Chasing Phantom
Broadway's longest running shows
Episodes
76 episodes
#71: "& Juliet" with national tour star Crystal Kellogg
You may think that a person in the midst of performing a role is too close to it to have insightful things to say about it. That's certainly not the case about Crystal Kellogg who at the time of this conversation was smack-dab in the middle of ...
No Juliet...yet!
Just a quick scheduling note to let listeners know that the episode I had suggested (threatened?) might come out today will not actually come out until NEXT week, on Tuesday rather than Wednesday. In the meantime, be sure and get yo...
#72: Arsenic and Old Lace with monster-meister Dr. Jesse Rabinowitz
He is famous for playing the Frankenstein monster and voicing the Grinch but people often forget that Boris Karloff also made a big impact on the stage starting with "Arsenic and Old Lace." Not only did he steal the show as the murderous Jonath...
#61: Evita, exploring diva energy with the divine Melissa Chase
Don't cry for me, Chasing Phantom fans! I have brought back yet another one of your favorite guests, the diva-tastic Melissa Chase, host of the lifestyle television show, "Showcase." We discus...
#78: The Music Man, the shiniest of the Golden Age with Dr. Kristin Stultz Pressley
Happy April Fool's Day! Sure, "The Music Man" included some incredible songs, featured one of the most career-defining performances in Broadway history, and captured a unique cla...
#62: The Voice of the Turtle and its surprising relevance with Jordan Schildcrout, Ph.D.
Who could have known that this near-forgotten play from the 1940s would be so relevant in the 2020s?The title is from the Bible, a verse in the Song of Solomon that actually references a turtledove, not the shelled amphibian: "The time o...
#73: The Sound of Music with the sublime Stacey Cabaj
With this episode, we reach an important milestone in "Chasing Phantom" history: this 64th episode marks the moment we pass the halfway point on the way up the list toward "Phantom of the Opera," still the longest running show in Broadway histo...
#77: Hellzapoppin' and madcap comedy with August Hundley
Think "Blazing Saddles" but on Broadway and with 1930s era sensibilities. That's what "Hellzapoppin'" was and, honestly, for the times it was pretty cutting-edge stuff. Weird running gags, satirical songs lampooning contemporary issues, risqué ...
#68: "Dreamgirls" with the dreamy Katrinah Carol Lewis
Valentine's Day is coming up, a time when the warmth of love takes our minds off the cold weather. So it's the perfect time for an episode about a show I love without reservation: "Dreamgirls." I'm not alone - critic Frank Rich called it "the m...
#63: Matilda the Musical, and why it's not just a kid's show with Shannon Schilstra
It's weird how prescience can come from such unexpected places. When I recorded this episode about "Matilda the Musical" with the delightful Shannon Schilstra, I had no idea how relevant the show's themes about the bad behavior of bullies would...
#67: 42nd Street (2001 revival), celebrating the New Year with Phil Crosby
For this first episode of 2026, I expose perhaps the most embarrassing gap in my theater knowledge. I often say I'm not as devoted a theater nerd as you might expect from someone who's written about theater for more than 25 years and has a thea...
#60: Mary, Mary and the too-witty woman with Jordan Schildcrout
In the midst of your "Merry, Merry Christmas," let me interest you in a little "Mary, Mary" Broadway! Don't feel bad if you've never heard of this play -- I certainly hadn't -- but like so many other shows I've covered, there are SO many crazy ...
#57: Ain't Misbehavin' with the incomparable Desirée Roots
Sure, you "Ain't Misbehavin'" at holiday time, but what about the rest of the year? For an expert on not misbehaving year-round, what person could I talk to that would be better than Desirée Roots<...
#76: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying with Dr. Kristin Stultz Pressley
If you look down the list of Pulitzer Prize-winning musicals, past more recent capital "I" important musicals like "Hamilton" and "A Strange Loop," you eventually get to "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying." Sure, it's a caustic t...
#81: Oh! Calcutta! with (a thankfully clothed) Dr. Jesse Rabinowitz
In approaching "Oh! Calcutta!" today, it's hard not to react with a "What! Really?!?" This is a show, that between the original production and its revival, had more than 7,200 performances on Broadway. Really?Full of nudity and bawdy - b...
#65: Jekyll & Hyde with literary authority Grace Todd
Happy Halloween! We have the perfect show to dig into for spooky season - mostly because it's downright scary how bad this musical is! Frank Wildhorn's "Jekyll & Hyde" is a musical that, if there was a just theater god, would be...
#70: Grease (1994 revival) with Broadway veteran, Patti D'Beck
It's one of the most famous and beloved titles in musical theater. Because of its iconic mismatched lovers storyline and nostalgia evocation of the 1950s, "Grease" has been performed in high schools, colleges and regional theaters across the co...
#83: School of Rock and non-traditional venues with Brian Baez
"School of Rock" opened on Broadway just a few years after "Billy Elliot" closed but, even though the shows have some surface-level similarities, it's hard to think of two more different stories. The earlier show was a rough-and-tumble look at ...
#82: Billy Elliot: The Musical with David Leong, Broadway fight director & former VCU chair of theater
Fifteen years ago, "Billy Elliot: The Musical" was all the rage on Broadway. It was a show where hot button social issues -- from labor relations to social mobility to questions about gender expression -- mixed with a searing family drama, plus...
#84: Movin' Out with Tony Award nominee Elizabeth Parkinson
Welcome to season 3 of "Chasing Phantom!" If this episode is any indication, it's going to be the best season yet. At a time when debate about Billy Joel, his music and his legacy, has enjoyed a surge of attention thanks to the HBO ...
Summer Bonus #2: Waiting for Godot
Hey there, Phantom Chasers! I've been a lax podcaster during the languid summer months but I'm prepping some very cool, very fun episodes for September. In the meantime, this is a conversation with my friend Grace Todd, whose podcast "
Summer bonus #1: Funny Girl Q&A
Phil Crosby and I had such a good time talking about "Funny Girl" that we rambled on for another 15 minutes or so answering questions posed by our live audience at Richmond Triangle Players. You get some more background on Barbra (of course), P...
#79: Funny Girl, live podcast event and season 2 finale
The highlight of "Chasing Phantom's" brief history happened in May 2025 with the recording of what I hope will be the first of many live podcast events. Phil Crosby, the executive director of Richmond Triangle Players, has been a guest 6 times ...
#96: Guys and Dolls, but mostly Dolls with Rachel Abrams & Rita Neidich
Is there a more iconic musical than “Guys and Dolls?” Probably not. That doesn’t mean it’s easy to do well and my guests for this episode are a testament to how to make a classic musical really sing.This is a show that can be dominated b...
#64: Waitress and modern relationships with Kylee Marquez-Downie
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...
