Broadway fans often talk about theater as a spiritual experience—but most don’t think of tarot cards when they say that. That could change thanks to a new tarot deck that’s a surprising blend of Broadway and theater, reimagining traditional tarot imagery through the artwork of acclaimed theatrical cartoonist Al Hirschfeld.
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The Hirschfeld Broadway Tarot is the creation of Emily McGill, a former Broadway publicist who worked with the Al Hirschfeld Foundation to create the new deck, which is set to be released Sept. 3. A self-described “Ivy League witch” — she holds a master’s degree in spiritual psychology from Columbia University’s Institute for Spirituality, Mind, and Body — she described studies that point to tarot as a “powerful tool for self-reflection” on a recent episode of “Stagecraft.” Varieties Theater podcast.
McGill said she focuses on the psychological and therapeutic benefits of tarot readings rather than using them to predict the future. Tarot readings can help people feel “more clarity and direction,” she said.
“For a theater lover like me, I wanted a Broadway-themed set,” she recalled. When she discovered that no such set existed, she set out to make one.
In the new episode of Stagecraft, McGill describes the process of “casting” Hirschfeld’s images of stage characters (such as Mama Rose and Eliza Doolittle) and theatrical icons (such as Bob Fosse and Joseph Papp) into tarot cards that fit their mood. For example, Jean Valjean from Les Misérables appears on the card for Justice, while Romeo and Juliet appear on the card for The Lovers.
McGill said she has always considered theatre sacred — “For me, walking into an empty theatre feels the way most people feel walking into an empty church, synagogue, mosque or temple” — and explained that the new tarot deck was a way for her to combine her lifelong love of theatre with her studies in spirituality.
As proof, she read a sample of two cards. She pulled the 10 Swords card from the deck, which featured a caricature of Ben’s grandfather from “Broadway Bound,” and the Chariot card, which depicted Coalhouse Walker Jr. from “Ragtime,” and explained what each card might mean.
She added that she hopes the collection will encourage people to try tarot. “It really makes tarot accessible to theatre lovers,” she said. “Honestly, anyone can read tarot. All you need are a few cards and your intuition.”
To hear the full conversation, listen via the link above or download and subscribe to “Stagecraft” on podcast platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Broadway Podcast Network. New episodes of “Stagecraft” are released every two weeks.
