I Miss Theatre Talk

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 6/1/22 at 9:50pm

I was thinking about how this time of year I'd enjoy the Tony prediction show, and seeing all the interviews, the season warp-up, etc. I miss that show a lot. Even the season without Riedel!

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 6/1/22 at 9:57pm

Had the same thought while watching the COMPANY documentary, in which Riedel is a frequent talking-head. But that show really wasn't the same after he left, obnoxious as he could be sometimes –– Jesse Green wasn't a great replacement and they frequently had too many guests in shorter timeslots.

There's no other program bringing together critics and artists to talk theatre in a quippy way. Peter Marks & Elisabeth Vincentelli's podcast felt like a decent substitute (and was better when the late Terry Teachout was podcasting with them too) but not the same.

[BCfitasafiddle]

Posted: 6/1/22 at 10:01pm

ErmengardeStopSniveling said, "There's no other program bringing together critics and artists to talk theatre in a quippy way."

Yup! Exactly what I'm missing right now.

[Melissa25]

Posted: 6/1/22 at 10:51pm

I really miss Theater Talk too. I couldn’t believe that the NYT did not even do a round table of Tony predictions.

I have watched The Broadway Show With Tamsen Fadal (Sunday 6:30 PIX) but it’s not the same.  Paul Wontorek does interviews which are good. Not sure why he isn’t leading the show.

I like Patrick Pacheco’s new show Theater: All the Moving Parts on CUNY TV.  He does interviews with creative talents that are critical to the theatrical experience like voice coach, casting director, dramaturg, understudy, lighting designer, etc. I like taking a deeper dive into specific topics and find most of his guests fascinating.

I still occasionally watch NY1’s On Stage but I miss Roma Torre.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/2/22 at 7:40am

I watch The Broadway Show, too - and I agree, Wontorek is a great interviewer.   The other stuff?  Meh, I could do without.  (I enjoyed the interview with Matt Doyle a few weeks back, very much.)

 

Could totally do without Fadal - it doesn't seem she brings anything to the table.  Maybe I'm missing something.

[YvanEhtNioj]

Posted: 6/2/22 at 8:23am

I actually do too! I was hoping that they would come back to review this year's Tony nominations but I guess not :/ 

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 6/2/22 at 8:55am

This show inspired my love for theatre criticism, and I feel like I haven't been able to find that void. The "Three on the Aisle" podcast was okay at the beginning, but nothing could replace my beloved show.

The pre and post Tony shows were the best. I haven't done it yet, but I usually go down a YouTube rabbit hole in June, and rewatch all the episodes. They are as enjoyable as the first viewing. Riedel was always a pot stirrer, and you could see that. But when the guest was someone who he cared about deeply, you could tell.

Nothing has replaced it. I don't know what I'm watching, but I find Wontorek to be a horrible interviewer. He always seems like a fan of the performer's, but stands somewhere in the middle of "I am a serious journalist", and an outrageous stan". the show just string together of there promo videos from Broadway.com. Not my thing, but glad for others.

Such a special show that I would love back. 

[Melissa25]

Posted: 6/2/22 at 9:12am

Completely agree that we need a theater show with more conversation not just interviews.

dramamama611 said: 

Could totally do without Fadal - it doesn't seem she brings anything to the table.  Maybe I'm missing something.

Fadal’s segments seem geared to the tourist.  I wish she’d coordinate some avid theater lovers to have a round table segment. 
 

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 6/2/22 at 9:39am

I think the archives are vital for theatre education too. Where else would you get a half hour convo between Jeffrey Seller & Michael David talking about the producing in the wake of the 08 economic crash? Or roundtable convos on late artists like Coward and Williams and Mary Martin?

And I’ll also say I miss Riedel’s Post column. The Scott Rudin friendship changed his writing, but there have been plenty of things that I wish he could have investigated this season. (Paradise Square, the Chuck Schumer lobbying, behind the scenes stuff on some of the Covid hiatuses, Funny Girl, Sondheim, etc)

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/2/22 at 9:43am

Man, I miss this. I also miss all of the American Theater Wing seminars they used to have. Luckily they’re all still on YouTube but especially now, they’d be a very welcome thing to see again. 

[fashionguru_23]

Posted: 6/2/22 at 9:59am

Jordan Catalano said: "Man, I miss this. I also miss all of the American Theater Wing seminars they used to have. Luckily they’re all still on YouTube but especially now, they’d be a very welcome thing to see again."

I don't know why, but I could never take Howard Sherman on those videos seriously...but, MY GOD those "Downstage Centre"/roundtable interviews they did are brilliant and absolutly incredible. The "talking heads" were always a great mixture of "past and present"

[TotallyEffed]

Posted: 6/2/22 at 10:05am

The collection of Elaine Stritch episodes are golden.

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 6/2/22 at 10:47am

God I long for the days when they'd all get together around Tony Time, or to do periodic roundtables either previewing the upcoming season, or reviewing the season to date. There's nothing as fun as a bunch of critics getting together and while being critical, aren't afraid to be a little catty, or a lot catty. 

I'm in the minority, but I loved Riedel, especially as the host. His comfort and ability to keep a conversation going, or know the right question to stir the pot, was such a key factor in making it so fun. His episode long interviews with Harvey Fierstein, for example, were such a treat. Even, or especially, when Riedel was saying something in the column that Harvey didn't agree with. 

And I will say, I don't know how many guys that know I do theatre come up to me and tell me what they heard Riedel say about theatre during his sport show. 

[OffOnBwayHi]

Posted: 6/2/22 at 10:51am

I miss it too.

I went to the Theater Talk revival/goodbye-for-good show at the Lincoln Center performing arts library a few years ago (2019?) and loved it. So messy and intellectual at the same time. It helped me better understand Jesse and Ben as critics. Seeing them critique is very different than reading their words.

[ErmengardeStopSniveling]

Posted: 6/2/22 at 11:03am

everythingtaboo said: "I'm in the minority, but I loved Riedel, especially as the host. His comfort and ability to keep a conversation going, or know the right question to stir the pot, was such a key factor in making it so fun. His episode long interviews with Harvey Fierstein, for example, were such a treat. Even, or especially, when Riedel was saying something in the column that Harvey didn't agree with."

You're not in the minority. A lot of us on here miss Riedel regularly talking & broadcasting about theatre.

[raddersons]

Posted: 6/2/22 at 11:11am

I absolutely loved the Three On The Aisle podcast which really scratched the itch that Theater Talk used to fill for me. Critics Peter Marks & Elizabeth Vincentelli have started their own podcast now that Terry Teachout has passed (RIP). They put it on Substack -- if you subscribe for free they send an e-mail to you with a url so you can get it directly to your podcast feed. They have one episode every two weeks, plus a bonus episode once a month if you pay a subscription fee (looks like the paywall episode is an interview with Jessie Mueller). They tend to spark some pretty marvelous conversations about theater -- I love their episode about bway plays with Helen Shaw. It's not theater talk but it's similar. They're just getting started too. Check it out:

https://substack.com/profile/10030207-marks-and-vincentelli

Updated On: 6/2/22 at 11:11 AM

[UWS10023]

Posted: 6/2/22 at 10:20pm

I miss it too……but the way Michael treated Susan….like she was invisible…..I believe one or two of the regulars have since passed away…..oh and Michael Musto; infusing gossip with his opinions. Priceless.