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PODCAST

Broadway Breakdown

Matt Koplik is the most opinionated, foul-mouthed, and passionate theatre geek with access to a mic. Every week, Matt and a guest explore Broadway history by diving into the careers of the artists who shaped it. Whether discussing Sondheim and Sweeney or Herman and Dolly, Matt is sure to give you fun facts, deep analysis, and lots of four letter words. Tune in!! bwaybreakdown.substack.com

arts performing arts

All Episodes

86:22

Broadway Birthday Q & A

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/03/26

It’s Matt’s birthday (almost), which means it’s time for the annual tradition: handing the mic (metaphorically) over to the listeners. In this wide-ranging, unfiltered Q&A, Matt tackles everything from dream casting do-overs and Broadway flops to industry gossip, personal reflections, and the future of Broadway Breakdown itself. It’s equal parts theater nerder-y, hot takes, and just enough chaos to feel like a proper celebration.Important LinksBroadway Breakdown: DiscordBroadway Breakdown:

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69:21

Matt Reviews: THE WILD PARTY (Encores)

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/03/24

In this episode, Matt takes on The Wild Party at City Center Encores!, digging into its place in the musical theater canon, how this production stacks up, and whether the piece’s notorious decadence still hits—or just lingers.Important LinkBroadway Breakdown: SubstackBroadway Breakdown: DiscordTime Stamps00:00 – Intro and framing The Wild Party in the musical theater landscape03:20 – The two Wild Party musicals: LaChiusa vs. Lippa context07:45 – Plot overview and the show’s central dynamics12:10 –

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47:34

BACKSTAGE PASS: The Future or Marcel on the Train w/...

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/03/19

Backstage Pass is a special Broadway Breakdown mini-series taking listeners behind the curtain of the Off-Broadway production Marcel on the Train at Classic Stage Company. Across the season, we’ve explored every layer of the process—from producing and writing to design and performance—offering a rare, holistic look at how a new play gets made. This final episode turns its focus forward: what happens after opening night?The GuestsProducers Mitch Marois and Maxwell Beer of Mix and Match Productions

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72:34

BACKSTAGE PASS: Designing Marcel on the Train

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/03/16

Backstage Pass is a special Broadway Breakdown mini-series taking listeners behind the curtain of the Off-Broadway production Marcel on the Train at Classic Stage Company. Across the series, host Matt Koplik sits down with the artists shaping the production—from producers and writers to the creative team building the world of the show. Each episode explores a different aspect of the theatrical process, offering a rare inside look at how a new play comes to life.The GuestsThis episode focuses on the

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60:15

BACKSTAGE PASS: Creating Marcel on the Train w/ Ethan...

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/03/13

Series SummaryBackstage Pass is a new mini-series from Broadway Breakdown that pulls back the curtain on the making of a show in real time. In this episode, Matt sits down with the creators of Marcel on the Train—writer/star Ethan Slater and writer/director Marshall Pailet—to explore how the project came together and how they transformed the remarkable true story of Marcel Marceau into a theatrical event.The GuestsTony nominee Ethan Slater co-wrote the piece and stars as Marcel Marceau, bringing

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44:07

BACKSTAGE PASS: Premiering Marcel on the Train w/...

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/03/11

Backstage Pass is a special mini-series from Broadway Breakdown that pulls back the curtain on how a show actually gets made. Across the series, we follow the Off-Broadway premiere of Marcel on the Train—from early conversations and creative development to opening night—through candid conversations with the artists and producers bringing it to life.The GuestThis episode features producer Jill Rafson, the Producing Artistic Director of Classic Stage Company. Jill discusses the journey of premiering

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48:30

BACKSTAGE PASS: Producing Marcel on the Train w/...

