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[0:00] Jeff Malone: Welcome to Half Hour with Jeff & Richie, the podcast where we explore the latest shows we see, sharing our insights and opinions on the performances, storylines, and everything in between. In today's episode, we're revisiting Boop! The Musical and our trips to Broadway Bares and the Jimmy Awards. So whether you cannot catch those shows in person, some of them have already happened, or you want to expand your thoughts after seeing them, then this episode is for you. And as always, we want to inform you that this episode will contain spoilers. So if you're ready to dive into these productions, stick around with us. I'm Jeff.

[0:29] Richie Grasso: And I'm Richie, and we're thrilled to be your hosts for this episode. But before we start the conversation, here are a few words from our advertisers. Welcome, everyone, to a new episode of Half Hour with Jeff & Richie. Today, we're revisiting Boop! The Musical and discussing our trips to Broadway Bares and the Jimmy Awards. So let's start things off with Boop! The Musical. You're probably wondering, why are we still talking about Boop! The Musical? We already have an episode on Boop! The Musical. Well, for our Mother's Day gifts to our moms, we brought them to a Broadway show together, and we went to see Boop! The Musical, along with some other family members as well. It was a nice little group we had.

I thought this was a great show for us to bring our moms to. And I just remember leaving that theater when we first saw it in April, Jeff, and saying, this is a show I want to bring people to. I brought my sister and her fiancée, and your mom brought her friend. And we just had this wonderful group to just share musical theater joy and love. And I thought it was such a good message show for that.

[1:23] Jeff Malone: And so I thought it would be nice to kind of spend a few minutes here just talking about seeing this is the first show of this season that we've now seen for the second time. There are a couple others that I want to go back. Oh, no, I should have said Sunset Boulevard we did see multiple times. But what are your thoughts just like seeing Boop! now this second time and things you've noticed that were different or maybe that you liked more or less? What were your thoughts now after seeing it the second time?

[1:46] Richie Grasso: Well, first off, we could see Boop! We could see Boop! I think Boop! is having a very interesting moment right now, because I do think it is getting some buzz. It is having a slow build into people going and seeing it now we're getting into summer tourist season where I think that it's starting to ring some bells here. A lot of shows have announced closings and are closing soon. And I think that this is occupying now a space that people are going to go see it. Now to answer your question around this, you know, I really went back to Boop! to watch this show from the booklets. Many people said to me, Oh, that book. Oh, you know, this book doesn't work. It doesn't work. No, no, no. And I'm like, I'm watching it.

And I'm sitting here the whole time. And I'm trying to see what everyone else sees. And I don't see it. I really don't. I think that this show has heart. I think that the book has heart number one. And I think that Jasmine Amy Rogers has brought such life to this Betty Boop character that so many people have loved for so long and is just killing this role.

[3:02] Jeff Malone: I totally agree with you. I just really enjoyed Betty's journey more throughout this. I liked listening to some of her one-liner moments, her connection with her friends in New York, the subplots of other characters. I just thought it came together nice. I appreciated the music more. I still think that act one opener is fantastic. And the choreo of them making that line spinning like that is amazing. The act one closer where I want to be. That song has just stuck in my head all the time. I think it's a great way to end the act. It's almost like she's where she wants to be. But then I remember asking our family and friends and our moms, I was like, do you think she stays or do you think she goes back?

And it was a mixed reaction from people. Because we didn't know when we first saw it, but we knew obviously how the show ended. And some people were like, she's going to stay. She likes it here. And some people were like, no, she's going to go back. And so it's interesting to kind of see that. The where is Betty, Betty is here costume moment in the beginning of the act. I'm still blown away by that. I'm watching it and I'm like, how are they? You do not want to be that one person that makes the wrong turn at the wrong time, right? With something like that. And then the color of love at the end. I just think that's a great ending. I just think the whole show is bookended so well. It got us talking again.

I loved it. Listen, who's to say, I hope it has more and more shows keep announcing their closing this summer. And this show is slowly going up in sales and revenue. And I think that this could become a big tourist summer show. It could really kind of boost sales over time, I think. I think it's a great, fun, family-friendly show.

[4:17] Richie Grasso: Right. And I think that's why when you bring up this whole like social media trend that's happening with it now, I mean, maybe we only know it because we're Broadway guys and we know everything that kind of happens that has like viral moments like that. I look at it and I say, hey, I want good things for this show, because I think that this show out of many that open this year is fun and lighthearted. I think it does know what it wants to be when a lot of people don't think it does. I think that it's a simple book that you don't have to think too hard about. I think we're overthinking the whole plot line between who's family members, who's not, how did it happen? Like, are we supposed to care that much about it?

They even poke fun about it in the book, right? Like, I think she's my sister or my brother or they raised me and like, I don't think it matters. I think it's about like, you know, lacking confidence in certain places, but learning that you have the confidence all along. And that, you know, you learn to love and you learn to be there for people, right? You know, it's so simple in that way. And I really also think people should look at it a bit more with like, hey, this is like a cartoon episode, the way that we used to watch cartoons, and they didn't always have to make sense.

