Rob pays tribute to the best of Broadway, London's West End, the Australian stage and the occasional European operetta in a 2 hour program on 96.5 Inner FM Melbourne celebrating significant anniversaries in the world of Musical Theatre.
My Fair Lady (Alan Jay Lerner & Frederick Lowe) – 1956 original Broadway cast recording + archival interviews with Alan Jay Lerner and Miles Kreuger + selections from Lyrics by Lerner – 1956 studio album featuring Alan Jay Lerner performing his own songs
The Grand Duke (or, The Statutory Duel) (W.S. Gilbert & Arthur Sullivan) – 1973 University of Michigan Gilbert and Sullivan Society cast recording conducted by Eric Stern + introduction by Rex Bunnett
Bubbling Brown Sugar (Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, “Fats” Waller, Eubie Blake, et al) – 1976 original Broadway cast recording + orchestral & vocal selections from the 3 CD albums of Black Manhattan featuring the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra conducted by Rick Benjamin
When You’re Young (John Hanson) – 1966 British touring cast recording + an interview with cast member Nigel Rideout + a selection of solos and duets performed by John Hanson from Lilac Time, The Student Prince, The Vagabond King, The Desert Song,Bitter Sweet and Glamorous Night with Jane Fyffe, Doreen Hume and June Bronhill.
Summer Song (Dvorak adapt. Bernard Grun & Eric Maschwitz) – 1956 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + selections from Balalaika (George Posford, Bernard Grun & Eric Maschwitz,) – 1961 Australian studio cast recording
The Match Girls (Tony Russell & Bill Owen) – 1966 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + selections from The Queen is Mad (Tom McGrath & Amy Clare Tasker) – 2024 London & 2025 Edinburgh cast recordings
On the Level (Ron Grainer & Ronald Millar) – 1966 original London cast recording + a selection of TV and movie themes written by Australian composer Ron Grainer, including those for Doctor Who, Steptoe and Son, The Prisoner, Maigret and other iconic British TV series from the 1960s and ‘70s.
Sweet Charity (Cy Coleman & Dorothy Fields) – 1966 original Broadway cast recording + an archival radio report of the show’s opening night and interviews with Ethel Merman, Gwen Verdon, Helen Gallagher and librettist Neil Simon + selections from Cy Coleman’s 1966 record album If My Friends Could See Me Now & from Barbara Cook’s 1993 CD album Close as Pages in a Book paying tribute to the lyrics of Dorothy Fields.
The Mad Show (Mary Rodgers, with lyrics by Marshall Barer, Stan Hart, Larry Siegel, Steven Vinaver & Stephen Sondheim, & sketches by Larry Siegel & Stan Hart) – 1966 original off-Broadway cast recording + Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves 40 (Mary Rodgers & Sammy Cahn) – 1957 U.S. studio recording + an archival interview with Mary Rodgers (from 1994) + selections from Once Upon a Mattress (Mary Rodgers & Marshall Barer) – 1960 original London cast recording)
Pacific Overtures (Stephen Sondheim) – 1976 original Broadway cast recording + selections from Sondheim – A Musical Tribute featuring an all-star Broadway cast performing the songs of Sondheim recorded “live” in concert at the Shubert Theatre in New York on the evening of 11 March 1973.
Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway (George M. Cohan) – 1959 U.S. TV cast recording + an episode of the 1951 3DB Melbourne radio series With a Song in My Heart paying tribute to George M. Cohan + a selection of recordings by George M. Cohan from 1911 and a song medley recorded at a “live” concert performance in 1940.
Tip-Toes (George & Ira Gershwin) – 1998 Carnegie Hall concert production cast recording + George Gershwin at the piano playing his music for Tip-Toes and Oh, Kay! recorded in 1926 + the 3rd movement of his Piano Concerto in F + Victor Arden & Phil Ohman & Their Orchestra playing medleys from Tip-Toes recorded in 1926.