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/03/09

Series SummaryWelcome to Backstage Pass, the brand-new mini-series from Broadway Breakdown. Whether it’s analyzing shows from yesteryear or documenting the process as it happens, we’re here to pull back the curtain and give you the inside scoop. First up: the Off-Broadway journey of Marcel on the Train.The GuestsMitch Marois and Maxwell Beer are the driving forces behind Marcel on the Train, shepherding the show from concept to Off-Broadway production. In this episode, they unpack the origins of the

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35:15

Updated Tony Eligibility, Broadway Casting, and New...

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/02/26

It’s a bite-sized Broadway Breakdown this week as Matt catches up on some big Broadway news: The Tony Awards Administration releases more eligibility rulings, TITANIQUE, SCHMIGADOON and ROCKY HORROR all announced the rest of their casting…not to mention Encores’ WILD PARTY. Plus The Fear of 13 comes in at the last second to shake things up. And two star-powered vehicles are announced to kick off the 2026-2027 Broadway season. Let’s dive in!Important Broadway Breakdown links:Sondheim. Webber. Koplik

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117:12

Deep Dive: HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE w/ Margaret Hall

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/02/19

CONTENT DISCLAIMER: This episode discusses a play which depicts predatorial relationships, sexual assault, and grooming. In this episode, Matt sits down with Breakdown fam Margaret Hall (Playbill, Gemignani) to unpack Paula Vogel’s Pulitzer Prize–winning play How I Learned to Drive. Together, they explore the play’s nonlinear structure, its daring tonal shifts, and nuanced depiction of predatory relationships, violation, and survival. From its acclaimed 1997 premiere to its long overdue 2022

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104:47

Deep Dive: CABARET (Part 2) w/ Tom Pecinka

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/02/12

Episode SummaryIn the conclusion of our two-part deep dive into Cabaret, Matt is joined once again by Tom Pecinka to unpack the musical’s legacy, reinventions, and enduring cultural impact. From the iconic 1972 film to radically reimagined revivals, this episode explores how Cabaret continues to evolve—and why it remains one of the most politically urgent musicals ever written.Important Broadway Breakdown LinksTom Pecinka's 54 Below Show: TixSondheim. Webber. Koplik. A BIrthday Threesome:

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97:25

Deep Dive: CABARET (Part 1) w/ Tom Pecinka

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/02/05

In this first installment, Matt and Tony nominee Tom Pecinka (Stereophonic) unpack one of Broadway’s most endlessly reinvented—and debated—musicals: Cabaret. From its roots as a radical concept musical to the ever-evolving interpretations of the Emcee and Sally Bowles, this episode explores why Cabaret refuses to sit still—and why that’s exactly the point.Guest IntroductionTom Pecinka is a Tony–nominated actor best known for his acclaimed turn in Stereophonic, with additional stage credits spanning

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108:59

Matt in London: PADDINGTON, INTO THE WOODS, STARLIGHT...

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/01/29

Matt takes Broadway Breakdown across the pond with a candid, opinionated rundown of his January London theatre trip—covering big-budget spectacle, prestige revivals, crowd-pleasing comedy, and one very lovable bear. From roller-skating Andrew Lloyd Webber excess to a visually inventive Into the Woods and a genuinely joyful new musical, this episode digs into what’s working on the West End right now, what isn’t, and what might (or should) make the leap across the Atlantic.Important Broadway Breakdown

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100:37

Tony Awards 2026: A Way Too Early Chat w/ Richie...

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/01/22

It’s never too early to argue about the Tonys. In this episode, Matt is joined by Broadway obsessives Richie Grasso and Jeff Malone (Half Hour, Half Hour with Jeff & Richie ) to make wildly premature, deeply passionate predictions about the current season. Together, they size up contenders, clock narrative momentum, question voter behavior, and debate what actually wins awards versus what deserves to.Broadway Breakdown LinksBroadway Breakdown DiscordBroadway Breakdown SubstackTimestamps00:00 –

