Stagecraft with Gordon Cox

Behind the scenes with the biggest stars on Broadway, Off Broadway and beyond. Hosted by Gordon Cox.

Arts
Music
Society & Culture
1
Jessica Chastain is Trapped in 'A Doll's House'
The Tony-nominated actress offers a deep-dive into her performance's signature moments – and why one of them made her think of “Evil Dead.”
33 min
2
Ben Platt Had Tony Advice for Micaela Diamond
The Tony-nominated duo on the urgency of "Parade," owning their Jewish identities and living in the awards-season moment.
35 min
3
Corey Hawkins Chose Fearlessness
The actor talks Tony nominations, “Topdog/Underdog,” a surprise dinner with Patti LuPone and an inspiration from Mark Rylance.
41 min
4
“The Thanksgiving Play” is Just the Beginning
It's the year of Larissa FastHorse, Broadway’s first known Native American female playwright, with six(!) plays coming up in 2023.
35 min
5
The Secrets and Tricks of Broadway's 'Life of Pi'
Three of the Olivier Award-winning play's creators reveal the techniques, the illusions and the cheats that make a puppet feel alive.
34 min
6
Tom Stoppard's Wine of Life
The celebrated playwright talks the Broadway success of "Leopoldstadt," plays vs. politics, and how you too can drink the "wine of life."
36 min
7
Nathan Lane Shares His Acting Secrets
The Tony-winning actor, now starring in “Pictures From Home,” reveals how he crafted performances in “Angels in America” and “The Iceman Cometh.”
39 min
8
‘Rent,’ ‘Star Trek’ and the Art of Reliving Loss
Original “Rent” cast member and current “Star Trek” trailblazer Anthony Rapp talks bringing his stage memoir “Without You” to New York, and along the way pinpoints what “Rent” and “Star Trek” have in common and shares the reasons behind his ongoing advocacy for survivors of Hollywood abuse.
35 min
9
National Black Theater and the Antidote We All ...
Leaders of the 55-year-old Harlem institution on stepping up to Broadway for the first time with "Fat Ham," community, care and creating a home.
43 min
10
How Stephen McKinley Henderson Hears the Music ...
The celebrated actor and August Wilson regular on finding the rhythms of "Between Riverside and Crazy."
37 min
11
How Audra McDonald's Art and Activism Came Toge...
The six-time Tony winner on Adrienne Kennedy, Black Theatre United and her fancy new dressing rooms at the James Earl Jones Theater.
36 min
12
Why Deirdre O'Connell's Tony Award Hasn't Chang...
The actor ("Dana H."), now starring in "Becky Nurse of Salem," on making a career off Broadway and her search for un-self-consciousness.
32 min
13
How Joshua Dela Cruz Brought Broadway to 'Blue'...
The host and star of 'Blue's Big City Adventure' on Broadway role models, backstage 'Aladdin' antics, and Times Square dance numbers.
33 min
14
How to Produce a Museum of Broadway
The co-founders of the new museum on the story it's telling, the philosophy behind it, and why it's like Switzerland.
37 min
15
‘The Lion King’ Turns 25
Director Julie Taymor celebrates the Disney musical’s Broadway birthday, revealing how she did it, what she learned and what’s next.
35 min
16
The Business of Broadway with Samuel L. Jackson...
In this supersized episode, we present three of the panels and keynote conversations from Variety's 2022 Business of Broadway breakfast: 3:25: A conversation with producers LaChanze ("Topdog/Underdog," "Kimberly Akimbo"), Lee Daniels ("Ain't No' Mo'"), Cindy Tolan ("Death of a Salesman") and Ken Davenport ("A Beautiful Noise"), moderated by Eric Piecuch of City National Bank. 29:00: A panel discussion with three Broadway creatives, featuring Jordan E. Cooper ("Ain't No' Mo'"), Crystal Lucas-Perry ("1776") and Chris Wood ("Almost Famous") and moderated by Stagecraft host Gordon Cox. 51:13: The breakfast's keynote conversation with Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson ("The Piano Lesson"), interviewed by Variety executive editor Brent Lang.
70 min
17
'Topdog/Underdog' Has a Superpower
Writer Suzan-Lori Parks and director Kenny Leon on spiritual inspiration, making work that matters and why this Pulitzer-winning play is like 'Doctor Strange.'
37 min
18
Getting Intimate in ‘Cost of Living’
Actors Gregg Mozgala and Kara Young talk care and connection in the award-winning Broadway play.
36 min
19
How Patina Miller Made ‘Into the Woods’ Her Own
The Tony winner and star of TV’s “Raising Kanan” talks Sondheim, motherhood and getting the Witch’s Rap right.
25 min
20
Meaner, Funnier, Even More Revealing
How writer Jesse Green worked with Mary Rodgers to make her memoir "Shy" as lively, candid and cutting as she wanted it to be.
35 min
21
How Cornelius Smith Jr. Sings Frederick Douglas...
The “Scandal” actor on “American Prophet,” Douglass and the often-overlooked woman behind the man.
35 min
22
How Amir Arison Learned to Love "The Kite Runner"
“The Black List” actor on living in the moment, exiting a successful TV show and how his life was changed by "My Robot Buddy."
36 min
23
The Bestselling Novelist Who's Now a Prolific M...
Jodi Picoult on her full-steam-ahead theater career with "Between the Lines," "The Book Thief" and "Austenland."
36 min
24
Winning the Pulitzer Made James Ijames Braver
The "Fat Ham" playwright on queering "Hamlet," decentralizing artistic leadership and writing prolifically.
41 min
25
How Joaquina Kalukango Celebrated Her Tony Win
The "Paradise Square" actor explains how her role in the Broadway musical came along at exactly the moment she needed it most.
30 min