Joe Turner's Come and Gone is one of August Wilson's most celebrated plays and part of his 10-play American Century Cycle chronicling Black life across the 20th century. First premiering at Yale Repertory Theatre before transferring to Broadway in 1988, the play is set in a Pittsburgh boarding house in 1911 during the Great Migration and follows a community of Black travelers, workers, and dreamers searching for identity, connection, and belonging in the shadow of slavery's aftermath. Widely regarded as one of Wilson's most spiritually rich works, Joe Turner's Come and Gone blends realism, folklore, music, and memory into a meditation on displacement, healing, and the lifelong search for one's "song."

Host Andrew Cole is joined by actor, director, and producer Brett Radek to unpack the current Broadway revival directed by Debbie Allen. The production stars Taraji P. Henson as Bertha Holly, Cedric the Entertainer as Seth Holly, Joshua Boone as Harold Loomis, and Ruben Santiago-Hudson as Bynum Walker. Together, Andrew and Brett discuss the production's emotional power, the muscular beauty of Wilson's writing, the show's exploration of trauma and self-discovery, and why this revival feels both deeply historical and urgently contemporary.

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CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro / Welcome Brett Radek

12:33 Setting the Stage

14:53 Hot Takes

40:30 Big Feels

48:02 Should You See It?

51:26 Outro

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ABOUT THE SHOW

See Joe Turner on Broadway: https://joeturnerbway.com/

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GUEST HOST LOVE

Follow Brett on IG: https://www.instagram.com/brettradek/

Follow Out/Play NYC on IG: https://www.instagram.com/outplaynyc

Support Out/Play NYC: https://linktr.ee/outplaynyc

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Beaches is the new Broadway musical adaptation of Iris Rainer Dart's bestselling 1985 novel, which also inspired the beloved 1988 film starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey. Tracing the decades-long friendship between aspiring performer C.C. Bloom and the more reserved Bertie White, the story follows the pair from childhood through love, ambition, heartbreak, and the many seasons of life that shape their bond. After previous stage incarnations in Arlington, Chicago, and Calgary, Beaches arrived on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre with a new creative team and a fresh musical adaptation centered more closely on Dart's original novel.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by actor, fitness coach, and entrepreneur Chris Crowthers to unpack the production's Broadway debut and the emotional themes at the heart of the story. Directed by Lonny Price and Matt Cowart, the production stars Jessica Vosk as C.C. Bloom and Kelli Barrett as Bertie White. Together, Andrew and Chris discuss Vosk's star-making performance, the show's visual design, the challenges of adapting such an iconic film for the stage, and this moving meditation on friendship, chosen family, and the rare people who stay beside you through every chapter of life.

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CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro / Welcome Chris Crowthers

8:09 Setting the Stage

9:39 Hot Takes

28:26 Big Feels

44:45 Should You See It?

51:34 Outro

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ABOUT THE SHOW

Visit the Website: https://beachesthemusical.com/

*****

GUEST HOST LOVE

Follow Chris on IG: https://www.instagram.com/mrcrowthers/

Follow Project Weekend on IG: https://www.instagram.com/projectweekendny/

Shop at Project Weekend: https://www.projectweekendny.com/

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Beetlejuice is the musical adaptation of Tim Burton's 1988 cult classic film, which follows the recently deceased Maitlands as they attempt to haunt the new family living in their home with the help of the chaotic and unpredictable Beetlejuice. Featuring a score by Eddie Perfect and a book by Scott Brown and Anthony King, the show first opened on Broadway in 2019 before building a passionate fanbase through social media, its national tour, and a devoted younger theater audience. Blending supernatural comedy with emotional depth, the musical centers on Lydia Deetz, a grieving teenager searching for connection in a world that feels increasingly disconnected from her.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by Broadway veteran Shina Ann Morris-Fisher to unpack the most recent Broadway engagement of Beetlejuice at the newly restored Palace Theatre. Directed by Alex Timbers, the production starred Justin Collette as Beetlejuice and Isabella Esler as Lydia Deetz. Together, Andrew and Shina discuss the show's inventive staging, standout performances, massive production numbers, and why Beetlejuice has become one of Broadway's modern cult favorites.

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CHAPTERS

0:00 Intro / Welcome Shina Ann Morris-Fisher

15:56 Setting the Stage

17:32 Hot Takes

34:35 Big Feels

41:11 Should You See It?

44:05 Theatre Memes

45:59 Road to Schmigadoon!

48:32 Outro

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ABOUT THE SHOW

Learn More: https://beetlejuicebroadway.com/

*****

GUEST HOST LOVE

Follow Shina on IG: https://www.instagram.com/shinamorris/

*****

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