All stories by Robert Viagas on BroadwayStars

Monday, January 26, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 26 by Robert Viagas and Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1925 Birthday of actor Paul Newman, who will star on Broadway in Picnic, The Sweet Bird of Youth and The Desperate Hours before going to Hollywood and becoming a film star. He will make a la…

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Sunday, January 25, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 25 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1915 It'll be 90 in the Shade for only 40 performances. The unpaid actors will refuse to go on in this musical with a Jerome Kern score and book by Guy Bolton. Richard Carle and Marie Ca…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Saturday, January 24, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 24 by Robert Viagas and Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1776 Birthday of E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776-1822), whose stories formed the basis of the ballets Coppelia and The Nutcracker.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, January 22, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 22 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Anne Bradley and Christopher Reichheld

1912 Stop in at the Liberty Theatre in New York and see just what it takes when you're Elevating a Husband. Edward Everett Horton, Conway Tearle and Jessie Carter are among the cast of t…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, January 21, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 21 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1903 Dorothy, The Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion are first seen on Broadway today in the original musical The Wizard of Oz, with music by Paul Tietjens and book and lyrics by L…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, January 20, 2015

PLAYBILLEDU NOTEBOOK: College Deadlines Are Approaching - What You Need to Know by Robert Viagas

PlaybillEDU offers advice and insight into making sure performing arts students meet deadlines for their college applications.   *

SOURCE: Playbill at 03:25PM[SHARE]

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 20 by Robert Viagas and Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1896 Say good morning, George. Actually it was "Nathan" then " Nathan Birnbaum born today. As George Burns, he and Gracie Allen will become headliners of vaudeville. Together they …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Monday, January 19, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 19 by Robert Viagas and Robert Reichheld and Anne Bradleyand

1887 Birthday of Alexander Woollcott (1887-1943), actor, author, radio personality, theatre critic of The New York Times, and one of the original members of the Algonquin Round Table is …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Saturday, January 17, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 17 by David Gewirtzman and Anne Bradley and Robert Viagas

1911 Love is never easy, especially when a woman is the object of affection for The Scarecrow. Percy MacKaye used "Feathertop," Nathaniel Hawthorne's tale as a starting point f…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, January 15, 2015

Schools of the Stars: Where Honeymoon in Vegas Cast and Creators Went to College by Robert Viagas

What does it take to write, create or star in a new musical on Broadway? Hard work, talent, luck—all backed up by a good education. You have to supply the first three yourself, but…

SOURCE: Playbill at 11:47AM[SHARE]

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 15 by David Gewirtzman and Anne Bradley and Robert Viagas

1622 Birthday of Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by the nom de plume Moliere (1622-1673), one of France's greatest playwrights, who will go on to write Tartuffe, School for Wives, …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, January 14, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 14 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1903 Opening night of The Little Princess, Frances Hodgson Burnett play about a child, much in the same vein as her The Secret Garden. Little Princess will run just 34 performances.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Schools of the Stars: Where Constellations Cast and Creators Went to College by Robert Viagas

What does it take to write, create or star in a Broadway play? Hard work, talent, luck—all backed up by a good education. You have to supply the first three yourself, but PlaybillE…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 13 by David Gewirtzman and Anne Bradley, Christopher Reichheld, Robert Viagas

1925 Birthday of one of Broadway's all-time greatest leading ladies, Gwen Verdon (1925-2000). She was nominated for the Tony Award as Best Actress or Featured Actress in a Musica…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Monday, January 12, 2015

Here's How to Nominate Your Favorite Theatre Teacher for a New Tony Award by Robert Viagas

Details have been announced for the new Tony Award for outstanding K-12 theatre teachers that will be inaugurated at this year's Tony ceremony.

SOURCE: Playbill at 04:12PM[SHARE]

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 12 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1878 Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnár (1878-1952) is born today in Budapest. He will write The Good Fairy, The Play's the Thing, The Guardsman, The Swan and Liliom, the latter …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Sunday, January 11, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 11 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1899 "I would rather play Ibsen than eat " and that's often what it amounts to," said Eva Le Gallienne, born in London today. Her determination and drive will lead her to a sta…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Saturday, January 10, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 10 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1820 Birthday of Louisa Lane Drew, matriarch of the Drew and Barrymore acting dynasty that would eventually include John Drew, Ethel Barrymore, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore and today'…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:27AM[SHARE]
Friday, January 9, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 9 by Robert Viagas and Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1890 Playwright Karel Capek (1890-1938) is born today in Bohemia. His 1920's play R. U. R. will introduce the word "robot" (from the Czech word for worker) and show robots …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, January 7, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 7 by Robert Viagas and Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1923 Future actor Vincenzio Scognamiglio is born in Naples, Italy. Doesn't sound familiar? Try Vincent Gardenia, who will appear on the stage in The Wall, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]

Everything Performing Arts Students Need to Know About Getting Federal Financial Aid by Robert Viagas

FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, was designed to make life easier for students and parents applying for all governmental college tuition aid. In practice, it may seem lik…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, January 6, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 6 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1768 Birthday of John Durang (1768-1816), identified by scholars as one of the first American-born professional dancers and actors. Known for his "Dwarf Dance," "Sailo…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Monday, January 5, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 5 by Robert Viagas and Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1894 U.S. premiere of Henrik Ibsen's Ghosts, starring Ida Jeffries Goodfriend, at the Berkeley Lyceum Theatre.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Sunday, January 4, 2015

Schools of the Stars: Where "Galavant" Cast and Creators Went to College by Robert Viagas

What does it take to write, create or star in a musical TV series? Hard work, talent and luck, of course—all backed up by a good education. You have to supply the first three yours…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 4 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1905 Quivery-voiced actor Sterling Holloway (1905-1992) is born today in Cedartown, GA. He will become a fixture of Broadway's The Garrick Gaieties revues of the 1920s and '3…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Saturday, January 3, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 3 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1909 Birthday of Victor Borge (1909-2000), pianist and comedian whose 1953 Comedy in Music ran 888 performances, the longest run ever for a solo musical on Broadway. He followed it with …

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Friday, January 2, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 2 by David Gewirtzman and Robert Viagas, Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradley

1910 American actress Agnes Booth dies today at age of 63. She was the wife of Junius Brutus Booth, Jr. and the sister-in-law of Edwin Booth.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Thursday, January 1, 2015

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: JANUARY 1 by Robert Viagas and Christopher Reichheld and Anne Bradleyand

1900 Chris and the Wonderful Lamp is based on the Arabian Nights and opens at Hammerstein's Victoria Theatre in New York. This musical, with a book by Glen MacDonough and score by John P…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:13AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 31, 2014

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 31 by David Gewirtzman and Anne Bradley, Christopher Reichheld and Robert Viagas

1879 World premiere of W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance at the Fifth Avenue Theatre in New York, with Alice Barnett as Ruth.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]
Tuesday, December 30, 2014

PLAYBILL VAULT'S Today In Theatre History: DECEMBER 30 by Anne Bradley and Christopher Reichheld and Robert Viagas

1907 In The Comet Alla Nazimova plays a woman who falls in love with her former lover's son, who eventually kills himself. This first play for Owen Johnson will run for seven weeks.

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]

Schools of the Stars: Where the 2014 Kennedy Center Honorees Went to College by Robert Viagas

What does it take to earn a place on the annual list of Kennedy Center Honors? Hard work, talent, luck—all backed up by a good education. You have to supply the first three yoursel…

SOURCE: Playbill at 12:00AM[SHARE]

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