"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.  For a blog post on our website, with images from the productions we discuss in the episode: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/quaker-city-theater-in-the-war-years/ If you enjoyed the show, PLEASE LEAVE US A REVIEW! You can do it easily, right here: https://www.aithpodcast.com/reviews/ If you hav ..read more

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 episode: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/jericho-one-third-of-a-nation-and-prelude-to-swing/ If you enjoyed the show, PLEASE LEAVE US A REVIEW! You can do it easily, right here: https://www.aithpodcast.com/reviews/ If you have any questions, inquiries or additional comments, you can write us at our email address: AITHpodcast@gmail.com Or, follow us on M ..read more

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 more information about this episode, go to: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/the-wrecking-ball/ If you liked the show, leave a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adventures-in-theater-history-philadelphia/id1562046673 Write to us! aithpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AITHpodcast Follow us o ..read more

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 Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adventures-in-theater-history-philadelphia/id1562046673 Write to us! aithpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AITHpodcast Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aithpodcast/ Mastodon: https://historians.social/@schmeterpitz © Podcast text copyright, Peter S ..read more

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 Philadelphia theater history, underscored with evocative musical accompaniment. For images of John Drew and Peggy Wood, see our blog: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/all-star-cast-trelawny-of-the-wells-episode-69/ If you liked the show, leave a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adventures-in-theater-history-philadel ..read more

The story of the Shubert Brothers, and how they inexorably took control over almost every commercial theater in Philadelphia - just like they did in the rest of America in the early 20th Century. For a blog post with images of the stories and topics we discuss in this episode, go to our website: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/the-shuberts-and-their-philadelphia-theaters/ If you liked the show, leave a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adventures-in-theater-history-philadelphia/id1562046673 Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AITHpodcast Follow us ..read more

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 Philadelphia theater history. For a blog post with images of the stories and topics we discuss in this episode, go to our website: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/hitchy-koo-and-happy-new-year/ If you liked the show, leave a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adventures-in-theater-history-philadelphia/id1562046673 Follow us ..read more

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 "The Cradle of Vaudeville" in the same way it was The Cradle of the Nation? After listening to the show, let us know what you think! Write to us at: AITHpodcast@gmail.com On our website, there's a blog post with a Bibliography of the sources for this episode, plus lots of images of the many Philly vaudeville theaters we discuss on it  - "Two Ethels ..read more

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 are show, plus lots of images of the Philly vaudeville theaters we talk about on this episode - "The Exciting New Vaudeville Theaters of Sleepy Old Philadelphia": https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/the-exciting-new-vaudeville-theaters-of-sleepy-old-philadelphia/ If you liked the show, leave a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast ..read more

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? After all, its racist source material, Thomas Dixon's play The Clansman had been officially banned in the city back in 1906. But was this film a "movie" or a "photoplay"? Could it be censored at all? How did this controversy result in plays and movies being regarded as two different types of entertainment? There is a blog post on our website ("Birth of A Nation in the Birthplace o ..read more