Talking Musical History
by That's Not Canon Productions
Join us as we strike the chords of your favorite musicals, throughout the various eras of space and time. Breaking the fourth wall to bring you deep into the narrative we cover the landmark performances, history, philosophy, music, and pageantry of the best musicals to grace stage and screen. Kevin Skye Werner and Chris Anderson are Musical enthusiasts, who hold degrees in that area from Eastern Michigan University (near University of Michigan in Ann Arbor), as we will take you through the spotlights and playbooks of the musicals that we grew up with. Talking Musical History, is there to provide a great musical theatre nerd experience, for those that love to talk musicals in conjunction with an interesting lesson in history. Come join us to laugh, cry, challenge your mind, and learn something at the same time.
Episodes
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West Side Story Part 1
Back after a while with a great one to discuss, Stephen Sondheim’s second show West Side Story. Join Chris and Kevin with guest one more time Michól talking about this masterpiece in musical theatre. We gab about the history regarding the creators, concept, and original basis, for the story that...
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2022 Oscar Time Talk
Michól joins Chris and Kevin again, leading up to the West Side Story episode, with talking about the upcoming 2022 Academy Awards that will air this Sunday March 27 at 8pm EST/ 5PM PST. Talking Musical History will discuss musicals role in the past and current in excitement for the big night....
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Sweeney Todd Part 2
Join Chris and Kevin in an unearthed episode that comes in two parts. This is the second part. We recorded this a while back and just releasing it before our special guest episode of West Side Story. As an homage to the late great Stephen Sondheim, a musical theatre genius. If you want to support...
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Sweeney Todd Part 1
Join Chris and Kevin in an unearthed episode that comes in two parts. We recorded this a while back and just releasing it before our special guest episode of West Side Story. As an homage to the late great Stephen Sondheim, a musical theatre genius. If you want to support this show and other...
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Holiday Musicals
Chris and Kevin are joined by special guest Michòl to talk about our favorite holiday shows. Before we come back next year, 2022 with Sweeney Todd and West Side Story (also with Michòl), unwind with us as we discuss our Christmas/ Holiday specials shows. White Christmas? Frosty the Snowman?...
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Oliver
Join Chris and Kevin on our last installment of our child filled trip tick now with Oliver. We discuss the original story by Charles Dickens and several adaptations of his work. Dating back to the silent era of film and into musical pieces of Oliver including of course the musical by Lionel Bart....
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Newsies
Dive in on our third episode of the 2nd season, with Newsies. Chris and Kevin will discuss the original 1992 classic film and the Broadway updated version. Plus, learn about some shocking revelations with America’s treatment of workers and crooked political leaders. Ok, maybe not so shocking, but...
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Toxic Avenger The Musical
Here we are joined by our very special guest, our first in fact. Coming from the podcast Every Horror Movie on Netflix, is Steven who was recently featured in Variety. We figured it’s time to mix it up for our featured Halloween episode this year. Check out our Season 1 Playlist on Apple Music at...
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Annie
Here we are in season 2 of Talking Musical History with Annie! We go through various films of Annie that you might have seen and might have missed. Also, we explore the origins of the red headed spunky child, who brought new life to a man that needed to wake up. Of course, we will dive into the...
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Title: Tony & Oscar
Ever wondered which came first? Why are the awards named Tony? What was the first musical to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards? Some of the answers to those may surprise you. Join us for another little detour, on our long and winding multi colored brick road, of musicals through the lens of...
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Singin’ in the Rain: Who’s Voice is it Anyway?
Chris and Kevin ending the first season of our podcast with Singin’ in the Rain: Who’s Voice is it Anyway? As we venture down the rabbit hole with the 1952 classic musical. It was also adapted for a stage musical of the same name, featuring Tommy Steele in 1983. Here we explore voice dubbing…
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42nd Street: Side-stepping Authority and Slipping by Sedition
Join Chris and Kevin this fabulous June for a shoe stomping show stopping good time! With our latest episode of Talking Musical History, 42nd Street: Side-stepping Authority and Slipping by Sedition. Where we look at not only 42nd Street the 1933 musical; but also the musical adaptation, Gold...
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Minstrel Show: The Jazz Singer
What is America’s obsession with Black-face?! It definitely has nothing to do with jazz. Join Chris and Kevin as we venture down the racist rabbit hole, with The Jazz Singer. Welcome to The Minstrel Show edition of Talking Musical History. In addition to talking about both the original Al Jolson...
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Origins of Theatre & Drama Masks
Enjoy our shorter episode, this time taking a slight detour into the past. Join us for a discussion of a bit of the history, relating to uses of masks within a theatre context. We had fun learning about ancient theatre and hope you will as well with us. Next time we will be back talking the…
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Producers: Fraud & Nazis
Join Chris and Kevin down the rabbit hole again with The Producers, this time going more into the theme explored in the show. That of massive schemed up Presidents and the nazis who came within our modern era.
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The Producers Part 2
Join Chris and Kevin as we explore of The Producers in Part 2. Here we finish up with notable cast members who helped make the magic happen. After that, we go over references that you may not know from the show. More to come in Part 3. Thank you for supporting us. If you want to find out more, go...
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The Producers Part 1
Join Chris and Kevin as we talk about both the 1968 classic "The Producers" as well as the Broadway musical of the same name. This is the first part of three, where we will go more into the political and social impacts. Surrounding this gem given to us by the great Mel Brooks, as well as the…
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Rent Part 3
Join Chris and Kevin as we discuss a super special musical that started 25 years ago, with our continuation of Rent. We talk all about the social and political implications surrounding this historic musical. Comparing the current COVID-19 Pandemic, AIDS and the Flint water crisis, we get really...
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Rent Part 2
December 24th 9pm Eastern Standard Time Chris and Kevin recorded the second part of the Rent episode, in part 2 of our special 3 part episode of this life changing world changing musical. Listen as we talk about all of the references in Rent that you may or may not know, when you experience Rent...
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Rent Part 1
Join Chris and Kevin as we journey at the end of this year with a holidays season musical, back to the days of La Bohéme and then talk about the update that has a revolutionary following, leading up to Rent in 1996. We talk about the social and political implications of Rent and how such a…
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The Wiz
Ease on down the road with Chris and Kevin as we discuss the who, why and how behind the makings of Motown's take on the classic beloved story, The Wizard of Oz, with The Wiz. Learn about all of the social and political happenings at the time surrounding this beloved classic for everyone. No...
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Hans Christian Andersen
Explore with us in Talking Musical History Podcast this time with the Danny Kaye classic Hans Christian Andersen discussing how he went around sharing stories with children and wrote a beautiful show called The Little Mermaid. Learn about the movie and the backstory of Andersen's life along with...
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Guys & Dolls
Come join Chris and Kevin as we talk about Guys & Dolls, the classic Americana tale of gamblers, mission folk and the girls who entertain. Even though it may seem like a fluff musical on the surface, we uncover more of the juicy details surrounding this work so beloved over the years. In this...
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Reefer Madness Part 2
Journey further down the rabbit hole with us as we talk a but more about cast, that we did not get to before. Then, we talk about more of the history politics of the death of Billie Holliday by the federal government and so much more. All from false demonization of one little green plant in...
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Reefer Madness Part 1
Chris and Kevin talk about both of the original Reefer Madness movie from 1936 and the 2005 musical that was made, with an A-list cast. In conduction with that, to put this film into historical context, we will discuss the war on drugs as well. What role did the original movie play in the...
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Little Shop of Horrors Episode 2 (Halloween season)
Ever wonder what would happen to you if, you happened to buy a strange and interesting plant that changed your life? That is one of the things that Chris Anderson and Kevin Werner talk about in our second now, Halloween themed episode of Talking Musical History, with Little Shop of Horrors. The...
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1776 We Start Our Journey
Welcome folks, to our first Talking Musical History Podcast ever! We start off, in the same time as Hamilton did, with 1776 The Musical! Kevin Werner and Chris Anderson discuss in depth, musicals that help us learn about history, as well as the historical context in which the musical took place....
About this show
Join us as we strike the chords of your favorite musicals, throughout the various eras of space and time. Breaking the fourth wall to bring you deep into the narrative we cover the landmark performances, history, philosophy, music, and pageantry of the best musicals to grace stage and screen.
Kevin Skye Werner and Chris Anderson are Musical enthusiasts, who hold degrees in that area from Eastern Michigan University (near University of Michigan in Ann Arbor), as we will take you through the spotlights and playbooks of the musicals that we grew up with. Talking Musical History, is there to provide a great musical theatre nerd experience, for those that love to talk musicals in conjunction with an interesting lesson in history. Come join us to laugh, cry, challenge your mind, and learn something at the same time.
Hosted by
That's Not Canon Productions
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