<description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Episode Summary&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Matt dives into two major musical events: Broadway’s divisive, new bio-musical &lt;em&gt;The Queen of Versailles&lt;/em&gt; and its two different leading ladies, as well as the long-awaited revival of &lt;em&gt;Ragtime&lt;/em&gt;. He breaks down the productions’ strengths, stumbles, creative choices, and star performances before welcoming Broadway content creator and author &lt;strong&gt;Teale Dvornik&lt;/strong&gt; for a candid conversation about audience culture, the changing ecosystem around modern theater and her new book &lt;em&gt;History Hiding Around Broadway&lt;/em&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Timestamps&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;00:00 – Opening &amp; Episode Setup&lt;/strong&gt; Matt tees up the week’s reviews and previews what’s ahead.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;02:10 – &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;The Queen of Versailles&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; A breakdown of the musical’s glossy aesthetic, technical elements, score, staging, and script; Matt’s take on Kristin Chenoweth’s performance; questions about tone, satire, and emotional center; comparisons to other wealth-focused musicals.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;23:00 – &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Ragtime&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt; Initial expectations vs. what the production delivers; performances, orchestrations, pacing, and the challenge of modernizing a massive period musical; where this revival succeeds, where it pulls back, and how it reframes the material for 2025 audiences.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;45:00 – Interview: Teale Dvornik&lt;/strong&gt; A thoughtful, candid conversation about Broadway marketing, social-media influence, community behavior, and how digital audiences impact ticket sales, show reputation, and performer well-being. Teale offers insight from inside the industry — and clears up several misconceptions about influencers, access, and online discourse.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Key People Mentioned&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The Queen of Versailles&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* &lt;strong&gt;Kristin Chenoweth&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Sherie Rene Scott,&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Stephen Schwartz&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Lindsey Ferrentino&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Michael Arden&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Ragtime&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* &lt;strong&gt;Lynn Ahrens &amp; Stephen Flaherty&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Terrence McNally&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;E.L. Doctorow&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Interview&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* &lt;strong&gt;Teale Dvornik&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Resources &amp; Links&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Broadway Breakdown: &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://discord.gg/UTGVBprYtr"&gt;Discord&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Broadway Breakdown: &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://bwaybreakdown.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips"&gt;Substack&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Buy &lt;a target="_blank" href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/teale-dvornik/history-hiding-around-broadway/9780762489107/?lens=running-press"&gt;History Hiding Around Broadway&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Listener Discussion Questions&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* What do you think would make &lt;em&gt;The Queen of Versailles&lt;/em&gt; work? And could time be kinder to it down the line?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* How should a modern revival approach a large, politically charged musical like &lt;em&gt;Ragtime&lt;/em&gt;?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;* Has an individual performance changed your opinion on a show?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit &lt;a href="https://bwaybreakdown.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&amp;#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1"&gt;bwaybreakdown.substack.com&lt;/a&gt;</description>

Broadway Breakdown

Matt Koplik

Matt Reviews: The Queen of Versailles (both of ‘em), Ragtime & A Conversation with Teale Dvornik

DEC 4, 2025111 MIN
Broadway Breakdown

Matt Reviews: The Queen of Versailles (both of ‘em), Ragtime & A Conversation with Teale Dvornik

DEC 4, 2025111 MIN

Description

<p><strong>Episode Summary</strong></p><p>Matt dives into two major musical events: Broadway’s divisive, new bio-musical <em>The Queen of Versailles</em> and its two different leading ladies, as well as the long-awaited revival of <em>Ragtime</em>. He breaks down the productions’ strengths, stumbles, creative choices, and star performances before welcoming Broadway content creator and author <strong>Teale Dvornik</strong> for a candid conversation about audience culture, the changing ecosystem around modern theater and her new book <em>History Hiding Around Broadway</em>.</p><p><strong>Timestamps</strong></p><p><strong>00:00 – Opening & Episode Setup</strong> Matt tees up the week’s reviews and previews what’s ahead.</p><p><strong>02:10 – </strong><strong><em>The Queen of Versailles</em></strong> A breakdown of the musical’s glossy aesthetic, technical elements, score, staging, and script; Matt’s take on Kristin Chenoweth’s performance; questions about tone, satire, and emotional center; comparisons to other wealth-focused musicals.</p><p><strong>23:00 – </strong><strong><em>Ragtime</em></strong> Initial expectations vs. what the production delivers; performances, orchestrations, pacing, and the challenge of modernizing a massive period musical; where this revival succeeds, where it pulls back, and how it reframes the material for 2025 audiences.</p><p><strong>45:00 – Interview: Teale Dvornik</strong> A thoughtful, candid conversation about Broadway marketing, social-media influence, community behavior, and how digital audiences impact ticket sales, show reputation, and performer well-being. Teale offers insight from inside the industry — and clears up several misconceptions about influencers, access, and online discourse.</p><p><strong>Key People Mentioned</strong></p><p><strong>The Queen of Versailles</strong></p><p>* <strong>Kristin Chenoweth</strong>, <strong>Sherie Rene Scott,</strong> <strong>Stephen Schwartz</strong>, <strong>Lindsey Ferrentino</strong>, <strong>Michael Arden</strong></p><p><strong>Ragtime</strong></p><p>* <strong>Lynn Ahrens & Stephen Flaherty</strong>, <strong>Terrence McNally</strong>, <strong>E.L. Doctorow</strong></p><p><strong>Interview</strong></p><p>* <strong>Teale Dvornik</strong></p><p><strong>Resources & Links</strong></p><p>Broadway Breakdown: <a target="_blank" href="https://discord.gg/UTGVBprYtr">Discord</a></p><p>Broadway Breakdown: <a target="_blank" href="https://bwaybreakdown.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips">Substack</a></p><p>Buy <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/teale-dvornik/history-hiding-around-broadway/9780762489107/?lens=running-press">History Hiding Around Broadway</a></p><p><strong>Listener Discussion Questions</strong></p><p>* What do you think would make <em>The Queen of Versailles</em> work? And could time be kinder to it down the line?</p><p>* How should a modern revival approach a large, politically charged musical like <em>Ragtime</em>?</p><p>* Has an individual performance changed your opinion on a show?</p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://bwaybreakdown.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_1">bwaybreakdown.substack.com</a>