Theatre History Podcast
@theatrehistory.bsky.social
Welcome to the Bluesky feed for the Theatre History Podcast. Keep up with the podcast and check out images, facts, and the occasional bit of backstage gossip from the theatrical past.
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This Month in Theatre History features the opening of an all-Black cast revival of “Hello, Dolly!” on Broadway, playwright Pauline Phelps’s birth in 1870, a late actor’s skull playing Yorick, and more.
This Month in Theatre History
A notable 1800s female playwright is born, a late 1700s actor's skull plays Yorick, and more.
www.americantheatre.org
November 7, 2025 at 1:32 AM
This Month in Theatre History features the opening of an all-Black cast revival of “Hello, Dolly!” on Broadway, playwright Pauline Phelps’s birth in 1870, a late actor’s skull playing Yorick, and more.
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A thread of protest, censorship, and direct action runs through this month’s entries, including El Teatro Campesino’s founding amidst the Delano Grape Strike, the inaugural Women’s One World Festival, and more.
www.americantheatre.org/2025/10/07/t...
www.americantheatre.org/2025/10/07/t...
This Month in Theatre History
A thread of protest, censorship, and direct action runs through this month's entries.
www.americantheatre.org
October 8, 2025 at 4:03 PM
A thread of protest, censorship, and direct action runs through this month’s entries, including El Teatro Campesino’s founding amidst the Delano Grape Strike, the inaugural Women’s One World Festival, and more.
www.americantheatre.org/2025/10/07/t...
www.americantheatre.org/2025/10/07/t...
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Your best ever night at the #theatre? Join us @ihr.bsky.social on Thurs 13 Nov to recreate it - or stage the show of your dreams - & discover the use of #toy theatre in #heritage #research! From my fab PhD student @pdwebster.bsky.social. @beinghumanfest.bsky.social
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
A Night at the TOY Theatre!
www.history.ac.uk
October 3, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Your best ever night at the #theatre? Join us @ihr.bsky.social on Thurs 13 Nov to recreate it - or stage the show of your dreams - & discover the use of #toy theatre in #heritage #research! From my fab PhD student @pdwebster.bsky.social. @beinghumanfest.bsky.social
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
www.history.ac.uk/news-events/...
Scene from Robert Wilson's THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOSEPH STALIN at BAM Opera House, 1973. Wilson, who died earlier this year, was born #otd 1941 and became one of the preeminent artists of the contemporary theatrical avant-garde. Pic by Jennifer Merin via Wilson's official site, robertwilson.com
October 4, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Scene from Robert Wilson's THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JOSEPH STALIN at BAM Opera House, 1973. Wilson, who died earlier this year, was born #otd 1941 and became one of the preeminent artists of the contemporary theatrical avant-garde. Pic by Jennifer Merin via Wilson's official site, robertwilson.com
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Saturday 25th October we're performing the 1616 text for Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe and his many (occasionally posthumous) friends. Following that is our season panel discussing the Wyrd in the early modern, the plays we're covered and more - but who are these wonderful panellists?
October 3, 2025 at 10:56 AM
Saturday 25th October we're performing the 1616 text for Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe and his many (occasionally posthumous) friends. Following that is our season panel discussing the Wyrd in the early modern, the plays we're covered and more - but who are these wonderful panellists?
Reposted by Theatre History Podcast
Love the little "small print" joke from this 1949 historical mockup from The Onion...
October 2, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Love the little "small print" joke from this 1949 historical mockup from The Onion...
