It's our last episode coming in hot right before the Tonys and we have a lot to talk about as we wrap up our last two shows we're covering as well as some quick takes about shows we didn't get to! Timestamps included if you're only interested in specific shows, and as usual beware of spoilers.



Note that this was recorded before both cast albums were released so apologies for the inconsistencies where our memories failed us!



Real Women Have Curves: 1:29

Buena Vista Social Club: 51:38

Just in Time: 1:15:26

Boop: 1:22:17

Smash: 1:25:26

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The show Cindy mentions in the intro, which played in Portland and is also available as a comedy special on Dropout TV [https://www.dropout.tv/chris-grace-as-scarlett-johansson].

An interesting essay [https://www.americantheatre.org/2024/01/23/the-new-real-women-musical-has-curves-but-what-about-complexity/.%E2%81%A0] from the out of town run of Real Women that touches on some of the issues we had with the show.

Cindy's senior year yearbook quote [https://getyarn.io/yarn-clip/9a74b469-7117-4bb1-b12c-b5ba0bd39800]

An interview [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YCqx1cvwNg] where the creators of Buena Vista Social Club talk about bringing it to Broadway and what the album means to them.

Jonathan Groff's Actors on Actors conversation [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0cOJSIwkvQ]with Nicole Scherzinger where he talks extensively about loving Bobby Darin (the rest of the series is well worth a watch too!)

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Music featured in this episode:

Real Women Have Curves: The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Apple Music [https://music.apple.com/us/album/real-women-have-curves-the-musical-original-broadway/1813395457] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/0KKuGKaHvSPtYYUXHq2YNN]

Buena Vista Social Club (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Apple Music [https://music.apple.com/us/album/buena-vista-social-club-original-broadway-cast-recording/1817170655] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/4hhestx62URk30bHlDHrOp]

Just in Time - Jonathan Groff [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oE3YGsivUn8]

Where I Wanna Be - Jasmine Amy Rogers [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L-kAjn3Lgw&list=OLAK5uy_n7mQVuml2i4noxh5uxqRxu4l2Y8M0BBRY]

Let Me Be Your Star - Bella Coppola [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHvmZ1XmEkA]

—

Follow us on Twitter [https://twitter.com/BottomlessBway] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bottomlessbway/] @BottomlessBway, our blog at https://bottomlessbway.home.blog [https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/], or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com! You can also leave feedback in this 30-second survey [https://forms.gle/BXUqJiNdjAWaQRCJ9].

Real Women Have Curves & Buena Vista Social Club

There’s been a trend emerging in this year’s Broadway musicals, which begs the question: will they be “Alive Forever” or only be around “’Til Death”?  In this episode we discuss two shows both involving death and decide whether they make “Something from Nothing” so you can be the judge!

As usual, spoilers ahead!

Death Becomes Her: 1:00

Dead Outlaw: 57:54

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We definitely weren’t the only ones to notice the “dead body character” trend, and there’s a whole award from MemesOnBway [https://www.instagram.com/p/DJHMK7-Oq7t/?img_index=1&igsh=MWppZjVucHh1MWZtYg==⁠] about it.

A lot of Christine’s impression of what Death Becomes Her would be like came from Sabrina Carpenter’s Taste music video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEG7b851Ric], which also pays homage to the movie.

The infamous staircase fall is accomplished by former gymnast Warren Yang [https://www.theatrely.com/post/death-becomes-warren-yang-meet-the-ensemble-performer-slaying-the-stunts], and you can also watch more about how it was put together with all the design elements: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Vxm_x2_Qo 

Despite being on Broadway, Dead Outlaw is still set to release on Audible [https://www.audible.com/pd/Dead-Outlaw-Audiobook/B0F6DGSNH2⁠] on October 2, so you can take a listen to it then!

Elmer did indeed travel further as a dead body than he did alive, as Wikipedia helpfully shows [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer_McCurdy#/media/File:Elmer_McCurdy_(Odyssey_waymap)_edited.svg].

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Music featured in this episode:

Death Becomes Her (Original Broadway Cast Recording) [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLs-vpX3qcyYvslf5a_czPpDZ_LZ5H_FVn]

Dead Outlaw (Original Broadway Cast Recording) [Part 1] [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kF19MSd8GXXJWOBeouBQ7iGRN7GHT_0V0]

The Whole Being Dead Thing - Beetlejuice [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ADY7FGtwmM]

—

Follow us on Twitter [https://twitter.com/BottomlessBway] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bottomlessbway/] @BottomlessBway, our blog at https://bottomlessbway.home.blog [https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/], or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com! You can also leave feedback in this 30-second survey [https://forms.gle/BXUqJiNdjAWaQRCJ9].

Death Becomes Her & Dead Outlaw

Did we do it? We're back to wrap up our recap on Operation Mincemeat and give some already-obsolete Tony predictions.

If you haven't already, take a listen to Part 1 first: Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bottomless-broadway/id1457465060?i=1000706768208] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/1dUw64TaxlrcOKoKcckESl?si=6J_OG5dMRMyPoVM-73Ajmg]

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If you want to take a listen to the podcast that started it all, here's the episode that Natasha Hodgson drew inspiration from, on the Stuff You Should Know podcast: Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/selects-operation-mincemeat-how-a-corpse-fooled-the-nazis/id278981407?i=1000526093370] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2jEmHhbKSROxw4B4fpmSxd]

And you can hear about how they originally put the show together on Variety's Stagecraft podcast [https://variety.com/2025/legit/news/operation-mincemeat-broadway-musical-1236312049/]

Are you a mincefluencer? Turns out they've been up to a lot of investigating themselves: NYT article [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/26/theater/operation-mincemeat-descendants-family.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Gk8.w_yI.urKUNkoXjRKz&smid=url-share]

The tomb of William Martins is an actual memorial [https://turismo.huelva.es/en/routes-monuments/british-legacy-route/william-martins-tomb/] in Huelva, Spain that you can go visit.

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Music featured in this episode:

Too Bad - G-Dragon [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaMblWT0SXY]

Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical (Original Cast Recording)

⁠Apple Music⁠ [https://music.apple.com/nz/album/operation-mincemeat-a-new-musical-original-cast-recording/1680225222] / ⁠Spotify⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/album/0gA0nTUk4CNoHbRljF5BP3] / ⁠Amazon Music⁠ [https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0C15NLBDZ]

—

Follow us on ⁠Twitter⁠ [https://twitter.com/BottomlessBway] and ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/bottomlessbway/] @BottomlessBway, our blog at ⁠https://bottomlessbway.home.blog⁠ [https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/], or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com! You can also leave feedback in this ⁠30-second survey⁠ [https://forms.gle/BXUqJiNdjAWaQRCJ9].

Operation Mincemeat, Part 2

Welcome to the first half of our recap of Operation Mincemeat, where we discuss whether this show is "Dead in the Water" or whether it's "Born to Lead"!

Usual spoiler warnings apply

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Natasha Hodgson and Jak Malone discuss some of the early stages of the show (including who would play what role) on the Playbill Podcast [https://playbill.com/article/listen-operation-mincemeat-stars-natasha-hodgson-and-jak-malone-infiltrate-the-playbill-podcast].

Maybe you were on the email list asking whether or not the show was "too British for Broadway" [https://www.theatermania.com/news/is-ioperation-mincemeat-i-too-british-for-broadway-the-west-end-hit-plots-its-course-to-new-york_1740027/].

Dear Bill has become a new favorite song for many people (some present company excluded), and Jak Malone breaks down what it's like to sing it for an interview with Vulture [https://www.vulture.com/article/jak-malone-operation-mincemeat-dear-bill.html].

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Music featured in this episode:

Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical (Original Cast Recording)

Apple Music [https://music.apple.com/nz/album/operation-mincemeat-a-new-musical-original-cast-recording/1680225222] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/0gA0nTUk4CNoHbRljF5BP3] / Amazon Music [https://www.amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0C15NLBDZ]

—

Follow us on Twitter [https://twitter.com/BottomlessBway] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bottomlessbway/] @BottomlessBway, our blog at https://bottomlessbway.home.blog [https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/], or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com! You can also leave feedback in this 30-second survey [https://forms.gle/BXUqJiNdjAWaQRCJ9].

