Sheryl Lee Ralph will receive the Paul Robeson Award later this year. She is an acclaimed actor and activist whose advocacy work includes founding The D.I.V.A. Foundation. Learn more at https://actorsequity.org/news/PR/2026/04/09/sheryl-lee-ralph-to-receive-2026-paul-robeson-award

April 9th was Paul Robeson's birthday! Paul Robeson often performed in Philadelphia theaters, including "The Emperor Jones" at the Walnut Street Theatre and "Roseanne" at the Lincoln Theatre, both in 1924. He starred in the pre-Broadway run of "Othello" at the Locust Street Theatre in 1943.

New Episode! www.aithpodcast.com/three-nights...

New Episode! www.aithpodcast.com/three-nights...

South Africa's iconic Market Theater, born in the darkest days of apartheid and a force for change, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. n.pr/4lRCEeo

A superb piece by a longtime Friend of the Podcast - Mary B. Robinson!!! Read how the "anti-Communist" investigations of the mid-20th century affected the theater industry, and how it was instrumental in leading to the founding of the SDC (the Stage Directors & Choreographers Society).

A sound clip from our new episode! Find us wherever you get your pods on!

New Episode! In 1978, journalist Edgar Williams wrote this poetic farewell to the burlesque house "The Troc," the site of so many vivid, poignant, and hilarious episodes from his youth. Listen to the glamor of the grind and the art of the twirling tassel! www.aithpodcast.com/a-lament-for...

"But in education, the ultimate product is not your term paper or essay or [GPA]; it’s your self. You are supposed to emerge more informed, more capable of critical thinking, more competent in your field of study. The students who begin by cheating their professors end by cheating themselves."

Philly’s own famous playwright, in the NYT crossword puzzle today!

Trying to clean out her mother-in-law Barb's house, Lisa Weinberger encountered 'layers and layers and layers of boxes of jewelry.' There was only one thing she could do: call a drag queen.

My backstage reading today - signed by Gypsy Rose Lee, the author! Not bad for a book I checked out of the library.

A Hollywood story . . . or was it really a #Philadelphia #theater history story? Here's a sample of our sympathetic take on the life of actress Diana Barrymore, daughter of John Barrymore. You can find the complete episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts!

A Hollywood story . . . or was it really a #Philadelphia #theater history story? Here's a sample of our sympathetic take on the life of actress Diana Barrymore, daughter of John Barrymore. You can find the complete episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Edward Albee's birthday comes but once a year.

On 2/8/1958, a playwright preparing for her Broadway debut wrote to Langston Hughes asking permission to use a line from one of his poems as the title for her play. Just over a year later #otd 1959, A RAISIN IN THE SUN premiered. This #america250 post w/ @cmcanning.bsky.social explores that premiere

70 years ago today, Hirschfeld’s drawing of the original cast of My Fair Lady appeared in The New York Times the Sunday before the show opened. Hear from Hirschfeld himself about what he thought when he was told about the new musical version of Pygmalion. www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk2y...

New episode: Jesse Berger of Red Bull Theater joins us to talk about performing early modern drama, the theatre's history, and its upcoming production of TITUS ANDRONICUS, starring Patrick Page: theatrehistorypodcast.libsyn.com/episode-112-...

Why You Need to See ‘A Delicate Balance’ at the Walnut Street Theatre michaelcavacini.com/2026/03/06/w...

A sound clip from our new episode! Herbert J. Biberman, is famous in Hollywood history for being "One of the Hollywood Ten." But his Philadelphia origin story - and his career in its theater world - is almost completely unknown . . . . because he wanted it that way. (Link to episode in Replies)

A sound clip from our new episode! Herbert J. Biberman, is famous in Hollywood history for being "One of the Hollywood Ten." But his Philadelphia origin story - and his career in its theater world - is almost completely unknown . . . . because he wanted it that way. (Link to episode in Replies)

A Modest Proposal: start spelling "surgeon" as "chirurgeon" again! . . . (or even, as Sam does here, "chyrurgeon") . . . . . . also, try to increase your use of the word "thither."

Even down here in Philly, we can appreciate that Boston has been doing great work for democracy for over 250 years now.

“I *wondered* when it would start . . . “ Now you can catch me and my wonderful fellow cast members in Edward Albee’s amazing play! (Video shot by Chris Colucci) youtu.be/QH_0sB8HUzc?...

