The Merchant of Midtown

05/23/2026

One of the best Tony performances OF ALL TIME!

Despite a deal of controversy surrounding Miss Saigon, it remains as one of the most enduring and beloved productions in the musical theatre canon! Who can forget that damn helicopter! We love Lea (), we love Eva ()…we love KIM!

Show: Miss Saigon
Song: “I’d Give My Life For You”

Miss Saigon is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, with lyrics by Boublil and Richard Maltby Jr. It is based on Giacomo Puccini's 1904 opera Madame Butterfly, and similarly tells the tragic tale of a doomed romance involving an Asian woman abandoned by her American lover. The setting of the plot is relocated to 1970s Saigon during the Vietnam War, and Madame Butterfly's story of marriage between an American lieutenant and a geisha is replaced by a romance between a United States Marine and a seventeen-year-old South Vietnamese bargirl.

It was announced on November 19, 2015 that the West End production of the show would transfer to Broadway in March 2017 for a limited engagement through January 15, 2018. The production starred Eva Noblezada as Kim, Jon Jon Briones as The Engineer, Alistair Brammer as Chris, and Rachelle Ann Go as Gigi, all reprising their roles from the 2014 West End revival. Other cast members included Katie Rose Clarke as Ellen, Nicholas Christopher as John, and Devin Ilaw as Thuy. A U.S. national tour is planned thereafter. The revival played at the Broadway Theatre, the same venue the show played at for its Broadway debut. Preview performances began on March 1, 2017, with an official opening on March 23. The final performance was on January 14, 2018.

Enjoy!

What’s your favorite broadway memory of Miss Saigon?!

05/18/2026

05/18/2026

Like Smash before it, Schmigadoon! was one of my favorite musical TV shows! So excited that it is now on Broadway and with a much better reception that I could have ever imagined!

Show: Schmigadoon!
Songs: “Schmigadoon!” & “Corn Puddin’ “ & “Suddenly”

Schmigadoon! is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Cinco Paul. It is an adaptation of the first season of the 2021 musical television series co-created by Paul and Ken Daurio. It includes songs both from the TV series, as well as original songs written by Paul for the stage. The plot follows two New York City doctors, Melissa Gimble and Josh Skinner, struggling with their romantic relationship, who find themselves trapped in the titular magical town similar to the setting of a Golden Age musical, populated by colorful people who frequently break into song. The musical premiered at the Eisenhower Theater at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., directed and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli, and opened on Broadway in April 2026.

The production opened on Broadway on April 20, 2026, having begun previews on April 4, at the Nederlander Theatre. Directed and choreographed by Gatelli - it stars Alex Brightman, Sarah Chase, Brad Oscar, Ann Harada, Isabelle McCalla, and McKenzie Kurtz all reprise their Washington roles, with new cast members including Ana Gasteyer as Mildred, Maulik Pancholy as Reverend Layton and the Leprechaun, Ivan Hernandez as Doc, and Max Clayton (a Washington ensemble member) as Danny. The production was nominated for twelve Tony Awards, tied for the most in the season - scoring noms for Best Musical, Book, Score, Actress, Featured Actress, Scenic Design, Costume Design, Lighting Design, Sound Design, Direction, Choreography and Orchestrations. The production is expected to run into at least 2027.

Enjoy!

What are your favorite Broadway memories of Schmigadoon?!

05/17/2026

Picture it…it’s 2008, Tony’s Night! Patti, Laura and Boyd take the stage, but all the energy is shallowed whole by Patti! The embodiment of Mama Rose. All the anger, all the frustration, all the delusional! The perfect Act 1 closer, on the most perfect night of the year! Another unforgettable Tony’s performance for the record books!

Show: Gypsy
Song: “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”

Gypsy: A Musical Fable is a musical with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. It is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of st******se artist Gypsy Rose Lee, and focuses on her mother, Rose, whose name has become synonymous with “the ultimate show business mother.” It follows the dreams and efforts of Rose to raise two daughters to perform onstage and casts an affectionate eye on the hardships of show business life. The character of Louise is based on Lee, and the character of June is based on Lee’s sister, the actress June Havoc. It is frequently considered one of the crowning achievements of the mid-twentieth century’s conventional musical theatre art form, often called the book musical. Gypsy has been referred to as the greatest American musical by numerous critics and writers, among them Ben Brantley (“what may be the greatest of all American musicals...”) and Frank Rich.

