BOOTH ONE - Celebrating Culture and Conversation

"Meet Gary who's lived most everywhere, from NYC to Lincoln Square. But Roscoe's only seen the sights a boy can see from Ashland heights. What a crazy pair!" Our revised lyrics to The Patty Duke Show theme song are an opening homage to the great Patty Duke who passed away this week. Oscar winner at 16 for The Miracle Worker, and recipient of three Emmy Awards, Ms. Duke also starred in the truly awful Valley of the Dolls. An astounding career and a brave lady. read full bio We celebrate our 30th episode with fun facts from 30 years ago, 1986: Martin Luther King Jr. Day is celebrated for the first time, the Iran-Contra affair was tops in the news, Top Gun is the highest grossing film of the year, and more. The last thing Gary needs is a safe haven for sharks. Lo and behold, Ecuador has created a shark sanctuary off the Galapagos Islands the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. National Geographic story Would that someone would create a non-shark ocean sanctuary for Gary! In Chicago news, you'll hear about the curious case of Dennis Nicholl, who used an electronic jamming device on the Chicago subway to block cell phone signals in an attempt to get some peace and quiet on his commute. While we totally support his motives, the Chicago PD were not so forgiving. Full Story Hoping to avoid jail time, he's entered a counseling program to deal with his "problems". To Roscoe, he's a national hero. We share some public transportation horror stories. Perhaps the greatest April Fool's hoax ever perpetrated came from the BBC in 1957 - a report on the bumper spaghetti crop in Italy! Watch this fabulous video of the full original report. Joke's on You As discussed in Episode 28, Roscoe's mother saved many of his boyhood outfits in their original store-bought packaging. Now we have conclusive evidence. Exhibit A..........Roscoe's Cub Scout Uniform with a tiny snapshot of him wearing it as a youngster. Kind of gets you all misty-eyed, doesn't it? In addition, Roscoe tells a remarkable story about his brush with the Boy Scouts and his school testing him for a gifted student program in 3rd grade. Booth One wishes all the best to retiring Goodman Theatre stage manager Joe Drummond. After 42 years and 133 Goodman productions, Joe is hanging up his stopwatch and prompt books. Good luck, Joe, and thanks for all the tremendous work over the years. read more Sadly, Barbara Cook has postponed the entire New York engagement of her scheduled one-woman show Then and Now, co-written with James Lapine and directed by Tommy Tune. see more at Playbill.com Gary and Roscoe already had tickets and were looking forward to a Booth One experience with Ms. Cook. Here's hoping that the show will  get mounted somewhere one day soon. Gary tempts Roscoe with visions of comfort and luxury by featuring two decadent extravagances - a three-floor penthouse for sale in the Plaza...

