Scene to Song August Newsletter
"A new world crashes down like thunder, a new world charging through the air!"
I’ve been writing and traveling, so I haven’t seen much musical theater this month. The one show I did see was a concert at Joe’s Pub of a promising musical in development called 504: The Musical, written by Abbie Goldberg and Mason McDowell. The musical takes place during the 1977 sit-ins for disability rights and follows a majority disabled ensemble cast. I had read Judith Heumann’s book, Being Heumann, which has a first-hand account of these events, so I loved seeing what the creative team and actors did with the material. It’s a pivotal protest that few know about, and I am glad it’s getting the musical treatment.
Otherwise, I released the August Scene to Song episode and I have been prepping for more recordings and episodes throughout the fall.
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— Shoshana
Recent Episodes
Episode 125: Greek Mythology Musical Theater
In this episode, singer, actress, writer, lyricist, and voiceover artist Amanda Fischler discusses Greek mythology in musical theater from Hadestown to The Golden Apple and all the aspects that go into writing these stories. We also talk about the song "In My Own Little Corner" from Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's 1957 TV musical Cinderella, specifically the 1997 TV version with Brandy.
Music played in this episode:
"Why We Build the Wall" from Hadestown
"The Tirade" from The Golden Apple
"In My Own Little Corner" from Cinderella
Meet the Guests!
Amanda Fischler is a multifaceted performer working as a singer, actress, writer, lyricist, and voiceover artist. She has divided her professional career between the South Florida nightlife circuit and the Manhattan theater community, while also appearing in multiple short films and music videos, including works for rock band Incognito Theory and The Actor's Fund. Her performance credits include a featured solo in Life Insurance: The Musical (Off-Broadway at Symphony Space) and appearing in Snow White at The Producer's Club (Off-Off-Broadway). Amanda has also showcased her talents at several Manhattan cabaret venues, including Don't Tell Mama and Bound for Broadway. Amanda is currently writing the original musical Twelve Maids with composer Adam Gloc. They are collaborating on the music while she writes the book and lyrics for her concept. A proof of concept demo is available now on SoundCloud, and a staged concert premiered this August at 54Below in Manhattan.
Hometown: Rockland County, New York
Current Town: Sarasota, Florida
What are you Working on Right Now: Writing the original musical Twelve Maids with composer Adam Gloc.
What do you have coming up: Twelve Maids is just beginning its journey, with several concerts and stagings expected for 2026. Be sure to follow along @twelvemaidsmusical on Instagram to see what's in store!
Book, TV, film, or Theater Recommendation:
Book Rec: The White Island by Janell Rhiannon
TV Rec: Building the Band on Netflix
Theater Rec: Moulin Rouge, always!
Where can we find you online/social media: Instagram-- @twelvemaidsmusical and/or @blackvelvetsongbird
Musical of the Month
Wonderful Town by Leonard Bernstein, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Joseph A. Fields, Jerome Chodorov
Leonard Bernstein’s birthday is on Monday, August 25th, so it’s a good month to highlight Wonderful Town, which I just saw in the spring, and it’s probably my favorite Bernstein. I love the story of two sisters living together in New York—I lived with my sister in NYC for 13 years, although we did not move here together. And I love so many of the songs (“Ohio” has always been a favorite).
There’s also so much New York City history related to the show, which I talked about with writer, researcher, and New York City historian Keith Taillon (@KeithYorkCity) on episode 104 on Leonard Bernstein's New York City. I love the blend of all those elements (NYC history, romance, the sister relationship, the fun of coming to the big city), even more so than in Bernstein, Comden, and Green’s first musical On the Town.
And we’re lucky that we can watch the Wonderful Town TV movie with Rosalind Russell on YouTube.
Also in August…
August 1: Happy Birthday, librettist Michael Stewart (1929), Director/choreographer/ actor/dancer Geoffrey Holder (1930), and Composer/lyricist/bookwriter Lionel Bart (1930)! What a day! Celebrate by listening to a discussion on the character Bill Sykes from Lionel Bart’s Oliver in episode 73 on Evil Characters in Musical Theater and a discussion of Michael Stewart’s musicals with Jerry Herman—Hello, Dolly! and Mack and Mabel—in episode 34 on The Musicals of Jerry Herman.
August 9: Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's Jesus Christ Superstar opens in London (1972). Celebrate by listening to episode 55 on The Musicals of Andrew Lloyd Webber.
August 12: Happy Birthday, director/choreographer/dancer/actor Michael Kidd (1919)! Celebrate his work by listening to episode 75 on Marvin Hamlisch, David Zippel, and Neil Simon’s The Goodbye Girl, which he directed.