"The Mystery of Edwin Drood" interview with Rupert Holmes (full-length) - 23 December 2025
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Rupert Holmes) – 1985 original Broadway cast recording + an interview with the Tony Award-winning composer–lyricist–librettist Rupert Holmes
Charlie Girl (David Heneker & John Taylor) – original 1965 London cast recording + an interview with John Taylor + additional numbers from the 1986 London revival cast recording
Snoopy - The Musical (Larry Grossman & Hal Hackady) – original 1983 London cast recording + an interview with award-winning composer Larry Grossman + a tribute to Toni Lamond featuring an excerpt from her cabaret show “A Life in Show Business” – 1994 "live" performance recording
Pipe Dream (Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II) – 2012 New York City Center Encores! “live” revival cast recording + an interview with former President of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization Ted Chapin
Anya (Robert Wright & George Forrest) – 1965 original Broadway cast recording + an introduction by Walter Willison + an archival interview with original cast member Constance Towers from 2016 + selections from Anastasia – The Musical (Robert Wright & George Forrest) – 1991 New York studio cast recording
Through the Years (Vincent Youmans & Edward Heyman) – 2001 New York studio cast recording + an interview with Aaron Gandy + vocal selections from the 2015 studio album The Musicality of Vincent Youmans conducted by Aaron Gandy (repeat broadcast from 18 January 2022)
Skyscraper (James Van Heusen & Sammy Cahn) – 1965 original Broadway cast recording + The Zulu and the Zayda (Harold Rome) – 1965 original Broadway cast recording
Billion Dollar Baby (Morton Gould, Betty Comden & Adolph Green) – 1998 off-Broadway York Theatre Company revival cast recording + introduction and narration by New York Musical Director and vocal coach Michael Lavine + Arms and the Girl (Morton Gould, & Dorothy Fields) – 1950 original Broadway cast recording
Jolson - The Musical (various) – original 1995 London "live" cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + a selection of Al Jolson's early acoustic recordings from 1911 to 1920
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (Burton Lane & Alan Jay Lerner) – 1965 original Broadway cast recording + introduction by Tony Award-nominated actor, director and writer, Walter Willison + additional songs from the 1970 film soundtrack + songs from the 1951 MGM film soundtrack of Lerner & Lane's score for Royal Wedding
Jubilee (Cole Porter) – 1951 U.S. radio cast + Cole Porter's 1935 demo recordings of additional songs from his score + 1935 original London cast recordings of Porter's Anything Goes + Ethel Merman’s 1940 recordings of songs from Porter’s Panama Hattie + selections from “Night and Day” – Thomas Hampson sings Cole Porter - 1991 CD album
Drat! The Cat! (Ira Levin & Milton Schafer) – 1997 Los Angeles studio cast recording + a musical tribute to Dame Patricia Routledge featuring a selection of songs from her London and Broadway cast recordings
Les Misérables (Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil & Herbert Kretzmer) – original 1985 London cast recording
The Vagabond King (Rudolf Friml, William H. Post & Brian Hooker) – 1961 London studio cast recording + Sunny (Jerome Kern, Otto Harbach & Oscar Hammerstein II) – 1952 U.S. radio cast + the Epilogue to Dearest Enemy (Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart) – 2012 Irish studio cast recording
Dearest Enemy (Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart) – 2012 Irish studio cast recording + interview with former Head of the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization Ted Chapin
The Buccaneer (Sandy Wilson) – original 1955 London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + highlights from Share My Lettuce (Bamber Gascoigne, Keith Statham & Patrick Gowers) – original 1957 London cast recording
Very Good Eddie (Jerome Kern, Schuyler Green & others) – 1975 Goodspeed Opera House revival cast recording + an interview with revival cast member & Tony Award-nominated actress/singer Virginia Seidel+ selections from the 2014 CD album Lost Broadway and More, Vol 6: Jerome Kern
Passion Flower Hotel (John Barry & Trevor Peacock) – original 1965 London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + selections from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (John Barry & Don Black) – 1972 motion picture soundtrack recording
Mademoiselle Modiste (Victor Herbert & Henry Blossom) – 1951 U.S. radio cast + The Red Mill (Victor Herbert & Henry Blossom) – 1949 U.S. radio cast + selections from Beverly Sills’ 1975 Grammy Award-winning album Music of Victor Herbert
Katinka (Rudolf Friml & Otto Harbach) – 1951 U.S. radio cast + plus orchestral selections performed by the Eastman-Dryden Orchestra conducted by Donald Hunsberger + Marinka(Emmerich Kálmán & George Marion Jr.) – 1951 U.S. radio cast + plus orchestral & vocal selections conducted by Emmerich Kálmán – 1940 U.S. radio concert
The Water Gipsies (Vivian Ellis & A.P. Herbert) – original 1955 London cast highlights recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + My Name is Dora – 1967 album featuring Dora Bryan performing a selection of show-tunes and relating anecdotes about her life and career recorded in front of a studio audience.