This is Booth One's second Easter holiday for Gary and Roscoe, having just passed the first anniversary of our podcast. Ross reprises his hilarious story of appearing as a young child in a photo in the Niles Daily Sun  (Michigan) searching for an Easter Egg in the bushes with his "hind-end" in focus. We appeal to our Booth One podcast nation for a copy of this priceless photo. Happy hunting! And when in Chicago, don't forget to visit The Fudge Pot chocolate store in Old Town to satisfy your sweet tooth! visit their site Gary talks about his beloved mother Dolores's favorite Polish Easter traditions, gathering around pierogi, kielbasa and lamb cake -- the art of lively conversation flourishing. Our Waspy producer had to get used to the volume. For Poles, Easter is the holiest day of the year. Read more about the food here. Update on the presidential race: As the GOP may soon meet it's death in the general election, Gary suggests the GOP symbol elephant might go to the amazing Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee. This 2700 acre retirement home is filled with features of their natural habitats and is closed to the public. How cool is that? For educational and observational purposes, there are 14 solar-powered "elecams". We love everything about this. Check out the details here!Speaking of lame elephants, Donald Trump. Here's something: One of Trump's first business ventures out of college was backing a Broadway show called Paris is Out by Richard Seff in 1970. The show ran for 96 performances at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Would that his campaign closes as quickly. Details in this great NYT story. LEARN MORE about Gary Z and Roscoe when they play Chat Pack, our favorite game. We aspire to write our own Chat Pack for the show. If you have ideas for questions, please send them in. This week the Broadway chat boards were alive with controversy and invective as actress Patti Murin rebutted some snarky comments that cropped up on BroadwayWorld.com. web site Not only did they vilify the musical Nerds! she was working on that just got shut down in rehearsals for lack of funding, but some comments go right after the talent of the actors. Her responses are witty and priceless and should lead to more oversight of these chat boards in the future. read more Find out how Roscoe learned his lesson in writing on the chat boards in his story about actress Irene Dailey. read bio Looking for that perfectly "little" cute place in the Village or Little Italy? Well, look no further than Mr. Donahue's, a 9-seat restaurant serving hearty meals in a tiny space. go to website No reservations, first come only. Better bring a book. And an umbrella. And find out more about Columbia University student Jonah Reider who opened a restaurant in his dorm room to raise a little extra cash. He's gotten more than he bargained for! read more here Gary and Roscoe recount their Booth One experience attending Chicago Shakespeare Theatre's new production of Othello. As new press list members,

Gary and Roscoe share two astounding Booth One experiences, both figuratively and literally, on this week's episode. But first, Gary profiles the free diver who claims he hypnotized a shark in order to remove a fishing hook caught in its mouth. Talk about a fish tale. Read how to hypnotize a shark!We're not sure we believe this entire story, but if it's true, there's hope for curing Gary's phobia. Maybe. Roscoe gets surprising news that one of his lifelong idols, famed actress and chanteuse Barbara Cook, will be appearing off-Broadway in May in a one-woman show based on her autobiography. Read details about the show here. After picking his jaw up off the floor, Roscoe vows to see her for perhaps the 100th time. Stay tuned for a possible interview opportunity at a later date. Booth One Experience #1 - We had the great privilege of being escorted on a tour of the West Wing of the White House by friend and staff member Bess Evans! She told us the best stories. A truly remarkable and awe-inspiring evening. Thanks to Bess, our group was able to tour the inner offices, stand in the Rose Garden, view the Cabinet Room and the Oval Office, take photos in the Press Briefing Room, and walk through the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. An experience not to be missed if you ever have the opportunity. No matter who's running the place!                                             Big thanks to friend of the show, Sandeep Ghaey (who runs a beautiful wine store called Vinic in our home town) for tipping us off to a great exhibit and leading us to Booth One Experience #2: We were given an insider tour of the current exhibit at the Chicago History Museum, The Secret Lives of Objects - Objects extraordinary and unfamiliar from the Museum's protected vaults tell their tales and shine a light on their mysterious pasts. One thing all the items in The Secret Lives of Objects have in common is that they serve as touchstones to Chicago's rich history; tangible evidence of its glorious, surprising, and infamous past. get more info about this wonderful exhibit here. Our guides for this amazing opportunity were John Russick, co-curator of the exhibit, and Petra Slinkard, the museum's Curator of Costumes. The highlight for Roscoe and Gary was the BOOTH ONE display, consisting of the original three-sided seating booth and the center table from the old Ambassador East Hotel (now the Public). Site of many a celebrity gathering over the years. Thrilling to behold! Shout out to listener and friend of the show, Sandeep Ghaey, for the sighting of the original Booth One!

