The Theatre History Podcast

Michael Lueger
  • 4.3 (13)
  • PERFORMING ARTS
  • UPDATED MONTHLY
The Theatre History Podcast

Performance is an ephemeral thing, so how do we rediscover its history, and what can that teach us about theatre today? The Theatre History Podcast explores these questions through interviews with scholars and artists who are studying theatre's past in order to help shape its future.

  1. SEP 23

    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 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.

    54 min

  2. AUG 12

    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 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.

    40 min

  3. JUL 29

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

    41 min

  4. JUL 15

    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.

    34 min

  5. 11/21/2023

    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. Professor Fiona Macintosh joins us to talk about the Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama at Oxford University and how it's been a resource for those who want to learn more about how these works have been - and continue to be - performed.

    51 min

  6. 10/24/2023

    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 health at the end of her life. But as our guest, Elise Harris, tells us, it's a fascinating work in its own right, and one with a rich and complicated history.

    55 min

  7. 10/17/2023

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

    1h 1m

  8. 11/01/2022

    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 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.

    1h 32m
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Performance is an ephemeral thing, so how do we rediscover its history, and what can that teach us about theatre today? The Theatre History Podcast explores these questions through interviews with scholars and artists who are studying theatre's past in order to help shape its future.

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