Matt Reviews: Wicked: For Good with Andrew Chappelle

Matt 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 properties in modern musical theater.

Resources & Links

Broadway Breakdown Discord

Broadway Breakdown Substack

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to Oz… Again Matt and Andrew introduce the episode and their shared history with the Wicked universe.

08:45 – Revisiting Part One & the Big Pacing Debate Matt’s qualms with Part One resurface and why movie musicals today struggle with airflow and pacing. Andrew counters with why he loves the “epic fantasy” pacing of the films.

10:40 – Comparing Film vs. Stage Energy Andrew describes seeing Wicked live again and realizing how fast the Broadway version moves — and how intentionally the films do not.

14:20 – No Good Deed Andrew declares No Good Deed the film’s peak — a visceral, intermission-style gut punch. Matt shares his own favorite moments, especially Ariana Grande’s performance.

22:40 – Can Art Be Too Safe? A conversation about modern creative fear, audience reactions, and why art that tries not to offend often loses its punch.

25:20 – The Wizard of Oz Problem (or Feature?) The backlash to Act Two’s deeper Wizard of Oz connections — and why fans remain divided.

56:50 – New Songs: Going for the Oscar Original songs in movie musicals: the pressure, the pitfalls, and why audiences scrutinize additions to iconic scores.

Key People Mentioned

Film Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum

Creative Team: Stephen Schwartz, Winnie Holzman, Jon M. Chu

Other Titles Referenced: Chicago, Dreamgirls, Hamilton, The Wizard of Oz, Suffs

Listener Discussion Questions

Did Wicked: For Good capture the emotional high of the stage version for you — or did the cinematic scope change it?

How do you feel about the additional Wizard of Oz tie-ins? Did they enhance the story or distract from it?

What makes a movie musical adaptation succeed — pacing, performance, fidelity to the stage show, or something else entirely?

Episode Summary

In this bonus review episode, Matt tackles four very different productions—Oedipus, The Baker’s Wife, Prince F*ggot, and Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York. From classics, revivals, new works, and small downtown gems, he breaks down what sings, what stumbles, and what you might want to spend your money (or not spend your money) on this season.

He also addresses audience questions about ticket pricing, press seats, and the realities of covering an entire Broadway season as a critic and podcaster.

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro & Season Updates Live-show successes, upcoming cabaret dates for Broadway Breakdown, and how bonus review episodes will fit into the schedule.

02:30 – On Ticket Pricing, Press Seats & “Cringe” Feedback Matt clarifies misconceptions about requesting press tickets and discusses the financial/logistical realities of reviewing an entire season.

10:20 – Oedipus Overview of the production, standout performances, and early-season Tony nomination predictions—particularly in featured actor/actress categories.

18:10 – The Baker’s Wife A full dive into the show’s infamously chaotic production history, the new Classic Stage Company staging, Schwartz’s revisions over the years, and performances that make (or don’t make) the revival sing.

33:00 – Prince Faggot A nuanced review of the play’s thematic ambition, its monologue structure, moments that soar, moments that miss, and why the final monologue feels disconnected from the whole. Plus praise for the cast and a shout-out to excellent house staff.

45:55 – Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York A discussion of structure, pace, tone, and how well (or not) the piece handles its ideas about connection and modern loneliness. (Transcript references structural critique connected to this section.)

Key People Mentioned

* Mark Strong, Lesley Manville, Robert Icke - Stars and Director/Adapter of Oedipus

* Stephen Schwartz – composer/lyricist of The Baker’s Wife

* Carol Demas, Patti LuPone, Paul Sorvino – original Baker’s Wife figures in the show’s rocky history

* Ariana DeBose, Scott Bakula, Nathan Lee Graham, Judy Kuhn - members of the CSC production of The Baker’s Wife

* David Greenspan – praised in Prince F*ggot

* Kuhnsie – featured Diva of the Week, singing “Meadowlark”

* Sam Tutty, Christiana Pitts - Stars of Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York

Resources & Links

* Telecharge – tickets for shows mentioned:

https://www.telecharge.com/

* Broadway Breakdown Discord

* Broadway Breakdown Substack

Listener Discussion Questions

* Which of the four shows reviewed would you prioritize seeing, and why?

* How do you balance ticket prices with the desire to keep up with a Broadway season—what makes a show “worth it” to you?

* For revivals like The Baker’s Wife, do you prefer faithfulness to the original vision or bold reinvention?

Matt returns with a packed roundup of New York’s latest plays and musicals — from existential despair to gay country catharsis. In this marathon of opinions, he weighs in on everything from Keanu Reeves’ Beckett turn to Matt Rodin’s star power and whether Bat Boy might finally fly again.