Cats (Andrew Lloyd Webber & T.S. Eliot) – 1985 original Australian cast recording
The Great Waltz (Johann Strauss, Sr. and Jr. adapted by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Robert Wright & George Forrest) – 1965 Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Company cast recording + an interview with Tony Award-nominated original cast member Anita Gillette
"A Chorus Line'' interview with Donna McKechnie (complete) - 15 July 2025
A Chorus Line (Marvin Hamlisch & Edward Kleban) – 1975 original Broadway cast recording + interviews with original cast members Donna McKechnie & Baayork Lee
Something Rotten! (Karey & Wayne Kirkpatrick) – 2015 original Broadway cast recording + an interview with Tony Award-nominated original cast member Brad Oscar
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (William Finn) – 2005 original Broadway cast recording + an archival interview with New York-based theatre critic Peter Filichia (from 2012) + selections from A New Brain (William Finn) – 1998 original off-Broadway cast recording
24 June – Grind (Larry Grossman & Ellen Fitzhugh) – 1985 original Broadway cast recording + an interview with award-winning composer Larry Grossman
An American in Paris (George & Ira Gershwin) – 2015 original Broadway cast recording + selections from the 1951 MGM motion picture soundtrack recording
Goodtime Charley (Larry Grossman & Hal Hackady) – 1975 original Broadway cast recording + an interview with award-winning composer Larry Grossman
Chicago (John Kander & Fred Ebb) – 1975 original Broadway cast recording + an interview with original cast member Pamela Sousa + selections from And The World Goes 'Round – The Songs of Kander & Ebb – 1991 original off-Broadway cast recording
Glamorous Night (Ivor Novello and Christopher Hassall) – original 1935 London cast highlights recordings plus plus additional numbers from the 1968 BBC radio production + introduction by Rex Bunnett + a selection of songs from the musicals of Ivor Novello, including Careless Rapture, Crest of the Wave, The Dancing Years, Perchance to Dream and King's Rhapsody.
The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd (Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley) – 1965 original Broadway cast recording + an archival interview with Leslie Bricusse from 2013 + How to Win an Election (or Not Lose by Much) (devised & written by Leslie Bricusse) – 1964 British comedy album starring Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan
Flora, The Red Menace (John Kander & Fred Ebb) – 1965 original Broadway cast recording + selections from Liza with a "Z" – 1972 New York 'live" concert recording
Damn Yankees (Richard Adler & Jerry Ross) – 1955 original Broadway cast recording + selections from the 1955 London cast recording of The Pajama Game (Richard Adler & Jerry Ross)
Jeeves (Andrew Lloyd Webber & Alan Ayckbourn) – 1975 original London cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + a selection of songs from the musicals of Jerome Kern and P.G. Wodehouse, including The Beauty of Bath, Have a Heart, Oh, Boy!, Leave it to Jane, Oh, Lady! Lady!! and Sitting Pretty.
Perchance to Dream (Ivor Novello) – 1945 original London cast highlights recordings + additional numbers from the 1968 BBC radio cast recording + introduction by Rex Bunnett + a selection of songs with music by Ivor Novello – recorded 1929 - 1947