Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia

A modern walking tour along a noisy street - with the narrative of a long-forgotten theater district of Philadelphia's near north side! For a blog post with images and photos of the theaters and streets we discuss in the episode, go to: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/photos-and-images-for-the-ghost-theaters-of-callowhill-street---episode-124/ Support the show "Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia" the BOOK can be ordered from independent bookstores and at all online book retailers ...

Three tales from the deep annals of Philadelphia opera history . . . . from a fantastical account of a performance of Guy Mannering in the 1840s, to the world premiere of Victor Herbert's Natoma in 1911, to a final Gotterdammerung at the Academy of Music in 1948. To view images and additional details about all the stories in this episode - go to this blog post on our Patreon page! https://www.patreon.com/posts/121123422 Support the show "Adventures in Theater History: Philadelph...

In the Spring of 1978, "The Troc" - Philadelphia's longtime notorious burlesque house on Arch Street - closed for business. The journalist Edgar Williams composed this poetic farewell to the site of so many vivid, poignant, and hilarious episodes from his youth. A good photo essay about the history of The Troc can be found in this online article by writer Thom Carroll in the Philly Voice: https://www.phillyvoice.com/photos-100-years-trocadero-theatre/ It is our podcast's 5th Birthday! ...

It might seem to be a lurid Hollywood tale . . . but is it really a Philadelphia theater story? Here's our take on the life and times of the actress Diana Barrymore, eldest daughter of John Barrymore - from her privileged beginnings, through her successes on stage, her failures in filmdom . . to her sad and sordid end. But is she really just another celebrity cautionary tale? There's more to her story than got told in the tabloids. As you listen, for a selection of photos of Diana, and...

Herbert J. Biberman, the screenwriter, director and left-wing activist, was once one of the most well-known men in show biz - but not, unfortunately for his talent or his intellect. In 1950, he became famous for being one of the "Hollywood Ten," a group of men known for their opposition to politically-motivated industry blacklists - and facing prison for refusing to cooperate with the House Un-American Activities Committee. But Biberman's Philadelphia origin story is almost completely...