Little Bear Ridge Road is a new play by Samuel D. Hunter (The Whale) set in rural Idaho during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the story centers on the relationship between Sarah (Laurie Metcalf) and her nephew Ethan (Micah Stock) as they navigate shared family history and isolation in a modest cabin. Directed by Joe Mantello, the production features scenic design by Scott Pask and was originally presented at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago before its Broadway transfer produced by Scott Rudin and Barry Diller.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by guest Robin Steinthal, his former theater marketing co-worker and fellow frequent theatergoer. They discuss the logistics of the production, including the specific performances and the recurring creative team assembled for the project. The conversation also covers the play's marketing strategy, its limited engagement at the Booth Theatre, and the broader trends currently affecting contemporary dramas on Broadway.

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CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro / Setting the Stage
1:42 - Welcome Robin Steinthal
6:27 - Hot Takes
23:53 - Big Feels
37:41 - Should You See It?
42:38 - Outro

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MORE ON LITTLE BEAR RIDGE ROAD

Hear from Samuel D. Hunter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLE6NvFPcYI

*****

GUEST HOST LOVE

Follow Robin on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robinsteinthal/

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Every Brilliant Thing is a one-person play by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe that explores the small, everyday moments that make life worth living. First developed on the UK festival circuit in the early 2010s, the piece gained international acclaim before an extended Off-Broadway run at the Barrow Street Theatre. It now arrives on Broadway at the Hudson Theatre in a new production starring Daniel Radcliffe, directed by Jeremy Herrin and Duncan Macmillan. Aided by a heavy dose of direct audience participation, the play blends humor and vulnerability as the narrator catalogs "every brilliant thing" in the face of depression and loss.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by guest co-host Talia Corrin, Executive Director of A.R.T./New York, to unpack this intimate and unconventional work. They explore Radcliffe's uniquely grounded performance, the challenges of staging a participatory piece in a Broadway house, and the production's dual identity as both theatrical event and emotional PSA. Together, they dig into themes of mental health, connection, and what it means to actively notice joy in a complicated world.

*****

CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro / Welcome Talia Corren
12:15 - Setting the Stage
14:27 - Hot Takes
26:35 - Big Feels
46:23 - Should You See It?
51:16 - Outro

*****

MORE ON EVERY BRILLIANT THING

Get Tickets: https://everybrilliantthing.com/ticket-information/

Official Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4f2Io27F4tKbIV4kOJXBGb?si=2UExr2d9RZa3SNcqaBKrjQ

*****

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Learn More About A.R.T./New York https://www.art-newyork.org/

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Waiting for Godot is Samuel Beckett's landmark work of absurdist theater, first written in French in the early 1950s and quickly becoming one of the most influential plays of the 20th century. Set on a barren stretch of road, the play follows Vladimir and Estragon as they wait for the mysterious Godot—who never arrives. The 2025 Broadway revival, directed by Jamie Lloyd, reimagines Beckett's existential meditation with a stark, visually striking production led by Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter, whose real-life friendship shapes the central dynamic.

Host Andrew Cole is joined by guest co-host Michael Littig to unpack this revival, exploring the performances, Lloyd's direction, and how the production balances humor, precision, and ambiguity. They also reflect on the play's deeper themes of waiting, meaning, and human connection and what it means to experience a piece of theater that resists easy answers but stays with you long after.

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CHAPTERS

0:00 - Intro / Welcome Michael Littig
6:40 - Setting the Stage
7:48 - Hot Takes
26:32 - Big Feels
38:27 - Should You See It?
41:38 - Outro

*****

MORE ON THE SHOW

Learn More: https://thejamielloydcompany.com/productions/waiting-for-godot/

*****

GUEST HOST LOVE

Subscribe to Michael's Weekly Newsletter "Welcome Home": https://www.michaellittig.com/

*****

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