August 14: Happy Birthday, lyricist Lee Adams (1924) and bookwriter Thomas Meehan! Celebrate both Adams’s and Meehan’s work by listening to episode 56 on Adaptations of Comics in Musical Theater, as well as episode 79 on Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Mark O’Donnell, and Thomas Meehan’s Hairspray.
August 15: Hairspray opens on Broadway (2002). Listen to episode 79 on Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Mark O’Donnell, and Thomas Meehan’s Hairspray.
August 20: The Mikado opens on Broadway (1885). Listen to a discussion of the song the song "Alone, and yet Alive" from The Mikado in episode 22 on Representations of Judaism in Musical Theater.
August 21: Happy Birthday, lyricist Carolyn Leigh (1929) and Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein’s La Cage aux Folles opens on Broadway (1983) ! Celebrate Leigh’s work by listening to episode 61 on The Musicals of Cy Coleman and La Cage by listening to episode 34 on The Musicals of Jerry Herman.
August 25: Happy Birthday, composer Leonard Bernstein! Celebrate by listening to episode 104 on Leonard Bernstein's New York City and a discussion of his song “America” with lyricist Stephen Sondheim in episode 27 on Latinx Characters in Musical Theater.
August 31: Happy Birthday, lyricist/librettist Alan Jay Lerner (1918)! Celebrate his work by listening to episode 15 on The Musical My Fair Lady.
Find more musical theater history for August at musicals101.com.
New Musicals!
While Scene to Song mainly looks at musicals already part of the canon, I definitely want to highlight new musicals and musicals in development.
Ink & Paint
Ink & Paint was just featured at the Newport NewWorks Musical Theater Festival this summer.
Creative Team: Music, lyrics, and concept by Danielle Moore; book and additional lyrics by Marjorie Duffield
Synopsis: Ink & Paint is the sweeping, untold story of the women behind Disney’s golden age of animation. This midcentury America documusical sheds light on six pioneering female artists who fought for recognition in a male-dominated studio system.
Development History: A selection of Emerging Artist Theatre’s New Work Series, had a workshop at the Santa Monica Playhouse, selected for a developmental presentation in SheArts’ SheLA Festival in July 2024, a semi-staged production at the Media Theater in PA in March 2025, and was at the Newport NewWorks Musical Theater Festival this summer.
Learn more about Ink & Paint on Danielle Moore’s website.
Something Wonderful
Some additional recommendations for August:
Obituary: “Joe Caroff, Designer Behind WEST SIDE STORY and CABARET Movie Posters, Passes Away at 103” in Broadwayworld.com. “In 1961, Caroff created the poster design for the big-screen adaptation of West Side Story directed by Robert Wise. He would go on to design other Broadway-related poster titles, including Bob Fosse's Cabaret featuring Liza Minnelli, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Death of a Salesman, and more.”
Event: “Special Tour: In Its Own Little Corner - Oscar’s Desk Comes Home.” on Saturday, August 23rd at 1:30 PM in Doylestown, PA. “Be the first to see Oscar’s iconic standing desk back in its ‘own little corner’ at Highland Farm for the first time in 65 years. This special homecoming tour will be led by our curator and will feature items not usually on view. Visitors will receive merchandise with their ticket purchase!” As a side note, this tour takes place on the 65th anniversary of Oscar Hammerstein’s death. Oscar Hammerstein died at age 65 in this very house, so this might also be a ghost tour.
Hosted by writer Shoshana Greenberg, Scene to Song brings on a guest to talk about a musical, musical theater writer, or a topic or trend in musical theater. The theme music is by Julia Meinwald.
You can write to scenetosong@gmail.com with a comment or question about an episode or about musical theater, or if you’d like to be a podcast guest. Follow on Instagram at @ScenetoSong and on Facebook at “Scene to Song with Shoshana Greenberg Podcast.”
Shoshana Greenberg is a lyricist, librettist, singer, and theater journalist. Her musicals include Days of Rage and A Story No One Knows with Hyeyoung Kim and Lightning Man with Jeffrey Dennis Smith. She has also written the opera “The Community” with Kevin Cummines. Her songs have been heard at venues from Lincoln Center to the Duplex, where she performed her one-woman show Not Coming Back. She’s written for American Theatre Magazine, is a contributing editor for the publication Musical Theater Today, and created and hosts the musical theater podcast Scene to Song. She holds an M.F.A. from the Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program at NYU and a B.A. from Barnard College.