All stories by Ron Fassler on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

THE IRREPLACABLE CHITA by Ron Fassler

Chita Rivera (1933–2024). Photo by Gregg Delman for The New York Times from “The Visit” (2015).January 31, 2024: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler. Chita Rivera first start…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 01:34PM
Saturday, December 30, 2023

“A VALENTINE TO NEW YORK”: PART 3 OF THE HISTORY OF “ON THE TOWN” by Ron Fassler

2014 Revival of “On the Town” with Clyde Alves, Tony Yazbeck and Jay Armstrong Johnson in the front line.December 30, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler This week’s tw…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 09:20AM
Friday, December 29, 2023

“TEN WHOLE DAYS, WOW!”: CONTINUING ON WITH “ON THE TOWN” by Ron Fassler

“On the Town” Playbill cover with photo by Chris Alexander, who played Chip. Later, he would go on to become a professional photographer.December 29, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, b…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 09:01AM
Thursday, December 28, 2023

“I LIKE THE KIDS”: THE CREATION OF “ON THE TOWN” by Ron Fassler

Youth and work (and play): Leonard Bernstein at the piano, Jerome Robbins, Betty Comden and Adolph Green.December 28, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler It’s hard to imagi…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 09:33AM
Thursday, November 30, 2023

THE STRENGTH AND PASSION OF FRANCES STERNHAGEN by Ron Fassler

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 06:14AM
Wednesday, September 27, 2023

HOW I GOT INTO ROBERT PRESTON’S “MUSIC MAN”COSTUME by Ron Fassler

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 07:31AM
Saturday, September 16, 2023

ALAN SHAYNE: LIFE, LOVE AND THEATRE by Ron Fassler

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 09:39AM
Monday, July 17, 2023

BARNARD HUGHES: GRAND OLD MAN by Ron Fassler

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 11:30AM
Tuesday, July 4, 2023

HOWARD DA SILVA: IN CELEBRATION ON THE 4th by Ron Fassler

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 12:30PM
Friday, June 30, 2023

ALAN ARKIN: AN ACTOR OF RARE DIMENSIONS by Ron Fassler

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 01:26PM
Saturday, June 24, 2023

‘THERE WITH MY LOVE, I’M HOME” by Ron Fassler

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 06:26PM
Wednesday, June 21, 2023

STOCK OPTIONS by Ron Fassler

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 08:18AM
Saturday, June 10, 2023

WHAT’S IN A NAME? by Ron Fassler

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 12:59PM
Friday, May 12, 2023

PBS’S “GREAT PERFORMANCES” GREAT EVENING OF BROADWAY by Ron Fassler

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 09:27AM
Tuesday, May 9, 2023

THE LITTLE REVUE THAT COULD: “AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’” by Ron Fassler

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 11:16AM
Friday, May 5, 2023

THE LUNTS’ FINAL VISIT by Ron Fassler

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 11:56AM
Saturday, April 15, 2023

“THE PHANTOM’S” FINAL BOW by Ron Fassler

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 08:54AM
Tuesday, April 11, 2023

BEFORE “WICKED” GIVES ITS 7,486th PERFORMANCE, A FEW NOTES ON ITS EARLIEST ONES by Ron Fassler

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 09:28AM
Saturday, April 8, 2023

THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MICHAEL BENNETT by Ron Fassler

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 10:35AM
Friday, March 31, 2023

MARCH 31, 1943: “OKLAHOMA! OPENS by Ron Fassler

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 08:26AM
Thursday, March 30, 2023

“A CHORUS LINE” FOR THE 21ST CENTURY by Ron Fassler

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 12:55PM
Monday, March 20, 2023

IT’S SO NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK WHERE YOU BELONG: “DEAR WORLD” RETURNS by Ron Fassler

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 10:24AM
Sunday, March 19, 2023

"AND ALL AT ONCE I'M BEAUTIFUL AGAIN" by Ron Fassler

An in-depth column about Dear World

SOURCE: ronfassler.stck.me at 08:44PM
Saturday, March 18, 2023

HAPPY 96TH, JOHN KANDER by Ron Fassler

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 11:58AM
Friday, March 17, 2023

“AND ALL AT ONCE I WAS BEAUTIFUL AGAIN” by Ron Fassler

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 07:21AM
Wednesday, March 15, 2023

WHO’S THE WOMAN? IT’S MARY MCCARTY by Ron Fassler

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 09:24AM
Monday, March 13, 2023

BROADWAY BABY: ETHEL SHUTTA by Ron Fassler

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 09:50AM
Friday, March 10, 2023

50 YEARS LATER: “SONDHEIM: A MUSICAL TRIBUTE” by Ron Fassler

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 08:05AM
Friday, March 3, 2023

MOOSE MEMORIES by Ron Fassler

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 09:58AM
Monday, February 27, 2023

“MERLIN”— MAGIC TO DON’T! by Ron Fassler

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 08:02AM
Thursday, February 23, 2023

THE SAGA OF “SARAVA” by Ron Fassler

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 02:42PM

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