
WTM Ep. 34: The Tony Awards, Part II
09 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Presentation, performance, and personality--it's our second of two episodes on The Tony Awards! We talk award show bingo, underrated gems, and make ou...
WTM Ep. 33: The Tony Awards, Part I
08 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Holidays, theatre kids--it's time to unwrap The Tony Awards with this first of two episodes before Broadway's biggest night! We talk about The B...
WTM Ep. 32: She Loves Me
23 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tonight at Eight (or whenever you listen), dive into She Loves Me! We talk live broadcasts, mustaches we love to hate, and beating vanilla metaphors i...
WTM Ep. 31: My Fair Lady
03 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Wouldn't It Be Loverly to catch up with a new episode? Let's dive into My Fair Lady! We talk code-switching, the Julie Andrews Effect (redux), and em...
WTM Ep. 30: The Band's Visit
05 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Something Different happens in this episode on The Band's Visit! We talk unexpected crooning, feeling big-ly, and NEA funding. Plus: a whole new kind ...
WTM Ep. 29: Chicago
23 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
When You're Good to Mama, she gives you a new episode on Chicago! This time around, we talk career definers, criminal celebrities, and premeditated d...
WTM Ep. 28: The Music Man
08 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We need 76 Trombones to welcome in this episode on The Music Man! We talk wholesome con-artists, library dream ballets, why not to give a song to a p...
WTM Ep. 27: 36 Questions
03 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
One Thing... let's get this one thing straight: this time we're checking out the musical podcast 36 Questions! We talk audio intimacy, Groffsauce, an...
WTM Ep. 26: The Little Mermaid
18 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Things get a little salty when we go Under the Sea to chat about The Little Mermaid! We talk mer-blades, under-utilizing great casts, and the hierarch...
WTM Ep. 25: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
31 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Needing a Comedy Tonight? Then let's check out A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum! We finish our first full year with comic star power, t...
WTM Ep. 24: Elf the Musical
21 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Let's get Sparklejollytwinklejingley for Elf the Musical! We talk boundless optimism, bah-hum-burgers, and being a good person year-round. PLUS: anyo...
WTM Ep. 23: Chess
07 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Pity the Child who misses this episode on Chess! We talk genre-swaps, incomplete metaphors, and how The Arbiter is, indisputably, the best. PLUS: a c...
WTM Ep. 22: A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder
16 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
I Don't Know What I'd Do Without You, so come with me to check out A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder! We talk ridiculous deaths, punching up, an...
WTM Ep. 21: Oklahoma!
02 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Oh What A Beautiful Mornin' for a podcast and a stroll through Oklahoma! We talk the OG of OGs, falling over pretty people, and the joy of fence-leap...
WTM BONUS INTERVAL: Sweeney Todd
26 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We had a ton to say about Sweeney Todd and not nearly enough time to cover it all in one episode. Here's a little bonus debate from Tara & Chelsey re...
WTM Ep. 20: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
19 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
La'ies 'n' gen'tl'men, may I have your attention puh-leeeease? It's time to attend the tale of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street! We tal...
WTM Ep. 19: The Sound of Music
05 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
My Favorite Things include this episode on The Sound of Music! We talk The Julie Andrews Effect, surprise Nazis, and dating advice from Chelsey. Plus...
WTM Ep. 18: Fun Home
24 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
No need to wait Days and Days--our episode on Fun Home is here now! Guest artist Allison Mickelson joins us to talk about drinking, drawing, and what...
WTM Ep. 17: Spring Awakening
14 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
All That's Known is it's time for another episode, and we're covering Spring Awakening! We talk teenage angst, stars-before-they-were-stars, and the ...
WTM Ep. 16: 9 to 5
31 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It's been takin' and no givin' Around Here, but we're finally back with 9 to 5! Start the coffee and wander the office as we talk revenge fantasies, ...
WTM Ep. 15: Kiss Me, Kate
10 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Wunderbar! Another What the Musical, and this time we take on Cole Porter's classic Kiss Me, Kate! We talk charismatic egomaniacs, throwing flower po...
WTM Ep. 14: A Little Night Music
27 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Do you need a podcast Now/Later/Soon? We're here for you with our first Sondheim--A Little Night Music! We talk badass middle-aged women, big thoughts...
WTM Ep. 13: Shrek the Musical
13 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What's Up, Duloc? Join us for an unlikely adventure through Shrek the Musical! We talk epically-long walks, fairytale freaks, and Scottish ogres. Plu...
WTM Ep. 12: Carousel
29 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You'll Never Walk Alone with Tara & Chelsey by your side--let's take a ride with Carousel! We talk dream ballets, anti-anti-heroes, and how much vodk...
WTM Ep. 11: Hello, Dolly!
19 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Put on your Sunday clothes and some ribbons down your back--it's time for Hello, Dolly! After settling our Tony Award bet, we talk beets, barrel rol...
WTM Ep. 10: Audra McDonald & Tony Awards 2018
02 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We're doubling-down on an exciting springtime with a trip to see Audra McDonald live AND the upcoming Tony Awards! We talk about Audra, Audra, and mor...
WTM Ep. 9: Jesus Christ Superstar
18 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What's the buzz? We're back with a look at '70s cult classic Jesus Christ Superstar! Turn some water into wine as we travel through this rock disco b...
WTM Ep. 8: Found/Tonight
13 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Mashed-up songs and mashed-up beverages for this week's discussion of "Found/Tonight," created in support of the #MarchForOurLives! We talk revolution...
WTM Ep. 7: Jekyll & Hyde
02 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Drop the facade--it's time to let out our inner demons as we talk Jekyll & Hyde! We talk ego battles, sunken cost metaphors, ridiculous lyrics, and o...
WTM Ep. 6: Once On This Island
16 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Grab yourself a mango and a rum drink, and join us for a tropical adventure to Once On This Island (or, in our case, twice)! We talk storytelling, ge...
WTM Ep. 5: Once Upon A Mattress
02 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
After a bit of a break (#theatrelife), we're back! A fairytale musical loaded with innuendo never hurt anybody... dive in with us as we talk Once Up...
WTM Ep. 4: Annie
05 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Pour yourself some bathtub gin and tune in to our conversation about Annie. We'll take you on a walk down Easy Street, explore some of the many popula...
WTM Ep. 3: Christmas Songs
25 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The eggnog may have slowed down getting this episode up, but it's just in time for holiday merriment! Don't let the holidays pass by without your Broa...
WTM Ep. 2: You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown
08 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
My New Philosophy is that everyone loves the Peanuts crew. This week, we take a lighter turn with You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, give some tips on ...
WTM Ep. 1: Parade
06 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Our first episode! We talk about Jason Robert Brown's Parade, give you an update on whether Jesse L. Martin is on Broadway, and try to figure out how ...