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114:58

Deep Dive: CHICAGO (Movie) w/ Casey Balsham

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/01/15

Matt revisits the Oscar-winning 2002 film adaptation of Chicago to unpack how it cracked the code for movie musicals in the 21st century. Joined by Casey Balsham (podcast It’s Broadway B*tch), the two explore why Chicago’s cinematic choices worked where so many others failed, how the film reframed Bob Fosse’s theatrical language, and why Chicago still looms large over every musical-to-film adaptation that followed.Casey Balsham—comedian, performer, and longtime Chicago obsessive—is the ideal guest

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154:53

Matt Ranks: The 2025 Theatre Season (mostly)

Broadway Breakdown ·

2026/01/01

The year has ended, but the season is still going. So we’re doing what Broadway Breakdown does best…reviewing and ranking!!! Matt saw nearly 30 shows so far this season both Broadway and Off-Broadway and he wants to gather his thoughts on how he feels about them all. Some good, a few great, a couple somewhat bad…let’s dig in!BROADWAY BREAKDOWN LINKS:Broadway Breakdown Discord: HereBroadway Breakdown Substack: HereTIME STAMPS:00:00 - Housekeeping7:05 - #2710:00 - #2614:00 - #2518:12 - #2421:25

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122:59

Deep Dive: THE GLASS MENAGERIE w/ Amy Jo Jackson

Broadway Breakdown ·

2025/12/25

Tennessee Williams’s The Glass Menagerie is one of the most produced and most analyzed plays in the American canon…and now it’s our turn! Matt and guest Amy Jo Jackson explore the play’s autobiographical roots and why memory—not realism—is the engine that drives its enduring emotional power. From Laura’s fragility to Amanda’s survival instincts, this episode argues for Menagerie as a living, elastic work that changes depending on who’s telling the story.Amy Jo Jackson is a theater artist, educator,

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113:49

Deep Dive: THE GOAT, OR WHO IS SYLVIA? w/ Robert W....

Broadway Breakdown ·

2025/12/18

Edward Albee’s final play to open on Broadway remains one of the most controversial: The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? In this Deep Dive, Matt and guest Robert W. Schneider unpack its infamous premise and explore why a play so boldly bonkers can be so shockingly rewarding. The two also explore how Albee weaponizes language, social taboos, and why the play’s legacy is still undefined.Robert W. Schneider—director, educator, author, and longtime theater historian—is the perfect sparring partner for this

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97:39

Deep Dive: NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812...

Broadway Breakdown ·

2025/12/11

Our Deep Dive of Great Comet comes to its conclusion. Actor/singer/diva/Great Comet superfan Natalie Walker remains to dig into the show’s electrifying soundscape, its roots in War and Peace, and how Dave Malloy explodes character, form, and musical vocabulary. Matt and Natalie break down what makes Comet such a singular theatrical experience—structurally, emotionally, and spiritually—and why its legacy continues to glow long after the comet’s tail faded from Broadway.Guest introductionNatalie

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111:52

Matt Reviews: The Queen of Versailles (both of ‘em),...

Broadway Breakdown ·

2025/12/04

Episode SummaryMatt dives into two major musical events: Broadway’s divisive, new bio-musical The Queen of Versailles and its two different leading ladies, as well as the long-awaited revival of Ragtime. He breaks down the productions’ strengths, stumbles, creative choices, and star performances before welcoming Broadway content creator and author Teale Dvornik for a candid conversation about audience culture, the changing ecosystem around modern theater and her new book History Hiding Around

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73:57

Matt Reviews: WICKED: FOR GOOD w/ Andrew Chappelle

Broadway Breakdown ·

2025/11/27

Matt Reviews: Wicked: For Good with Andrew ChappelleMatt is joined by Broadway actor and podcast host Andrew Chappelle for a theater-nerdy breakdown of the hotly anticipated Wicked: For Good. Together, they dig into how Part Two stacks up against Part One, what the film gets right (and very right), and where it stumbles on its way down the Yellow Brick Road. From pacing to performances to the Wizard of Oz tie-ins, this episode explores why Wicked remains one of the most passionately debated

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