Gary and Roscoe have Spring Fever, and it isn't even Spring! Full Lyrics They're frisky and spinning daydreams as we begin our second year of Booth One podcasts with two special guests this week. Firstly, on a sad note, erstwhile BFF of Gary's, Carly Fiorina (formerly Carlton S.), has laid her primary campaign to rest. After getting around 4 votes in New Hampshire, it was time to give up the ghost. Fortunately, someone found the perfect burial vault for her campaign .....an old HP copier!Now on to the heart of our episode - we welcome David Catlin Full profile, co-founder of the Lookingglass Theatre Info and Tickets in Chicago; and welcome back Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi read bio, whose interview on Episode 12 is a listener favorite! Sylvia is co-founder and Artistic Director of the Actors Gymnasium get more info here in Evanston, IL, a marvelous training center for circus and theatrical arts, and has had an amazing career as a world-class circus performer. David and Sylvia are appearing together in a new show at the Actors Gymnasium called Marnie & Phil: A Circus Love Story Info and Tickets, written and directed by Chris Mathews of The House Theatre of Chicago read more. Marnie & Phil tells the story of a young aerialist and an aspiring clown as they seek to make their mark in the big time circus world. Their love-lorn tale unfolds through thrilling circus acts, clown routines, acrobatics, gorgeous music and moving dialogue. With a deft touch, writer/director Mathews reveals all the splendor, humor, pathos and sacrifice that being a successful circus performer entails, while subtly illuminating important aspects of the human condition. This show has Heart with a capital H! David and Sylvia tell how they met in 1993 and the various projects they have collaborated on through the years. We learn about their inspirations, the sources of their passion for performing, and how Marnie & Phil reflects their individual lives. Roscoe talks about his fascination with the Silks routines and wonders if one is ever too old to learn... We discuss a sequence in the show where 20 young performers encircle the stage on Unicycles and why the audience finds the sequence so emotionally moving. Sylvia and David tell us about how they have borrowed from the great performers, teachers and instructors over the years to create their own unique aesthetic and techniques. Roscoe proposes that one can't learn to be funny by watching Shecky Greene on TV! See Shecky on YouTube Huge congratulations are in order for Lookingglass Theatre, who this week received a monetary award of $1,000,000 from the MacArthur Foundation, one of 14 Chicago area theatres to be so honored by the "2016 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions". Full story David and ...

Gary and Roscoe welcome Chicago Shakepeare Theatre's Creative Producer Rick Boynton to the show! First a recap of those Republican candidates who have dropped from the race in the wake of the Iowa caucuses - Huckabee, Santorum and Paul. Gary's "girlfriend" Carly Fiorina has nary a pulse and the smart money is on her taking a dive after New Hampshire. We'll know by the time this episode airs. Rick Boynton read full bio is currently Creative Producer at the world-famous Chicago Shakespeare Theatre on Navy Pier in Chicago Learn More. Which means he oversees all the amazing art that appears on stage there. Rick began his career as a performer after graduating from Northwestern University. He has also worked as an agent, a casting director (at Jane Alderman  & Chicago Shakes) and as the Artistic Director at Marriott Lincolnshire Theatre. Rick talks about his years as an actor in such shows as 1776 and Shear Madness. And about his time at Marriott Lincolnshire and the incredible creative minds and spirits he encountered during those years, including a vivid and thrilling description of their production of Miss Saigon on a budget. As well as their staging of new musicals, including Honk! We discuss at length the original musical Sense and Sensibility by Paul Gordon read about the show, which CST mounted on their main stage, and how that project first got started and then came to fruition in a gorgeously produced production. It's a unique inside look at how a theatrical idea is born, nurtured and finally blossoms into a full blown work of art. Another CST project is the recently lauded production of Ride the Cyclone read more, an off-beat, quirky and altogether insightful musical about a group of young choir singers who meet an untimely demise when a roller coaster jumps the track. The kids are left in a kind of purgatory, where a mysterious mechanical wizard promises one of them the opportunity to return to life by telling their story - but they all get to vote. This musical should see plenty of afterlife in New York and regionally. Rick gives us a glimpse into what's in store in terms of new works at CST for the coming season.  Gravedigger's Hamlet read about the show by Michael Mahler, Alan Schmuckler and Laura Schellhardt is scheduled for the fall of 2016 in conjunction with the Shakespeare 400 Chicago Festival about the festival. Shakespeare 400 Chicago is a yearlong international arts festival in 2016 celebrating the vibrancy, relevance and reach of Shakespeare. It involves theatres, museums, music, dance, opera, exhibits, lectures, film, and radio. They'll even be restaurant chefs, creating menus reflective of the themes of a Shakespeare play or sonnet,

