Original Broadway Cast And Crew of FOLLIES To Reunite This Weekend

Follies at 50: A Conversation with the Cast and Crew of the Original Broadway Production is a one-time event, featuring a panel of people involved in the creation of one of the most groundbreaking musicals of all time, Follies. In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the show, 13-year-old podcast host Charles Kirsch has gathered seven important figures in different aspects of the show. And on April 4th at 7 PM EST, this panel will become available on YouTube and then stay up forever, so generations of fans to come will be able to benefit from the insights and stories that will be shared on the 4th.

Tune in below!

For the perspectives of the people who actually created roles in the show, beautiful girls Marti Rolph (Young Sally) and Mary Jane Houdina (Young Hattie/Assistant to Michael Bennett) will be joining the panel. While he's waiting for the girls upstairs, Kurt Peterson (Young Ben) will also participate. Michael Misita (Young Vincent) will also lend a dancer's perspective to the evening. All of these actors will discuss their relationships with their older counterparts, as well as memories of the rehearsal process and tryout period. We might know some of the cut songs from FOLLIES, but do we know why they were dropped? Or when? We'll find out on Sunday. The person who got together this wonderful cast, casting director Joanna Merlin, will also be joining us then to remember how she found exactly the right actors to make a theatrical experience that has never been replicated.

Who better to offer insights than the man who literally wrote the book on FOLLIES, Ted Chapin (Production Assistant/Historian). He also had a peek inside some of the creative discussions even the performers were not privy to. People who were around during the original production probably heard about it because of the techniques of press agent Susan L. Schulman, who will talk about how she approached selling this unique show.
All of these veterans will get together, some for the first time in fifty years, and share their memories of Follies, from rehearsal process to closing night. A must-see for any fan of the musical, or any theater buff looking for a historical night where all elements of putting together a legendary musical will be discussed. By the end of this panel, you're sure to agree with Dee Dee when she says "You know what? We should do this every year!"

Backstage Babble is a podcast interviewing professionals in the theater industry about themselves, their careers, and the people they've worked with along the way. It aims to paint a vivid picture of the Golden Age of Broadway through conversations with some of its leading players. It is available at https://cbroadwaypodcast.podbean.com, and on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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