logo
episode-header-image
May 2022
33m 57s

Bless the Coal-black Hearts of the Broad...

Pushkin Industries
About this episode

When Billy Joel agreed to let dance legend Twyla Tharp turn his songs into a Broadway musical it seemed like a surefire hit. But in previews, Movin’ Out was panned by the critics. It was soon headed for Broadway and was set to be an expensive and embarrassing failure.So how could Twyla turn things around and avert disaster before opening night?

For a full list of sources go to timharford.com

If you’d like to keep up with the most recent news from this and other Pushkin podcasts be sure to sign up for our email list at Pushkin.fm.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
Arsenic and Lace: The Trial of the Yorkshire Witch - with Maddy Pelling
Mary Bateman lived in Yorkshire in the late 18th Century, an age that prized rational thought. Many people still longed to believe in the old ways and Bateman used this to her advantage, selling spells and enchantments to the desperate. Dr Maddy Pelling, co-host of the After Dark ... Show More
43m 31s
Jul 24
The Doors of Death: The Herald of Free Enterprise
The Herald of Free Enterprise is a new class of ferry that allows cars to drive directly into the ship. The doors must be closed before every departure, or the ship sails with a gaping hole at one end. One black night in 1987, on the freezing waters off Zebrugge, Belgium, a singl ... Show More
37m 48s
Jul 17
"What a Bloody Mess we're in" - Britain's [REDACTED] Accident
Windscale is supposed to be Britain's big leap into the nuclear age, bringing science fiction to life in 1950s Northern England. But in the race to catch up with America's nuclear program, scientists are tinkering with forces they don't fully understand. When the reactor catches ... Show More
40m 32s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
Spider-Man's Surreal Adventures on Broadway
<p><em>Very Special Episodes is a new podcast hosted by Dana Schwartz, Zaron Burnett, and Jason English. Follow us down a different rabbit hole every Wednesday.</em></p> <p>In 2011, after many delays, one of the most anticipated musicals in theater history finally opened on Broad ... Show More
1h 4m
Dec 2024
Is the Real ‘Wicked’ Movie the Press Tour?
A conversation about the musical’s transfer from stage to screen, and the lead actresses who are bringing new narratives to their roles. Guest: Joe Coscarelli Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcas ... Show More
55m 28s
Jun 2021
In the Weeds of ‘In the Heights’
A conversation about bringing musicals to the big screen, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s artistic choices and the critical blowback to the film’s casting. Guests: Sandra Garcia, Isabelia Herrera and Lena Wilson. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You ... Show More
52m 9s
Apr 2024
Wicked (Part 1)
<p>Was this whole Salem Witch Trials podcast just a Trojan horse to talk about a musical? Kinda. This week, Blair and Carley talk about why they love the musical, and recap its plot. (Next week: talking about the behind the scenes.)</p><br><p>Sign up on Patreon for episodes a wee ... Show More
1h 7m
Mar 2020
What Is the Role of Criticism in a Crisis?
The coronavirus pandemic has upended the world, and the arts are reeling. Pop music critics are asking (and facing) hard questions. Guests: The Ringer's Rob Harvilla, New York's Craig Jenkins and Lindsay Zoladz. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spo ... Show More
57m 6s
Jul 2023
Why HBO’s The Idol Is So Fascinatingly Bad
Puja Patel and Jeremy D. Larson discuss the near hits and wild misses of the controversial pop-star drama with Features Editor Ryan Dombal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
33m 18s
Mar 2024
The Justin Timberlake Conundrum
His sixth solo album, “Everything I Thought It Was,” has been met with critical dismissal and weaker sales. Where can the onetime pop superstar turn next? Guests: Steven J. Horowitz and Joshunda Sanders. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Yo ... Show More
59m 23s
Jun 2024
592. How to Make the Coolest Show on Broadway
<p>Hit by Covid, runaway costs, and a zillion streams of competition, serious theater is in serious trouble. A new hit play called <i>Stereophonic — </i>the most Tony-nominated play in history — has something to say about that. We speak with the people who make it happen every ni ... Show More
1h 5m
Aug 2020
The Welcome Return of the Chicks
How would Nashville be different if it hadn’t pushed the trio away? A conversation about “Gaslighter” and beyond. Guests: Jewly Hight and Slate's Carl Wilson. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcas ... Show More
55m 17s