{"podcast":{"title":"The Roundtable with Robert Bannon","slug":"the-roundtable-with-robert-bannon-6608267","podcast_index_feed_id":6608267,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/theroundtable","website_url":"https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com/podcast/the-roundtable-with-robert-bannon/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/7f357bf2-4304-11ee-9246-875cc43af2af/image/f62d811e131ac053e5ee8fdfe051ef9f.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Broadway Podcast Network","episode_count":1007,"summary":"Performer Robert Bannon sits down with the best and brightest artists to have in-depth, fun, craft filled chats with stars of Broadway, Stage, Screen, and Social Media. It could be the Tony Winner of the Moment to a Tik Tok Star going viral, literally there is something for everyone! This show is not about gossip, scandal, or gotcha questions. This is a show about the journey, the craft, and a whole lot of fun! Join us for special Red Carpet Events from Broadway Openings, NY Galas, to The Tribeca Film Festival! We cover everyone and everywhere! We will be uploading new chats weekly, so make sure to subscribe and join us! Direct from over one million views on YouTube, \"The Roundtable\" makes its podcast debut with The Broadway Podcast Network! Follow us on on all Social Media- @RobertMBannon","last_synced_at":"2026-07-30T00:17:26.849694+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-roundtable-with-robert-bannon-6608267"},"episode":{"title":"Alex Bechtel & Grace McLean Reimagine an Ancient Epic with the Award-Winning Musical Penelope","slug":"alex-bechtel-grace-mclean-reimagine-an-ancient-epic-with-the-award-winning-musical-penelope","published_at":"2026-07-20T11:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-roundtable-with-robert-bannon-6608267/alex-bechtel-grace-mclean-reimagine-an-ancient-epic-with-the-award-winning-musical-penelope","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-roundtable-with-robert-bannon-6608267","url":"https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com/podcasts/the-roundtable","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/BPNET3208719500.mp3","summary":"What happens when one of history's greatest epics is told from the perspective of the woman left behind? That's the question at the heart of Penelope, the acclaimed contemporary chamber musical created by Alex Bechtel, Grace McLean, and Eva Steinmetz. Now, with the release of Penelope: Live at Joe's Pub from JOY MACHINE RECORDS and an upcoming run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the award-winning musical is reaching even more audiences. On The Roundtable with Robert Bannon, we're joined by composer, lyricist, and co-book writer Alex Bechtel along with Broadway star, co-book writer, and performer Grace McLean to talk about the journey of creating this deeply personal and emotionally rich new work. Inspired by Bechtel's own experience of being separated from his partner during the COVID-19 pandemic, Penelope reimagines Homer's epic through the eyes of Penelope, who has spent twenty years waiting for Odysseus to return from war. Blending folk-pop music, intimate storytelling, poetic movement, and sharp humor, the musical transforms an ancient tale into a moving reflection on love, loneliness, hope, and resilience. The live album captures the energy of the show's celebrated performances at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, following acclaimed productions at Hudson Valley Shakespeare, Signature Theatre, Theatre Horizon, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, and Ancram Center for the Arts. Bechtel has earned widespread acclaim as a composer, writer, musician, and theater artist, while McLean has become one of Broadway's most distinctive voices through performances in Suffs, Bad Cinderella, and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, alongside her own celebrated original music and award-winning theatrical work. Together, Alex and Grace discuss the collaborative process behin…","meta_description":"What happens when one of history's greatest epics is told from the perspective of the woman left behind? That's the question at the heart of Penelope, the…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1578,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-roundtable-with-robert-bannon-6608267/episodes/alex-bechtel-grace-mclean-reimagine-an-ancient-epic-with-the-award-winning-musical-penelope/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-roundtable-with-robert-bannon-6608267/alex-bechtel-grace-mclean-reimagine-an-ancient-epic-with-the-award-winning-musical-penelope.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}