All stories by Linda Holmes on BroadwayStars

Friday, July 22, 2022

What's making us happy: A guide to your weekend reading, listening and viewing by Linda Holmes

Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: Hurricane Season, A Strange Loop, and more.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 08:12PM
Saturday, July 16, 2022

After Beanie Feldstein's departure, can Lea Michele really save 'Funny Girl'? by Linda Holmes

Beanie Feldstein's departure from the role of Fanny Brice has caused waves on Broadway. But she wasn't the only source of Funny Girl's problems.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 12:07PM
Sunday, March 13, 2022

Once, cultural ties to Russia were deliberate and hopeful. Now, they're eroding by Linda Holmes

Russia's growing isolation in the cultural world is poignant for those who remember optimistic outreach of the 80s and 90s.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 08:03AM
Thursday, December 30, 2021

50 wonderful things from 2021: The performances, moments, and laughs we'll remember by Linda Holmes

NPR pop culture critic Linda Holmes lists highlights from the year, including Ted Lasso, a TikTok dog, a twisty mystery, some great performances, and a moment in a mall.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 11:12AM
Friday, November 26, 2021

10 Stephen Sondheim songs we'll never stop listening to by Linda Holmes

Stephen Sondheim has died at 91. Pop Culture Happy Hour's Linda Holmes looks back on her favorite Sondheim tunes.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 10:54PM
Friday, August 20, 2021

'Ted Lasso' Recap, Season 2, Episode 5: Romcommunism Comes To AFC Richmond by Linda Holmes

Ted Lasso, which is always a bunch of love stories, salutes romantic comedy in an episode that brings out a new side of Nathan and a new professional aspiration in Roy.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 04:42AM
Saturday, July 24, 2021

'Ted Lasso' Recap: Season 2 Returns With Dogs, Yips And Bad Dates by Linda Holmes

In the season 2 premiere, Ted Lasso struggles to help a star player, Rebecca double dates with Keeley and Roy, and Jamie Tartt is a man on an island.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 12:54AM
Thursday, July 15, 2021

'Schmigadoon!' Will Get Your Toes Tapping, So Sing Along If You Know The Words by Linda Holmes

The new musical comedy series Schmigadoon! brings a delightful cast to a parody of 1940s Broadway musicals, with good musical results, if things are a little mixed otherwise.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 10:12PM
Friday, April 23, 2021

A Pandemic 'Romeo & Juliet' Finds A New Language Of Love And Loss by Linda Holmes

A cleverly made Romeo & Juliet, adapted from a planned theatrical run to a filmed version, embraces the promise and the romance of a large and empty theater as a place to situate a class…

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 10:32AM
Saturday, January 23, 2021

'In & Of Itself' Is A Study Of Identity And Magic by Linda Holmes

Derek DelGaudio's successful off-Broadway show has been given a marvelous film adaptation that captures the stage production's delicate and humane tone.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 06:24PM
Tuesday, June 30, 2020

'Hamilton' Comes Home, Just In Time For The Fourth Of July by Linda Holmes

The very good movie version of Hamilton, filmed with the original cast at the height of the show's popularity, will perk up faithful cast album fans — and new viewers, too.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 09:12PM
Tuesday, December 31, 2019

50 Wonderful Things From 2019 by Linda Holmes

From J. Lo to Keanu, baseball GIFs to Phoebe Waller-Bridge's masterpiece, here are 50 great cultural moments — from TV, movies, theater, books, podcasts and more — from the year that was.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 10:18AM
Wednesday, July 17, 2019

'Rigoletto' In Vegas And The Pleasures Of The Metropolitan Opera by Linda Holmes

A recent Pop Culture Happy Hour trip to New York took the team to see Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera. A jester in a rat pack? We saw it.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 11:48AM
Monday, June 10, 2019

'Hadestown' Finds Bliss At The Tony Awards by Linda Holmes

Anaïs Mitchell's long-developing musical won eight awards, including best musical, while The Ferryman won best play.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 03:06AM
Tuesday, April 9, 2019

'Fosse/Verdon' Wiggles And Kicks, But Fails To Satisfy by Linda Holmes

The FX series is deeply interested in Bob Fosse as an awful genius, but much less invested in Gwen Verdon as an overlooked collaborator.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 05:01AM
Wednesday, February 27, 2019