Wallace Shawn and André Gregory have a late lunch with writer Christopher Bonanos, talking about their new Off Broadway play, ‘What We Did Before Our Moth Days.’

If any tech people do happen to have the ears of billionaires, I am here with my wallet open saying I would pay EXTRA for devices and software that don't have AI in them. Please take my money.

. . . and, along with that, here’s another thing that bugs me, NYT Spelling Bee! 🐝

I will definitely be assigning this great episode to my students, because since I am old and I know almost NOTHING about what happens on TikTok, they will be thrilled to know much more than me about a fun theater history topic!

Konstantin Stanislavski as Gayev in Anton Chekhov's THE CHERRY ORCHARD. The original Moscow Art Theatre production opened #otd 1904; this photo, dated to 1923, was taken during the MAT's American tour. Pic via the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

We might not normally associate the words "TikTok" and "history" w/ each other. But the recent history of Broadway has a lot to do w/ the social media platform. Dr. Trevor Boffone joins us to talk about his book TIKTOK BROADWAY: theatrehistorypodcast.libsyn.com/episode-110-...

Duvall was a heavy-duty theatre actor (he did a lot of Tennessee Williams, including Stanley; Miller, Shaw, Mamet, etc). In Hollywood he took jobs like anyone else but he seemed to always look for (or create) work where he could apply that level of intelligence, daring, & fun.

A sound clip from our new episode . . . a 1988 newspaper article about the The Arden Theatre Company, a hopeful new theater company which was staging an evening of adaptations of Kurt Vonnegut short stories, in the Third Floor Studio Theatre at the Walnut . . .

According to official records, February 14th was John Barrymore's birthday . . . though his family bible says the 15th. We tell the story on our Facebook page. . Link is in reply to this post. Have a wonderful Valentine's Day/John Barrymore's Birthday! Today . . . or tomorrow . . . your choice.

Long, long ago, there used to be drama critics with this level of intellectual precision and an unapologetic passion for art.

A great #theater history article by Chuck Darrow for the Shore Local, which covers #AtlanticCity and environs. I was very honored to be interviewed for this piece about Atlantic City's heyday period as a Tryout Town for #Broadway -bound shows and plays! shorelocalnews.com/remembering-...

The hidden landmark just two blocks from Independence Hall is the true birthplace of Pennsylvania, where the state declared its independence from Britain.

Bertolt Brecht, Playwright, Theatre Director, Poet, #BornOnThisDay in 1898, in Augsburg, German Empire

We put on an all-Yiddish community production of fiddler on the roof in Philadelphia and cast member and local artist Sofie Rose Seymour created the most amazing show poster that ever was

Fascinating feature by @helenshaw.bsky.social on a key figure from NYC’s experimental theatre scene of the 1960s and 70s. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/t...

First day of school!

Can confirm.

Author Event today! This afternoon I will be reading selections from my book "Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia" - and ALSO sharing a sneak preview of my next one! My chapter "The Living Arts: Rose Valley On Stage" will be part of the upcoming book “Rose Valley Arts & Crafts: 1901-1916.”

Perseus Rescuing Andromeda, by Paolo Veronese, 1576-78, 📸 by @JOHNRU55ELL

Why did Shakespeare write 'Troilus and Cressida'? On today's new episode returning guest Rachel Aanstad helps us to get to the bottom of that knotty question #theatre #theatrehistory #shakespeare #troilusandcressida #podcast

A sound clip from our new episode! The story of Albert Innaurato and his play "Gemini," set in South Philadelphia in the 1970s. We interview Charles Gilbert about his professional association and personal friendship with Innaurato, as they tried to turn "Gemini" into a work of musical theater.

The cognitive dissonance of constantly reading that I need to spend some time mastering generative AI while not knowing a single person in my industry who uses it to do good work 🤙

'Troilus and Cressida' has been an illusive play over the centuries and consigned by many as Shakespeare's most impenetrable play. I do my bit to bring some understanding to it in today's new podcast episode. #shakespeare #troilus #cressida #theatre #theatrehistory #podcast

A sound clip from out new episode, released today! #theater #theaterhistory

New Episode! www.aithpodcast.com/abigail-adam...