Resources & Links

Broadway Breakdown, A Cabaret Now: Tix

Broadway Breakdown: Discord

Broadway Breakdown: Substack

🎟️ Telecharge – Broadway Tickets

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro and theater-season chaos check-in

03:30 – Punch

17:00 – Beau

35:00 – Waiting for Godot

51:00 – Seat of Our Pants

1:08:00 – ART

1:25:00 – Little Bear Ridge Road

1:43:00 – Bat Boy

Key People Mentioned

* Punch: James Graham (playwright), Victoria Clark, Sam Robards, Will Harrison

* Beau: Matt Rodin, Jeb Brown, Douglas Lyons (writer), Josh Rhodes (director)

* Waiting for Godot: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter, Brandon J. Dirden, Michael Patrick Thornton, Jamie Lloyd (director)

* Seat of Our Pants: Ethan Lipton (writer), Leigh Silverman (director), Micaela Diamond, Ruthie Ann Miles, Shuler Hensley, Damon Daunno

* ART: Yasmina Reza (playwright), Scott Ellis (director), Bobby Cannavale, Neil Patrick Harris, James Corden

* Little Bear Ridge Road: Laurie Metcalf, Micah Stock, John Drea, Joe Mantello (director), Samuel D. Harris (playwright)

* Bat Boy: Lawrence O’Keefe (composer), Keythe Farley & Brian Flemming (book/lyrics), Kerry Butler, Taylor Trensch

Listener Discussion Questions

* Did listening give you incentive to see any of these shows?

* Is it better to have a mess of a show with some great highs or a show that’s consistently fine?

* Should Bat Boy finally make the leap to Broadway, or stay a cult favorite?

Cinema in the Cell Block

In this episode, Matt and returning Pod Mother Ali Gordon dive into the latest movie musical: Kiss of the Spider Woman. Adapted from the Tony-winning musical, Spiderwoman follows homosexual window dresser, Molina, and revolutionary Valentin. The two are cellmates in an Argentinian prison at the height of the country’s military controlled government. The two bond as Molina recites his favorite movie musical starring his favorite actress, La Luna, to help distract the two from the perils of their everyday lives.

Matt and Ali untangle the stage show’s campy contradictions, while also highlighting what makes it so magnetic. The two also discuss the story’s origins as a novel and the Oscar-winning 1980’s film that preceded even the stage musical. And what exactly happens to a story about repression when it gets the glossy movie-musical treatment?

Ali Gordon, writer, comedian, and longtime Broadway Breakdown favorite, joins to celebrate her debut novel We Have Reached the End of Our Show and to unpack a show she adores, flaws and all. A theater obsessive with razor-sharp insight (and the patience to debate Bill Condon), Ali brings her trademark mix of heart, humor, and “I know this is messy but I love it anyway” energy to the conversation.

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro 02:30 – Kiss of the Spider Woman: Ali Gordon’s “favorite wreck” 08:00 – From novel to stage: Manuel Puig’s wild narrative form 11:00 – Queerness and censorship in the musical’s early years 18:00 – The 1985 film vs. the 1993 musical: tone, transness, and tension 23:00 – Valentin and Molina: machismo, fantasy, and the politics of sex 27:00 – Bill Condon’s movie musical: ambition or adaptation confusion? 31:00 – Chicago, Dreamgirls, and the “Godfather of the Movie Musical” myth 45:00 – Gimme Love and the problem with pretty choreography 56:00 – The legacy of Chita Rivera’s Aurora and “Where You Are” 1:00:00 – How Spider Woman fits into the lineage of queer musical theater 1:30:00 – Ali plugs her novel (and her huge thesaurus)

Key People Mentioned

Creators: Manuel Puig (novel), John Kander & Fred Ebb (music & lyrics), Terrence McNally (book)

Original Cast: Chita Rivera, Brent Carver, Anthony Crivello

Film Team: William Hurt, Raúl Juliá, Bill Condon (director), Jennifer Lopez, Diego Luna, Tonatiuh Elizarraraz

Related Mentions: Rob Marshall, Tony Kushner

Broadway Breakdown Links

Broadway Breakdown Discord

Broadway Breakdown, A Cabaret Now: Tix

We Have Reached the End of Our Show by Ali Gordon — bookshop.org

Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993 Broadway Cast Recording)

Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985 film)

Broadway Breakdown Substack

Listener Discussion Questions

What do you think are the rules a movie musical needs to adhere to in order to “work”?

Deep Dive: HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (Part 2)

The Gospel of Glam Rock

In Part 2 of this Deep Dive, Matt continues to unpack the gender-bending punk musical confessional that is Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Continuing the journey with Matt is writer and composer Preston Max Allen (We Are the Tigers, Caroline).

