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Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia

Exploring the deep and fascinating history of theater in the City of Philadelphia

Recent Episodes

Dec. 27, 2024

91. Encore Episode: New Years' Day in the New Theatre, 1800

January 1, 1800: Philadelphia's premiere theater company rang in the New Year with their production of the spectacular Romance entitled "Blue Beard, or Female Curiosity."
Dec. 13, 2024

90. The Arts Centers: New Philly Theaters for the 1970s

Three new Philadelphia theater complexes are built for the mid-century modern era - funded by wealthy philanthropists.
Nov. 25, 2024

89. Theatre of the Living Arts - The Remix

A re-edited, reduced and remixed account of the entire history of the Theatre of the Living Arts – the first major professional theater company in Philadelphia's modern era.
Nov. 15, 2024

88. Season Four: Intro

Our first episode of Season Four - introducing our plans and hopes for the upcoming year on the podcast!
Oct. 25, 2024

87. Encore Episode: John Barrymore Comes Home

Like the ghost of Hamlet's father, the body of John Barrymore would not stay still . . . one dark night it suddenly appeared in the Philadelphia.
Oct. 11, 2024

86. Encore Episode: The Mischianza

An encore presentation of a chapter from Thomas Keels' "Wicked Philadelphia: Sin in the City of Brotherly Love."

Recent Blog Posts

Mid Century Modern: Images for Episode 90

Above, a 1967 artist's conception of the proposed Tomlinson Theater complex and adjacent buildings. Below, a photo of what the neighborhood looked liked before demolition and construction of the Annenberg School of Communications at Temple.Octo…

Bradford Ropes - notes on Episode 70, "42nd Street"

I really should have known about this topic of this blog post a long time ago!When I was originally recorded the chapter from 42nd Street back in the Fall of 2023, it was meant as a Bonus Episode for our Patreon members only. Six months later, …

It's all in the book!

Thank you all for following along this seasons with our stories about the Tryout Town Era in Philadelphia theater history!We close the episode with a reading from out upcoming book, also called Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia!From the fo…