Patti LuPone first portrayed Rose in Gypsy at the Chicago Ravinia Festival in August 2006, directed by Lonny Price and accompanied by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Jack Viertel, the artistic director of New York City Center Encores! saw the production and was so impressed that he contacted Arthur Laurents, requesting that he direct a new production of the show for a new summer “Encores!” program. The Encores! production was a success, the show transferred to Broadway, where it opened at the St. James Theatre on March 27, 2008 starring LuPone as Rose, Laura Benanti as Louise, Boyd Gaines as Herbie and Leigh Ann Larkin as June. This production won numerous awards including the Tony Awards for LuPone, Gaines and Benanti.

Enjoy!

What are your favorite Broadway memories of Gypsy?!

05/16/2026

Finally back on Broadway, some sexy aliens and some sexy, but confused humans are having a blast every night over at Studio 54! The Rocky Horror Show is alluring a new generation of audiences to its twisted and wonderful story! Garnering a phenomenal number of nominations, it’s one of the shows to see this season!

Show: The Rocky Horror Show
Songs: “Sweet Transvestite” & Show Trailer

The Rocky Horror Show is a musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O’Brien. A humorous tribute to various B movies associated with the science fiction and horror genres from the 1930s to the early 1960s, the musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple getting caught in a storm and coming to the home of a mad transvestite scientist, Dr Frank-N-Furter, unveiling his new creation, Rocky, a sort of Frankenstein-style monster in the form of an artificially made, fully grown, physically perfect muscle man.

The Roundabout Theatre Company is presently staging a revival for the 2025–2026 season directed by Sam Pinkleton at Studio 54 on Broadway, which opened on April 23, 2026. In October 2025, it was announced Luke Evans was set to portray the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. In January 2026, the rest of the company was announced, featuring Stephanie Hsu as Janet, Andrew Durand as Brad, Juliette Lewis as Magenta, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez as Columbia, Harvey Guillen as Eddie/Dr. Scott, Rachel Dratch as the Narrator, Josh Rivera as Rocky and Amber Gray as Riff Raff. The revival earned 9 total Tony nominations, including Best Revival, Lead Actor, Featured Actress, Scenic, Costume, Sound and Lighting Design, as well as Best Choreography!

Enjoy!

What are your favorite Broadway memories of The Rocky Horror Show?!

05/15/2026

Whether performing in a sentimental show of dueling races, an intimate two-hander or romancing a ceiling scraping titantic puppet - Christiani Pitts has been serenading us for years! Her hard work as finally paid off - she is a Tony Nominee!

Shows: Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) / A Bronx Tale / The Wiz / Letters From War / Memphis / King Kong
Songs: “American Express” / “In a World Like This” / “Home” / “Pack the Room” / “Ain’t Nothing But a Kiss” / “Queen of New York”

Christiani Pitts is an American actress, singer and dancer. She has played the role of Ann Darrow in the musical King Kong and Robin in Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York). Her father is Byron Pitts, the anchor of ABC’s Nightline. She started in theatre in Atlanta and New Jersey, and moved to New York City after graduating from Florida State University.

Pitts debuted on Broadway in 2017 in the ensemble of the musical A Bronx Tale. She was later a replacement for the role of Jane. From 2018 to 2019, she played Ann Darrow in King Kong on Broadway. She was called the first woman of color to play the role. Slate called Pitts “a wonder herself, a rawly funny actor with a five-alarm voice”. In April 2025, Pitts was cast as Robin in the American premiere of Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) at the American Repertory Theater. Pitts said she was drawn to the role because “[t]his is a Black woman who gets to explore [wanting to be happy] without any severe trauma or pain attached to it”. in August 2025, Pitts played Hannah in a production of Come From Away at The Cape Playhouse.

Enjoy!

What are your favorite Broadway memories of Chrisitani Pitts?!