Pocket Dramaturg is a theatre podcast dedicated to uncovering forgotten stories and illuminating the voices and moments that have shaped theatrical history.
Ep. 8: "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?": A Retrospective
In 2006, a revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, was due to open in London’s West End. The only issue…Lloyd Webber needs a Maria Von Trapp.To solve this issue, Lloyd Webber partnered with the BBC to create the first-ever Reality TV competition to cast the lead of a West End Musical.This episode will look at the history of casting Maria in The Sound of Music, a full breakdown of "How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?" and the trend of Reality TV Show casting
This episode was created with the help of the Assembly for the Arts Boost Fund
Interested in learning more about the Pocket Dramaturg Oral History Project or the end-of-season survey, click the link:https://linktr.ee/pocketdramaturg (In 2006, a revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music, produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, was due to open in London’s West End. The only issue…Lloyd Webber needs a Maria Von Trapp. To solve this issue, Lloyd Webber partnered with the BBC to create the first-ever Reality TV competition to cast the lead of a West End Musical. This episode will look at the history of casting Maria in The Sound of Music, a full breakdown of )
Click here to watch full episodes of "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc1OaOslwQqUIvGM2p4V6VjF_NtGkdC-8&si=_hXQpXIbksJfaQvP)
7 Jan 2026
Ep. 7: TWO Gatsby Musicals??: A Theory on Adaptation
How different can two musical versions of The Great Gatsby be?
In late 2023, The Great Gatsby, a musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel, premiered and quickly made its way to Broadway. Several months later, the musical Gatsby: An American Myth premiered and showed just how differently one can adapt the same book.
In this episode, we will look at these two versions of Gatsby through the eyes of an Adaptation Scholar. Using our two musicals, we will be able to learn about our history of creating adaptations, how they became popular, and why we do it!
Click below to watch some of the videos that helped inspire the episode!
Patrick H. Willems: " When the Faithful Adaptation is Actually Worse" (https://youtu.be/zn3Yo5ea5L8?si=M6TugAb7o8KCYTq1)
Wait in the Wings: "How They Rewrote The Great Gatsby Musical in 3 Months..." (https://youtu.be/LYxvEITwfCA?si=InwWa5-tjYYH4qly)
"A Tale of Two Gatsby (Musicals)..." (https://youtu.be/zBJQNPB-cmA?si=4GAEKbmnT9ZzOyV7)
Anne Vanderelst: "How the Great Gatsby Musical FAILED its titular character." (https://youtu.be/jIinLJha8WM?si=oh6HCURkL88o2Cwo)
15 Oct 2025
Ep. 6: Por la Cultura: Buena Vista Social Club & Real Women Have Curves on Broadway
In honor of Hispanic/Latine Heritage Month, we are going to be discussing how Buena Vista Social Club, the jukebox musical based on the 1997 hit album, and Real Women Have Curves, a musical adaptation of Josefina López's play, became the first musicals centered on Latine stories to run on Broadway at the same time.
This episode will dive into subjects such as the history of Latine representation in musical theatre, how these shows made it all the way to Broadway, their similarities and differences, and the value of prioritizing representation!
16 Jul 2025
Ep. 5: Legends Never Die: The Tale of The Cradle Will Rock
This episode will look at what happened when future theatre legends working at the Federal Theatre Project produced a show so timely that it was shut down. In response, they created one of the greatest legends in theatre history.
16 Jul 2025
Ep. 4 Heroes Get Remembered: Hallie Flanagan & The Federal Theatre Project
In the middle of the Great Depression, the New Deal created the Federal Theatre Project, an organization that looked to provide relief to unemployed theatre artists.
In this episode, we will take a look at the rise of the Federal Theatre Project and its leader, Hallie Flanagan, as well as its fall at the hands of the House Un-American Activities Committee.
Bridgett Martinez joins the host to discuss the origins of theatre publishing in the 1700s and outrageous script alterations, in this interview episode.
6 Jan 2025
Ep. 2: Boris Aronson: Your Favorite Set Designer's Favorite Set Designer
Over a career spanning more than 50 years, Boris Aronson ushered in a new era of set design that emphasized storytelling through scenic design. Through his work on shows like Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Company, and many other classics, Boris demonstrated how one can be a trailblazer while preserving tradition.
2 Dec 2024
Ep. 1: Businessmen Battle Over The Spirit of Broadway
Veteran Broadway producer Stephen Langley recounts a pivotal 1999 showdown with industry giant James Nederlander over the future of Times Square's Broadway venues.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
35
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
2 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 25 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
12
Social presence
0
YouTube
63
Engagement
32
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