All stories by Jan Simpson on BroadwayStars

Saturday, February 8, 2025

"The Antiquities" is Superbly Up-to-Date by Jan Simpson

History, they say, is written by the winners and the winners in Jordan Harrison’s thought-provoking new play The Antiquities are the artificial intelligence entities that the play imagines…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 01:06PM

All the Drama: The Old Maid, 1935 Winner, Pulitzer Prize for Drama by Jan Simpson

All The Drama is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of deep dives into the plays that have won The Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Pulitzer Prize for Drama: “The Old Maid“1935 Pulitzer…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 12:01AM
Saturday, February 1, 2025

"A Knock on the Roof" Pushes too Hard by Jan Simpson

When the Palestinian playwright Khawla Ibraheem began working on her one-woman show A Knock on the Roof a decade ago, it was a 10-minute monologue. Now the show, which is currently playing …

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 10:48PM
Saturday, January 11, 2025

All the Drama: The Kentucky Cycle, 1992 Winner, Pulitzer Prize for Drama by Jan Simpson

All The Drama is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of deep dives into the plays that have won The Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Pulitzer Prize for Drama: “The Kentucky Cycle“1992 Pu…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 12:01AM
Saturday, January 4, 2025

5 Shows I Most Want to See in Spring 2025 by Jan Simpson

Some theater-goers lust after seeing big-name stars and there will be plenty of them for those folks to see in the upcoming spring season, from theater-grown ones like Idina Menzel in Redwoo…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 12:18PM
Saturday, December 28, 2024

The 10 Shows That Spoke to Me in 2024 by Jan Simpson

It’s that time of year when people like me who are lucky enough to see lots of shows are supposed to look back and draw up a list of the ones we consider to have been the best. But that’…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 03:48PM
Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Wishing you a theatrically merry little Christmas by Jan Simpson

Wishing you a theatrically merry little Christmas…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 08:35AM
Sunday, December 22, 2024

"Cult of Love" Fails to Keep the Faith by Jan Simpson

Leslye Headland has developed a following for her acclaimed Netflix series “Russian Doll” and for “The Acolyte,” the Disney Channel’s latest installment of the “Star Wars” saga…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 01:24PM
Saturday, December 14, 2024

All the Drama: The Great White Hope, 1969 Winner, Pulitzer Prize for Drama by Jan Simpson

All The Drama is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of deep dives into the plays that have won The Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Pulitzer Prize for Drama: “The Great White Hope“1969 …

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 12:01AM
Saturday, December 7, 2024

"Shit. Meet. Fan" Just Pretends to Be Bad by Jan Simpson

There are lots of marquee-names in Shit. Meet. Fan., the naughtily-titled comedy that is currently running at MCC Theater. But the show’s true star may be its set, a duplex apartment that …

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 12:36PM
Saturday, November 23, 2024

Some Quick Thoughts on Four Big Musicals by Jan Simpson

As everyone knows, musicals are the mainstays of Broadway and four big ones opened over the last two weeks. But I’ve been so busy running out to see them—and seeing other shows too (if y…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 04:31PM

Stagecraft: Jessica Goldberg, Playwright of “Babe” by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway. Arliss Howard and Mar…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 08:59AM
Saturday, November 16, 2024

"A Wonderful World" isn't Wonderful Enough by Jan Simpson

People have been trying to put Louis Armstrong’s life onstage ever since that master jazzman died in 1971. My BFF Phil took me to a backers’ audition for one attempt to build a musical a…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 01:54PM
Saturday, November 9, 2024

"In the Amazon Warehouse Parking Lot" and "Walden" Wrestle With Climate Change by Jan Simpson

Hurricanes have wiped out entire communities along the west coast of Florida. Wildfires are burning up over 400,000 acres in northern California. Drought has pushed water levels in the Missi…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 11:31AM

All the Drama: Playwright David Lindsay-Abaire on ‘Rabbit Hole,’ 2007 Winner, Pulitzer Prize for Drama by Jan Simpson

All The Drama is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of deep dives into the plays that have won The Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Pulitzer Prize for Drama: “Rabbit Hole”2007 Pulitzer w…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 12:01AM
Saturday, November 2, 2024

"Sunset Blvd." Glows in All the Wrong Ways by Jan Simpson

You're unlikely to find anyone who doesn't have a strong opinion about Sunset Blvd., the latest revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black and Christopher Hampton’s musical adaptation of Bi…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 02:31PM
Saturday, October 26, 2024

Gay Hijinks and Lots of Good Fun in "Drag: the Musical" and "The Big Gay Jamboree" by Jan Simpson

“RuPaul’s Drag Race” is now in its 16th season and its Emmy-winning celebration of gay and trans culture has spawned a half dozen spin-offs and scores of international versions. And no…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 11:42AM
Sunday, October 20, 2024

An Insanely Busy Fall Season for Broadway & Me—and For Other Theater Fanatics Too by Jan Simpson

This October has turned out to be a crazy time for those of us trying to keep up with all the fall show openings. I’m currently scheduled to see more than a dozen of them over just the nex…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 03:24AM
Saturday, October 12, 2024

All the Drama: “The Shadow Box,” 1977 Winner, Pulitzer Prize for Drama by Jan Simpson

All The Drama is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of deep dives into the plays that have won The Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Pulitzer Prize for Drama: “The Shadow Box”1977 Pulitze…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 06:00AM
Sunday, October 6, 2024

The Splendors of "The Hills of California" by Jan Simpson

It kind of makes sense that so many people are drawing comparisons betweenThe Hills of California, the new Jez Butterworth play that opened this week at the Broadhurst Theatre; and Gypsy, th…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 09:48AM
Monday, September 30, 2024

Stagecraft: Luis Quintero on “Medea: Re-Versed” by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway. Luis Quintero website…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 12:00PM
Saturday, September 21, 2024

"Our Class" is Still Teaching Valuable Lessons by Jan Simpson

It somehow slipped my mind that Tuesday night was the opening night for CSC’s presentation of Our Class, the searing saga of a group of Poles and Jews who grew up together in a rural Polis…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 10:12AM
Saturday, September 14, 2024

All the Drama: “A Streetcar Named Desire,” 1948 Winner, Pulitzer Prize for Drama by Jan Simpson

All The Drama is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of deep dives into the plays that have won The Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Pulitzer Prize for Drama: “A Streetcar Named Desire”19…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 12:01AM
Saturday, August 31, 2024

A Labor Day Salute to Set Designers by Jan Simpson

It’s been a lazy summer.  Only a few shows have opened. I took no trips. No out-of-town guests came to visit. My husband K and I just spent most of our time lolling around on our terrace …

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 02:32PM
Saturday, August 10, 2024

Introducing Broadway & Me Quickies by Jan Simpson

Nearly a month has gone by since I’ve posted here. Summer has a lot to do with that. There are fewer shows opening. And to be honest, the warmer weather makes me lazy.  But that doesn’t…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 09:47AM

All the Drama: “Men in White,” 1934 Winner, Pulitzer Prize for Drama by Jan Simpson

All The Drama is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of deep dives into the plays that have won The Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The Pulitzer Prize for Drama: “Men in White”1934 Pulitzer …

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 06:00AM
Saturday, July 20, 2024

Stagecraft: Mario Correa on “N/A” by Jan Simpson

The Stagecraft podcast is hosted by Jan Simpson. It is a series of interviews with playwrights (and musical book writers) of shows opening on Broadway and off-Broadway. NAThePlay.com @nathep…

SOURCE: BroadwayRadio at 12:01AM
Sunday, July 14, 2024

Happy Fourth of July by Jan Simpson

 Wishing you a thoroughly festive holiday

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 03:12AM

Why "Empire" Failed to Win My Allegiance by Jan Simpson

Those of us who love musicals root hard for each new one that comes along. And we root extra hard when we know that a new creative team is getting its first big break or that the show is bas…

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 03:12AM
Saturday, June 29, 2024

Theater Books for Summer Reading 2024 by Jan Simpson

Summer has come roaring in this year. Temperatures seem to be setting records everywhere, making many of us (O.K., me) want to kick back and chill out with a cold drink and a cool book. The …

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 09:42AM
Saturday, June 22, 2024

In Concert with "Titanic" and "Follies" by Jan Simpson

As the most devoted fans of musicals will tell you, the best way to appreciate a musical is probably to listen to its cast album (click here to check out my BroadwayRadio colleague Michael …

SOURCE: Broadway & Me at 01:06PM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Nov 17, 2024: Elf - Marquis Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre
TBA: Titanic
TBA: Ragtime