Broadway Breakdown Links:

Broadway Breakdown: Substack

Broadway Breakdown: Discord Community

“Broadway Breakdown, A Cabaret Now”: Tix

Preston Max Allen’s Caroline at MCC Theater: Tix

Timestamps

7:20 – Origins: John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask’s downtown beginnings, from Squeezebox to Jane Street

14:50 – Defining “genderpunk”: queerness, camp, and creation from trauma

30:45 – The music of Hedwig: glam rock, Bowie, and heartbreak

44:25 – “Origin of Love”: the myth that made a musical

51:00 – The film (2001): cult hit, critical darling, and indie landmark

59:20 – Broadway revival (2014): Neil Patrick Harris, Lena Hall, and the mainstreaming of queer theater

1:08:10 – The gender debate: casting controversies and the show’s evolving identity politics

1:16:45 – Hedwig’s legacy: postmodern mythmaking and queer catharsis

1:23:00 – Closing thoughts: what Hedwig still teaches us about self-invention

Key People Mentioned

Creators: John Cameron Mitchell (creator, original Hedwig), Stephen Trask (music & lyrics)

Original cast & creative team: Miriam Shor (Yitzhak), Peter Askin (director), Mike Potter (wig & makeup design)

Film (2001): John Cameron Mitchell (writer/director/star), Andrea Martin, Michael Pitt

Broadway revival (2014): Neil Patrick Harris, Lena Hall, Michael C. Hall, Darren Criss, Taye Diggs

Listener Discussion Questions

- When is Hedwig performing and when is she confessing? Are the two interchangeable?

- How does the character of Hedwig’s identity resonate in the broader conversation around gender today?

- Would you say that Hedwig found love with Tommy? Is Yitzhak’s care for Hedwig requited? And how can love influence even the smartest of us to make unhealthy choices?

This episode dives into the unlikely rise of The Drowsy Chaperone—a show that started as a wedding gag and became one of Broadway’s most beloved meta-musicals. Matt traces its origins, Tony-winning triumph, and enduring legacy, before sitting down with writer and cultural commentator Eli Rallo to unpack why this fizzy 1920s spoof still resonates (and where it might stumble with modern audiences).

Eli Rallo is a writer, podcast host, and social media force whose sharp wit and cultural savvy have made her a leading voice on how we consume art, media, and nostalgia. With her background in theater and her talent for cutting through the noise of internet discourse, Eli brings fresh perspective to what makes Drowsy both a love letter to musical comedy and a sly critique of it.

Important Links

* Broadway Breakdown Substack – extended essays, reviews, and extras

* Discord community – join the Breakdown conversation

* Tickets: Broadway Breakdown Cabaret – Nov 14 at Green Room 42

* Eli Rallo’s book Does Anyone Else Feel This Way?

Timestamps

* 0:00 – Intro & listener shoutouts

* 6:15 – Origins: how a goofy wedding present became a full musical

* 12:30 – Toronto Fringe to Broadway: David Mirvish’s backing, the expanded book, and early buzz18:50 – Broadway production: Sutton Foster, Beth Leavel, Danny Burstein, and Bob Martin step into the spotlight

* 33:22 – Conversation with Eli Rallo begins

* 35:00 – Why Drowsy feels so post-9/11: silliness as healing, optimism as defiance

* 44:00 – Cracks in nostalgia: racism, sexism, and the show’s deliberate discomfort

* 1:06:00 – Man in Chair & fandom: the ultimate “theater kid” surrogate and the perils of loving flawed art

* 1:12:00 – Today’s Broadway climate: Eli and Matt on rushed shows, weaker new musicals, and audience expectations

* 1:22:00 – Closing thoughts & legacy: how Drowsy crystallizes the love/hate paradox of musical theater

Key People Mentioned

* Creative team: Bob Martin & Don McKellar (book), Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison (music & lyrics), Casey Nicholaw (director/choreographer)

* Original Broadway cast: Sutton Foster (Janet Van de Graaff), Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone), Danny Burstein (Aldolpho), Bob Martin (Man in Chair)

* Notable names & revivals: Elaine Paige (West End), Jeffrey Rush (Australia), Ariana Grande (film rumor)

* Critics & figures: Ben Brantley, David Mirvish

Listener Discussion Questions

* The Drowsy Chaperone is both a satire and a love letter—do you think audiences today can embrace its mix of nostalgia and critique?

* Which performance stands out most to you from the original cast—Sutton Foster, Beth Leavel, Danny Burstein, or Bob Martin—and why?

Would a Broadway revival of Drowsy thrive in today’s climate, or would the discourse swallow it whole?