This Week on Broadway for May 2, 2021: Gretchen Cryer

BROADWAYRADIO

05/2/21

Gretchen Cryer,James Marino,Michael Portantiere,Peter Filichia

This Week on Broadway for May 2, 2021: Gretchen Cryer

Peter Filichia, James Marino, and Michael Portantiere talk with Gretchen Cryer.

Subscribe: RSS

This Week on Broadway has been coming to you every week since 2009. It is the longest running Broadway and theatrical podcast with hundreds of shows giving thousands of reviews and interviews.

Subscribe to BroadwayRadio in Apple Podcasts by CLICKING HERE.

Sponsor: Upstart is the fast and easy way to pay off your debt with a personal loan–all online. Visit Upstart.com/broadway

Support BroadwayRadio on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/broadwayradio
Patreon listeners get This Week on Broadway first, on Sunday afternoon before it is released to the general public on Sunday evening.

Panel:

Peter Filichia | [email protected] | Facebook
PETER FILICHIA is a playwright, journalist, and historian with a number of books. His columns appear at Encore Magazine, Masterworks Broadway, Broadway Select and many other places.

James Marino | [email protected] | Twitter | Facebook
BroadwayStars

Michael Portantiere | [email protected] | Facebook
MICHAEL PORTANTIERE is a theater reviewer and essayist. He is the founder and editor of CastAlbumReviews.com. He is also a theatrical photographer whose photos have appeared in The New York Times and other major publications. You can see his photography work at FollowSpotPhoto.com.

Note: This week we had listeners join us while recording. These listeners are Patreon members who support BroadwayRadio. If you would like to join us in the future, become a supporter at Patreon.com/BroadwayRadio

Guest: Gretchen Cryer

Gretchen Cryer was born in Dunreith, Indiana, and attended DePauw University as an English major. In one of her music classes, she met Nancy Ford, and the two forged a friendship that eventually lead to a number of professional collaborations as the only female composer-lyricist team in New York theater. Their first work, For Reasons of Loyalty, produced by Boston University, was written while the two were graduate students at Yale University.
Their first professional New York production was Now Is the Time For All Good Men (1967), a highly political piece about Gretchen’s pacifist brother that was panned by the critics. Undaunted, they mounted The Last Sweet Days of Isaac – with Austin Pendleton and Alice Playten – in 1970, winning not only rave reviews, but the Obie, Drama Desk and Outer Circle Awards as well. From there they moved to Broadway.
Cryer and Ford’s most notable success was I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It On The Road (1978), based on Cryer’s life experiences. Gretchen not only co-wrote the piece, but performed in it as well. Producer Joseph Papp moved it from his Public Theater in lower Manhattan uptown to the Circle on the Square theater, where it ran for three years.
Gretchen’s additional work as a performer included roles in Little Me (1962), 110 in the Shade (1963) and 1776 (1969). A musical adaptation of Anne of Green Gables written by Gretchen Cryer and Nancy Ford opened in March 2007 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in NYC, and a national tour began in September 2007.
Gretchen Cryer and Nancy Ford’s musical, Einstein and the Roosevelts, premiered at DePauw University in October 2008. Einstein and the Roosevelts was performed at Denison University in November 2011 while Gretchen was the Jonathan R. Reynolds Playwright-in-Residence at Denison.
Gretchen Cryer and Nancy Ford’s latest musical, Still Getting My Act Together, premiered at the York Theatre in New York City in June 2011.

Renee Elise Goldsberry sings “Old Friend”

Gretchen’s son, Jon Cryer, went to Stagedoor Manor, and on to a Broadway, Film, and Television career.

Note to James: Streisand 37 minute mark

Solo shows coming up at Cherry Lane, TBA

Will Broadway and the Tony Awards return September 19?

Do you remember, 21st night of September?
Love was changing the mind of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away
Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing
As we danced in the night
Remember
How the stars stole the night away, oh yeah

The New York Times Events: Bringing Broadway Back… In Australia

Bringing Broadway Back… In Australia

Olympia Dukakis, Oscar Winner for ‘Moonstruck,’ Dies at 89 by Anita Gates
A veteran of the stage known for playing worldly wise and world-weary characters, she was cast in mature roles as early as her late 30s.

Olympia Dukakis IBDB

Charlie Williams in Tokyo Frozen

Peter’s Trivia Section

SIX – XIS?

Michael’s Musical Moment:

“Old Friend” from I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road

NYCGMC Larry Moore

Reviews:

Topic:

Tours:

Film and Television:

Recordings: