Stage Left

May 13

May 13 PODCAST: "The Fabulous Invalid" - Episode 77: Bernard Gersten: A Life In The Theatre (1923-2020)

This week’s show is a special tribute to the life and legacy of Bernard Gersten (1923-2020), a trailblazing producer and non-profit administrator responsible for the success of the Public Theater and Lincoln Center Theater (LCT). Jamie and Rob sat down with Bernard last summer for what would be his final interview. You’ll hear excerpts from that conversation along with remembrances and reflections from the Public Theater’s artistic director Oskar Eustis, LCT’s founding artistic director Gregory Mosher, LCT’s current producing artistic director André Bishop, and celebrated director Jerry Zaks.

May 6

May 6 PODCAST: "The Fabulous Invalid" - Episode 76: Matthew Lopez: Theatre Is About Limitations

Robert Russo

Podcast, The Fabulous Invalid

On this week’s show, Jamie and Rob share their interview with Matthew Lopez, playwright of “The Inheritance”, which played on Broadway this season. Together, they talk about Matthew’s inspiration for writing the play, the importance of sharing history and experiences across generations—particularly within the queer community—Matthew’s reaction to the critical response to the play, and his collaboration with director Stephen Daldry in staging this epic, two part, six act piece.

Apr 29

Apr 29 PODCAST: "The Fabulous Invalid" - Episode 75: Jenna Ushkowitz: Choosing Glee

Robert Russo

Podcast, The Fabulous Invalid

On this week’s episode, Rob and Jamie chat with Rob’s high school friend, actor, author, activist, podcaster, and producer Jenna Ushkowitz. Together, they talk about Jenna’s diverse career, from making her Broadway debut at age nine in “The King and I” to her recent Tony Award-winning foray into producing, including her star turn on the hit TV series “glee”.

Apr 22

Apr 22 PODCAST: "The Fabulous Invalid" - Episode 74: Jeanine Tesori: End With Hope, "Soft Power": Track by Track

Robert Russo

Podcast, The Fabulous Invalid

On this week’s show, Jamie and Rob celebrate the recent release of the “Soft Power” cast album with the musical within a play’s Tony Award winning composer Jeanine Tesori, best known for writing the scores to “Fun Home”, “Caroline, or Change”, and “Thoroughly Modern Millie”, among others. Together, they talk about the unique inception and development of “Soft Power”. Then, Jeanine offers a master class in musical theatre composition as they dive deep into the album with a discussion and analysis of the intention and craft behind each song—from overture to finale!

Apr 15

Apr 15 PODCAST: "The Fabulous Invalid" - Episode 73: Emily Hampshire: Humpday With Hampshire

Robert Russo

Podcast, The Fabulous Invalid

On this week’s show, Jamie, Rob, and Jennifer chat with “Schitt’s Creek” star Emily Hampshire about her new online talk show “Humpday With Hampshire” that benefits the Actor’s Fund. Together, they discuss Michelle Obama and Dolly Parton, Emily’s love of bitmojis, and what it was like saying goodbye to “Schitt’s Creek” before throwing some Broadway trivia Emily’s way.

Apr 8

Apr 8 PODCAST: "The Fabulous Invalid" - Episode 72: Broadway Check-In: What’s Happening And What’s Ahead

Robert Russo

Podcast, The Fabulous Invalid

On this week’s episode, Jamie and Rob talk about the current state of Broadway amid the Covid-19 pandemic, what’s ahead, and what the road back to “normal” looks like with Dori Berinstein, a four-time Tony Award winning Broadway producer and founder of the Broadway Podcast Network, and Lee Seymour, a Senior Contributor on Arts and Hollywood at Forbes Magazine.

Apr 1

Apr 1 PODCAST: "The Fabulous Invalid" - Episode 71: Camille A. Brown: Don’t Let Anyone Take Away Your Stuff

Robert Russo

Podcast, The Fabulous Invalid

On this week’s show, Jamie and Rob bring you an interview with the extraordinary choreographer Camille A. Brown, who in the last year alone worked on the Metropolitan Opera’s production of “Porgy and Bess”, The Public Theater’s “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When The Rainbow Is Enuf”, and “Toni Stone” for Roundabout, and earned a Tony Award nomination for her work on Manhattan Theatre Club’s “Choir Boy”.

Mar 28

Mar 28 PODCAST: "The Fabulous Invalid" - Episode 70: The Actors Fund

Robert Russo

Podcast, The Fabulous Invalid

On a special episode Jamie, Rob, and Jennifer salute the Actors Fund with Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley, whose “Stars in the House” has taken the internet by storm; Erich Bergen the brainchild behind the one night reboot of “The Rosie O’Donnell Show”; and the one and only Brian Stokes Mitchell, Chairman of the Actors Fund. In this time of crisis, the Actors Fund is there for *everyone* in the entertainment industry.

Mar 25

Mar 25 PODCAST: "The Fabulous Invalid" - Episode 69: Rachel Chavkin: The Next Orpheus Is Gonna Make It

Robert Russo

Podcast, The Fabulous Invalid

For their first “quarantine edition” episode, Jamie, Rob, and Jennifer chat remotely with Tony Award-winning director Rachel Chavkin. As we navigate through this difficult moment, Rachel reflects on what artists can do to help, talks about her latest work, and shares information on some organizations that are doing great things to support artists, theater-makers, and just about everyone else.

Mar 18

Mar 18 PODCAST: "The Fabulous Invalid" - Episode 68: Ilana Levine: Happiness

Robert Russo

Podcast, The Fabulous Invalid

On this week’s show, Rob and Jamie are joined at Orso Restaurant by actor, fellow podcaster, and all around fabulous human Ilana Levine. Together, they talk about Ilana’s performance in Richard Greenberg’s “The Perplexed” at Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC), her experience doing the 1999 revival of “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown”, and her extraordinary podcast, “Little Known Facts”.

Mar 6

Mar 6 PODCAST: "Stage Left: The Podcast" Episode 5: Mack and Mabel, Darling Grenadine, and West Side Story

Robert Russo

Podcast, Stage Left: The Podcast

On this episode of “Stage Left: The Podcast”, anchor Rob Russo is joined by Hayley Levitt, theatre critic and associate editor at Theatermania.com, and Jose Solís, freelance theatre critic, writer, and podcaster, for a roundtable conversation about three musicals: “Mack and Mabel”, “Darling Grenadine”, and “West Side Story”.

Mar 4

Mar 4 PODCAST: "The Fabulous Invalid" - Episode 66: Spring Forward

Robert Russo

Podcast, The Fabulous Invalid

On this week’s episode, Jamie and Rob discuss all the shows opening up on Broadway this spring season.