Happy Anniversary to us as we celebrate our 25th Episode of Booth One! Sing along with the Flintstones as we toast a milestone in our podcast history. Sing Along Here As a token of this momentous occasion, Gary presents Roscoe with a "silver" quarter from the state commemorative collection, worth at most .25 cents.  Don't spend it all in one place, Roscoe. It's a Gallimaufry show today (gal·li·mau·fry ɡaləˈmôfrē/noun: plural noun: gallimaufries 1. a jumble or medley of things. 2. a dish made of diced from minced meat, especially a hash or ragout), as Gary and Roscoe explore a variety of topical subjects and current trends. First, a thank you to Episode 24 guest Melanie Neilan read bio for being so gracious and entertaining. This is proving to be one of our most listened-to episodes. We're certain that this young actress has an amazing career ahead. And a touch back to the famous Fairy Castle of silent screen star         Colleen Moore. Roscoe and Gary pledge to make a field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry soon to view it in person. Our Sourpus Smithers pet peeves of the week include the outrageously wasteful length of CVS pharmacy receipts read why, and one-armed self check-out customers who can't seem the grasp the concept that two hands are quicker than one! A last goodbye to the Asian elephants of the Ringling Bros. circus. Officials announced that they will retire all the creatures by the end of May 2016, a full two years before previously promised. read full story So if you want to see these wonders of nature up close in performance, better hurry to your nearest arena and catch them while you can. Don't forget! Gary tells a sad story - for a change - of a shark trapped in a chlorinated pool in Florida. Rescuers were likely too late to save the creature, who was placed in the pool by some hooligan youths. Full Story Rewards have been offered and we hope they catch these vandals before they destroy another wild animal. Gary officially retires his Keys to the Carly segment this week, as the famed failed CEO and queen of the helmet hair has been relegated to the under card at the last 3 GOP debates.  Farewell, dear Carlton S. It was fun while it lasted. We suspect this isn't the last we'll hear from Frau Fiorina. The Oscar race is heating up, with controversy and drama regarding the lack of diversity in the 20 acting nominations. NYT Story Who's to blame and what can the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences do to better address the question of gender and racial diversity in the Oscar voting? Hollywood Reporter view Gary and Roscoe Around The Town features a look at some recent and current stage events including - the pre-Broadway Chicago tryout of the new...

Booth One comes to you Live! from Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago.  Read all about this Tony Award-winning Chicago theatre company and its wonderful ensemble and staff here. We invited actress Melanie Neilan, currently appearing in the hit Bruce Norris play Domesticated, to join us for the podcast. See a montage of images from the show or click here to read more about Domesticated's great cast and crew. Melanie has immense talent and gifts - fluent in seven languages, a purple belt in karate, an accomplished ballerina, singer, pianist, stage and film performer - all at the tender age of 19! And she is a lot of fun! Check out her bio here: Melanie Neilan Melanie shares stories of her stage and film acting career, and Gary and Roscoe engage her in some Booth One highjinx. Is it possible to "catch" another person's phobia? That's Melanie's challenge as Gary recounts the discovery of a new shark species that glows in the dark!  read more. Great, now the sharks have learned to be stealthier!         We ask Melanie about her favorite scenes, her favorite actors and who she gets inspired by. Co-stars Mary Beth Fisher and Tom Irwin occupy top places in that hierarchy. Click on these photos to read their bios.   Looking to add new apps to your phone for 2016? The New Yorker magazine has some hilarious suggestions. Read full article. Gary, Roscoe and Melanie are anxious to download a few - if they can find them. Melanie is currently starring in two movies making the festival circuit - Henry Gamble's Birthday Party, written and directed by Stephen Cone go to website and the short film My First Love, written and directed by Mylissa Fitzsimmons go to imbd. Here's hoping that these are just the first of many film projects that come her way! Gary gives a profile of the famous Fairy Castle and the restoration and reconstruction recently completed by the Museum of Science and Industry see video in nearby Hyde Park. Silent film star Colleen Moore spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on it's construction and it remains a permanent public fixture at the MSI read about Colleen Moore. Melanie tells us that her great grandmother bore a striking resemblance to the iconic star with the bobbed haircut. Gary, Melanie and Roscoe send a heart-felt get well soon to often-mentioned Chita Rivera, who sustained an injury over the holidays, resulting in the rescheduling of shows at the Cafe Carlyle in New York from January to April. Take delight in Melanie's spontaneous rendition of the Kander & Ebb song, Why Don't They Mention The Pain, written for Chita especially. Watch Chita perform it

