Friday, 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 09:14AMSaturday, January 28, 2023
Tovah Feldshuh (left) and Lea Michele (right) as Mrs. Brice and Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl” (2022).Theatre Yesterday and Today, January 28, 2023, by Ron Fassler.
When an original cast …
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 10:42AMTuesday, January 17, 2023
James Earl Jones, born on this date, January 17, 1931.January 17, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
James Earl Jones, who turns ninety-two today, was the first dramatic act…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:31AMTuesday, January 10, 2023
January 10, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
Though the Tony Awards have been handed out since 1948, the citing of nominees didn’t enter the mix until 1956. Since then, a…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 09:28AMFriday, January 6, 2023
Walter Matthau as Oscar and Art Carney as Felix in “The Odd Couple” (1965).January 6, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
“Can two divorced men share an apartment witho…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 07:56AMMonday, January 2, 2023
Frank Fenton, Joseph Cotton, Katharine Hepburn, Van Heflin and Shirley Booth in “The Philadelphia Story” (1939). Photo by Vandamm.January 2, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron F…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 10:52AMSunday, January 1, 2023
Cole Porter (photo by Horst P. Horst).January, 1, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
In the spirit of ringing in the new year, here’s a reprise of a column I previously wr…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:50AMTuesday, December 27, 2022
If this cover is unfamiliar, it’s the British edition which, to my mind, is far superior in look and feel to its American counterpart.December 27, 2022: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 12:35PMTuesday, December 20, 2022
Robert Preston as Professor Harold Hill informing the denizens of River City they’ve got “Trouble” (1957).December 20, 2022: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
A day late, an…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 12:25PMTuesday, December 13, 2022
December 13, 2022: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
The Canadian postage stamp created in his honor.Christopher Plummer was born on this date in 1929. He died in February of 202…
SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 07:24AM 
