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Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia

Peter Schmitz, Christopher Mark Colucci

Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia

A History, Arts and Performing Arts podcast featuring Peter Schmitz
 1 person rated this podcast
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia

Peter Schmitz, Christopher Mark Colucci

Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia

Episodes
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia

Peter Schmitz, Christopher Mark Colucci

Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia

A History, Arts and Performing Arts podcast featuring Peter Schmitz
 1 person rated this podcast
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Best Episodes of Adventures in Theater History

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A reissue of our conversation with scholar Jonathan Shandell and director Jerrell Henderson, about a little-known chapter of Philadelphia's theater history.For a blog post on our website, with images from the productions we discuss in the episo
Philadelphia enters the Great Depression. Although a few shows were still having their Broadway tryouts in Philly, it wasn't enough to keep the wrecking crews from tearing down many of the city's grand old theaters. To see images and to find mo
The fictional musical "Pretty Lady" has its opening night in Philadelphia!Another dramatic reading from the archives of Philadelphia theater history, underscored with evocative musical accompaniment.If you liked the show, leave a Review on Appl
A story of an "All Star Cast" touring production in 1927. After the unexpected death of its star, the veteran actor John Drew Jr.,  company member Peggy Wood wrote this detailed memoir of his final tour. A dramatic reading from the archives of
Broadway tryouts and tours and revues were constantly coming to Philadelphia's many large and luxurious theaters during the 1920s - here's a quick review of the revues!But even the Moscow Art Theatre came through town - as well as great product
The story of the Shubert Brothers, and how they began to take control over almost every commercial theater in Philadelphia - just like they did in cities all acrossAmerica. For a blog post with images of the stories and topics we discuss in thi
The "Little Theater Movement" arrives in Philadelphia, bringing modern plays and surprising new venues  - including the Walnut Street Theatre, where The Green Goddess was given a World Premiere tryout run in December of 1920.For a blog post wit
Our annual Holiday episode! Featured are stories about the tightrope sensation El Nino Eddie, "Hitchy-Koo; the Intimate Revue," The D'Oyly Carte Opera Company, Timbuktu!, Signor Blitz during the American Civil War, and many other tales about Ph
Stories of seven notable vaudevillians who came from Philadelphia, including W.C. Fields, Ethel Barrymore, and Ethel Waters. (We also briefly profile Ed Wynn, Larry Fine, Walter C. Kelly, and the woman known as "Sober Sue.") Was Philadelphia "T
Philadelphia, like all American cities of the day, was home to the exciting energy and show-biz hustle of vaudeville theaters in the first decades of the 20th Century. On our website, there's a blog post with a Bibliography of the sources for a
In the fall of 1915, D.W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation was booked to play at the Forrest Theatre - a "legitimate house," not a movie theater - but would Philadelphia's city authorities allow it to be shown? After all, the film's racist sour
We begin our third season  of adventures! Here we learn about the historical originas of the "Tryout Town" in American showbiz of the early 20th Century.We discuss the movie 42nd Street and discuss many touring shows that came through Philly on
In this brief episode, we are announcing all the details about how to join our Walking Tour on October 28th!The plan is, we’ll start at City Hall. Then we’ll go down the East side of Broad Street, turn around at South Street, and come back up t
Actress, director and educator Penelope Reed sits down for an interview with us, and shares fascinating memories of her long career in Philadelphia area theater. In particular she discusses her lifelong involvement and eventual leadership of th
[Note: This is a repeat of our Episode 12, first released in June 2021]Fires were a real danger in 19th Century theater, and some Philadelphia theaters were burned down and rebuilt multiple times. Inevitably, in some of these fires performers,
First released as Episode 10 in May of 2021, we bring out this great story once again!You can find illustrations and additional information about the events we describe here, on our webpage: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/episode-10-George-Fr
The the final episode of our story about the Theatre of the Living Arts. While exciting work continues to happen on South Street, opposition to Andre Gregory's artistic leadership rises, and eventually matters come to a head after the productio
Our story continues, with productions of the '65-'66 second season of Philadelphia's first scrappy non-profit resident theater company - at its home on South Street. Visit our website to find a blog post with mages about the plays we discuss, a
Announcements, Corrections, Answers to questions from our listeners - and some exciting personal news!(The episode image is of the frontage of the Chestnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, ca. 1820. From Charles Durang's History of the Philadelp
The founding of Philadelphia's first major resident theater company: The Theatre of the Living Arts.As the 1960s begin, the fortunes of the Quaker City - and its theater - are flagging.  Even the longtime supply of Broadway 'tryout' shows comin
Would Sunday in New York perform on Saturday in Philadelphia? Were the "riffraff and lowlifes" of Brecht'sThreepenny Opera  suitable for its Playhouse in the Park? Could the first publicly funded and owned city theater in the country survive in
An interview with the Producing Artistic Director of the historic Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, Bernard Havard.Visit our website for a blog post with photos of our tour, including many of the items we discuss in the episode:https://www
During the Great Depression years of the 1930s, some touring Broadway shows got into trouble in Philadelphia. "The People's Mayor" S. Davis Wilson had his limits when it came to what he would allow in the city's theaters.This is another episode
In the 1920s, Philadelphia theater censorship controversies were usually about what women were wearing - or rather were NOT wearing - on the city's stages.A great cast of historical characters in this episode, set during the Prohibition Era: fa
In 1911, actress Sarah Bernhardt's production of La Samaritaine met with fervent opposition from Philadelphia clergymen. In 1912, the Irish Players' production of Playboy of the Western World caused yet another Philly audience riot! What was go
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