Broadway in Detroit is looking towards the next show that is arriving in just a few weeks. Some Like It Hot, an adaptation of the 1959 film starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and Marilyn Monroe, opens in the Metro Detroit area on October 1st! We sat down with Stephen Michael Langton, who is a part of the ensemble as well as the understudy for Osgood!

In this interview, Langton spoke about how the show (in previews at the time of recording) is developing, what the challenges are for his roles, how he balances his mental health on the road, and his love of gaming.

Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 01:30 - About Some Like It Hot and what drew you to this show? 04:27 - Audition process 06:42 - Challenges to playing two different roles in the show. 10:20 - Getting into character 12:00 - How being in Newsies helped prepare you for Some Like It Hot 13:45 - Being a gamer: PC vs console and "comfort games." 15:35 - Protecting your mental health while on the road. 17:40 - How your role in Some Like It Hot pushes you as an actor 19:30 - Is there anything special or specific you try to do as you visit different cities during the tour? 21:50 - Outros

Find the video version of this interview and more on our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@CosmicCircusBroadway

For more Broadway coverage, visit https://broadway.thecosmiccircus.com

Follow us on social media @mycosmiccircus or visit the Linktree to find us: https://linktr.ee/cosmiccircus

Hosts Brian Kitson and RJ Miller-Zelinko saw Moulin Rouge! The Musical on opening night at the Detroit Opera House and couldn't wait to share their thoughts in the latest episode of The Cosmic Curtain!

In this episode, they break down some of the show's highs and lows, whether the addition of more pop songs to the stage show from the film enhances the show or detracts from it, and how the duality of the tones works with the message of the show. Plus, listen as they discuss who the true villain of the musical is!

Timestamps: Moulin Rouge! The Musical discussion and review

• 00:00 - Intros
• 00:45 - The 2001 Baz Luhrmann film which the musical is based on
• 05:00 - SPOILER WARNING for the movie and the musical
• 05:30 - Was the Moulin Rouge! The Musical a good adaptation of the movie?
• 08:50 - The 2 tones to the story, romance and tragedy.
• 11:00 - Issues/problems that effect enjoyment of a show and things that can go wrong
• 18:00 - Balancing the tragedy for the audience, and what stood out about the show
• 20:00 - Learning to love again
• 22:20 - Differences with the Duke in the musical and film
• 27:16 - Harold Zidler and his relationship with Satine. Is Zidler a villain?
• 35:10 - Juke Box Musicals and songs in this musical.
• 43:30 - Audience interaction in this show
• 46:21 - Best songs in Moulin Rouge! The Musical
• 49:45 - Stand-outs from the cast in the show
• 54:15 - The use of lights in this show
• 57:27 - RJ's sister and the confetti cannon. The joy of theatre.
• 01:00:00 - Overall/final thoughts on this show.
• 01:05:33 - Rewatchability of Moulin Rouge! The Musical
• 01:07:00 - Outros

For more information, and tickets visit: https://moulinrougemusical.com/us-tour/home/

For the full video interview, visit YouTube @CosmicCircusBroadway

and for more Broadway coverage visit https://broadway.thecosmiccircus.com

Hello, chickens! And welcome to the Moulin Rouge, a magical place full of wonder and excitement! We're beyond excited for Moulin Rouge the Musical to finally make it to Detroit, as it's one of our favorites! Based on the 2001 Baz Luhrmann musical of the same name, this revamped jukebox musical brings a healthy dose of romance and just as much drama. Moulin Rouge the Musical is spending just about three weeks in Detroit, so ahead of its arrival, we sat down with Robert Petkoff, who stars as Harold Zidler in the show!

In this interview, Petkoff discusses what drew him to this role, what his audition process was like, how he balances the tonally difference aspects of the show, what some of the challenges have been to bringing Harold Zidler to life, and how his background in Shakespearean theater has helped him with his role in Moulin Rouge!

Timestamps for this interview:

• 00:00 - Intro
• 01:30 - Robert Petkoff talks about his character Harold Zidler in Moulin Rouge
• 02:40 - The pop songs featured in Moulin Rouge the Musical
• 04:50 - Seeing it in NYC, an incredibly fun show
• 05:20 - Changes to The Duke's character, movie vs musical
• 06:33 - What sets the musical apart from the movie?
• 09:15 - The casting process
• 15:00 - Petkoff on what drew him to the character?
• 18:25 - Leading those big musical numbers
• 19:40 - Laughter in the performance
• 20:45 - Process to get into character
• 23:14 - Most challenging aspect of the part?
• 26:15 - How has your Shakespearean background helped with this role?
• 28:36 - Shows in one spot vs touring
• 32:20 - Traditions on tour, things to do in different cities
• 27:27 - Outros

For more information, and tickets visit: https://moulinrougemusical.com/us-tour/home/

For the full video interview, visit YouTube @CosmicCircusBroadway

and for more Broadway coverage visit https://broadway.thecosmiccircus.com

This weekend at The Ringwald Theatre located inside of The Affirmations building in Ferndale, MI, the Ringwald Reprise presents Applause, the first show of its kind at the theater! Being described as a staged concert version of the 1970 Tony Award-Winning musical, which in turn is based on the film All About Eve, Applause is looking to charm the audience once again!

In this Interview, director and cast member Joe Bailey discusses why now felt like the right time to bring this frequently overlooked musical to The Ringwald, what it's like to be both a cast member and the director of the show, how it takes a village to bring a musical to life, and where he sees this staged concert series going in the future.

For more information, and tickets visit: http://www.theringwald.com/production...

