In my over-twenty years of Broadway and Off Broadway theatergoing, there have been a handful of productions that were so unique, and so special, that I’ll never forget them.

Scott Schwartz directed two of them.

One was the ridiculously funny, ripped from the tabloids, Bat Boy: The Musical (oh that spoof of the Lion King number – before everyone was doing spoofs of The Lion King).  And the other was Tick, Tick… Boom!, starring a not-yet-a-star Raul Esparza (oh that moment when Amy Spanger was belting out “Come To Your Senses,” as Raul, as Jonathan Larson, mouthed the words behind her).

Scott has directed on and Off Broadway (Jane Eyre, Golda’s Balcony, Murder for Two) and most recently was appointed the Artistic Director of the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, NY, or as Sag Harbor is more commonly referred to, “The Hamptons.”

I got to spend some time at Bay Street a few weeks ago and was super impressed with the space, the artists, and Scott’s vision of where they’re going to take the theater in the next decade (notice I didn’t say “where they want to take the theater. . . ” because I have no doubt with Scott’s leadership they will).

Oh, and in addition to his Directing and Artistic Directing credits, Scott is also a Tony Nominator (we get all the fancy folks on this podcast, don’t we?).

So listen in to this in-the-trenches podcast to hear . . .

• The difference between directing in regional theater versus directing on Broadway
• How being the son of Stephen Schwartz helped influence Scott’s choice in being a director
• The mysteries of the Tony Nominating process and why he had to recuse himself this year
• What makes a great tryout city
• What it’s like working for Disney on a developing project like The Hunchback of Notre Dame

And oodles more.

And after you listen to the podcast, take a look at your summer plans.  If you’re heading to the Hamptons at all, swing by Bay Street and catch a show.

Enjoy!

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Download it here.

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