A Podcast Musical with King George III: 36 Questions

From Broadway to Podcast

Jonathan Groff is no stranger to musical theater, having recently played King George III of England in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s popular Broadway show Hamilton and nominated for the Tony Award in 2015 for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as the Hanoverian King during the American Revolution. After listening to “You’ll be Back” and its other two melodic reprises “What Comes Next” and “I Know Him,” Groff became a recognizable name. So early in 2018 when I was first outlining my audio essay for the feed I looked to Radio Public’s Podcast Librarian feature for assistance. One of the shows they recommended was 36 Questions. It was from the creators of Limetown—a podcast which, at the time, I knew nothing about. The words “musical” and “duck side character” stood out and I found myself listening to the first act.

Fast forward and Singing: Oppan Chipmunk Style

Moving ahead a few months and the second act remained untouched. Surprisingly enough, act two is the next best part after the finale. Spoilers: I cried. In a romantic comedy. Never thought I’d say the words, but here we are.

The middle section has the catchiest musical numbers like “We Both” and “Reality” and have such different styles. One upbeat, but sung with an almost pop song vocal range. The other is melancholy with a hint of that Broadway flair in the way Groff captures his character through the sound of his voice alone. The lyrics only add to the conflicting emotions we feel for him and his situation.

Despite partially agreeing with Groff’s character, in the beginning, the scene which packed the most punch came from the third act and the verge of tears performance from Jessie Shelton as I held back my own. It was such a powerful, yet basic emotion that even as I write this I’m getting a bit misty-eyed.

4.5/5 Stars