BROADWAY NATION
A lively and opinionated cultural history of the Broadway Musical that tells the extraordinary story of how Immigrants, Jews, Queers, African-Americans and other outcasts invented the Broadway Musical, and how they changed America in the process. In Season One, writer and host David Armstrong traced the evolution of American Musical Theater from its birth at the dawn of the 20th Century, through its mid-century “Golden Age”, and right up to its current 21st Century renaissance, and explored how musicals have always reflected and shaped our world -- especially in regard to race, gender, sexual orientation, and equality. In Season Two he will continue to highlight musicals, creators, and topics that didn’t fit into last season, and dig deeper into those in which there is much more to explore. In addition, David will investigate a number of new areas of interest that he, and frequent co-host Albert Evans have been researching during their hiatus. As always, Broadway Nation will be unique mix of music, history, opinion, analysis, and interviews with leading Broadway experts, artists, and insiders.
New to BROADWAY NATION?
Episode 93: "Under Richard Rodgers Piano" — A Conversation with JESS…
Author of "SHY — The Alarmingly Outspoken Memoirs Of Mary Rodgers"
Episode 37: 100 Years of SHUFFLE ALONG!, Part 1
A conversation with Caseen Gaines, author of FOOTNOTES: The Black Artists Who Rewrote the Rules of the Great White Way
Episode 1 - George M. Cohan & The Immigrants That Invented Broadway
In this episode, host David Armstrong, along with special guest, Albert Evans, begin to tell the amazing story of how Immigrants, Jews, Queers, and African-Americans invented America's signature art form -- the Broadway Musical.
Recent Episodes
Episode 109: IT'S ALL ABOUT STORYTELLING!
June 1, 2023
With REBECCA APPLIN WARNER, author of The Musical Theatre Composer as Dramatist — A Handbook for Collaboration
Encore Episode: Trude Rittmann & The Women Who Invented Broadway
May 25, 2023
With special guest Albert Evans
Episode 108: MY FRIEND SANDY, part 2
May 18, 2023
With Deborah Philips, author of "AND THIS IS MY FRIEND SANDY — Sandy Wilson's THE BOYFRIEND, London Theatre and Gay Culture"
Episode 107: Sandy Wilson's THE BOYFRIEND, London Theatre and Gay Culture
May 11, 2023
With Deborah Philips, author of "And This Is My Friend Sandy"
Encore Episode: Celebrating 63 Years of THE FANTASTICKS
May 4, 2023
And the Golden Age of Broadway, part 3
Episode 106; ITAMAR MOSES — From THE BAND"S VISIT to AN AMERICAN TAIL
April 27, 2023
A Conversation with the TONY Award Winning Playwright
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Recent Blog Posts
The Lullaby Of Old Broadway!
This sequence (directed by Busby Berkley and featuring Winifred Shaw) of course has a lot more impact when seen on the big silver screen of a movie theat…
50th Anniversary of opening of Broadway musical GREASE!
It may be hard for some of us to believe (including me), but this past Valentine’s Day – Feb 14, 2022 – marked the 50th Anniversary of …
New Broadway book: The Letters of Oscar Hammerstein II
This episode of Broadway Nation podcast is an interview with Mark Eden Horowitz about his new book "The Letters Of Oscar Hammerstein II" - a close up vie…
About the Host
DAVID ARMSTRONG
Host, Writer, Producer
David Armstrong is the producer writer and host of the popular podcast BROADWAY NATION, which was inspired by a course he teaches at the University of Washington School of Drama on the history of the Broadway Musical. During his 40 years career in the professional theater he has worked as a director, writer, producer, and choreographer on Broadway and at many leading theater companies across America. He is best known for his work at The 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle where from 2000 to 2018 he served as the Producing Artistic Director and Executive Producer. During his tenure The 5th produced 19 new musicals, including nine that subsequently moved on to Broadway including the Tony Award winning “Best Musicals” HAIRSPRAY and MEMPHIS.