Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia
@aithpodcast.bsky.social
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The official feed of the podcast - AND THE BOOK - that tells the deep and fascinating History of Theater in the city of Philadelphia. www.aithpodcast.com (On the former Bird Site we were "@schmeterpitz")
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It’s like he’s writing “Tristram Shandy” fan fiction.
Reposted by Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia
Ragtime reminds me there’s not enough shows written for baritone voices. There’s an overemphasis on high notes in contemporary musicals; people have forgotten how comforting and powerful low notes can be
Reposted by Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia
It’s been fifty years since Lynn Ahrens, the lyricist of Ragtime, wrote and sang this episode of Schoolhouse Rock www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvOZ...
SchoolHouse Rock - No More Kings
YouTube video by tennesseejed93
www.youtube.com
Oct 18, 1934: Eva Le Gallienne and Ethel Barrymore opened in Rostand's "L'Aiglon" in Philadelphia.

Despite a famous incident from the previous year - when both actresses had insulted a group of Philadelphia society ladies - the production was warmly received by both audiences and critics. #theatre
No idea, but I'm reminded of that great repeated line in the Coen Brothers' film "Miller's Crossing" . . . "What's the rumpus?"
a man in a blue jacket is peeking out of a door
ALT: a man in a blue jacket is peeking out of a door
media.tenor.com
April 4, 1966: Jerry Herman's "Mame," starring Angela Lansbury, had its world premiere performance at the Shubert Theatre in Philadelphia.

The house was packed, wrote the Inquirer's critic, and "with not the slightest dissent from this reviewer, [all] seemed to think it was the opening of a hit."
Reposted by Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia
Happy Angela Lansbury's 100th birthday!
Oct. 16, 1944: Ethel Barrymore, 65, being interviewed about doing "Embezzled Heaven" in Philadelphia.

"The old Walnut Street Theatre is where . . I first did 'Captain Jinks' [in 1901] . . " She paused, thinking back to when she was 20. "It's odd, but I never came here in another play until now."
Oct. 1966: "Holly Golightly" began a tryout run at the Forrest Theatre, with Mary Tyler Moore & Richard Chamberlain.

A photo shows the Philly-raised songwriter Bob Merrill blindly "playing" the piano for them - though he did not read music. He composed on a toy xylophone that he bought for $1.98.
A soundbite from our new episode, released today!

A conversation with Seth Rozin, the founder and artistic director of InterAct #Theatre of #Philadelphia.

Seth shares some great stories about the early years of the company, including the tour of Ireland in the autumn of 1988.
Reposted by Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia
Susanne Sulby, the accent expert behind "Mare of Easttown," taught the Delco drawl to the cast of "Task."

"I’m pretty bold. I’ll be sitting somewhere, I’ll hear someone speaking and I’ll say, ‘Oh, you have a really fantastic accent. Tell me about that,'" she said.
The dialect coach from Yardley who makes actors perfect the ‘O’s’ of the Delco accent
Susanne Sulby, the accent expert behind 'Mare of Easttown,' taught the Delco drawl to the cast of 'Task,' which includes actors from London, Ireland, Howell Township, and beyond.
www.inquirer.com
Reposted by Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia
It’s unfortunate that the general aging population doesn’t get as much interaction with curious, hardworking young people as college professors do. They really will give you hope about the future on a daily basis 🤔
Ah! Forgive me. At first I wrote: "Ethel Barrymore is Good" but that seemed inadequate, so I changed it.

But I honestly don't remember if I saw your post first, and just channelled your exact phrase. I must have done, I guess. Seems the obvious explanation. Or maybe . .
a man in a tuxedo with glasses and a mustache is sitting in a crowd of people .
ALT: a man in a tuxedo with glasses and a mustache is sitting in a crowd of people .
media.tenor.com
The official longstanding position of this shop: Ethel Barrymore Was As Fine an Actress As There Ever Was.

(Admittedly, we have some local biases regarding this matter. But we brook no opposition!)
Gift article! . . . We only caught TWO of the fascinating Philly Fringe* shows covered here, and we're jealous of anyone who saw them all!

*Yes we know it's "FringeArts" - but no one around here seems to call it that.
The Philly Fringe Festival shows that made us laugh, think, and cry
A not-comprehensive recap of the city’s biggest-ever Fringe Fest.
share.inquirer.com
They have LFC rattled with all their Shithousery. These guys are masters of the art of Falling Down to get penalties, free kicks, and yellow cards against us. As the expression goes, they “feel gravity more strongly.”
The early influence of the "Pennsylvania Dutch" speech patterns (i.e. German Protestants from the Palatinate area of the Upper Rhine who emigrated to Philadelphia and Southeastern Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th Centuries) is not to overlooked either.
September 30, 1935: The Group Theatre came to town, and the old Broad Street Theatre was packed to see two plays by Philadelphia-born author Clifford Odets: “Waiting for Lefty” and “Awake and Sing!”.

A Philly critic praised the two shows' "irresistible urgency," and "terrifying vehemence.
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“Given the destruction playing out in various quarters — governmental attacks on places of learning, the stripping of federal funding for arts and culture and public media — spending time in the company of creation has become an act of resistance in itself.” — Inquirer critic Peter Dobrin
Philadelphia has the classical music scene you need this fall. It needs you, too.
Be it Bach, Beethoven, or Schubert, wvery concert is a chance to vote for culture, each donation is a hedge against the demise of an institution you wish to see flourish.
inquirer.com
Post-1930, eh? Well that rules out "Fifty Million Frenchman" - opened in November of 1929.