The Theatre History Podcast

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 gains of the post-Stonewall era, Charles Busch and Kenneth Elliott created something unique in New York City. The company that they founded, Theatre-in-Limbo, developed some of the biggest underground hits of the 80s, with unforgettable titles like Vampire Lesbians of Sodom and Psycho Beach Party. Now Elliott is out with a new book: Beyond Ridiculous: Making Gay Theatre with Charles Busch in 1980s New York. It tells the story of Theatre-in-Limbo and makes a case for its underappreciated importance. 

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 the UK, as well as a point of contention nationwide. At the center of it all was Colin George, who spearheaded the building of the Crucible and fought for its then-unconventional design. Although George passed away in 2016, his memoirs of this era appear in a new book, Stirring Up Sheffield: An Insider’s Account of the Battle to Build the Crucible Theatre. It’s co-authored by Dr. Edward George, an economist, broadcaster, and writer who’s especially well-placed to help tell the story, since he’s also Colin’s son. Tedd George joins us to talk about the Crucible and Colin George's legacy.

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 Professionalism. Correction for the episode: The correct number for the historical, segregated Washington, D.C. IATSE Local was 224-A, not 244-A.

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

Professor Fiona Macintosh discusses the Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama at Oxford University, highlighting the innovative production of Euripides' play, preservation of historical theater artifacts, interactive multimedia ebooks, ancient dance scholarship, and the global influence on Greek tragedy performance.

Elise Harris provides insights into Lorraine Hansberry's play 'The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window', exploring the fallout of 'A Raisin in the Sun' success. They delve into Hansberry's relationships with Jane Wagner and Dorothy Seacuels, as well as the complexities of the protagonist in the play. The challenges of bringing the play to opening night and Hansberry's career through family dramas are also discussed.

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 pioneering work had an impact on not only Philadelphia theatre, but the American stage as a whole.

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 joins us to talk about how she explores the emergence of this aspect of 18th-century fan culture in her new book, Carrying All Before Her: Celebrity Pregnancy and the London Stage, 1689-1800.

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 introduce the Museum of Broadway and explain how it's bringing the theatrical past to life.

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 Dr. Thomas F. Connolly shows in this week's discussion of Robert E. Sherwood's "There Shall Be No Night," timeliness can be a tricky subject, perhaps especially in the context of live theatre.