Join host Lonnie Firestone as she interviews the creative and cast members behind the Tony Award-winning musical, The Outsiders. This special live episode from the Books That Changed My Life Festival at JCC Manhattan features insightful conversations with lead producer Matthew Rego and cast members Trevor Wayne (Ponyboy) and Kevin William Paul (Bob).

• How S.E. Hinton’s classic novel changed young adult fiction and continues to resonate across generations.
• Challenges of adapting a beloved, interior-driven novel into a vibrant musical, including how and why characters start to sing.
• Behind-the-scenes stories from the show's creative process, including the unique contributions from first-time musical creators Jamestown Revival and playwright Adam Rapp.
• Insightful anecdotes about audience reactions, demographics, and personal interactions at the stage door.
• Discussions about key themes like class division, teenage identity, and emotional vulnerability portrayed through Ponyboy and Bob.
• Exploration of unique production elements, including powerful choreography and innovative lighting and sound design that enhance the musical's emotional depth.

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This episode was recorded live at the Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center on January 8, 2024. It is an interview with Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman whose 50+ year collaboration has produced hit songs as well as the Broadway musical, Harmony.

This episode also includes an expanded conversation with nine members of the Harmony cast: Chip Zien, Danny Kornfeld, Zal Owen, Sean Bell, Eric Peters, Steven Telsey, Bruce Landry, Julie Benko, and Kayleen Seidl.

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This episode was recorded live at the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan on October 9, 2023. It is a conversation with creative and cast members of the Broadway musical, Harmony. They include book writer and lyricist Bruce Sussman, and performers Chip Zien, Julie Benko, Sierra Boggess, and Danny Kornfeld. The narrative of Harmony is set in the 1920s and 30s in Germany, a deeply unsettling time in history, and still the central characters found harmony, not only in the melodic sense but also as a diverse group coming together in partnership. It's an inspiring idea for us all to seek ways to live harmoniously with others. After all, harmony occurs when different sounds blend together.

I hope you enjoy the following interview, and please check out the links below to two songs from the cast recording of Harmony. Both were performed live at the event.

"Where you go”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjyhgYk3GDE

"Every Single Day”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWkXyWpoEOk

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