Santino Fontana and company in the Broadway production of “Tootsie.”

Drama club

Full Episode

Santino Fontana and company in the Broadway production of “Tootsie.”

Matthew Murphy, 2019

Theater magic, starting with “Tootsie” composer David Yazbek and musical theater obsessive John McWhorter on the art and wonder of tongue-twisting patter songs. Kurt Andersen talks with performance artist Taylor Mac on writing the new Broadway play, “Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus.” And the odd mixture of religious fervor, class concerns and gender politics that made performing Shakespeare outdoors so popular in the United States.

In This Episode

Sarah Stiles and Andy Grotelueschen in the Broadway production of “Tootsie.”
I am the very model of a modern Broadway patter song
Special Coverage
Taylor Mac
Taylor Mac’s acclaimed sequel to Shakespeare’s not-so-acclaimed play
Special Coverage
Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks.
How Shakespeare ended up in the park
Special Coverage