The Gospel of Musical Theatre

2.2 My Fair Lady!

We know you've been waiting for it - this week, we take a critical (but loving) look at Lerner & Loewe's best-known musical, the 1956 classic My Fair Lady! And the faultless Julie Andrews!
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We talk about: 
- Myths & Legends: The show’s origin in the mythology of Ovid and the social agenda of English playwright George Bernard Shaw – and, perhaps, the Biblical story of Job. 
- The "Grass Is Greener" Effect: The musical’s exploration of the philosophical question, “If you got everything you wanted, would that really make you happy?” 
- Misogyny: The misogyny of the idea (both theatrical and religious) of a masculine God who controls men & women. How does My Fair Lady both perpetuate and push back on these images?
- Love Stories: The true love story of My Fair Lady. Is it Eliza and Higgins? Eliza and Freddy? Higgins and Pickering? Or some combination?
- The Challenge of the Ending: Is My Fair Lady a redemption story or an indictment of Henry Higgins and everything he represents?
- Complacency: The danger of “becoming accustomed” – to faces, situations, and damaging cultural norms. 
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You’ll hear: 
- Julie Andrews (Patron Saint of this podcast) singing “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” and “I Could Have Danced All Night” from the 1959 West End cast recording. 
- Rex Harrison singing “A Hymn to Him” and “I’ve Grown Accustomed To Her Face” from the 1959 West End recording. 
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Never miss an episode! Sign up for our email list to get updates when new episodes are released, info about upcoming special events, and more.
________________________________
Check out some of our all-time favorites!
Phantom of the Opera
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Jesus Christ Superstar!
Schmigadoon! (Season 1 / Season 2)
West Side Story!
Yentl!
Frozen!
Barbie!
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Continue the conversation with us on Instagram (@gospelofmt).

2.1 Brigadoon!

Welcome to Season 2: Lerner & Loewe!
Today, we begin our series on the musicals of Alan Jay Lerner (1918-86) and Frederick Lowe (1901-88) – second only to Rodgers & Hammerstein as creators of midcentury musicals that continue to speak to 21st century audiences. And we're talking about Brigadoon.
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We talk about:
- History: The origins of the partnership between Lerner and Lowe and their early flop era.
- Escapism: Why a musical about two American boys falling into a mythical/fantasy version of the Scotland Highlands was so appealing for post-WWII audiences.
- Nostalgia: The interplay between fantasy & reality that Brigadoon illustrates, how that tension represents the tension of musical theatre itself – and the dangers of nostalgia.
- Being Lonely: Lerner & Loewe’s career-long interest in men's loneliness – and the potential of theatre (and love) as a means of connecting men to their emotional core and to the people in their lives.
- Salvation: The tension between individual & communal salvation, and how mythical Brigadoon might illustrate an image of the Kingdom of God.
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You’ll hear:
- Kelli O’Hara and Patrick Wilson singing “Reprise” from the 2017 Broadway Revival Cast recording
- Patrick Wilson singing “There But For You Go I” from the 2017 Broadway Revival Cast recording
________________________________
Never miss an episode! Sign up for our email list to get updates when new episodes are released, info about upcoming special events, and more.
________________________________
Check out some of our all-time favorites!
Phantom of the Opera
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Jesus Christ Superstar!
Schmigadoon! (Season 1 / Season 2)
West Side Story!
Yentl!
Frozen!
Barbie!
________________________________
Continue the conversation with us on Instagram (@gospelofmt).

