#107: Pins and Needles (End of Season 1)

Chasing Phantom

For this very special episode, we welcome Barbra Streisand to "Chasing Phantom" to help us explore a show that was a monster hit in the 1930s. OK, it's more the spirit and definitely the Voice of Babs that highlights this exploration of "Pins and Needles," more than the actual person (though if someone wants to send me a Cease and Desist in such a way that my podcast blows up, I'm not above benefitting from the Streisand Effect!)
"Pins and Needles" foregrounded politics - union politics, no less - in a peppy, funny musical review that had all the powerful libs at the time happy as clams. The show leveraged the progressive humor of composer Harold Rome and a cast of actual union workers to draw consistently full houses for almost 4 years.
After thoroughly investigating the many rabbit holes the history of this production presents, I also give a little summary of the first season of Chasing Phantom and a little preview of the second season that will kick off in the fall.
And I couldn't have done any of it without Babs!
Check out the vintage clips and songs linked to at ChasingPhantom.net and check out the whole first season of conversation about Broadway's longest running shows. Have a question, complaint or suggestion? Please email me at [e-mail].