Operation Mincemeat, Part 1

We're "Nothing Short of Thankful" that we got a chance to see this show during its short run, and we come bearing thoughts on how well it turned out!

As usual, spoilers ahead!

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The overall show is primarily based on the Mignonette [https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVPGzOHIIgz_4y0ePBKx8uD6d6tJl9irD] album by the Avett Brothers (though it brings in quite a few songs from other albums as well). You can also read more here [https://wrvu.org/mignonette-the-story-behind-the-name-of-that-album-some-guys-made/] about the event that it was based on.

Remember when Armie Hammer was thought to be a cannibal [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/armie-hammer-cannibalism-sexual-misconduct-scandal-1235924603/]? Crazy times.

This Rolling Stones article [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/the-avett-brothers-tried-to-take-a-bite-out-of-broadway-literally-1235233336/] does a great job of explaning the story behind how Swept Away came to be, from conception to its ultimate closing.

If you enjoyed Adrian Blake Enscoe as Little Brother, check out his band Bandits on the Run [https://www.banditsontherun.nyc/], who are also currently adapting What's Eating Gilbert Grape into a musical.

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Music featured in this episode:

Swept Away (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Apple Music [https://music.apple.com/ca/album/swept-away-original-broadway-cast-recording/1788977996] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/7HrV2bSBtr2u647Hf8bC6i] / Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DSCKQWJ7]

Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gX1EP6mG-E]

—

Follow us on Twitter [https://twitter.com/BottomlessBway] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bottomlessbway/] @BottomlessBway, our blog at https://bottomlessbway.home.blog [https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/], or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com! You can also leave feedback in this 30-second survey [https://forms.gle/BXUqJiNdjAWaQRCJ9].



Swept Away

Robots that fall in love--is it cute or a sign of our impending doom? Take a listen as we dive into the ups and downs of what it means to have a robot musical right now!

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Check out this musical's journey from South Korea to Broadway and how it came to be [https://www.broadway.com/buzz/204892/a-kind-of-love-story-how-the-creators-of-the-sci-fi-adventure-romcom-maybe-happy-ending-learned-to-connect/]!

Michael Arden, who directed the show, also did an Ask Me Anything on Reddit [https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadway/comments/1gva2c6/im_michael_arden_director_of_maybe_happy_ending/] that might shed more light onto certain aspects of the show

Those who follow the show closely may be aware that the real diva is HwaBoon [https://www.instagram.com/thereal_hwaboon/?hl=en], making his Broadway debut...

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Music featured in this episode:

Maybe Happy Ending (Original Cast Recording)

Apple Music [https://music.apple.com/us/album/maybe-happy-ending-original-broadway-cast-recording/1796379586] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/6wy7RABc6fzVw6kEzQOkYd] / Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DX57MB1V]

—

Follow us on Twitter [https://twitter.com/BottomlessBway] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bottomlessbway/] @BottomlessBway, our blog at https://bottomlessbway.home.blog [https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/], or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com! You can also leave feedback in this 30-second survey [https://forms.gle/BXUqJiNdjAWaQRCJ9].

Maybe Happy Ending

We're back again to finish out what we started with our coverage on Sunset Boulevard! So take a listen as we dive into a stroll outside, Andrew Lloyd Webber's reuse of melodies, and some Tony chances--is she really the greatest star of all?

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Curious about how the now infamous title song works in this production? The New York Times [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/22/theater/sunset-boulevard-broadway-outdoor.html?unlocked_article_code=1.1k4.SnUj.0RANHbO1DAM8&smid=url-share] dishes some behind the scenes details. Or you can see a version of it they performed for the Olivier Awards [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVKGIscnLyU].

Sunset shares a lot of traits with Death Becomes Her (keep an eye out for our episode on that yet to come!), not in the least the inclusion of compact [https://aracaeventmerch.com/products/death-becomes-her-wrinkled-compact-1] mirrors [https://playbillstore.com/products/sunset-blvd-mirror-compact] in their merch.

Never heard of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cricket musical? Take a listen to Tim Rice's podcast [https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com/podcasts/get-onto-my-cloud-the-tim-rice-podcast/the-lost-cricket-musical/43]where he explains it all.