BONUS: In Conversation with Robin Kermode

We're on summer break, but before we dive Lerner & Lowe in Season 2, we're so excited to share this conversation with the one & only Robin Kermode: renowned English actor, writer, and communications coach.
We chat about about Broadway overtures, code switching, what acting has to teach us about spirituality, and finding your authentic voice.
Find Robin’s own podcast (with occasional guest the Very Rev’d Peter Elliott!) at https://robinkermode.com/podcast/
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You’ll Hear:
- The Overture to “The King and I” (Original Broadway Cast recording, 1951)
- Marni Nixon singing “I Could Have Danced All Night” from the 1964 film of “My Fair Lady”
- Rex Harrison singing “Why Can’t the English” from the 1964 film
________________________________
Never miss an episode! Sign up for our email list to get updates when new episodes are released, info about upcoming special events, and more.
________________________________
Check out some of our all-time favorites!
Phantom of the Opera
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Jesus Christ Superstar!
Schmigadoon! (Season 1 / Season 2)
West Side Story!
Yentl!
Frozen!
Barbie!
________________________________
Continue the conversation with us on Instagram (@gospelofmt).

1.7 Allegro!

Okay, we'll say it... It's a flop. We're wrapping up our Rodgers & Hammerstein season with one of their lesser-known works: the 1947 musical Allegro, a show that was ahead of its time but that hasn't been produced much since its original run.
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We talk about:
- The Dynamic Duo: Rodgers and Hammerstein as commercial Broadway producers and a creative team
- Concept Musicals: The rise of the “concept musical” and Allegro’s role in that tradition (and its influence on subsequent composers... like a kid named Stephen Sondheim, whose first Broadway job was as an assistant on Allegro!).
- Being Vulnerable: Learning to love by investing in other people's thriving – and the power of vulnerability.
- Aha Moments: Moments of epiphany when everything seems to fall into place, and why we might look for those moments on stage because we rarely experience them in day-to-day life. What does it means to find your "true self?"
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You’ll hear:
- Gloria Willis singing “We Have Nothing to Remember So Far” from the 1947 Original Broadway Cast Recording.
- Lisa Kirk singing “The Gentlemen is a Dope” from the 1947 Original Broadway Cast Recording.
 
You may want to check out:
- Episode 19 of Porchlight Music Theatre's podcast Classic Musicals From the Golden Age of Radio with Michael Weber. It contains the full 1951 radio broadcast of Allegro  - and a great introduction by Anika Chapin of Goodspeed Opera Company in CT!
________________________________
Never miss an episode! Sign up for our email list to get updates when new episodes are released, info about upcoming special events, and more.
________________________________
Check out some of our all-time favorites!
Phantom of the Opera
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Jesus Christ Superstar!
Schmigadoon! (Season 1 / Season 2)
West Side Story!
Yentl!
Frozen!
Barbie!
________________________________
Continue the conversation with us on Instagram (@gospelofmt).

1.6 The Sound of Music!

It's a good one... We're finally talking about The Sound of Music! Join us for this chat about this Rodgers & Hammerstein masterpiece – both the 1959 stage version and the iconic 1965 film starring the one & only Julie Andrews.
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We talk about:
- Contrasts: How the “marriage trope” intersects a political story about fascism and resistance
- The "Problem" of Maria: Maria von Trapp as both a redemptive figure and a prototypical “good German”
- Being Good: The theology of “Something Good,” and Catholic versus Protestant understandings of love and human worthiness
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You’ll hear:
- Laura Benanti and Christian Boyle singing “No Way To Stop It” and “How Can Love Survive” from the 2013 NBC Soundtrack Recording
- Julie Andrews singing “I Have Confidence” and “Something Good” from the 1965 film soundtrack
- Peggy Wood singing “Climb Every Mountain” from the 1965 film.
________________________________
Never miss an episode! Sign up for our email list to get updates when new episodes are released, info about upcoming special events, and more.
________________________________
Check out some of our all-time favorites!
Phantom of the Opera
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Jesus Christ Superstar!
Schmigadoon! (Season 1 / Season 2)
West Side Story!
Yentl!
Frozen!
Barbie!
________________________________
Continue the conversation with us on Instagram (@gospelofmt).

