Thursday, November 30, 2023
Frances Sternhagen (1930–2023).November 30, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
With fifty Broadway and off-Broadway shows to her credit over a career that spanned more than…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 06:14AMWednesday, September 27, 2023
Modeling Raoul Pène Du Bois “76 Trombones” costume, built for Robert Preston in “The Music Man” in 1957.September 27, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
By chance l…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 07:31AMSaturday, September 16, 2023
Cover of Alan Shayne’s “The Star Dressing Room: Portrait of an Actor.”September 16, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler.
There are not a whole lot of people around toda…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 09:39AMMonday, July 17, 2023
Barnard Hughes in Murray Schisgal’s “All Over Town” (1974). Photo by Martha Swope. “There wasn’t a basement in New York I didn’t work in.”July 17, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and …
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:30AMTuesday, July 4, 2023
Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin in “1776” (1969). Photo by Martha Swope.July 4, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
I’ve been writing 1776-themed columns on July 4…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 12:30PMFriday, June 30, 2023
Alan Arkin in “Enter Laughing” (1963).June 30, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
Not to be too emphatic about it, but Alan Arkin was among my most favorite actors. King …
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 01:26PMSaturday, June 24, 2023
Sheldon Harnick (1924–2023). Photo by Carlo Allegri for the Washington Post.June 24, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
News that Sheldon Harnick left us yesterday at age n…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 06:26PMWednesday, June 21, 2023
Picture postcard of the Priscilla Beach Theatre in Plymouth, Massachusetts circa 1940s.June 21, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
On this first day of summer, I find myself…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 08:18AMSaturday, June 10, 2023
June 10, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
Between 41st and 66th streets there are forty-two legit Broadway theatres (this includes the Palace, currently under renovation an…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 12:59PMFriday, May 12, 2023
Sutton Foster (center) hosts PBS’s “Great Performances: Celebrating 50 Years of Broadway’s Best.”May 12, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
Premiering tonight on PBS …
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 09:27AMTuesday, May 9, 2023
May 9, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
Forty-five years ago tonight, the musical revue Ain’t Misbehavin’ opened at the Longacre Theatre. Based on music made famous by …
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:16AMFriday, May 5, 2023
Alfred Lunt as Anton Schill and Lynn Fontanne as Claire Zachanassian in “The Visit” (1958). Photo by Vandamm.May 5, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
On this date sixty…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:56AMSaturday, April 15, 2023
After April 16, 2023 the marquee goes dark.April 15, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
Tomorrow, after thirty-five years, the epic run of The Phantom of the Opera will come…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 08:54AMTuesday, April 11, 2023
Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel taking their bows at a curtain call of “Wicked” (2003).April 11, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
Tonight, Wicked will become the 4t…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 09:28AMSaturday, April 8, 2023
Michael Bennett (1943–1987).April 8, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
Had he lived, today would mark Michael Bennett’s 80th birthday. He died in Tucson, Arizona in 1987…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 10:35AMFriday, March 31, 2023
The original cast of “Oklahoma!” with Lee Dixon in plaid jacket (Will Parker), Celeste Holm in yellow (Ado Annie), Alfred Drake (Curly) & Joan Roberts (Laurey) under the surrey, Jose…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 08:26AMThursday, March 30, 2023
Current cast members of “A Chorus Line” at the Cincinnati Playhouse: Musa Hitomi (Connie), Diego Guevara (Paul), Courtney Arango (Diana), Drew Lachey (Zach), Jonathan Duvelson (Ritchie) …
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 12:55PMMonday, March 20, 2023
Donna Murphy, Philip Johnson Richardson and Samantha Williams in “Dear World” (photo by Joan Marcus).March 20, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
The plea for a “dear …
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 10:24AMSunday, March 19, 2023
Saturday, March 18, 2023
John Kander, born on this date March 18, 1927.March 18, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
Today is the 96th birthday of the legendary composer John Kander, who is still doi…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:58AMFriday, March 17, 2023
Angela Lansbury as the Countess Aurelia in “Dear World” (1969). Photo by Friedman-Abeles.March 17, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
“I was terribly spoiled,” Jerry …
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 07:21AMWednesday, March 15, 2023
Mary McCarty leading the charge with “Who’s That Woman?” (1971). That’s Alexis Smith in red on the left and Dorothy Collins and Yvonne De Carlo on the right.March 15, 2023: Theatre …
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 09:24AMMonday, March 13, 2023
Ethel Shutta belting out “Broadway Baby” in “Follies” (1971).March 13, 2013: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
When the musical Follies opened on Broadway in 1971, a show …
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 09:50AMFriday, March 10, 2023
Dual record set for “Sondheim: A Musical Tribute,” or as it’s commonly known, the “Scrabble Album” (1973).March 10, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
On March 11,…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 08:05AMFriday, March 3, 2023
March 3, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
“I think probably one of the worst reviews that I got was actually from a person on the street, and not a paid critic. I remembe…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 09:58AMMonday, February 27, 2023
February 27, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
“The thing about Doug Henning was that he could make the audience disappear, too!” — Nathan Lane
Merlin, the infamo…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 08:02AMThursday, February 23, 2023
February 23, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
Today is the anniversary of when the 1979 musical Sarava, “the new hot musical” as it was billed, reluctantly opened on Br…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 02:42PMMonday, February 20, 2023
February 20, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
In May of 1964, an election year, a new play opened on Broadway by A. E. Hotchner titled The White House. It depicted a relati…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 02:31PMTuesday, February 14, 2023
Barry Bostwick and Carole Demas, the first Broadway Danny and Sandy, in “Grease” (1972).February 14, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
Fifty-one years ago, on Valentine…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 08:52AMWednesday, February 1, 2023
Latecomer Larry Kert with the original cast of “Company” (1970).Theatre Yesterday and Today, February 1, 2023, by Ron Fassler.
To continue with more on replacements, the story of how La…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 08:41AMMonday, January 30, 2023
Elaine Stritch as she appeared on Broadway as Martha in “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (1963).Theatre Yesterday and Today, January 30, 2023, by Ron Fassler.
Due to a warm response…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 09:14AM 
