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Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia

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

Recent Episodes

Jan. 11, 2025

92. The Philadelphia Drama Guild

The sudden success of the Drama Guild - a former amateur theater group transformed into a professional local powerhouse - finally fulfills the promise of giving Philadelphia a flagship nonprofit theater company.
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.

Recent Blog Posts

Photos for Episode 92 - the Philadelphia Drama Guild in the 1970s

Above: Dr. Sidney Bloom, DDS, at work in his dental office in 1966, when he was already the Producer of the Drama Guild, then a community theater group. Four years later he would take the organization professional, and lead it to new heights.Below, …

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, …