Singular Sensation: The Podcast
Join us for an extraordinary deep dive inside the most transformative decade on Broadway through gripping behind-the-scenes accounts of shows such as Sunset Boulevard, Rent, Angels in America, Chicago, The Lion King, and The Producers - shows that changed the history of the American theater.
All Episodes
Get Ready for Sunset Boulevard (Trailer)
Patti, Glenn, Webber... oh my! Get ready for the inside scoop on one of the biggest behind-the-scenes Broadway dramas of the 1990s. Early access to the latest episodes available exclusively through http://bpn.fm/singularsensation.
Sunset Boulevard #1: Andrew Lloyd Webber - Part 1
Did you know Andrew Lloyd Webber was not the first famous composer to consider turning Sunset Boulevard into a musical?
Sunset Boulevard #2: Andrew Lloyd Webber - Part 2
As we continue our deep dive into Sunset Boulevard, Andrew Lloyd Webber talks about Patti LuPone’s fierce competitiveness with Glenn Close…and how this sparked Patti’s infamous feud with Andrew - a painful experience for Andrew that took a significant toll on him personally.
Sunset Boulevard #3: Glenn Close - Part 1
Tony-winning star Glenn Close shares her Norma Desmond memories from her first Sunset Boulevard audition for Andrew Lloyd Webber, to her experience launching a show about a Hollywood star in Hollywood, to Close originating the role on Broadway.
Sunset Boulevard #4: Glenn Close - Part 2
Glenn Close discusses returning to Sunset Boulevard for the 2017 Broadway revival. She shares how the production evolved since Broadway in 1994 and how she was able to dive even deeper into the role of Norma Desmond.
Sunset Boulevard #5: Patti LuPone - Part 1
Listen in on this never-before-heard dressing room interview with Sunset Boulevard’s original Norma Desmond, Patti LuPone, to hear her take on the challenges of creating the role in London and the origins of her infamous feud with Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Sunset Boulevard #6: Patti LuPone - Part 2
Patti LuPone got her pool, but Glenn Close got the Tony. In this never-before-heard dressing room interview about Sunset Boulevard, Patti LuPone dives deep on the competition between her and fellow Norma Desmond, Glenn Close.
Get Ready for Rent (Trailer)
Based on Michael Riedel’s spectacular book Singular Sensation: The Triumph of Broadway, the Rent miniseries explores the creation of the landmark musical with those who were there. Rent marks a major turning point in the history of American musical theatre.
Rent #1: Creator Jonathan Larson, Early Days
Listen in on this never before heard, very candid interview with Rent creator Jonathan Larson’s father, Allan Larson, and Jonathan’s sister, Julie Larson, as they share stories about Jonathan’s early passion for musical theatre, his extraordinary early musical gifts, and Jonathan’s deep desire to make musical theater relevant again for a whole new generation.
Rent #2: Creator Jonathan Larson, Boho Days to Rent
How did Rent get to Broadway? The trajectory is unexpected and spectacular. Producer Robyn Goodman, Artistic Director Jim Nicola, and Rent creator Jonathan Larson’s father and sister recount Rent’s trajectory from blank page to the show’s monumental New York Theatre Workshop production.
Rent #3: New York Theatre Workshop
How did the groundbreaking rock opera Rent get its start? New York Theatre Workshop Artistic Director Jim Nicola, Director Michael Greif, and Producer Jeffrey Seller dive back in time to share what initially drew them to Jonathan Larson and to his revolutionary new musical Rent.
Rent #4: Light My Candle, with Daphne Rubin-Vega
Daphne Rubin-Vega brought such undeniable grit, free spirit, and Lower East Side authenticity to her Mimi audition that the Rent team knew they found their Cat Scratch Club dancer.
Rent #5: Daphne Rubin-Vega's Closet
Daphne Rubin-Vega, who was the original Mimi in Rent, and her personal wardrobe were invaluable resources for Rent costume designer Angela Wendt.
Rent #6: Creator Jonathan Larson, Final Days
In 1996, Rent creator Jonathan Larson tragically passed away just hours before the show’s very first preview at New York Theatre Workshop.
Rent #7: Broadway Bound
Many warned that the musical Rent did not belong on Broadway! Nonetheless, the show blasted past those naysayers to become one of the biggest hits of all time.
Rent #8: Legacy & Impact
Rent is one of those super rare musicals that permeated pop culture all over the world. The show was on Broadway from 1996 to 2008 and is still produced throughout the world today.
Rent Bonus: Adam Pascal
Original star of Rent, Adam Pascal, joins host Michael Riedel live at Sardi's for this special bonus episode.
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