If you haven't seen Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, you might not get the reference to Swimchan [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mkf5VnLWjsE], but it might also contain a couple similarities to Norma Desmond.

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Music featured in this episode:

SUNSET BLVD: The Album

⁠Apple Music⁠ [https://music.apple.com/ro/album/sunset-blvd-the-album/1765012658] / ⁠Spotify⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/album/4NatUeuL2oG0XN9c2KcE45] / ⁠Amazon Music⁠ [https://www.amazon.com/SUNSET-BLVD-Andrew-Lloyd-Webber/dp/B0DF9FBZRM]

Half a Moment⁠ - Jeeves (1975) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj6yT83k1BY]

--

Follow us on ⁠Twitter⁠ [https://twitter.com/BottomlessBway] and ⁠Instagram⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/bottomlessbway/] @BottomlessBway, our blog at ⁠https://bottomlessbway.home.blog⁠ [https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/], or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com! You can also leave feedback in this ⁠30-second survey⁠ [https://forms.gle/BXUqJiNdjAWaQRCJ9].



Sunset Boulevard (2024), Part 2

Everything's as if we never said goodbye, because we're back for our new season with a 2 part pre-season bonus! So join us to see if we've found new ways to dream as we talk about the Jamie Lloyd-directed revival of Sunset Boulevard--after all, she may just be the greatest star of all...

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Of course, the musical is based heavily on the Billy Wilder movie [https://youtu.be/_dY0SVxnHjQ], and this production even more so. But did you know it was also adapted for radio [https://youtu.be/sO3cmYM2VW4] with the original stars?

If you, like Christine, have been going down the rabbit hole in finding the meaning of everything in this production, check out this primer on Brecht and epic theatre [https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zwmvd2p/revision/1].

Or if you, like Cindy, have also been wondering why people keep congregating around a drugstore, it turns out Schwab's Pharmacy [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schwab%27s_Pharmacy] was more than just that.

Check out this interview [https://variety.com/2024/legit/news/nicole-scherzinger-sunset-boulevard-jim-parsons-our-town-vareiety-business-of-broadway-2024-1236178939/] with Jamie Lloyd and Nicole Scherzinger about this production of Sunset (skip to around 53:00) and how it came to be.

Today's the day! [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iASS0_j4s3o]

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Music featured in this episode:

SUNSET BLVD: The Album

Apple Music [https://music.apple.com/ro/album/sunset-blvd-the-album/1765012658] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/4NatUeuL2oG0XN9c2KcE45] / Amazon Music [https://www.amazon.com/SUNSET-BLVD-Andrew-Lloyd-Webber/dp/B0DF9FBZRM]

Fairytale of New York [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8] - The Pogues

--

Follow us on Twitter [https://twitter.com/BottomlessBway] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bottomlessbway/]@BottomlessBway, our blog at https://bottomlessbway.home.blog [https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/], or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com! You can also leave feedback in this 30-second survey [https://forms.gle/BXUqJiNdjAWaQRCJ9].

Sunset Boulevard (2024), Part 1

Our (most likely) final episode of the season is here, and it includes two shows that both included Ryan Vasquez in their out of town tryouts: The Notebook and The Outsiders! So even if you've got "Great Expectations", come take a listen to find out "If This Is Love" from us for these shows.

PLUS we give you a little bonus section with our thoughts on The Heart of Rock and Roll at the end

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Christine's reaction to The Notebook was not dissimilar to Jesse Green's reaction [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/14/theater/the-notebook-review-broadway-musical.html?unlocked_article_code=1.zk0.OasT.uw3FrbVpww9l&smid=url-share], as much as she hates to admit it

My Days [https://www.tiktok.com/@notebookmusical/video/7371509219499035946] has kind of blown up on TikTok, so we're sure to see many more covers of it in the future

Listen to Adam Rapp [https://broadwayradio.com/blog/2024/05/16/stagecraft-adam-rapp-for-the-outsiders/] talk about adapting The Outsiders to a musical on the Stagecraft podcast hosted on BroadwayRadio

Get a deeper dive [https://www.nytimes.com/card/2024/06/10/theater/outsiders-rumble?unlocked_article_code=1.zk0.Nbjr.2CJzQrhIGMeV&smid=url-share] (with some clips) on how The Outsiders staged their rumble

Let us know what your favorites for the Tonys are, and happy Tonys weekend!

