Behind the Curtain (Broadway)
Stories and history from the world of Broadway theater
Overview
Behind the Curtain explores the history, stories, and inner workings of Broadway theater. It covers iconic shows, legendary performers, and the creative processes that bring musicals and plays to the stage.
Episodes feature interviews with Broadway veterans, historians, and theater professionals who share behind-the-scenes stories and insights. The show balances historical retrospectives with coverage of current productions.
How It Works
Perfect for theater actors and musical theater enthusiasts who want a deeper understanding of Broadway history and culture. The historical context enriches any theater actor's appreciation of the art form.
Free on all podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
Who Uses It
Recommended for theater actors and Broadway fans who love the stories behind the shows. Understanding the history of the craft deepens your connection to the work and the traditions you are continuing. The podcast serves as an oral history project for American theater, preserving stories and perspectives that might otherwise be lost as veteran performers and theater professionals retire. Behind the Curtain's historical episodes connect contemporary theater to its roots, helping listeners understand how the shows, techniques, and traditions they work with today evolved from decades of artistic innovation and cultural change. For theater actors who want to feel connected to a larger tradition — to understand that their work is part of a continuum of artistic expression stretching back over a century — Behind the Curtain provides that sense of heritage and belonging.
Pricing & Plans
Behind the Curtain is completely free on all major podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. There is no subscription, premium content tier, or paywall for any episodes. The show is produced with genuine love for the theater and its history rather than as a commercial venture, which gives it an authenticity and warmth that commercially motivated content often lacks. The episode archive represents a substantial library of Broadway history and storytelling that grows with each new episode. For theater professionals and enthusiasts who want to deepen their knowledge of Broadway history and culture without any financial commitment, Behind the Curtain provides an invaluable free resource.
Pros & Cons
What's Great
The podcast's greatest strength is its ability to bring Broadway history to life through compelling storytelling and firsthand accounts from people who were there. Episodes featuring Broadway veterans who share memories of legendary productions, performers, and creative teams preserve theatrical history in a vivid, personal form that written accounts cannot fully capture. The show's coverage of iconic musicals and plays — exploring their development, original productions, critical reception, and lasting impact — provides the cultural context that enriches any theater actor's understanding of the art form they practice. Behind the Curtain also covers the business and producing side of Broadway history, explaining how the commercial realities of theater production have shaped the art form over time. The show's interviews with stage managers, designers, orchestrators, and other behind-the-scenes professionals illuminate the collaborative infrastructure that makes live theater possible.
What Could Be Better
The podcast's primary focus on Broadway history and nostalgia means it provides limited coverage of contemporary theater, practical career guidance, or the business mechanics of working as a theater actor today. The show's historical perspective naturally emphasizes past eras and established works, providing less attention to emerging playwrights, experimental theater, and the diverse voices that are reshaping contemporary American theater. Behind the Curtain's audience is primarily theater enthusiasts and historians rather than working professionals seeking career-relevant information, which means its content priorities differ from podcasts designed to help actors advance their careers. The production values, while professional, are modest compared to major media-produced podcasts. The show's coverage is predominantly focused on Broadway and the American musical theater tradition, with less attention to Off-Broadway, regional theater, international stage traditions, and non-musical plays.
Our Recommendation
Theater actors who are passionate about the history and traditions of American musical theater should subscribe to Behind the Curtain for its rich, storytelling-driven exploration of Broadway's past. The show is most valuable as a cultural enrichment resource that deepens your connection to the art form rather than as a practical career tool. Pair Behind the Curtain with news-focused outlets like Playbill and BroadwayWorld for current industry coverage and with career-focused podcasts for practical professional guidance. If you are primarily focused on contemporary theater, film, or television, the show's historical orientation may not serve your immediate professional needs, though the cultural literacy it provides enriches any performer's understanding of the performing arts tradition.
Pro Tips
Listen to episodes about shows you are preparing to perform in or that are relevant to your current work, as understanding the historical context of specific works deepens your appreciation for the material and informs your creative choices. Use the show's historical coverage to build your knowledge of the Broadway canon, familiarizing yourself with the landmark productions, legendary performers, and defining moments that constitute the shared cultural heritage of American theater. Share episodes with fellow theater actors as conversation starters about the history and traditions you are collectively inheriting, as these discussions build the sense of community and shared purpose that makes theater work uniquely fulfilling. When the show covers the development history of a musical or play you admire, study how the creative team navigated challenges during the development process — understanding the revision, collaboration, and perseverance that went into creating enduring works of theater deepens your respect for the creative process and the professionals involved. Visit the historic Broadway theaters discussed on the show, if possible, and allow the physical space and its history to deepen your connection to the tradition of live performance that extends through you to future generations of theater artists.