Latest Theater history Podcast Episodes
We Died in Philadelphia - Part Two
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - July 06, 2024 07:00 - 27 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsThe continuation of to the story from our previous episode, we talk about the failures, successes - and sometimes the deaths of shows and performers of commercial tryout shows in Philly of the 1970s. For images and notes about shows mentioned in this episode, go to: https://www.aithpodcast.com/...
We Died in Philadelphia - Part One
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - July 05, 2024 07:00 - 39 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsMany tryout shows - along with some post-Broadway tours - came through Philadelphia during the 1960s. Some shows died in Philly - and some performers and audience members did too! For images and notes about shows mentioned in this episode, go to: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/life-is-what-yo...
"The Music Man" on Broad Street
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - June 28, 2024 10:00 - 33 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsThe Philadelphia story of the development and world premiere of that famous Iowa musical, by Meredith Willson, The Music Man . For a blog post with additional information and images, go to: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/out-of-town-jaspers-notes-and-images-for-episode-78/ If you enjoyed the...
Hollywood, Here We Come: Tryout Shows of the 1950s
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - June 14, 2024 05:00 - 42 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsThe fates and fortunes of commercial shows of the 1950s demonstrate how deep the influence of Hollywood was in American commercial theater coming through Philadelphia on tryout runs. For a blog post with additional information and images, go to: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/hooray-for-holl...
"Guys and Dolls" in Philadelphia
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - May 25, 2024 07:00 - 30 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsThe most iconic New York musical ever is saved by Philadelphia tryout audiences. For a blog post on our website with additional information and images, go to: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/luck-be-a-lady/ If you enjoyed the show, PLEASE LEAVE US A REVIEW! You can do it easily, right here: h...
Aftershock: The Serious Reckoning
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - May 06, 2024 07:00 - 32 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsPost-war theater in Philadelphia reflected all the many serious issues the country was facing: Carmen Jones, A Streetcar Named Desire, Caucasian Chalk Circle, The Member of the Wedding and Death of a Salesman all had tryout premieres in Philadelphia - among many others. For a blog post on our ...
"Kiss Me, Kate" World Premiere
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - May 01, 2024 02:00 - 23 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsThe story of Cole Porter's classic musical Kiss Me, Kate's world premier opening in Philadelphia in December of 1948. For a blog post on our website, with images from the productions we discuss in the episode: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/rings-and-things-and-fine-array/ If you enjoyed th...
The Boom
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - April 19, 2024 07:00 - 39 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratings"Pal Joey," "Native Son," "Annie Get Your Gun" - during the years of the Second World War, there was a new surge of exciting Broadway productions trying out in Philadelphia. But at the same time, the Shuberts' domination of the Philadelphia theater market was meeting increasing scrutiny. Fo...
Encore Episode: Philadelphia's "Negro Unit" of the Federal Theatre Project
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - April 14, 2024 07:00 - 50 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsA 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 episode: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/jericho-one-t...
The Crash
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - April 05, 2024 07:00 - 44 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsPhiladelphia 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 more information about this episode, go to: https://...
42nd Street
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - March 15, 2024 07:00 - 33 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsThe 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 Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas...
On The Road with John Drew
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - February 23, 2024 08:00 - 44 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsA 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 Philadelphia theater history, underscored with evo...
John Drew's Last Exit
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - February 23, 2024 08:00 - 44 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsA 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 Philadelphia theater history, underscored with evo...
The Passing Shows of the 1920s
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - February 11, 2024 14:00 - 36 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsBroadway 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! Even the Moscow Art Theatre came through town - as well as great productions of Eugene O'Neill plays. Philly was a real Tryou...
Theatrical Real Estate
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - January 27, 2024 01:00 - 39 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsThe 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 across America. For a blog post with images of the stories and topics we discuss in this episode, go to our website: https://www.aithpod...
The Newest Oldest Biggest Little Theater
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - January 12, 2024 08:00 - 41 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsThe "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 with images of the stories and topics we discuss in t...
Holiday Show - 2023
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - December 22, 2023 08:00 - 38 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsOur 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 Philadelphia theater history. For a blog post with im...
The Big Time: Philadelphia Vaudevillians
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - December 08, 2023 08:00 - 1 hour ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsStories 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 "The Cradle of Vaudeville" in the same way it was Th...
Philadelphia Vaudeville!
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - November 24, 2023 08:00 - 35 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsPhiladelphia, 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 are show, plus lots of images of the Philly vaudevi...
The Return of The Clansman
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - November 10, 2023 08:00 - 33 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsIn 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 source material, Thomas Dixon's play The Clansman, had...
Season Three: The Tryout Town
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - October 20, 2023 07:00 - 38 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsWe 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 their way to and from Broadway - including George...
The 2023 Philadelphia Theater History Walking Tour!
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - October 06, 2023 07:00 - 6 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsIn 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 the West side of Broad. We'll cover (among other th...
Interview: Penelope Reed
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - September 15, 2023 07:00 - 54 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsActress, 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 the Hedgerow Theatre in Rose Valley, Pennsylvania. Th...
Encore Episode: Stages of Fire
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - August 25, 2023 07:00 - 48 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratings[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, audience members, and firefighters lost their live...
Encore Episode: George Frederick Cooke Heads to Philadelphia
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - July 21, 2023 12:00 - 50 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsFirst 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-Frederick-Cooke/ If you liked the show, leave a Rev...
Theatre of the Living Arts: The End
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - July 07, 2023 07:00 - 43 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsThe 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 production of the play Beclch. (The image for this episode i...
Theatre of the Living Arts: The Middle
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - June 30, 2023 07:00 - 42 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsOur 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, as well as additional information about this episod...
Production Notes From Backstage
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - June 16, 2023 07:00 - 27 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsAnnouncements, 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 Philadelphia Stage.) PLEASE LEAVE US A REVIEW OF OUR PODCA...
Theatre of the Living Arts: A Beginning
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - May 29, 2023 05:00 - 42 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsThe 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 coming through town are beginning to dry up. To jump-s...
Philadelphia Theater Scandal!
Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia - May 12, 2023 12:00 - 38 minutes ★★★★★ - 23 ratingsWould 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 the maelstrom of Philadelphia city politics? Find...
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