Happy New Year, Podcast listeners! Welcome to 2016 and a special episode of BOOTH ONE. Frequent listeners of our show will be familiar with Writers Theatre of Glencoe, IL [check out the Writers website], where Gary and Roscoe have seen some marvelous productions of dramatic and musical literature over the years. We recently had the great good fortune to sit down with Writers founder and Artistic Director, Michael Halberstam to discuss a wide range of topics, including the new multi-theatre complex scheduled to open in March 2016. Learn more. Michael talks about Writers' history and future, the relationship between audience and actor, what makes great theatre, scale and intimacy, his strongest influences and the crucial role of art and artists in the 21st Century. We discuss Michael's recent collaboration with Tyrone Phillips and the wonderful new Definition Theatre Company read more here, and why mentoring and giving back to new generations of theatre artists is so vital to the culture. We hope you enjoy Michael's eloquence and candor in this insightful and entertaining conversation! We also encourage you to attend a Writers Theatre production when in the Chicago area. Writers inaugural productions for the new theatre facility:

A hearty Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to our fans and listeners! Gary and Roscoe celebrate their first holiday podcast with Seasons Greetings!  Need an Elf name? The official Santa's Elf Name Generator (Like this  Or this) helps Gary and Roscoe find just the right moniker for their North Pole residency. Frank Capra figures prominently in today's episode, so we're introducing a new segment inspired by the wonderful 1941 film Meet John Doe. More about the film It's the character of "Sourpuss Smithers" read more, and it gives Gary and Roscoe a chance to air their pet peeves of the week. Roscoe's is all about the misuse of language, while Gary can't bear waiting in line. Tune in for more of what makes us sourpusses in future episodes. Happy Birthday, Frank Sinatra!  He'd be 100 today. It was a very good century... Broadway openings this week include Al Pacino in China Doll Variety review, and Jennifer Hudson in The Color Purple NY Times review.   Plus School of Rock, the Andrew Lloyd Webber  musical Variety review.   Booth One Experience #1 - Gary and our producer attend the final dress rehearsal of the the Lyric Opera's original production of Bel Canto, adapted from the novel by Ann Patchett.  A thrilling experience and one made even more special by a brush with the great world-class soprano Renee Fleming! We even rub elbows with the composer and librettist! What a day! Chicago Tribune review   Booth One Experience #2 - Our featured segment this week is an interview with Karolyn Grimes Official site, known to all as Zuzu Bailey in the original 1946 film It's A Wonderful Life. Gary caught up with her busy Christmas season schedule at the beautiful Genesee Theatre web site in Waukegan, Illinois, where she was doing a presentation prior to the screenings of the film. We talk about the film, her childhood, her career, and her newfound calling as the ambassador of the movie and its legacy. And there are a few surprises, like her favorite Christmas movies (besides IAWL) and what she pretended to be most as a child. We hope you enjoy the piece. A shout out to friend of the podcast Marie Noble and her Booth One experience as singer Andrea Bocelli makes a surprise appearance at her company Christmas party in New York. Now that's Booth One-y! Here's the link to the TMZ story. How cool to have Bocelli drop by on his way to Madison Square Garden to sing Ave Maria for his friend's party. Don't forget to send us your Booth One photos and experiences so that we can post to our website. Reach out to us at www.Booth-One.com or on Facebook. We appreciate the "likes"! Kiss of Death: Holly Woodlawn, transgender star of 1970's underground films and protege of ...

