Scene to Song

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

Scene to Song Episode 112: Andrew Lloyd Webber's Musical Cats Part 2

In this episode, writer Andi Carter discusses Andrew Lloyd Weber's 1981 musical Cats. Andi and I last talked about Cats in episode 32 in December of 2019. He returns to discuss how the new production of Cats: The Jellicle Ball at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York changes, or does not change, how we talk about Cats. There will be some small spoilers for this production. We also talk about the song "Moonfall" from Rupert Holmes's 1985 musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

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:
"Prologue: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" from Cats
"Moonfall" from The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Scene to Song Mini Episode: A "Why Is This So Good?" Collection

I’m not releasing a new episode this month, so instead I thought I’d put together a few “Why is This So Good” sections from the first and second seasons to hold us over until the next new episode in August. I’ve included A Strange Loop writer Michael R. Jackson talking about the song "Not Anymore" from the 1973 musical Raisin from episode 4; composer, writer, and director John Grimmett talking about the song sequence "Montage/Safe/The One I Love" from Michael John LaChiusa's 1993 musical Hello Again from episode 7; and writer John Verderber talking about Stephen Sondheim's song "Someone in a Tree" from his 1976 musical Pacific Overtures from episode 19.

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:
 "Not Anymore" from Raisin
 "Montage/Safe/The One I Love" from Hello Again
"Someone in a Tree" from Pacific Overtures

Scene to Song Episode 1 Re-Release: Comedy in Musical Theater

Today is Scene to Song’s 6th anniversary! On June 25, 2018, I released the very first episode, and I thought it would be fun to re-release it so we can all listen to it again without having to go way back in the podcast feed.

In this episode, composer Julia Meinwald discusses comedy in musical theater. We also talk about Joe Iconis's song "Jeff."

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:
"Jeff" by Joe Iconis

Scene to Song Episode 111: Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years

In this episode, writer, composer and director, and the Producing Artistic Director Nick Navari discusses Jason Robert Brown's 2002 off-Broadway musical The Last Five Years, touching on why Jamie and Cathy are together, the form of the show, the film version, and comparisons to Jason Robert Brown's most recent musical, The Connector. We also talk about the song "I Could Be in Love with Someone Like You," which was cut from The Last Five Years.

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:
"Shiksa Goddess" from The Last Five Years
"Moving Too Fast" from The Last Five Years
"A Part of That" from The Last Five Years
"If I Didn’t Believe in You" from The Last Five Years
"I Could Be in Love with Someone Like You" cut from The Last Five Years