As the Curtain Rises, a Broadway-themed digital soap opera, debuted October 22. Additional episodes of the series, written by producer Dori Berinstein (The Prom, Legally Blonde) and Mark Peikert (former Playbill editor-in-chief) and produced by Broadway Podcast Network, are released each Thursday.

In this week's sneak peek, mega producer Steve Jones (James Monroe Iglehart) reveals why he chose to produce Avvatar, The Musical, while his “producing partner” Cheryl Phillips (Lillias White) takes you inside the challenges of producing this intergalactic theatrical extravaganza. Avvatar science consultant Andrew Barth Feldman also shares his stunning expertise in merging “fiction with reality.”

As the Curtain Rises, which was created and recorded during the quarantine, is produced by Berinstein, Alan Seales, and the Broadway Podcast Network and executive-produced by Liz Armstrong. It is edited and features sound design by Bart Fasbender with Avvatar music by Matthew Sklar, sound engineering by Seales, banshee wrangling by Bill Berloni, and direction by Berinstein.

Go for a deep dive behind-the-curtain in As the Curtain Rises, Broadway's first insider digital soap opera, at BPN.FM/ATCR.