Rephonic
Artwork for Theater History and Mysteries

Theater History and Mysteries

Dr. Jon Bruschke, PhD
Jesus Christ Superstar
Victor Hugo
Hadestown
Les Miserables
Les Misérables
Cats
T.S. Eliot
French Revolution
Theater
Orpheus
Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Phantom Of the Opera
Alexander Hamilton
Grizabella
Christianity
Translation
Musical Theater
Bible
Judas Iscariot
Climate Change

The deepest dives you can find anywhere into the history and backstory of the great musical productions. Dense content...for people who aren't. And, I’ll never miss an opportunity to pursue any mystery, bizarre coincidence, improbable event, or supernatural suggestion along the way because, in the words of Dirk Gentley, it is all connected.

You can contact me directly at theaterhistorypodcast@gm... more

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes44Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryArtsPerforming Arts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Theater History and Mysteries

Latest Episodes

Send us Fan Mail

This is a show about Hamilton the musical, and it’s about one of the main characters.  The point is to give some deep backstory to figure, and as I have promised, to never miss an opportunity to explore a crazy coincidence or good g... more

Send us Fan Mail

I’ll get right to the point: Did Alexander Hamilton own slaves?

There are those who definitely say yes.  There were those who definitely said no, although those voices are growing quieter.  Even Ron Chernow probably lands on the si... more

Send us Fan Mail

What’s the one thing you knew about Hamilton before the show?  One thing I remember from elementary school?  It’s the duel.

Isn’t the duel a big deal in the life of Hamilton?

Stop: What does the show have to say about the duel.  W... more

Send us Fan Mail

You have seen the musical and you know how the story ends: Aaron Burr shoots Alexander Hamilton.  This is the podcast where we ask big questions, so let’s ask the biggest of all: Why?  Why did these two guys do it?  There IS more to... more

Send us Fan Mail

What if history remembers you, but for the wrong thing?  Not like, for a bad thing, but you did a bunch of amazing things that are all forgotten, and one kinda stupid thing is all that people can remember about you?

Here’s an examp... more

Send us Fan Mail

Alexander Hamilton did some major things that still impact the world we live in today...but you might not really get what those are from watching the musical.  Today's episode is designed to review those things and figure out what t... more

Send us Fan Mail

What’s the most awesome theater moment you’ve had?  Not, like, the biggest show you’ve been in, or the biggest audience you’ve played to, or the best tickets you ever had…those are important.  I want you to think about awesome…the t... more

Send us Fan Mail

To really understand the smash musical Hadestown, you have to understand…mines.  Hear me out.

Hadestown isn’t just a re-telling of the ancient Orpheus tale, as the name suggest it’s a story that focuses on a particular location…the... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Recent Guests

Stephen F. Nott
Historian, contributor referenced in the episode
Scholarly researcher cited in episode
Episode: Hamilton -- Did Hamilton own slaves? (Hamilton 5 of 12, episode 42)
Sarah Philippi
Historian who wrote on Alexander Hamilton and slavery
Scholar, author of The Intimate Life of Alexander Hamilton (cited in episode)
Episode: Hamilton -- Did Hamilton own slaves? (Hamilton 5 of 12, episode 42)
Emily Clark
Performer, educator, and Cal State Fullerton Master's candidate researching The Secret Garden
California State University, Fullerton
Episode: The Secret Garden -- an interview with Emily Clark (episode 38)
Erica Wood
Undergraduate at Stanford University, double major in electrical engineering and classics
Stanford University
Episode: Hadestown...and autism (Hadestown 5/8, episode 34)
Yasmin Naiman
Undergraduate at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and author of an article on Broadway as a spiritual successor to original operas.
University of Massachusetts in Amherst
Episode: The Big Song in Hadestown -- Epic 3 (Hadestown 4/8, episode 33)
Erika Wood
Undergraduate at Stanford University majoring in Electrical Engineering and Classics, published in the journal Studies in Musical Theater.
Stanford University
Episode: The Big Song in Hadestown -- Epic 3 (Hadestown 4/8, episode 33)

Host

Jon Bruschke
Host of Theater History and Mysteries, conducting in-depth historical analysis of musical theatre, myth retellings, and theatre education.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Top Performing Arts Podcasts

The Moth
The MothThe Moth
Spooked
SpookedKQED and Snap Studios
Snap Judgment
Snap JudgmentSnap Judgment and PRX
The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery Dramas
The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio| Daily Mystery DramasAdam Graham|Old Time Radio Detective Host
LeVar Burton Reads
LeVar Burton ReadsLeVar Burton and Stitcher

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Hadestown...how do we save the environment? (Hadestown 7/8, episode 36)
Q: Can art change the world?
The speaker believes that while it forms part of cultural change, it is not enough on its own without actionable political movements.
Hadestown...how do we save the environment? (Hadestown 7/8, episode 36)
Q: Can a Broadway show to a Broadway audience inspire the people who show up to watch it to make an environmental change or a change in policy?
The speaker indicates that it might inspire reflection but doubts its effectiveness in prompting action due to the context of the Broadway audience's socio-economic realities.
Intermission episode -- Interview with Superteacher Michael Despars (1/1, Epsiode 29)
Q: What do you think theater means to a school like that? Does it mean something different than, I don't know, Calabasas High or Neal's High?
In a community like that, theater allows students to see their own stories reflected on stage, providing a safe space and sanctuary for diverse students.
Cats -- TS Eliot and the Occult...it's actual history. Episode 19 (Cats 5 of 8)
Q: How deeply was T.S. Eliot involved in the occult?
Eliot's deep involvement with the occult is suggested through his literary work and the experiences he had during seances, which influenced his poetry significantly.
Les Miserables -- From novel to stage...and why did it fail in France? Episode 13 (7 of 8)
Q: Is it cool to get really rich off a story about the really poor?
The answer remains complex, as the show highlights disparities and struggles while generating wealth.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Theater History and Mysteries

What is Theater History and Mysteries about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show delivers in-depth historical explorations of musical theatre, focusing on origins, evolution, and cultural context behind legendary productions. Episodes blend archival research, myth adaptations, and critical theory with accessible storytelling, often anchoring discussions in specific shows (from classical myths reimagined on stage to modern must-know titles) while weaving in broader themes like feminism, education, and political justice as they intersect with theatre history. Listeners can expect thoughtful interviews, scholarly references, and connections to contemporary discourse in the arts, making it a rich resource for educators, students, theatre professionals, and avid historians who crave rigorous analysis alongside enga... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Theater History and Mysteries?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Theater History and Mysteries. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Theater History and Mysteries and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Theater History and Mysteries get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Theater History and Mysteries, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Theater History and Mysteries?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Theater History and Mysteries, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Theater History and Mysteries have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Theater History and Mysteries has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

How many episodes of Theater History and Mysteries are there?

Theater History and Mysteries launched 2 years ago and published 44 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Theater History and Mysteries?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Theater History and Mysteries?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Theater History and Mysteries from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Theater History and Mysteries?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Theater History and Mysteries. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Theater History and Mysteries?

Recent guests on Theater History and Mysteries include:

1. Stephen F. Nott
2. Sarah Philippi
3. Emily Clark
4. Erica Wood
5. Yasmin Naiman
6. Erika Wood

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days