The Theatre History Podcast

Episode 115: All Play and No Work in the Depression w/ Dr. Paul Gagliardi

There wasn't a lot that was funny about the Great Depression. With millions out of work and geopolitical turmoil threatening overseas, it might seem like the 1930s were a

Episode 114: The Education of Lin-Manuel Miranda w/ Dr. Daniel Pollack-Pelzner

Lin-Manuel Miranda has become the most prominent figure of American musical theatre over the past decade. Dr. Daniel Pollack-Pelzner joins us to talk about his book, Lin-

Episode 113: Todd London on Zelda Fichandler and the History of Nonprofit Theatre in the United States

Zelda Fichandler was one of the founders of the repertory theatre movement in the United States. Her tireless advocacy for the cause of nonprofit theatre led to a substan

Episode 111: Warning: Armed Women! (w/ Dr. Sarah Burdett)

At the height of the French Revolution, a new fear gripped many people in England: Armed women. Scenes like the storming of the Bastille and riots over the price of bread

Episode 110: Scrolling TikTok on Broadway w/ Dr. Trevor Boffone

TikTok might not seem like a natural fit with Broadway – or, for that matter, with the subject of theatre history. As our guest today writes, "an entire generation's atte

Episode 109: Going "Beyond Ridiculous" with Dr. Ken Elliott

The 1980s might not seem like a decade conducive to the emergence of a groundbreaking gay theatre. However, amidst the AIDS pandemic and a homophobic backlash to the gain

Episode 108: "Stirring Up Sheffield" with Tedd George

In the 1960s, the English city of Sheffield began work on a new theatre. The new venue, called the Crucible, became an important landmark in the development of theatre in

Episode 107: Tracing the Rise of the Professional Scenic Designer w/ Dr. David Bisaha

How did scenic designer become a job that people could pursue in the theatre? Dr. David Bisaha joins us to talk about his book, American Scenic Design and Freelance Profe

Episode 106: Staging Latinx Shakespeares with Dr. Carla Della Gatta

Dr. Carla Della Gatta joins us to talk about Latinx Shakespeare productions and her book Latinx Shakespeares: Staging U.S. Intercultural Theater.

Episode 105: The Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama with Professor Fiona Macintosh

Ancient Greek and Roman drama has influenced theatre for millennia, and playwrights and other artists from around the world continue to draw inspiration from these works.

Episode 104: Elise Harris Helps Us Look Into "Sidney Brustein's Window"

Lorraine Hansberry's play "The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window" is often forgotten, or dismissed as an inferior play that fell victim to the playwright's declining healt

Episode 103: Special Guest Episode! Peter Schmitz and Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia present "Jasper Deeter and the Hedgerow Theatre"

It's a special guest episode, featuring Peter Schmitz and his podcast "Adventures in Theatre History: Philadelphia." Peter tells the story of Jasper Deeter, whose pioneer

Episode 102: Celebrity Pregnancy on the 18th-century London Stage with Dr. Chelsea Phillips

The eighteenth century was obsessed with celebrities, and, like our own time, the fans of the 1700s were fascinated by famous actress' pregnancies. Dr. Chelsea Phillips j

Episode 101: Visiting the Museum of Broadway with Ben West

Broadway has a long and complex history, and in November of 2022 a new museum is opening that will allow visitors to explore that history. Curator Ben West joins us to in

Episode 100: Examining Robert E. Sherwood's "There Shall Be No Night" with Dr. Thomas F. Connolly

For anyone who's been following the news in 2022, a play about an Eastern European country's heroic resistance in the face of Russian invasion might sound timely. But as

Episode 99: Exploding the Canon with Classix

The Classix project is working to, as they put it, "explode the classical canon through an exploration of Black performance history and dramatic works by Black writers."

Episode 98: Marking 100 Years of "Abie's Irish Rose" with Eric Grode

It was the biggest hit on Broadway one hundred years ago – and yet it's largely forgotten today. Eric Grode joins us to talk about his recent New York Times article marki

Episode 97 - Discovering Kunqu with Dr. Dongshin Chang

Kunqu is one of the cultural treasures of Chinese theatre. Today we're fortunate to be joined by Dr. Dongshin Chang, an expert on the art form. Dongshin will introduce us

Episode 96: The End of Her Own Rainbow: Dr. Kim F. Hall Introduces Us to the Life and Work of Ntozake Shange

The recent Tony-nominated Broadway revival of Ntozake Shange's for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf reflects a growing appreciation for

Episode 95 - Going Beyond Shakespeare with Rob Crighton

Shakespeare looms large over both the American and British theatre scenes. But his outsize influence means that we've long neglected a dizzying array of fascinating and b