The Show Tunes And Plaid Pants Of The 'Documentary Now!' Sondheim Send-up by Linda Holmes

The IFC series Documentary Now!, which has been in fine parody form for three seasons, plays around with Stephen Sondheim's Company and Broadway conventions in a new episode.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 05:00AM
Tuesday, July 24, 2018

'The Band's Visit' And Harry Potter Win Big At A Quieter Tony Awards by Linda Holmes

The Tony Awards paid off for The Band's Visit, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the Angels in America revival and a scrappy theater kid named Bruce Springsteen.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 01:54PM
Monday, June 11, 2018

'The Band's Visit' And Harry Potter Win Big At A Quieter Tony Awards by Linda Holmes

The Tony Awards paid off for The Band's Visit, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the Angels in America revival, and a scrappy theater kid named Bruce Springsteen.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 04:48AM
Wednesday, May 2, 2018

Pop Culture Happy Hour: Talking 'Hamilton' And 'Failing Up' With Leslie Odom Jr. by Linda Holmes

Broadway's original Aaron Burr sits down to talk about his new book, how it feels to hear ugly things about your career, and what he wants to do now that he couldn't before.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 02:06PM
Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Like It Or Not, You're Getting A 'Pretty Woman' Musical by Linda Holmes

Is it a good idea to make a musical adapted from Pretty Woman? Or is it, just possibly ... a "big mistake — huge!" We have a few details about the new show, coming to Broadway in 2018.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 12:18PM
Friday, June 16, 2017

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Wonder Woman' And The Tony Awards by Linda Holmes

This week, we talk about the superhero smash Wonder Woman, and we talk about Dear Evan Hansen, Oslo and some of the other big winners from Sunday night's Tonys.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 01:04PM
Tuesday, May 2, 2017

The Tony Nominations: 'The Great Comet,' 'Dolly,' And 'A Doll's House' by Linda Holmes

The Tony nominations are out, and unlike last year, there's no founding-fathers-shaped giant absorbing the oxygen.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 04:02PM
Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Hey You, Prestige Television Fan: Here's Why You Should See A New Play by Linda Holmes

While musicals have good pop-culture presence in many cases, plays tend not to. But in an environment that has embraced idiosyncratic and complicated TV, there's no better time to change tha…

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 05:24PM
Friday, March 18, 2016

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Hamilton' by Linda Holmes

It's Broadway's current phenomenon, so we went to see it and report back on what it is, how it works, and whether we loved it as much as we wanted to. It's our Hamilton show.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 02:09PM
Wednesday, November 18, 2015

'Misery,' 'Misery' And 'Misery,' From Page To Screen To Stage by Linda Holmes

A new stage play finds Bruce Willis and Laurie Metcalf at the controls of an oddly horror-free version of the Stephen King novel.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 04:26PM
Monday, June 8, 2015

WATCH: 11-Year-Old Sydney Lucas Destroys At The Tony Awards by Linda Holmes

If you haven't yet seen the most memorable performance from Sunday night's Tony Awards, from the musical Fun Home, now's the time.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 01:40PM
Saturday, April 25, 2015

The Hard Work And Close Bonds Of Competitive College A Cappella by Linda Holmes

Pitch Perfect may have made the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella look like a personality contest, but the real competition takes long hours and exacting musicianship.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 05:21AM
Wednesday, March 11, 2015

A Travel Show For Your Favorite Weird-Museum And Dance Enthusiast by Linda Holmes

Ovation's American Canvas has a lot of fun in San Francisco, starting with the art installation at Alcatraz.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 01:33PM
Thursday, November 20, 2014

Mike Nichols: Remembering The Ellipses After The Story Ends by Linda Holmes

We consider the work of writer-director-performer Mike Nichols, who died Wednesday.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 02:35PM
Wednesday, October 8, 2014

Cameron Esposito And The Comedy Of Confidence by Linda Holmes

In a new comedy album, Cameron Esposito covers strip clubs, her attraction to "women in crisis," her awkward youth, and her bone-deep comfort in her own skin.

SOURCE: National Public Radio at 10:58AM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards