A hit like "Hamilton" can come from nowhere while a sure bet can lose $20 million in a flash. We speak with some of the biggest producers in the game — Sonia Friedman, Jeffrey Seller, Hal Luftig — and learn that there is only one guarantee: the theater owners always win. (Part two of a three-part series.)
Nov 14
653. Does Horse Racing Have a Future?
<p>Thoroughbred auction prices keep setting records. But tracks are closing, gambling revenues are falling, and the sport is increasingly reliant on subsidies. Is that the kind of long shot anybody wants? (Part three of a series, “<a href="https://freakonomics.com/the-horse-is-us ... Show More
1h 1m
Aug 2024
REDIFF - À Broadway, temple new-yorkais de la comédie musicale
Le "Roi Lion", "Michael Jackson", "Hamilton", "Wicked" ou encore "Retour vers le futur"... En plein Manhattan, bat le cœur des comédies musicales depuis des dizaines d'années. Ici certaines sont à l'affiche depuis plus de 30 ans. À Broadway, les producteurs injectent des millions ... Show More
19m 19s
Jan 2024
The b*tch of loving musical theater (with Bridger Winegar)
When it comes to musical theater, everyone has an opinion. And Bridger Winegar, host of the very funny podcast I Said No Gifts!, is no exception. In the paradoxical tradition of Bridger's podcast, Charlie and Nate have brought a series of gifts in the form of a sonic smorgasbord: ... Show More
45m 25s
Aug 2024
163: The Show (Boat) Must Go On: Broadway and the American Musical
“Miller, Lyles, and I were standing near the exit door . . . Blake stuck out there in front, leading the orchestra—his bald head would get the brunt of the tomatoes and rotten eggs.” This is the story of American musical theater and the dawn of modern Broadway. Popular entertainm ... Show More
59m 46s
Nov 2024
Veronica Keller and Sabrina Mittermeier, "From Broadway to the Bronx: New York City’s History through Song" (Intellect, 2024)
From Broadway to the Bronx: New York City’s History through Song (Intellect, 2024) tells the history of New York City in song across a variety of different genres that the city has been home to and instrumental in developing, covering everything from early twentieth-century sheet ... Show More
54m 40s
Nov 2024
Culture chat: ‘Wicked’ hits the high notes
Today, we’re taking on the much-hyped film adaptation of the musical smash Wicked. Starring Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Jeff Goldblum, the story is a loose prequel to The Wizard of Oz, following its two star witches before they become Glinda the Good Witch and the Wicked Wit ... Show More
28m 39s
Feb 2025
Bugs Bunny Math, ft. Black Star (Encore)
“Art is a thing people forget they need until they need it” - yasiin beyFeaturing, in order of appearance: Questlove, Michelle Wolf, Niko Is, Narcy, Radio Rahim, Roc Marciano and Black Thought Contains audio clips featuring Prince and Chuck Berry and unreleased music from Black S ... Show More
29m 28s
Feb 2025
Inside the Making of ‘Wicked’
<p>One day, several decades ago, the writer Winnie Holzman was shopping in a Manhattan bookstore where a particular cover caught her eye. It showed a woman with a green face, a black hat pulled down over her eyes. The book was “Wicked” by Gregory Maguire, a retelling of L. Frank ... Show More
26m 38s