​There are two new entries to take a look at in the database - Better Late (1946) and Of a Lifetime (2021). The titles were filmed 75 years apart and represent very different possibilities of bringing live musicals to the screen. And just for fun, despite being filmed in the UK and US respectively, both musicals have Aussie connections much like yours truly who is Australian born!  

Better Late was a musical revue starring Beatrice Lillie, and it was the first musical to be broadcast live by the BBC from the West End following WWII. The cast also included Aussie actor Murray Matheson who became a dear friend of Lillie's. A fun connection for me, when I was accepted to study at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama I was awarded the Beatrice Lillie Scholarship! I wonder what Ms. Lillie and Mr. Murray would think of this Aussie, who trained in London and now lives in the US, would think of their revue being studied in this way over three-quarters of century later?!  

Of a Lifetime is a new electro-rock sci-fi musical by Aussie writer and composer James C.K. Jefferies. The musical was filmed during its off-Broadway run in 2021, and the film was an official selection of the 2022 International New York Film Festival where it received a Merit Award. It's available to stream online.

Visit the database to learn more! 

On episode 33 of the Filmed Live Musicals podcast, host Luisa Lyons chats with actress, singer, writer, content creator, and puppeteer Laura Kay Clark all about her new family-friendly musical Petunia’s Playhouse. 

Topics include the influence of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, choosing a different path than going through a traditional musical theatre program, what drew Laura to puppetry, the inspiration behind Petunia and how she helped Laura, and many others, navigate mental health through lockdown, the challenges of putting on a live show during COVID, how streaming helped the company face those challenges, and the importance of streaming in providing access to theatre for vulnerable people.

Petunia's Playhouse will be streaming on demand worldwide from Jan 17 until Feb 6, 2022. More info and tickets at Eventive.
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Laura Kay Clark is a New York City-based actress, singer, writer, content creator, and puppeteer. Originally from Ohio, Laura moved to New York in 2013 to attend the prestigious Actors Studio Drama School, where she obtained her MFA in Acting in 2016. Laura has performed in a variety of plays and musicals in the NYC area, and has found a lot of fulfillment creating her own work. In 2016, she premiered her one woman show, I Kissed Your Boyfriend: Another Feminist Rant, off-Broadway at the United Solo Theatre Festival. Laura created, wrote, produced, and starred in the family-friendly puppet series Petunia’s Playhouse, which has been sweeping festivals and has won several honors, including Best Web Series at the NYC International Fringe Festival. Laura recently adapted Petunia's Playhouse for the stage with composer Billy Recce. Laura co-founded the independent production company Party Claw Productions with NYC Artist Ashley Kristeen Vega, and their inaugural film Wide Eyed has gained recognition at several film festivals. Laura infuses all of her work with authenticity and humor. She hopes to end the stigma surrounding mental health and promote body positivity and inclusiveness in all of her work. Laura is a proud member of Actors’ Equity Association and the Dramatists Guild. www.laurakayclark.com 

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On episode 30 of the Filmed Live Musicals podcast, host Luisa Lyons chats with Emmy-Nominated producer and director Kenneth Ferrone.  

In this epic episode, Luisa and Kenneth discuss multiple filmed live musicals including Sistas: The Musical, Grease Live!, RENT Live on Fox , and SpongeBob the Musical!  Learn about the role of Riverside’s Children Theatre in Kenneth’s theatre development and the importance of arts education, how the TV show Smash was Kenneth’s gateway to television and what happened when it was cancelled, the decision behind airing the dress rehearsal of RENT, how digital theatre can compliment live theatre, and so much more! 

Kenneth Ferrone is an Emmy-Nominated Producer and Director. He produced the award winning GREASE LIVE!, including the show’s live second screen content, and RENT on Fox, as well as the drama series, RISE and SMASH on NBC. Kenneth is currently directing THE WANDERER, a new musical based on the life of Rock and Roll artist, Dion DiMucci. The Pre-Broadway production will premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse in Spring 2022.  He directed the critically acclaimed 1st National Tour of CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE 90’S MUSICAL, based on the cult film, the Off-Broadway musical, SISTAS, which was produced for television by BET and RLJ Entertainment, and he Associate Directed the 12-Time Tony Nominated Broadway musical, SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS, including the prime-time cable broadcast for Nickelodeon TV, as well as COLIN QUINN: THE NEW YORK STORY, which was named NY Times “Critic’s Pick” Off Broadway  and adapted for Netflix.

​Available wherever you listen to podcasts! 

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On episode 24 of the Filmed Live Musicals podcast, host Luisa Lyons chats with songwriter and performer Benjamin Scheuer. 

We chat about  the influence of Frank Loesser, how Benjamin came to write his first show (which Prince William ushered), the interplay of different performance and artistic mediums, being diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkins lymphoma at age 28 and our shared journey of cancer treatment and bone marrow biopsies, how The Lion served as a personal ad, the devastating story of one of Benjamin's most memorable performances whilst on tour, and exclusive news about what's next for The Lion! 
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Benjamin Scheuer wrote and performed THE LION (Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Solo Performance; Off-West End Award, Best New Musical). Scheuer and Carlos Acosta made Empty Stage, the “magical…best dance film of the year” (The Guardian). Scheuer’s music-videos have won Annecy Film Festival’s Best Commissioned Film, and the British Animation Awards’ Best Music Video (twice.) Author of two songs-turned-into-children’s books: Hundred Feet Tall and Hibernate With Me. Scheuer is writing a musical about Peter Roget, creator of Roget’s Thesaurus. A Kleban Award winner, “Scheuer plays guitar as if he invented the instrument (LA Times) and his songwriting “gets to the heart of the matter” (NY Times).

The Lion is available to stream on demand on BroadwayHD.

Learn more at www.benjaminscheuer.com and follow Benjamin on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and SoundCloud.

Check out Benjamin's latest short films:
"Empty Stage" with the Birmingham Royal Ballet and Carlos Acosta
"Empty Stage" with Robbie Fairchild. 

Like what you hear? Rate the podcast, like and subscribe on your preferred podcast app - we're available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music and more! ​

Filmed musicals bring joy to people around the world, create connections between theatre lovers, and shows what can be possible in bringing theatre to the screen. Filmed Live Musicals creates a centralized place to search for information on nearly 200 stage musicals (and growing!) that have been legally filmed and made publicly available. The Filmed Live Musicals podcast features interviews with actors, producers, and creatives about the joys and challenges of filming live theatre. 

As you love musicals as much as I do, I invite you to make an ongoing donation to extend the reach of Filmed Live Musicals. As an alternative, I’d love you to consider a one-off donation. You’ll be helping to spread the love of musical theatre around the world and contribute to a new frontier of theatre on screen.

​With thanks to Josh Brandon, Elliott Charlz, Rachel Esteban, Mercedes Esteban-Lyons, James T. Lane, Al Monaco, David Negrin, Jesse Rabinowitz & Brenda Goodman, David & Katherine Rabinowitz, and Bec Twist for being a part of spreading the love of musical theatre.