Scene to Song

Scene to Song Episode 121: Bible Musicals

In this episode, writer Rick Rhobajt Widen discusses bible musicals, running the gamut from Children of Eden, Two by Two, and Jesus Christ Superstar to religion-adjacent musicals like Saved and Leap of Faith . We also talk about the song "Writing a Gospel Play" from Michael R. Jackson's 2022 musical A Strange Loop.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"Generations" from Children of Eden
"Why Me?" from Two by Two
"Deborah (Lead Me to the Rock)" from Bible Women
"Answer Me" from The Band’s Visit
"Two by Two" from Two by Two
"Samuel Anoints David" from King David
"I Don’t Know How to Love Him" from Jesus Christ Superstar
"Feelings" from The Apple Tree
"Writing a Gospel Play" from A Strange Loop
"Faith Hope Love" by Rick Rhobajt Widen

Scene to Song Bonus Episode: The Hitchcock Gays Supplemental: Discussing "Spellbound" with Shoshana Greenberg

As I prepare to record more episodes, I am sharing a conversation I had with former podcast guest Spencer Robelen on his The Hitchcock Gays podcast about Hitchcock’s 1945 film Spellbound starring Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck. I hope you enjoy getting to know Spencer’s podcast, and Scene to Song will be back in two weeks with a new episode.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Scene to Song Episode 120: Representations of Russia/the USSR in Musical Theater

In this episode, composer, lyricist, music director, and educator Katya Stanislavskaya discusses representations of Russia/the USSR in musical theater from Fiddler on the Roof to Anastasia to off-Broadway's Iron Curtain and many in between. We also talk about the song "The Beauty Is" from Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas's 2005 musical The Light in the Piazza.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"To Life" from Fiddler on the Roof
"Prologue" from Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812
"No One Else" from Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812
"Crossing a Bridge" from Anastasia
"Two Worlds" from Doctor Zhivago
"That's Capital" from Iron Curtain
"Our Time" from Lempicka
"The Beauty Is" from The Light in the Piazza

Scene to Song Episode 119: Elphaba's Journey in Wicked

In this episode, actress, Chair of Performing Arts at New York Film Academy, and original Wicked cast member Kristy Cates discusses Elphaba's journey in Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman's 2003 musical Wicked. We also talk about the song "No One is Alone" from Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's 1987 musical Into the Woods.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"The Wizard and I" from Wicked
"No Good Deed" from Wicked
"For Good" from Wicked
"No One Is Alone" from Into the Woods

Scene to Song Episode 118: The Sherman Brothers' Movie Musicals for Disney

In this episode, writer, dramaturg, and publishing professional William Forrest discusses the Sherman Brothers' Movie Musicals for Disney, tracing their trajectory from their early pop hits to the sophistication of of the book musical in such films as Mary Poppins (1964). We also talk about the song "Soon It's Gonna Rain" from Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's 1960 musical The Fantasticks.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"Pineapple Princess" by The Sherman Brothers
"The Parent Trap" from The Parent Trap
"Chim Chim Cheree" from Mary Poppins
"A Spoonful of Sugar" from Mary Poppins
"Valentine Candy" from The Happiest Millionaire 
"Soon It’s Gonna Rain" from The Fantasticks

Scene to Song Episode 117: Season 7 Finale

In this episode, five of this season's guests--Robert W. Schneider (Episode 114: Queer Characters in Musical Theater), Christopher Culp (Episode 105: Class, Race, and Gender Anxiety in Little Shop of Horrors), Andi Carter (Episode 112: Andrew Lloyd Webber's Musical Cats Part 2), BethAnn Cohen (Episode 108: The Bimbo or Ditz Character in Sondheim Musicals), and Matt Koplik (Episode 109: Jeanine Tesori Musicals)--return to discuss topics from the season and answer listener questions and comments. We also discuss the song "Wonderful" from the 2003 Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman musical Wicked.

This discussion was held live on Monday, December 23rd on Scene to Song’s Facebook page, and was recorded for this podcast almost in its entirety. Scene to Song will return in January 2025. In the meantime, you can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow us on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.”  And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music you are hearing is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"Wonderful" from Wicked

Scene to Song Episode 116: Musical Theater in the Films of Alfred Hitchcock

In this episode, composer, lyricist, and playwright Spencer Robelen discusses musical theater in the films of Alfred Hitchcock, from his early silent movies to Waltzes from Vienna to Stage Fright to The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956). We also talk about the song "Miss Up-to-Date" from his 1929 film Blackmail.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"Like a Star in the Sky" from Waltzes from Vienna
"With All My Heart" from Waltzes from Vienna
"The Laziest Gal in Town" by Cole Porter, sung by Marlene Dietrich in Stage Fright
"Que Sera Sera" by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans, sung by Doris Day in The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
"Miss Up-to-Date" by Billy Mayerl and Frank Eyton, sung by Cyril Ritchard in Blackmail

Scene to Song Episode 115: Women Writers in Musical Theater

In this episode, theatre historian, author, and producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper discusses women writers in musical theater as part of her new book, Women Writing Musicals: The Legacy That the History Books Left Out. We also talk about the song "Old Friend" from Gretchen Cryer and Nancy Ford's 1978 musical I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on X/Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"So Little Time" from Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope
"Once in a Blue Moon" from Stepping Stones
"Back to Before" from Ragtime
"Old Friend" from I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road

Scene to Song Episode 114: Queer Characters in Musical Theater

In this episode, artistic director, producer, director, and podcast host Robert W. Schneider discusses queer characters in musical theater as part of his upcoming book. We also talk about the song "I Am What I Am" from Jerry Herman and a book by Harvey Fierstein's 1983 musical La Cage aux Folles.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on X/Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"Giving it Up for Love" from Boy Meets Boy
"I am what I am" from La Cage aux Folles

Scene to Song Episode 113: Rodgers and Hart Musicals of the Late 1930s and Early 1940s

In this episode, writer John Verderber discusses Rodgers and Hart musicals of the late 1930s and early 1940s, focusing on Babes in Arms, The Boys from Syracuse, and Pal Joey. We also talk about the song "Disneyland" from Howard Ashman and Marvin Hamlisch's 1986 musical Smile.

You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong, on X/Twitter at @SceneSong, and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.” And be sure to sign up for the new monthly e-newsletter at scenetosong.substack.com. Contribute to the Patreon. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.

Music played in this episode:
"This Funny World" from Betsy
"I Wish I Were in Love Again" from Babes in Arms
"Where or When" from Babes in Arms
"The Lady is a Tramp" from Babes in Arms
“Prologue” from The Boys from Syracuse
“I Had Twins” from The Boys from Syracuse
"Can’t You Do a Friend a Favor" from A Connecticut Yankee
"Disneyland" from Smile