[5:37] Jeff Malone: Yeah. Yeah. And I will go back to Jasmine Amy Rogers as being a star, the Tony nominee. She's just captivating in what she does. And I'm with her the whole time. You're on her team. You want her to find herself. The accent mixed with the moves and the energy. I don't know how she's doing that every night. It's just incredible. The whole thing is fun. Our families liked it. They had a great night out of the theater. So bring your family, bring your friends, bring people. And that little dog puppet, I just can't. It's the cutest thing. I can stare at that puppet all day.

[6:08] Richie Grasso: Yes. Were you watching the puppet throughout? I noticed the second time I was like, there was moments of the dog was just like looking at her. It was like so cute and like grampy and stuff. And that dog is all over that show. And the puppeteer is like working it. He's all over the stage. Like that's hard. Yeah. So I loved it. And I thought it was great. So we just wanted to kind of talk a little bit about it because we-

[6:27] Jeff Malone: Yeah. So everyone, go see Boop. Go see Boop this summer, please. So let's take a quick break. When we get back, we're going to now talk about Broadway Bares because we were there. And then we'll talk a little bit later about the Jimmy Awards because we were also there. So we'll take a quick break and we'll be right back.

[6:43] Richie Grasso: And we're back. So Broadway Bares is an event that's been around for many years, produced by Broadway Cares Equity Fights AIDS. It raises millions and millions of dollars, the event, but also Broadway Cares raises millions of dollars for so many. Oh my gosh. I could go on and on. The amount of wonderful things they do for people all across the world, really. And America, especially, and people who need help.

[7:05] Jeff Malone: Yeah. Especially within this community. I mean, feeding them and getting them medication, helping them. And it's not, I think it goes beyond AIDS now as well. It's so many other things that are necessary to people in the community. And Broadway Bares was started by Jerry Mitchell, who is the director choreographer of Boop. We have an episode on that we've interviewed with Jerry. So we got to go and have a full experience. Jerry invited us to come to Broadway Bares. We got a whole moment where we got to just meet some wonderful people and get a backstage tour and go see the shows. We want to talk a little bit about that now. First of all, Jeff, before we get into like the details of the night, what did you think about the whole experience from being there, seeing the show, feeling it?

[7:44] Richie Grasso: You know, a lot of times when people have said like, oh yeah, Broadway Bares, I go there every couple of years. It's fun. It's cool. Broadway Bares. And I'm like, we've never been. It was our first time. Every year we either had a conflict or the tickets were sold out and we just never got there. This was our year to go and we went. And I just, I mean, the whole event is mind blowing, but I just wanted to know, curious, you're all off the cuff thoughts.

[8:05] Jeff Malone: I think it's great when the community can come together and bring awareness and raise money and support each other. I think, you know, the biggest eye-opening thing for me was you see all of these performers on stage coming together and putting on an amazing burlesque show for this charity. And also, you know, I felt that the room was just full of love the whole time. People meeting each other, saying hi, supporting one another, and then watching this amazing performance. You know, I think that is what this is all about.

[8:46] Richie Grasso: Totally. And I think it was cool because we started by getting a backstage tour, which was really fun. So we saw Jerry and we saw a bunch of awesome, cool people back there. And walking through the backstage of Hammerstein Ballroom and seeing hundreds of people, dancers, stage management, wig designers, hair designers, makeup designers, costume designers, crew, lighting tech, sound tech. I mean, the list goes on and on and the people, even the volunteers in the front, the ushers and the bar staff and the ticket staff, everyone. And it's fascinating that everyone is donating their time.

[9:19] Jeff Malone: Donating their time. And you see this huge room downstairs below the stage. And it's just tables and tables of tables of people getting their hair. And they were even telling us like every performer gets like one or two touch-ups per show. So they're able to go and get their makeup and their hair touched up. So they look their best. They're wearing glitter and wonderful colors in their hair and awesome outfits. And everyone is volunteering their time. Could you imagine how many meetings, how many orders of materials and setup time and breakdown time and everything for this cause? It is amazing. And Jerry has said, Broadway Bear started much smaller 30 something years ago, I think. And it's grown and it's grown and it's grown.

It's now in this huge thing. And it broke a record with the amount of money and raised over $2 million, I believe. It's just incredible. So just being back there, seeing all the dancers, they were outside on the street before they went inside. Everyone's just so joyous. It's Pride Month. It's the perfect, it's like after the Tony Awards, right before Pride weekend and before everyone like goes on their summer vacations. It's like this wonderful mid to late June slot, you know?

[10:22] Richie Grasso: I mean, it's like the kickoff to Pride Week here in New York. So, you know, now everyone has Pride events all week leading up to Sunday. And I think, yeah, I mean, it was really just a joyous thing to be at and to just be in that room with everyone. It was a great experience.

[10:38] Jeff Malone: And when you talk about the actual show itself, you know, it's about an hour and 20 minutes or so. It's a, it's somewhat scripted, but it's mostly song after song after song. And this theme was the Wizard of Oz theme. So I thought that made sense because Wicked being so popular right now, jumping on that bandwagon, loved it. What did you think of the theme and the plot and the concept of like the song?