Reposted by Theatre History Podcast
For decades, Redford had a tortured relationship with acting--one critic described him as behaving like the handsome high school senior who'd grudgingly agreed to star in the class play. Here's some raw transcript from when I asked him about Mike Nichols directing him in Barefoot in the Park. (1/2)
![We tried out in New Haven. Now, I was not sure about my own self at that time...So, when I was called out to do the play, part of me was resisting everything, everything. My thought was, I'm going to show everyone why I shouldn't be in this play. When we opened in New Haven, I basically just laid down. I said said “Okay, I'm going to be so bad they're going to get rid of me." So I got terrible reviews. Elizabeth [Ashley] did well. They all loved her and she was great. But, my perversity had everyone down on me. I thought, well, this is good, now they'll replace me. Mike took me to lunch and said, “Look, I think I know what you're doing, and it's not going to work. No matter how bad you try to behave, I'm not going to replace you." So I said, "Well, I'm now going to get worse.” I decides I'm not gonna let him win this one, I'm going to show him. I'm going to be so bad he's gotta replace me.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:zknk3rjsatent75sdbbopown/bafkreibl7flue4suctt5sytwwrhu45jpk2dpmvvi247l7ql72pftblo6ki@jpeg)
September 16, 2025 at 2:18 PM
For decades, Redford had a tortured relationship with acting--one critic described him as behaving like the handsome high school senior who'd grudgingly agreed to star in the class play. Here's some raw transcript from when I asked him about Mike Nichols directing him in Barefoot in the Park. (1/2)
Robert Redford in BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, 1963. Pic by the Friedman-Abeles studio via the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
September 16, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Robert Redford in BAREFOOT IN THE PARK, 1963. Pic by the Friedman-Abeles studio via the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
Reposted by Theatre History Podcast
Oct. 28th, 1960: The Irish Rebellion drama "Little Moon of Alban" by James Costigan had its world stage premiere at the Forrest #Theatre in #Philadelphia.
Miss Harris got very good reviews. But not unnoticed by audiences was a young actor playing her character's slain fiancé - Robert Redford. #RIP
Miss Harris got very good reviews. But not unnoticed by audiences was a young actor playing her character's slain fiancé - Robert Redford. #RIP
September 16, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Oct. 28th, 1960: The Irish Rebellion drama "Little Moon of Alban" by James Costigan had its world stage premiere at the Forrest #Theatre in #Philadelphia.
Miss Harris got very good reviews. But not unnoticed by audiences was a young actor playing her character's slain fiancé - Robert Redford. #RIP
Miss Harris got very good reviews. But not unnoticed by audiences was a young actor playing her character's slain fiancé - Robert Redford. #RIP
Scene from Jean-Louis Barrault's (b. 9/8/1910) 1947 production of LA FONTAINE DE JOUVENCE ("The Fountain of Youth), which featured Madeline Renaud & Marcel Marceau in addition to Barrault himself. Pic Etienne Bertrand Weill via @labnf.bsky.social
September 8, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Scene from Jean-Louis Barrault's (b. 9/8/1910) 1947 production of LA FONTAINE DE JOUVENCE ("The Fountain of Youth), which featured Madeline Renaud & Marcel Marceau in addition to Barrault himself. Pic Etienne Bertrand Weill via @labnf.bsky.social
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We hold the world's largest Samuel Beckett Collection, and frequently welcome researchers, actors and dramatists.
In April, this included the cast of the upcoming Jamie Lloyd Co production of Waiting for Godot – including actors Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter!
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/05/t...
In April, this included the cast of the upcoming Jamie Lloyd Co production of Waiting for Godot – including actors Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter!
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/05/t...
Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter Are Ready for ‘Godot’
www.nytimes.com
September 8, 2025 at 3:02 PM
We hold the world's largest Samuel Beckett Collection, and frequently welcome researchers, actors and dramatists.
In April, this included the cast of the upcoming Jamie Lloyd Co production of Waiting for Godot – including actors Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter!
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/05/t...
In April, this included the cast of the upcoming Jamie Lloyd Co production of Waiting for Godot – including actors Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter!
www.nytimes.com/2025/09/05/t...
Reposted by Theatre History Podcast
“It’s not clear whether the reaction of higher-ups at the University of Central Oklahoma rose to the level of freaked out or afraid, but something got their hackles up.” My report on censorship of a new play.
In Oklahoma, Suppressing Shakespeare’s Boy Actors
“People are very interested in when women were banned from the stage, but they don’t seem interested in what it meant for boys to be there,” playwright Zoe Senese-Grossberg said, in conversation ab…
hesherman.com
September 8, 2025 at 1:13 PM
“It’s not clear whether the reaction of higher-ups at the University of Central Oklahoma rose to the level of freaked out or afraid, but something got their hackles up.” My report on censorship of a new play.