It's the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas and Gary and Roscoe are in festive moods. They relate their favorite decorations and where you can see the best of the holiday season in Chicago. Roscoe visited the 40th Annual Lillstreet Holiday Show & Sale and he has a particular take on the goings on. read more here It's time to call a spade a spade and stop pussyfooting around with sharks! Sydney Morning News writer Frank Robson makes his case for ending the "encounters" terminology and just calling an attack an atack. "If we consistently offer ourselves up for a mugging in their shadowy world, chances are that one of them will eventually oblige." Full story Who needs long-running shows? Chicago does! Gary and Roscoe discuss the closing of Million Dollar Quartet after 8 years, and whatever happened to sit-down companies, both Broadway-style and off-Loop. City Center Encores! will present a series of talk shows about musical theatre entitled "Unscripted", streamed live on line from NYC and later available as videos and podcasts. Wish we'd have thought of this first! All about it Roscoe relates a Liza Minnelli anecdote - facts and details unverifiable. We review recent Broadway openings - A View From the Bridge (rave), and (less than rave) Misery. Bridge Review                                                                      Misery Review A shout out to entrepreneurs Justin and Dave for their bacon-themed condiments and gifts. Friend of the show Margalit Fox passed on this oddball website featuring Bacon Salt, Baconnaise, Bacon Underwear and the ultimate, Bacon Cooking Armor!         Makes a great stocking stuffer! Just keep the dogs away.  Check out their products Gary recounts his visit to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus this past week. To hear him tell it, this truly is "The Greatest Show On Earth". Gary agrees with Chris Jones in the Trib that these elephants are getting a wonderful send-off: Chris Jones storyWe're giving away another $100 Gift Card to a fine Chicago eating establishment. This time it's The Dawson on west Grand Avenue. Menu items include Moroccan Spiced Lamb Chili, Chicken Fried 6 oz. Lobster (yum!!) and a whole Broiled Fish served with Taco Fixings. Just sign up on our mailing list here on the website.

Gary and Roscoe are joined once again by old friend George from Midlothian as we discuss a wide range of topics on this, our 20th Episode! Thank you loyal listeners and fans for getting us this far. We plan to be around for many more. Gary gets Roscoe's and George's take on the three-ring circus clown car that is the GOP Presidential Debate scene. Get a Republican POV Gary's Keys to the Carly this week is that she looked more "human" than in the last debate. Not saying much considering her dismal 7% poll rating among GOP debate viewers.  Read a fascinating account of Presidential debates throughout history written by dear friend of the show, Newt Minow here. The boys talk about the shocking and unbelievable developments in the case of Fox Lake police officer Joe Gliniewicz... ...and this week's revelations that has the entire community stunned and feeling betrayed. Full story Need some help with your turkey? The friendly folks at Butterball's Turkey Talk-Line will give you advice and assistance with your poultry predicaments. We'll read you a few of the choicer calls they've received over the years. Contact Butterball Are you a big tipper? Do you believe in rewarding good service in a restaurant? We'll discuss the movement afoot in the restaurant industry to abolish tipping and increase the price of a meal in order to more equitably compensate staff other than servers. Are you for or against? Read more. And check this out. Gary issues a warning to new-dog owner George about a disturbing statistic - at least 10 Americans have been shot by dogs since 2004. Read about Trigger shooting her companion in the foot! What? What? Don't Tell Me! We examine the increasing prevalence of earpieces on Broadway feeding lines to aging stars - from Cicely Tyson to Al Pacino to Bruce Willis. NY Post Story It's become part of the illusion of theatre that actors now look like the know their lines! More Misery The musical The Man Who Murdered Sherlock Holmes - Arthur Conan Doyle - will receive a world-premiere production at Chicago's Mercury Theatre in January 2016. From the creators of The Christmas Schooner. Not to be missed!

