All stories by David on BroadwayStars

Monday, November 4, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today in Theatre History: NOVEMBER 4 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Sam Maher and Steve Luber

1787 Birthday of British actor Edmund Kean (1787-1833), considered one of the finest actors of the early 18th century. Among his greatest roles was Shakespeare's Richard III. He will be …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Sunday, November 3, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today in Theatre History: NOVEMBER 3 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Sam Maher and Steve Luber

1916 A new play by a new playwright opens at the Provincetown Playhouse in New York's Greenwich Village, far from Broadway and Times Square, but the play and the author will soon revolut…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Saturday, November 2, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today in Theatre History: NOVEMBER 2 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Sam Maher and Steve Luber

1903 Daniel Frohman opens the New Lyceum Theatre on Manhattan's West 45th Street with E. H. Sothern in The Proud Prince. Designed by Herts & Tallant, the theatre was later rechristen…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Friday, November 1, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today in Theatre History: NOVEMBER 1 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Sam Maher and Steve Luber

1920 Opening night for Eugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones, starring Charles S. Gilpin as a onetime railway porter who goes to Africa and rises to become the corrupt head of a new empire ther…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Thursday, October 31, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today in Theatre History: OCTOBER 31 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Sam Maher and Steve Luber

1896 Birthday of Ethel Waters (1896-1977), Broadway star of musicals and plays including The Member of the Wedding, As Thousands Cheer, Cabin in the Sky and Lew Leslie's Blackbirds.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Wednesday, October 30, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today in Theatre History: OCTOBER 30 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Sam Maher and Steve Luber

1896 Birthday of Ruth Gordon, later to star on Broadway in dozens of plays, including Ethan Frome, The Country Wife and her own Years Ago; also in Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker (sour…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Tuesday, October 29, 2013

PHOTO SPECIAL: Playbill Gets "Green-ified" in Honor of Wicked by Matthew Blank and David Gewirtzman

The New York production of the international hit musical Wicked celebrates its 10th anniversary on Broadway Oct. 30. The Playbill.com staff had a little fun and "greenified" a handful of pr…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:16PM

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today in Theatre History: OCTOBER 29 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Sam Maher and Steve Luber

1882 Birth of French playwright Jean Giraudoux, author of The Madwoman of Chaillot, Ondine, Intermezzo, Tiger at the Gates and Amphitryon 38. He lives to 1944.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Monday, October 28, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today in Theatre History: OCTOBER 28 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Sam Maher and Steve Luber

1928 Six-time Tony-winning costume designer Florence Klotz is born today. Her designs will be worn by the original casts of Follies, A Little Night Music, Pacific Overtures, On the Twentieth…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Sunday, October 13, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today in Theatre History: OCTOBER 13 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Sam Maher and Ernio Hernandez

1903 Victor Herbert's Babes in Toyland opens on Broadway, introducing the songs "I Can't Do the Sum," "Go To Sleep," "Toyland" and "The March of th…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Saturday, October 12, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today in Theatre History: OCTOBER 12 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Sam Maher and Ernio Hernandez

1914 Broadway premiere of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, with Mrs. Patrick Campbell as Eliza Doolittle. The drama will serve as the basis of the 1956 musical My Fair Lady.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Friday, September 20, 2013

'Romeo and Juliet' on Broadway: What did the critics think? by Sherry Stern and David Ng

"Romeo and Juliet," Shakesepeare's most enduring tragic love story, has found its way back to Broadway after nearly three decades. Orlando Bloom and Condola Rashad are this year's star-cross…

SOURCE: Los Angeles Times at 02:55PM

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today in Theatre History: SEPTEMBER 20 by David Gewirtzman and Ernio Hernandez and Robert Viagas

1886 Birthday of writer/director John Murray Anderson (1886-1954), whose work for revues Ziegfeld Follies, Greenwich Village Follies and John Murray Anderson's Almanac helped launch and furt…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Thursday, September 5, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: SEPTEMBER 5 by David Gewirtzman and Ernio Hernandez, Robert Viagas

1881 Birthday of B. Iden Payne (1881-1976) a producer and playwright, who, as a professor at the University of Texas, inspired three generations of Broadway artists, including Tommy Tune and…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Friday, August 23, 2013

Time Out New York's 20 shows to catch this fall by David Cote and Adam Feldman

Autumn brings a wave of new plays, musicals and classic revivals. Use our guide to keep up with all the action.

SOURCE: Time Out at 11:31PM
Tuesday, July 30, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today in Theatre History: JULY 30 by David Gewirtzman and Ernio Hernandez and Robert Viagas

1983 Broadway lyricist Howard Dietz dies today at age 87. With composer Arthur Schwartz, Dietz wrote the score for The Band Wagon. Other songs by the duo include "Dancing in the Dark,&q…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Friday, July 19, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today in Theatre History: JULY 19 by David Gewirtzman and Ernio Hernandez and Robert Viagas

1938 Stage and film actor Burgess Meredith divorces Margaret Perry today. Perry, an actress, is the daughter of Antoinette Perry, after whom the Tony Awards are named. The union was rather s…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Time Out New York's 2013 Tony Award predictions by David Cote and Adam Feldman

Handicapping Broadway’s highest honor? Here are 2013 Tony Award picks you can bet on.

SOURCE: Time Out at 02:07PM
Tuesday, May 21, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: MAY 21 by David Gewirtzman and Anne Bradley and Robert Viagas

1929 Some of the highlights of A Night in Venice are Ted Healy wrestling bears and the choreography of Busby Berkeley. This revue will run at the Shubert Theatre on Broadway for 22 weeks.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Tony Awards 2013: The complete guide to the best of Broadway by David Cote and Adam Feldman

All the nominees, predictions of the winners, reviews and news about Broadway's big night. Plus: Fill out your own ballot to decide who nabs the 2013 Tony Awards.

SOURCE: Time Out at 06:23PM
Friday, April 26, 2013

The 2013 TONY* nominees have been announced! by David Cote and Adam Feldman

Who should be nominated for 2013 Tony Awards? TONY’s experts choose the best of the Broadway season.

SOURCE: Time Out at 04:49PM
Tuesday, April 2, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: APRIL 2 by David Gewirtzman and Anne Bradley and Ernio Hernandez

1923 There's trouble At Mrs. Beam's — this boardinghouse keeper thinks one of her guests is a killer. There will be 280 performances at London's Royalty Theatre of this C. K. Mu…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Monday, April 1, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: APRIL 1 by David Gewirtzman and Anne Bradley, Ernio Hernandez and Robert Viagas

1918 Actor-manager Henry Miller opens his theatre in New York City. It's designed to seat 1,000 spectators and capable of handling the latest staging innovations. In 1998 the theatre is …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:02AM
Sunday, March 31, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: MARCH 31 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Anne Bradley and Ernio Hernandez

1922 Birthday of actor Richard Kiley (1922-1999), who will create memorable roles in mid-20th century musicals, including Kismet, Redhead, No Strings and his signature role, the title charac…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Saturday, March 30, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: MARCH 30 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas and Anne Bradley

1858 Birthday of DeWolf Hopper (1858-1935), vaudeville comedian and musical comedy star, who was featured in Wang, Hoity-Toity and many early Gilbert & Sullivan productions. His signatur…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Thursday, March 28, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: MARCH 28 by David Gewirtzman and Anne Bradley and Ernio Hernandez

1939 Philip Barry tells The Philadelphia Story at the Shubert Theatre in New York. Katharine Hepburn, Van Heflin, Shirley Booth, and Joseph Cotten star. Robert Edmond Jones designs the sets …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Wednesday, March 27, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: MARCH 27 by David Gewirtzman and Anne Bradley and Robert Viagas

1924 Long before Madonna sang about Vogueing, there were the Vogues of 1924. This revue at the Shubert Theatre stars Fred Allen and Jimmy Savo. It will run for almost three months.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Tuesday, March 26, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S eatre History: MARCH 26 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Ernio Hernandez and Anne Bradley

1905 Actor Maurice Barrymore dies today. He was father to Lionel Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore and John Barrymore. He was 57 years old.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: MARCH 26 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Ernio Hernandez and Anne Bradley

1905 Actor Maurice Barrymore dies today. He was father to Lionel Barrymore, Ethel Barrymore and John Barrymore. He was 57 years old.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Monday, March 25, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: MARCH 25 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas and Anne Bradley

1871 Birthday of Lee Shubert, one of the three legendary Shubert brothers who will found the theatre-owning and producing empire, the Shubert Organization.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM
Sunday, March 24, 2013

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: MARCH 24 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Ernio Hernandez and Anne Bradley

1909 Irish poet and playwright John Millington Synge dies today. He penned numerous plays including Riders to the Sea and The Playboy of the Western World. For the latter he traveled to the …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards