Backstage is the new podcast from Matinee Radio, the station that plays music from the greatest shows.
Episode one, The Show Must Go On, looks back on 2022 celebrating the return to the theatre following the global pandemic. Masks were no longer mandatory, and the stage doors began to reopen for casts to meet their fans.
The podcast looks at how this was achieved by speaking to stars of the West End, Broadway and the big screen.
Those featured include Faye Brookes – Cabaret, Simon Callow and Kerry Ellis – Anything Goes, Sam Bailey – Beauty and the Beast, Jason Donovan – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Michael Mckell – We Will Rock You and Lea Salonga Mulan – Aladdin.
Jason Donovan says: “It’s been a bumpy couple of years for our sector which is basically freelance.”
Simon Callow says: “What we’ve been feeling… is this terrific sense of joy at rediscovering what the theatre can be.”
Also featuring in the look back on the return to musical theatre across the globe are director Jay Osmond – The Osmonds), award winning composers Dave Stewart – The Time Traveller’s Wife the Musical and Glen Ballard – Back to the Future The Musical and choreographer Adam Cooper – Singin’ In The Rain.
Glen Ballard says: “It was almost impossible to keep anything going in a theatre – there were nights when we had eighteen absentees, twelve in the cast, eight in the band and we still pulled off the show.”
Backstage from Matinee is presented by Gareth Evans and is available wherever you get your podcasts.