Reposted by Theatre History Podcast
“Nowhere else in Japan today is the ancient drama form so widely embraced as it is on Sado. The fishing and farming communities here have made the medieval art form a central part of their local culture, which children learn while still in school.”
A Japanese Island Preserves an Ancient and Ghostly Theater Form
www.nytimes.com
September 8, 2025 at 1:34 PM
“Nowhere else in Japan today is the ancient drama form so widely embraced as it is on Sado. The fishing and farming communities here have made the medieval art form a central part of their local culture, which children learn while still in school.”
Joseph Papp (b. 6/23/1921) looking over the site where the Delacorte Theater was being constructed in 1960. Pic by George E. Joseph via the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
June 23, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Joseph Papp (b. 6/23/1921) looking over the site where the Delacorte Theater was being constructed in 1960. Pic by George E. Joseph via the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
Robe worn as part of a costume for a role in Japanese noh. This late-18th-century item of clothing, known as an "atsuita," would have been worn by an actor playing a male role. Via the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
June 17, 2025 at 1:59 PM
Robe worn as part of a costume for a role in Japanese noh. This late-18th-century item of clothing, known as an "atsuita," would have been worn by an actor playing a male role. Via the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Illustration for Irish poet and playwright W.B. Yeats's (b. 6/13/1865) noh-inspired one-act AT THE HAWK'S WELL, 1921. From his FOUR PLAYS FOR DANCERS via @archive.org
June 13, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Illustration for Irish poet and playwright W.B. Yeats's (b. 6/13/1865) noh-inspired one-act AT THE HAWK'S WELL, 1921. From his FOUR PLAYS FOR DANCERS via @archive.org
Uta Hagen (b. 6/12/1919) as Nina in the 1938 Broadway production of Chekhov's THE SEAGULL. Pic by the Vandamm studio via the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
June 12, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Uta Hagen (b. 6/12/1919) as Nina in the 1938 Broadway production of Chekhov's THE SEAGULL. Pic by the Vandamm studio via the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
Zakes Mokae, James Earl Jones, and Ruby Dee in BOESMAN AND LENA at Circle in the Square, 1970. The play was by South African playwright Athol Fugard, who was born #otd 1932 and died in March of this year. Pic via the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
June 11, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Zakes Mokae, James Earl Jones, and Ruby Dee in BOESMAN AND LENA at Circle in the Square, 1970. The play was by South African playwright Athol Fugard, who was born #otd 1932 and died in March of this year. Pic via the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
Reposted by Theatre History Podcast
This month, we recall the founding director of Houston’s A.D. Players Theatre Company, Jeannette Clift George; the Wooster Group’s first postdramatic theatre production, SAKONNET POINT; and the premiere of William Finn and James Lapine’s FALSETTOLAND at Playwrights Horizons in 1992.
This Month in Theatre History
A Golden Globe-winning theatre founder, the start for postdramatic theatre legends, and a William Finn world premiere.
www.americantheatre.org
June 5, 2025 at 6:12 PM
This month, we recall the founding director of Houston’s A.D. Players Theatre Company, Jeannette Clift George; the Wooster Group’s first postdramatic theatre production, SAKONNET POINT; and the premiere of William Finn and James Lapine’s FALSETTOLAND at Playwrights Horizons in 1992.
C. 1580 depiction of the renowned commedia dell'arte troupe known as I Gelosi, who found fame in both Italy and France. The actress at center is often identified as Isabella Andreini (d. 6/10 or 11/1604), one of the company's leaders and its star performer. Via @museecarnavalet.bsky.social
June 10, 2025 at 4:43 PM
C. 1580 depiction of the renowned commedia dell'arte troupe known as I Gelosi, who found fame in both Italy and France. The actress at center is often identified as Isabella Andreini (d. 6/10 or 11/1604), one of the company's leaders and its star performer. Via @museecarnavalet.bsky.social