For the full video interview, visit YouTube @CosmicCircusBroadway https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfIbiSn_KNY&t=1s

Listen in as RJ Miller-Zelinko and Brian Kitson share their experience with Shrek from childhood to a more recent live show based on the beloved film Shrek The Musical via it's North America Tour.

Have you seen Shrek the Musical? What was your experience? Let us know your thoughts on social media @mycosmiccircus and @boxseatbabes or comment below! If you enjoy this podcast, please consider sharing it with friends and following us on social media, or joining our Discord.

Timestamps 00:00 - intro 01:41 - Childhood memories of watching the original Shrek movie 08:20 - Discussing Shrek the Musical and the complicated logistics of adapting the film to stage. 11:20 - Changes from the original version of the musical 17:20 - Shrek's backstory added to musical 19:41 - Lord Farquaad changes in the musical vs the original 23:43 - "Freak Flag" 25:01 - Comedic choices and changes in the musical 28:10 - Best performances in most recent viewing of Shrek The Musical North America tour stop in Michigan. 32:55 - The music in this show 38:16 - Staging and costume for Fiona's transformation, the Dragon and other effects 44:16 - What is the rewatch value of this show? 48:50 - Coming up next for Broadway in Detroit: Moulin Rouge 01:02:00 - Outro

Podcast credits and show notes

Contributors/Writers Brian Kitson RJ Miller-Zelinko

Executive Producer/Editor Lizzie Hill

FMI about Shrek the Musical's North America Tour visit https://shrekthemusicaltour.com/

For a written review by Brian visit https://broadway.thecosmiccircus.com/shrek-the-musical-tour-review/

For Brian's exclusive interview with Timmy Lewis (Lord Farquaad) visit https://broadway.thecosmiccircus.com/exclusive-interview-timmy-lewis-talks-shrek-the-musical/

Follow us on social media @mycosmiccircus or visit the Linktree to find us: https://linktr.ee/cosmiccircus

It's been about a month since our last episode of The Cosmic Curtain came out, which kicked off our new podcast dedicated to our love of Broadway and theatre in general. While we're waiting for the 2024-2025 season of Broadway in Detroit to begin, which kicks off with Shrek the Musical, we've been filling our time with local productions around our neck of the woods. With a few different shows on both the community and professional level, we decided it was high time to boot up the cameras and switch on our microphones because we had to share all our excitement about some fantastic Michigan theater.

Listen as hosts RJ Miller-Zelinko and Brian Kitson discuss three recent shows featuring a mixture of musicals and plays. Beginning with OnOurOwnProductions of Beauty and the Beast, we cover The Ringwald's Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors and finish with Nicely Theatre Group's Guys and Dolls. With standout moments and aspects of each show, the Box Seat Babes discuss what made each production unique and what they look forward to seeing from the groups in the future. Check out the video of this podcast on our YouTube channel @CosmicCircusBroadway!

What are some local shows you've seen? What did you think of this episode? Let us know your thoughts on social media @mycosmiccircus and @boxseatbabes! If you enjoy this podcast, please consider sharing it with friends and following us on social media, or joining our Discord.

• Brian Kitson
• RJ Miller-Zelinko

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 07/29/2024

A companion article for this podcast is available at broadway.thecosmiccircus.com

I'm sure everyone in my age bracket remembers the Dreamworks film Shrek. Released in 2001, the story follows the disgruntled green orge who wants peace in his swamp. But first, he has to save a princess from a tower and return her to the Lord of the land. However, nothing is as simple as it seems, and Shrek finds himself in the middle of some hilarious hijinx and possibly even falls in love. This animated film is beloved by so many, so much so that it's spawned three sequels, with Shrek 5 in development. It's ripe with opportunity and has a larger-than-life story, making it the perfect tale for theatre! And so Shrek the Musical was born! I sat down with Timmy Lewis, who plays Lord Farquaad, and we chatted about his time with the show!

In this interview, Lewis discusses how his relationship with Shrek has changed from a child growing up with the film, to starring in the show's North American Tour. He breaks down how the show has developed and grown, such as adding original music and how it's changed from the original Broadway show. Lewis shares how he's made the role his own, and the difficulties of shifting and letting go of the past iterations of this character to make it uniquely his.

Host: Brian Kitson

Producer/Editor: Lizzie Hill

Find the companion article to this interview and more at broadway.thecosmiccircus.com

The biggest and brightest night for Broadway has finally arrived, with the 77th Tony Awards! Hosted by Ariana DeBose, The Tony Awards pulled out the red carpet and was ready to celebrate all the fantastic theater from the past year. With so many incredible shows up for many awards, the excitement was never higher in the Cosmic Circus Broadway stratosphere, so of course, we had to jump on a podcast and share our thoughts with you!

Join hosts Brian Kitson and RJ Miller-Zelinko in the first official The Cosmic Curtain podcast since moving to our new home for all things Broadway! In this episode, our hosts share their highlights from the award ceremony and what left them scratching their heads. Did their favorite shows win big? What were their biggest shockers? You'll have to listen to the podcast to find out! Kitson and Miller-Zelinko also discuss some recent local productions from Michigan and what you can expect from the Box Seat Babes, Cosmic Circus Broadway, and The Cosmic Curtain in the near future! Thank you so much for listening, enjoy!

Did you watch the Tony Awards? What did you think of the performances and winners? Let us know what on social media @mycosmiccircus and @boxseatbabes! If you enjoy this podcast, please consider sharing it with friends and following us on social media, or joining our Discord.

• Brian Kitson
• RJ Miller-Zelinko

• Lizzie Hill

Recorded on 6/21/2024

A companion article for this podcast is available at broadway.thecosmiccircus.com