Gary and Roscoe are in full Halloween mode as they pay tribute to the holiday with some last-minute costume ideas. Check out Sam Apple's hilarious suggestions for ways to be the talk of the party here. We begin with a heartwarming (yes!) story about a shark in Florida who may have saved Eugene Finney's life. Finally, a friendly shark tale! full story Gary talks about Carly Fiorina's declining poll numbers and wonders how much longer she will remain relevant enough to keep the "Keys to the Carly" segment topical. Roscoe thinks "not much longer." Unless she starts spending her money on something other than very questionable hair styling. see up to date polling numbers here Further developments in the case against former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and the money laundering case against him. Could it be that his recent guilty plea will provide the means to cover up his alleged child sexual abuse crimes?  Sounds like a betrayal of the public trust to us. Ross reminds us that his sister, who lives near Yorkville, may have a theory about the identity of Individual A.  read more After 46 years, the Chicago Christmas Tree will not be in the Daley Plaza but on a specially built platform in Millennium Park. Maybe not a big deal to some, but a huge deal to born-and-raised Chicago-ans. Roscoe and Gary agree that this could be a marvelous new beginning for a great holiday tradition. Gary gets Roscoe's reaction to reviews of The Humans review  and Therese Raquin review on Broadway. Having seen both and commented on them in a previous episode, we'll find out how the critics' opinions stack up to Roscoe's. Gary reviews Marjorie Prime, the very last production to be held at the famous Books on Vernon bookstore in Glencoe, IL, home to Writer's Theatre.  read more about the play Roscoe has a Booth One experience at local piano bar and cabaret club Davenport's when he went to see the immensely talented Karen Mason read more here. Roscoe shares some stories about Ms. Mason over the years and recounts his encounter with her at Davenports. Gary stuns Roscoe with the news that the never-revived, seldom seen musical Funny Girl is to get a new production at the Savoy Theatre in London's West End.  We're saving our frequent flyer miles!! Gary gives a shout out to to the Therapy Players,

We are beyond thrilled to feature an interview with hero to the show, Margalit Fox! Brought to you from the newsroom of the New York Times. Margalit is the author of most of the obituaries Gary chooses to read during "Kiss of Death," the concluding segment of each show episode. He selects them based on his fascination with the lives they depict and how beautifully they are written. Having the chance to talk with her at the Times was, as he says on the show, "one of the great Booth One experiences of my life!" Before we get to that interview, Gary and Roscoe continue to describe experiences from their recent visits to New York City. Roscoe recounts seeing Therese Raquin, starring Keira Knightly; Drop Deap Perfect by the Peccadillo Theatre Company; and The Humans by Stephen Karam. About the playwright  He has great anecdotes about one-on-one encounters with Karam before and after the show.     Gary shares his thrilling experience at the Cafe Carlyle seeing Kurt Elling and his band in an intimate setting, performing a remarkable and moving program of Sinatra classics.  A great night was had by all!! Cafe Carlyle Site Here is some of the amazing history of the hotel, which has been frequented by luminaries such as John F. Kennedy and Mick Jaggar. History of Carlyle Roscoe attends a performance at Don't Tell Mama and sees a faux Judy and Liza, but just misses the legendary Melba Moore read more!  Booth One note: actress and sister of Arther Miller, Ms. Joan Copeland, was seated at a nearby table! Copeland Bio This episode's HUGE special treat is an interview with Senior Staff writer for the New York Times, our favorite obituary author, Ms. Margalit Fox.  Gary sits down with Margo for an intimate chat about writing, death and the near-dead, along with a few surprises. For instance, he learns that like himself, she is a cellist! And she tells him about an unusual and fascinating creative pastime. Trained as a linguist, Margalit also writes marvelous non-fiction books, including The Riddle of the Labyrinth published in 2013. She is at work on a new manuscript. We can't wait! After the interview, Gary gave her two pink flamingos, which is what he now gives each of the show's guests. Particularly fitting for her since he was inspired to give them by her obituary of Don Featherstone, inventor of the pink flamingo lawn ornament. Find a link to Fox's Featherstone obit and hear Gary read excerpts in  TALKSports episode 9. Margalit told us she put them in a plant in the obit department. We hope someday to get a photo. In the meantime,