[10:56] Richie Grasso: I thought it was fun. I mean, the whole concept, yeah, it's like very on the nose to be doing the Wizard of Oz mixed with the Wiz mixed with Wicked. I mean, they all had moments in there. You have all of the certain characters within the show. I mean, there were some big names that were attached to this as well. You had like Todrick Hall. You had Nicole Scherzinger that came out. I mean, Peppermint. You had Alex Newell. There were so many great people that were part of this production.

[11:27] Jeff Malone: It's true. And they were like original songs and original concepts, but they were also rooted in like the Tin Man song was like that. And then they had the Flying Monkeys song. They had the Poppies number, right? They had the-

[11:40] Richie Grasso: The lollipop kids in the beginning.

[11:40] Jeff Malone: They had the Glinda numbers, the Elphaba numbers and everything in between. And they followed some sort of a plot. It was like Wicked meets the Wizard of Oz meets the Wiz meets something else, right? It was this thing. But you know, what's fascinating is like, take something that everyone knows. Everyone knows Dorothy and these characters and the message. And the Wizard of Oz itself and Judy Garland herself has this like rooted sense of like gay pride of sorts when it comes to like Judy Garland being like an icon for the gay rights movement. But also just what the heart of the Wizard of Oz means, knowing what home is, knowing there's no place like home, learning things on your journey. I mean, there's such wonderful things about that can relate to pride in a way.

And I think it's also fascinating that, you know, we're not at 100 years yet, but we're getting pretty close to 100 years of this movie or like 80 something years, the book even longer, right? And like, isn't it fascinating that this story can inspire things like the Wiz and then inspire things like Wicked and then can inspire things like this, like theming this to be this very risqué, fun, but joyous, but like, you know, naughty, but a little bit of everything, right? And then theming it to that. I mean, the colors, the vibrancy of it, the lighting design, the choreography, Broadway Bears is the top, top notch of the group. Could you imagine how many hours of rehearsal went into all that?

[13:04] Richie Grasso: And tech and lighting?

[13:20] Jeff Malone: Welcome back to Half Hour with Jeff & Richie! Today, we're diving into "Boop! The Musical" and discussing its significance in the Broadway landscape.

[13:50] Richie Grasso: Absolutely, Jeff! "Boop! The Musical" has such a unique charm. It really captures the essence of the character Betty Boop and brings her to life on stage in a way that feels fresh and exciting.

[14:20] Jeff Malone: Right! And the way they incorporate the classic animation style into the choreography is just brilliant. It’s like watching a cartoon come to life, and the audience really connects with that nostalgia.

[14:50] Richie Grasso: Plus, the music is catchy! The songs have that vintage feel while still being modern enough to appeal to today's audiences. It’s a perfect blend of old and new.

[15:00] Jeff Malone: Speaking of performances, we recently attended Broadway Bares, which is such an incredible event. The energy in the room was electric, and the talent on display was phenomenal.

[15:10] Richie Grasso: Broadway Bares never disappoints! It’s such a fantastic way to raise money for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS while showcasing the amazing talent of the community.

[15:40] Jeff Malone: And let’s not forget the 2025 Jimmy Awards! Those young performers are so inspiring. The level of talent we saw this year was just mind-blowing.

[15:50] Richie Grasso: It really is a testament to the future of Broadway. These kids are not only talented but also passionate about their craft. It gives me hope for the next generation of theater artists.

[16:00] Jeff Malone: Absolutely! The Jimmy Awards highlight the importance of community and support in the arts. It’s a celebration of hard work and dedication.

[16:10] Richie Grasso: And with Pride Month in full swing, it’s wonderful to see how the theater community embraces inclusivity and diversity. Events like these really bring people together.

[16:20] Jeff Malone: Yes! The sense of community is palpable, and it’s heartwarming to see everyone come together to support one another. It’s what Broadway is all about.

[16:30] Richie Grasso: I couldn’t agree more. The impact of these events on both performers and audiences is profound. It creates a shared experience that resonates long after the curtain falls.

[16:40] Jeff Malone: And it’s exciting to think about what the future holds for Broadway. With such talent and passion, the possibilities are endless.

[16:50] Richie Grasso: Definitely! We’re witnessing a beautiful evolution in the theater world, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.

[17:00] Jeff Malone: So, if you haven’t seen "Boop! The Musical" yet, make sure to check it out! It’s a delightful experience that you won’t want to miss.

[17:10] Richie Grasso: And keep an eye out for the upcoming Broadway Bares and the Jimmy Awards next year. They’re events that truly celebrate the heart and soul of Broadway.

[17:20] Jeff Malone: Thanks for joining us today! We hope you enjoyed our discussion on "Boop! The Musical," Broadway Bares, and the Jimmy Awards.

[17:30] Richie Grasso: Be sure to follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube at @HalfHourPodcast for more Broadway insights and updates.

[17:40] Jeff Malone: We’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s episode, so feel free to share your comments on our podcast cover post on Instagram.

[17:50] Richie Grasso: Until next time, keep celebrating the magic of Broadway!