This article was written by a student writer from MSU's Her Campus Chapter.
36 Questions, a podcast musical written and produced by Two-Up Productions in 2017, is the first podcast musical of its kind. With music and lyrics by Chris Littler and Ellen Winter, and sound design by Joel Raabe, this musical is accessible to everyone beyond just listening to the soundtrack. I stumbled across this show while on my way back to Pittsburgh for spring break and looking for a new podcast. The show's description, starring Tony Award-nominated actors Jonathan Groff and Jesse Shelton, is as follows: Their own relationship… 36 questions This is the world's first podcast musical made just for your ears. ”
The story follows Jace (Groff) and Natalie (Shelton) as they try to save their couple from divorce using 36 Intimate Questions with the sole purpose of making a stranger fall in love. This question comes from a study known as “Experimental Generation of Interpersonal Intimacy: Procedures and Some Preliminary Findings,” in which the New York Times published an article in 2015. After a million twists and turns, this three-act podcast airs in just one hour. Within 3 hours. The whole time I was listening, I was excited to see what was going to happen next. I have to say, I started out very confused in the first act, but given the chance, the storyline unfolds as the podcast progresses.
In my opinion, the music aspect was very well done. I loved the flow of the accompaniment chosen and how both characters seemed written to suit whoever was cast in the role. The lyrics are more than just music, they tell a story and are well-written. My current personal favorites are “Natalie Cook,” “For the Record,” “Our Words,” and “Listen Back.” Some are catchy, important to the story, and fun to sing.
Without giving away any plot details, this story made me laugh, took my breath away, and even brought me to tears at times. I love storytelling through emotion and words, so this really appealed to me. Enjoy listening to music with the continuity and detail included in our podcast series. This is the best of both worlds, and I hope to find something similar in the future. If you like musicals, please check it out. The New York Times quotes: 36 questions If you don't take my word for it, you can take theirs. 36 questions Available on the Two-Up Productions website and Podcasts on Audible, Apple, and Spotify. There's also a fun behind-the-scenes video in the 2017 Playbill article that you might want to check out.