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Music featured in this episode:

The Notebook (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Apple Music [https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-notebook-original-broadway-cast-recording/1735597384] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/63ujCmTJYeJBkHI3pPg7La] / Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0CXW4XSRJ]

The Outsiders - A New Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Apple Music [https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-outsiders-a-new-musical-original-broadway/1746786700] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/67tJ9sRxyaLcj7QQzt1wPk] / Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0D4C7ZDYM]

—

Follow us on Twitter [https://twitter.com/BottomlessBway] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bottomlessbway/] @BottomlessBway, our blog at https://bottomlessbway.home.blog [https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/], or email us at bottomlessbway@gmail.com! You can also leave feedback in this 30-second survey [https://forms.gle/BXUqJiNdjAWaQRCJ9].

The Notebook & The Outsiders

This is coming out a little later than expected, but we're back with another double header, talking about Lempicka and Illinoise. So take a listen to see whether Lempicka really is "Perfection" and come on and feel the Illinoise!

Note: Illinoise deals with the topic of suicide, which is talked about in this podcast.

--

The "looking for a man in finance" audio that Cindy mentions has spawned many parodies, including this one [https://youtube.com/shorts/0QAGrzUBi8U?si=awAboeK--1q9kcjr] from the Broadway production of The Great Gatsby.

If you haven't seen Schmigadoon [https://tv.apple.com/us/show/schmigadoon/umc.cmc.1tqmf2znhr4oui4vo69ircyui] and you're listening to this podcast...well here's your sign to do so! (And for whatever it's worth, Christine thinks that season 2 is even better than season 1.)

Check out the digital program [https://issuu.com/parkavenuearmory/docs/paa-illinoise-program-issuu-r1?fbclid=IwAR3Qeq9xuWJ696Mo5bdKY3GdoJxe6RGRwTlvMXx1CjqOa5U03GfAWIBUcts] for Illinoise, including Henry's journal

If you're unfamiliar with Sufjan Stevens's music, we hear that Carrie & Lowell [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wX8vpzU_i_c]and the Call Me By Your Name soundtrack [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zN98dHSFgQ] come highly recommended

And if you want to know more about Jackie Sibblies Drury's work, definitely check out her play Fairview [https://www.dramatists.com/cgi-bin/db/single.asp?key=5910]

The New York Times critics were divided on the off-Broadway run of Illinoise, with the chief theater critic giving it a rave [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/07/theater/illinoise-review-sufjan-stevens-justin-pick.html?unlocked_article_code=1.zE0.KK7Z.8vx3NxXQyxTF&smid=url-share] and the dance critic giving it a pan [https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/13/arts/dance/illinoise-dance-justin-peck.html?unlocked_article_code=1.zE0.fX6m.YDzN5zp6qWkI&smid=url-share].

--

Music featured in this episode:

From Lempicka (cast album out next week!)

 * Our Time [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkpevV8YSNk]
 * Unseen [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXpx1Pru-IE]
 * Perfection [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIg5lm797DE]
 * Woman Is [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZpeyr11uVM]
 * Speed [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cShIqCXQMjI]

Illinoise: A New Musical (Original Cast Recording)

Apple Music [https://music.apple.com/us/album/illinoise-a-new-musical-original-cast-recording/1748216910] / Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/7bELJsLJfeTYzgtVsQiwUa] / Amazon Music [https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0D4VYWL4S]

—

Follow us on Twitter [https://twitter.com/BottomlessBway] and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/bottomlessbway/] @BottomlessBway, our blog at https://bottomlessbway.home.blog [https://bottomlessbway.home.blog/], or email us at bottoml

Lempicka & Illinoise

Cindy and Christine praise the heroes of each Broadway season's newest musicals and bring its heinous villains to justice over bottomless libations. Who doesn't want to listen to two industry outsiders judge professionals who perform for a living? Experience is overrated...some would say. But alcohol is not. They know what they're talking about!

Bottomless Broadway