Gary and Roscoe "start spreadin' the news" of their separate New York excursions to see what's happening on Broadway and around the Big Apple. First, Gary updates us on what's new with fact-challenged Carly Fiorina in this week's "Keys to the Carly."  Allergic to saying things that are true? Carly's Pack of Lies And beware those freshwater swimming excursions - conclusive evidence of Gary's contention that sharks are everywhere! read more at your peril     Gary and Roscoe recount their Booth One experiences at a number of theatrical events and discuss the many plays and musicals they saw in New York.       The Fantasticks, The King and I, Fool for Love, Fun Home, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Something Rotten, Brian d'Arcy James read more, The Gin Game, King Charles III         Gary and Brian d'Arcy James visiting in Brian's dressing room after Something Rotten. They last worked together on an Irving Berlin review at CSO.                A shout out to Ali McGraw and Ryan O'Neal, tragic stars of Love Story, as they open Love Letters in Los Angeles read review. The winner of the $100 Gift Card to The Gage Restaurant Chicago is..........Larry Frievalt!  Congratulations, Larry.  Enjoy! Kiss of Death Jean Darling - Child star of the Our Gang comedy films, she was born Jean LeVake in 1922 and began her career at the age of 4.  Though her film appearances were short-lived, Ms. Darling went on the play Carrie Pipperidge in the original 1945 Broadway production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel.  In the 50's, "Baby Jean" hosted a musical variety TV show called A Date With Jean Darling, and sang with Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby. The Guardian obit

We're re-branding!  TalkSports is now BOOTH ONE!  Named in honor of the famous "Booth One" at the Pump Room in the former Ambassador East hotel in Chicago's trendy River North.  It was for decades the most sought-after seat in the house, as those celebrities seated there could be seen from the lobby, the bar and the rest of the room. [Booth One]  We strive to bring you the finest Booth One experiences as we explore the worlds of Culture and the Arts.  See our ABOUT page for more... In this week's Keys to the Car-ly segment, we review Ms. Fiorina's performance on the recent GOP debate and the many "mic drop" moments she claims to have scored during the proceedings.  Did her campaign staff get it right?  What is a mic drop moment? Roscoe falls on his sword while issuing some corrections to misinformation about Cinecon given in Episode 15.  Despite the errors, we are still in awe of his silent film knowledge and he continues to amaze with his Gary and Roscoe preview the upcoming Broadway and Chicago theatre seasons as they prepare for separate trips to New York to see a few shows. View 15-16 Season Preview here We also review our last ten days of Booth One experiences, including a dress rehearsal of Steppenwolf Theatre's East of Eden [link to Steppenwolf], front row seats at Cirque du Soleil's Kurios [Cirque Kurios], and Northlight Theatre's opening night of Funnyman, starring George Wendt and  Tim Kazurinsky [go to Northlight Site].  Kiss of Death We profile the life and times of legendary actor Dean Jones, star of stage and screen.  Jones was most widely known for his starring appearances in a number of Disney films, including The Love Bug and That Darn Cat.  Theater-philes will of course remember Jones as the original Bobby in Stephen Sondheim's Company.  Read more