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 hila...

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, thro...

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 "H...

The rise of the Arden Theatre  Company - as well as the story of the beginnings of the modern Walnut Street Theatre Company and the Lantern Theater Company.

The story of Albert Innaurato and his play "Gemini." Set in South Philadelphia in the 1970s, it was to become the biggest commercial and artistic triumph of his career.The famous TV commercial for the original Broadway production is on Y...

The director Abigail Adams and the actress Marcia Saunders talk to us about their lives and careers, and about how their theatrical and artistic home at People's Light in Malvern, Pennsylvania.To learn more about the production of <...

As a Holiday, treat, the Philadelphia actor Brian Wilson talks with us about his life and career. Brian tells us about his memories - everything from his roles on "The Wire," to his work with the director Walter Dallas, to his quest...

A conversation with Chris Lippa about the life and work of his father, the late Louis Lippa, the Philadelphia playwright and actor - and about Chris' vision to make a real home for the history of theater in the city.For a tribute to the ...

A reprise of our 2023 interview with Bernard Havard of the Walnut Street Theatre - including a tour of the historic building. Newly remixed, and with a new introduction and extra content about our upcoming episodes of the podcast!

We talk with Bruce Graham - a son of Ridley Township in Delaware County who  has been writing, teaching, and performing in Philadelphia since the 1980s. Graham has written dozens of plays which have been produced everywhere from Lo...

An interview with writer, director, translator and theater critic Carol Rocamora, who founded the Philadelphia Festival Theatre for New Plays in 1981, and was its Artistic Director to 1994. Philadelphia-area playwright Michael Hollinger...

A conversation with Seth Rozin, the founder and artistic director of InterAct Theatre of Philadelphia. Seth shares some great stories about the early years of the company, including the tour of Ireland in the autumn of 1988, the creatio...

A conversation with actor Tom Teti about his life, his career in Philadelphia theater, and his long association with People's Light and Theatre Company in Malvern.For a blog post with images and additional information about Tom's career,...

Director Blanka Zizka and stage manager Patreshettarlini Adams talk about their decades of work at the Wilma Theater, sharing stories of their longstanding artistic collaboration and deep friendship. And they agree that "Theater is Music." ...

The history of Philadelphia's Wilma Theater during the 1990s, with archival recordings of the voices of Jiri and Blanka Zizka.For images and additional information about this episode, see the blog post on our website

The voices of Jiri and Blanka Zizka help to narrate the history of Philadelphia's Wilma Theater during the 1980s.For images and additional information about this episode, see the blog post on our website 

A conversation about the impact that Blanka and Jiri Zizka had on the Philadelphia theater scene in the 1980s and 90s. If you have not yet listened to our Episode 97, "Off-Off Broad Street," in which we discuss the history of "The Wilma...

Charlie Gilbert returns to talk about the music theater and the many new musicals being created and developed in Philadelphia during the 1980s and 90s.We discuss the founding and early years of the American Music Theatre Festival, musica...

An interview with actor Johnnie Hobbs and choreographer Patricia Scott Hobbs about the Freedom Theatre in North Philadelphia. In an archival recording, the Philadelphia composer and teacher Charles Gilbert talks to his longtime frie...

Director and Producer Joe Canuso sits down with us to talk about his life and career in Philly theater.From acting at the Pocket Playhouse in the 70s, performing with dance troupes in the 80s, creating cutting-edge shows for the new Fri...

A conversation with one of the longest-serving and most consequential artistic directors and producers of the modern era of Philadelphia theater history, Sara Garonzik. As we continue our Season Four, we learn about her early years - fi...

Our interview with teacher, writer and director Robert Hedley - the former Chair of the Theater Departments of both Villanova and Temple Universities.In our conversation, we discuss many things - including his early years, his coming to...

Cato: A Tragedy was a famous 18th Century play by Joseph Addison - supposedly the favorite play of George Washington himself! What connection did it have to the history of America - and the theater history of Philadelphia?This ...

The story of three small ambitious cutting-edge Philadelphia theater companies of the 1970s. Why did some survive - and some falter?For a blog post with images of the productions and people we discuss in the episode, go

An interview with Joe Stinson and Ed Sabato about Philadelphia theatrical projects that employed so many local actors before and during the Bicentennial Year of 1976.In the very place where the American experiment began, regular work in...