Episodes

March 15, 2024

70. 42nd Street

"Pretty Lady" has its opening night in Philadelphia! Another dramatic reading from the archives of Philadelphia theater history, underscored with evocative musical accompaniment.

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Feb. 23, 2024

69. On The Road with John Drew

John Drew Jr.'s final tour. A dramatic reading from the archives of Philadelphia theater history, underscored with evocative musical accompaniment.

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Feb. 11, 2024

68. The Passing Shows of the 1920s

Broadway tryouts and tours are revues were constantly coming to Philadelphia's many large and luxurious theaters during the 1920s - here's a quick review of the revues!

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Jan. 27, 2024

67. Theatrical Real Estate

The story of the Shubert Brothers, and how they began to take control over almost every commercial theater in Philadelphia - and in almost every other city in America.

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Jan. 12, 2024

66. The Newest Oldest Biggest Little Theater

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.

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Dec. 22, 2023

65. Holiday Show - 2023

Our annual Holiday episode! Stories from Philadelphia theaters and stages during the winter celebrations of different bygone eras.

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Dec. 8, 2023

64. The Big Time: Philadelphia Vaudevillians

Stories of seven notable vaudevillians who came from Philadelphia, including W.C. Fields, Ethel Barrymore, and Ethel Waters.

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Nov. 24, 2023

63. Philadelphia Vaudeville!

The exciting energy and show-biz hustle of vaudeville came to Philadelphia's theaters in the first decades of the 20th Century.

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Nov. 10, 2023

62. The Return of The Clansman

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 city authorities allow it to be shown?

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Oct. 20, 2023

Season Three: The Tryout Town

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 ca...

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Sept. 15, 2023

60. Interview: Penelope Reed

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.

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Aug. 25, 2023

59. Encore Episode: Stages of Fire

Fires were a real danger in 19th Century theater, and some Philadelphia theaters were burned down and rebuilt multiple times. [Note: This is a repeat of our Episode 12, first released in June 2021]

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July 21, 2023

58. Encore Episode: George Frederick Cooke Heads to Philadelphia

A great actor of the English stage came to Philadelphia in 1811. In a very real way, he's still here . . First released in May of 2021, we bring out this great story once again!

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July 7, 2023

57. Theatre of the Living Arts: The End

The final episode of our trilogy. Queen Beclch rages violently on the TLA stage - and in the boardroom, there's trouble brewing for director Andre Gregory!

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June 30, 2023

56. Theatre of the Living Arts: The Middle

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.

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June 16, 2023

55. Production Notes From Backstage

Announcements, Corrections, Answers to questions from our listeners - and some exciting personal news!

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May 29, 2023

54. Theatre of the Living Arts: A Beginning

The founding of Philadelphia's first major resident theater company: The Theatre of the Living Arts.

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May 12, 2023

53. Philadelphia Theater Scandal!

Could the first publicly funded and owned city theater in the country survive in the maelstrom of Philadelphia city politics?

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April 28, 2023

52. The Walls of Walnut Street

An interview and audio tour of the historic Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, with the Walnut's Producing Artistic Director, Bernard Havard.

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April 14, 2023

51. Banned in Philadelphia

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.

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March 31, 2023

50. Stop Those Swinging Girls!

In the 1920s, Philadelphia theater censorship controversies were usually about what women were wearing - or rather were NOT wearing - on the city's stages.

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March 17, 2023

49. Bernhardt and the Playboy - or, "Immoral, Blasphemous, and Obscen…

In 1911, actress Sarah Bernhardt's production of La Samaritaine met with fervent opposition from Philadelphia clergymen. In 1912, a production of 'Playboy of the Western World' caused an audience riot!

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Feb. 24, 2023

48. Hammerstein's Opera House, Part Three

The last installment of the saga of Oscar Hammerstein in the "Opera Wars" - and the story of the grand Philadelphia theater he left behind.

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Feb. 10, 2023

47. Hammerstein's Opera House, Part Two

February 1909: The opera "Salome" at Oscar Hammerstein's new Philadelphia Opera House needed to be stopped, as a matter of public decency, declared hundreds of clergymen and civic leaders.

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