1.5 The King and I!

We're talking about Rodgers & Hammerstein's The King & I (1951), a complicated and beautiful show about cultural imperialism, gender emancipation and the dangers of the white savior complex.
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We talk about:
- Divas: The rise of the “star vehicle” for a diva actor, and the interesting racial & cultural background of Anna Leonowens (and Gertrude Lawrence, the actor who played her).
- Colonialism: The intersection of colonialism with Western values of equality, and when a “liberating” culture becomes an imposed culture that does violence in the name of greater freedom.
- Forgiveness: The nature of forgiveness, and the possibility of real relationship across cultural, gender and ideological difference.
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You’ll hear:
- Gertrude Lawrence singing “Getting to Know You” from the Original Broadway Cast recording.
- Lea Salonga and Peabo Bryson singing “We Kiss In A Shadow” from the 1993 Studio recording.
- Ruthie Ann Miles singing “Something Wonderful” from the 2015 Broadway Revival Cast Recording.
________________________________
Never miss an episode! Sign up for our email list to get updates when new episodes are released, info about upcoming special events, and more.
________________________________
Check out some of our all-time favorites!
Phantom of the Opera
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Jesus Christ Superstar!
Schmigadoon! (Season 1 / Season 2)
West Side Story!
Yentl!
Frozen!
Barbie!
________________________________
Continue the conversation with us on Instagram (@gospelofmt).

1.4 South Pacific!

This week, we continue with our deep dive into Rodgers & Hammerstein with South Pacific (1949) – their first “big hit” and a pioneering (but problematic) look at the deeply-embedded racism of white Americans during World War II.
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We talk about:
Mary Martin, Enzo Pinza, and how Rodgers and Hammerstein created a love story where two characters never have to sing together.
The Phenomenon of World War II and how Rodgers and Hammerstein began to craft a new mythology out the American experience of that war.
Being Carefully Taught: What it means for white Americans to be "carefully taught" to fear and discriminate against those who are not white.
Oscar Hammerstein’s social agenda, his early training in faith and religion, and how South Pacific embodies his theology of social change.
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You’ll hear:
Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza in the Original Broadway Cast Recording (1949) singing "Twin Soliloquies" and "Some Enchanted Evening."
Matthew Morrison singing "You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught" from the 2008 Broadway Revival recording
________________________________
Never miss an episode! Sign up for our email list to get updates when new episodes are released, info about upcoming special events, and more.
________________________________
Check out some of our all-time favorites!
Phantom of the Opera
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Jesus Christ Superstar!
Schmigadoon! (Season 1 / Season 2)
West Side Story!
Yentl!
Frozen!
Barbie!
________________________________
Continue the conversation with us on Instagram (@gospelofmt).

1.3 Carousel!

We're taking a critical look at the 1945 masterpiece Carousel – maybe Rodgers & Hammerstein’s finest score, but a show that definitely hasn't aged well. What can contemporary audiences do with Julie Jordan and Billy Bigelow and their complicated and violent relationship?
 
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We talk about...
Cycles of Abuse: Billy and Julie’s complicated relationship and the idea of the "conditional love song"
Redemptive Suffering: The myth of redemptive suffering – and Carousel's theatrical depiction of the afterlife
Are we more than our worst choices?
Is it true that “you’ll never walk alone?”
Redemption: Can a problematic show with a gorgeous score be “redeemed” for contemporary audiences?
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You'll hear this music from the 1956 film version of Carousel:
Shirley Jones & Claramae Turner singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone”
Shirley Jones singing “If I Loved You”
Barbara Ruick, Claramae Turner, Robert Rounseville & Cameron Mitchell singing “This Was a Real Nice Clambake”
________________________________
Never miss an episode! Sign up for our email list to get updates when new episodes are released, info about upcoming special events, and more.
________________________________
Check out some of our all-time favorites!
Phantom of the Opera
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
Jesus Christ Superstar!
Schmigadoon! (Season 1 / Season 2)
West Side Story!
Yentl!
Frozen!
Barbie!
________________________________
Continue the conversation with us on Instagram (@gospelofmt).