This Week on Broadway for February 8, 2026: Tim Weil

James Marino and Michael Portantiere chat with Tim Weil about his new book “Making Rent: The Story Behind the Music that Changed Broadway”. Peter Filichia reviews Ivanov @ Royal Family Theater. Michael reviews Loewe & Behold @ Library of Congress, Love in a Plague @ Out/Play Series, Finding Dorothy Parker @ Laurie Beechman Theatre, and The Met Orchestra @ Carnegie Hall.

photo of Tim Weil credit: Michael Kushner

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Panel:

Peter Filichia | peter@broadwayradio.com | Facebook
PETER FILICHIA is a playwright, journalist, and historian with a number of books. Peter’s new day-by-day desk calendar – A SHOW TUNE FOR TODAY – 366 Songs to Brighten Your Year – is available at finer retailers! Peter also has columns at Masterworks Broadway, Broadway Select, and many other places.

Showtune for Today:

Michael Portantiere | michael@broadwayradio.com | Facebook
MICHAEL PORTANTIERE is a theater reviewer and interviewer. The founder and editor of CastAlbumReviews.com. He is also a theatrical photographer whose photos have appeared in The New York Times and other publications, and he writes reviews of cabaret shows for NiteLifeExchange.com. Additionally, Michael is known as a producer and director of shows at 54 Below, the Laurie Beechman Theatre, and other venues.

James Marino | james@broadwayradio.com | Facebook
BroadwayStars

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Pre:

Jan Simpson’s Stagecraft: Matthew Libby on “Data” available this week for the general public

Last Week on Broadway: Monday, Feb. 2, 2026

Broadway Grosses Report: Feb. 4, 2026

Special Episode: Allison Bailey on life in the bubble and building her cabaret debut

Today on Broadway: Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026: ‘Moulin Rouge’ to close in July

Guest: Tim Weil IBDB | BroadwayWorld | Playbill

Tim Weil is a musical director, composer, arranger, and orchestrator who has worked on more than one hundred productions in New York City and around the world, including Rent, Shrek the Musical, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, and Sally Marr . . . and Her Escorts. His work in film includes Camp and The Marc Pease Experience and he composed songs for the children’s television shows Sheep in the Big City and Bear in the Big Blue House. Tim lives with his wife, the actor Randy Graff, in New Jersey.

Neil Patrick Harris is a Tony and Emmy Award-winning actor, director, and producer who has appeared on Broadway in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Assassins, and Proof. He starred as Mark Cohen in the 1997 National Tour of Rent and directed Rent at the Hollywood Bowl in 2010. He lives in New York City.

Jennifer Ashley Tepper is a musical theater historian and the author of Women Writing Musicals and The Untold Stories of Broadway. She conceived The Jonathan Larson Project, an off-Broadway musical showcasing previously unheard works by the late composer, and was the historian consultant on the Jonathan Larson biopic tick, tick… BOOM! She lives in New York City. [Apollo Publishers]

You can get Tim’s book here:

Bookshop.org

Drama Book Shop

Amazon

This Week on Broadway for February 2, 2014: Randy Graff

RENT AT NYU STEINHARDT, Feb. 12-15 at Frederick Loewe Theatre, 35 West 4th St.

Reviews:

PF: Ivanov @ Royal Family Theater

MP: Loewe & Behold @ Library of Congress
Ted Sperling, music director, host, and piano
Jonathan Christopher, voice
Bryonha Marie, voice,
John Riddle , voice
Scarlett Strallen , voice

Frederick Loewe’s legendary Broadway shows include “Brigadoon,” “Camelot,” and “My Fair Lady,” and his memorable songs like “I Could Have Danced All Night,” and “If Ever I Would Leave You” have become enduring classics. Tony Award-winning music director Ted Sperling brings a starry cast, including Scarlett Strallen, Bryonha Marie, Jonathan Christopher, and John Riddle, to showcase both the composer’s well-known works and rarities from the Library’s Loewe Collection that includes early German works, cut songs, and pieces written with various collaborators. Join for a pre-concert conversation with the artists at 6:30 p.m. in the Whittall Pavilion.

Made possible in part through the generous support of the Frederick Loewe Foundation.

Loewe & Behold: Revelations from the Frederick Loewe Collection
Monday, February 02, 2026
Thomas Jefferson Building – Coolidge Auditorium
10 1st Street SE, Washington, DC 20540
Part of Concerts from the Library of Congress

MP: Love in a Plague @ Out/Play Series

MP: Finding Dorothy Parker @ Laurie Beechman Theatre

Finding Dorothy Parker Sets 3rd Run at Laurie Beechman Theatre by Logan Culwell-Block
The performances will be the last chance to see original stars Ann Harada, Julie Halston, Jackie Hoffman, and Anika Larsen performing the legendary wit’s own words.

MP: The Met Orchestra @ Carnegie Hall, February 4, 2026
In 1934 at Carnegie Hall, Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony received its New York premiere, which was met with wild enthusiasm by audiences…

News:

Future Episodes:

Next week: Jan Simpson joins the panel

Peter’s Brainteaser:

This performer appeared on Broadway in a musical that was considered so bad that it closed during previews.

A bit more than six years later, the same performer appeared in a movie musical that did open, but was by and large considered as bad as that stage musical.

Hint! In the film, this performer and the character shared the same first name.

Who’s the performer and what are the properties?

Michael’s Musical Moments

Music Opener: “Rent”

Music Closer: “Finale B – “No Day But Today”

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