All Episodes
115 Episodes & Counting115
Latest Episode
Episode 115
All Play and No Work in the Depression with Dr. Paul Gagliardi
Dr. Paul Gagliardi discusses his book All Play and No Work: American Work Ideals and the Comic Plays of the Federal Theatre Project, exploring comedy on stage during the Great Depression.
▶ Listen to Episode
Episode 114
The Education of Lin-Manuel Miranda, w/ Dr. Daniel Pollack-Pelzner
Dr. Daniel Pollack-Pelzner’s biography explores how Lin-Manuel Miranda became the artist behind In the Heights and Hamilton.
▶ Listen
Episode 113
Todd London on Zelda Fichandler and the History of Nonprofit Theatre in the United States
Todd London joins us to discuss The Long Revolution, his edited volume of Zelda Fichandler’s writing on nonprofit theatre and the repertory movement she helped found.
▶ Listen
Episode 112
Serving up Titus Andronicus with Jesse Berger and Red Bull Theater
Jesse Berger, founder and Producing Artistic Director of Red Bull Theater, joins us to discuss the company’s history and its production of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus.
▶ Listen
Episode 111
Warning: Armed Women! with Dr. Sarah Burdett
Returning guest Dr. Sarah Burdett discusses arms-bearing women on the British stage during the Age of Revolution, and her book on the subject.
▶ Listen
Episode 110
Scrolling TikTok on Broadway with Dr. Trevor Boffone
Dr. Trevor Boffone explores how TikTok and musical theatre fandom collided during the pandemic era, from viral fan musicals to Grammy-winning tribute albums.
▶ Listen
Episode 109
Going Beyond Ridiculous with Dr. Ken Elliott
Dr. Ken Elliott discusses Theatre-in-Limbo, the company he co-founded with Charles Busch that produced landmark works of 1980s gay theatre in New York.
▶ Listen
Episode 108
Stirring Up Sheffield with Tedd George
Tedd George discusses his father Colin George’s fight to build the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, and the memoir they co-authored about it.
▶ Listen
Episode 107
Tracing the Rise of the Professional Scenic Designer with Dr. David Bisaha
Dr. David Bisaha traces how scenic designers carved out their own distinct, professional role in American theatre, separate from painters and carpenters.
▶ Listen
Episode 106
Staging Latinx Shakespeares with Dr. Carla Della Gatta
Dr. Carla Della Gatta joins us to discuss Latinx Shakespeare productions and her book Latinx Shakespeares: Staging U.S. Intracultural Theater.
▶ Listen
Episode 105
The Archive of Performances of Greek and Roman Drama with Professor Fiona Macintosh
Professor Fiona Macintosh of Oxford discusses the Archive of Performances of Greek & Roman Drama and how ancient theatre has shaped performance for millennia.
▶ Listen
Episode 104
Elise Harris Helps Us Look Into Sidney Brustein’s Window
Lorraine Hansberry’s overlooked masterwork gets its due — Elise Harris explains why The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window is far more than a footnote.
▶ Listen
Episode 103
Special Guest Episode: Peter Schmitz and Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia
Peter Schmitz tells the story of Jasper Deeter, whose pioneering work had an impact on not only Philadelphia theatre, but the American stage as a whole.
▶ Listen
Episode 102
Celebrity Pregnancies on the 18th-Century English Stage with Dr. Chelsea Phillips
Dr. Chelsea Phillips traces how pregnancy intersected with the rise of celebrity culture on the 18th-century London stage.
▶ Listen
Episode 101
Visiting the Museum of Broadway with Ben West
Curator Ben West introduces the Museum of Broadway and explains how it brings the theatrical past to life for a new generation of visitors.
▶ Listen