Both me and my guest in this episode had the chance to see "Waitress" on Broadway and we chose not to. And boy, were we both sorry!

It's not often with this podcast that we talk about a show you can see right now. But "Waitress" is one of those shows that had suddenly started appearing on regional stages all over the country so there's a pretty good chance it has, is or soon will be appearing somewhere near you.

It's a feel-good story that also deals with a couple serious issues along the way, providing escapism for audiences while not letting them totally forget about some of the not-so-great stuff going on in the world.

Luckily for me, I got a chance to talk with one of the co-stars of the Virginia Repertory Theatre production of "Waitress" that just opened this past week. Kylee Marquez-Downie has been an emerging talent for a few years and this production marks a chance for more people to see just how amazing she is.

It turns out that she's also a smart, insightful and thoughtful interview and we have a great time reviewing the the impact of Sara Bareilles, how "Waitress" depicts modern relationships, and many more topics.

Be sure to check out my website, ChasingPhantom.net, for more information on "Waitress" and links to many relevant video clips. And if you happen to be in central Virginia and it's still June/July 2025 when you're listening, go to VA-Rep.com for tickets to see Kylee in person in this excellent production.

Art about other art is fascinating to me, and only one of the many reasons I love "Amadeus," a play about music. Of course, it's also about envy of another man's genius: the play cemented the image of Salieri in popular culture. But really, at its heart, it's a play about faith and Salieri's contentious battle with his own faith, and also, playwright Peter Schaffer's ongoing artistic conversation about faith.

In the podcast, me and classical music expert and VCU professor Daniel Myzzyk mostly talk about the classical music of it all. But we also start out with an interesting related tangent about birds, consider the verisimilitude of the movie version's depiction of the Viennese court, and tease out some of the historical realities about Mozart.

As always, you'll want to check out my website, ChasingPhantom.net, for more information about "Amadeus," some fun clips from the movie, and this time, the evidence of some time spent down a Tim Curry rabbit hole.

And if considering "Amadeus" ignites a spark of interest in classical music, Richmonders should be sure and check out VCU's website for upcoming classical performances. It's a great low-cost, easy-access way to enjoy some wonderful music.

Is it mime? Is it puppetry? Is it augmented sketch comedy? Rather than try to categorize "Mummenschanz," it seems best to just wonder at the inventiveness and enjoy the fun of the experience. That was certainly what people were doing in the 1970s and for many decades afterwards.

"Mummenschanz" holds the record for longest running special on Broadway. Scheduled for a limited engagement after a successful national tour, the troupe proved too popular to shut down, drawing crowds for over 3 years. The brainchild of 3 performers, they ultimately had to hire additional members, sending them back out on the road while they continued on in NYC.

My guest, Heidi Rugg, knows a lot about this kind of performance, having founded the Barefoot Puppet Theater and also having seen "Mummenschanz" during one of their tours. Beyond just talking about this very special special, she namechecks Julie Taymor who elevated puppetry to new heights with "The Lion King" and introduces me (and you I expect) to Center For Puppetry Arts in Atlanta.

Most of all, you gotta check out the clips at my website, ChasingPhantom.net - you can't really appreciate "Mummenschanz" without seeing it!