11,744 stories by "Trav S.D."
Today is the birthday of Robert Woolsey, who along with partner Bert Wheeler formed one of the great comedy teams of the early 1930s (see more on them here). The attached number from So T…
Today is the birthday (1945) of a man who may be the supreme neo-vaudevillian of the late 20th century, Steve Martin. Would this man have headlined at the Palace? Oh yes, I think so. A portm…
That ethereal sylph Sweet Soubrette has an event at the Living Room tonight, celebrating the release of her swell new EP What’s My Desire? and the launch of her tour in support of it. …
Today is the birthday of the meteoric force of nature Bert Lahr (for my full article on him go here). To the clip below, what could one possible add? To find out more about these variety art…
As a veteran of many a theatre festival, I’m here to tell ya: lean and mean is the way to go. Scaled back solo shows and two-handers may come with challenges, but they’re the goo…
Simon Callow is a rarity, highly accomplished both as an actor and as a writer of non-fiction. He created the title role in Amadeus on the stage (and played a smaller role in the Hollywoo…
It seems to me Martin Scorsese is one of those artists who improves with age. Always the most masterful of stylists, he was best during his early years when probing the most ugly, violent hu…
I am proud to say I am a former MacDowell Fellow. In early 1994 I spent two of the best months of my life as a full-time playwright at their New Hampshire artists’ colony. If there …
Today is the birthday of the sui generis comedian Joe Besser (for more on him go here). I think if you watch him in this 1950 (pre-Stooges) Columbia short “Dizzy Yardbird” …
Today is the birthday of Gus Van of Van and Schenck. To learn more about the team, you can read my liner notes to the Archeophone Records release “Van and Schenk: Pennant-Winning Batte…
Festivities include live music by New York City’s legendary brass ensemble the Hungry March Band, Ragtime and Dixieland by the Banjo Rascals, andBenjamin Ickies and the Coney …
For much more on this amazing looking event go here.Â
Oh, I am very, very sad. David Rakoff has lost his battle with cancer. He was a very good friend to me and a generous supporter of my work. In gratitude, in 2010 I wrote an appreciation of h…
Today is opening day of the umpteenth New York International Fringe Festival. I’m proud to say my association with the festival began in its second year (1998) and my disassociation wi…
Today is the birthday of Jack Haley, best known to modern audiences as the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz. Audiences of the 20s knew him as one of the top headliners and masters of cere…
I feel comfortable guaranteeing you a good time at this event. Kevin Maher is indisputably hilarious in his low-key way (viz, his sadly defunct but highly laugh-inducing AMC web series ̶…
Here’s where the Countess and I will be tonight. On the bill, several old chums including Shane Baker, Beck Lee and Bob Greenberg.Â
If you’re wondering where your bloggist has been the last few days the answer is “catatonic”. Not only have I had a rather punishing month, but an equally taxing year-to-da…
Today is the opening day of the Festival of Fools in Burlington, Vermont. Their schedule includes a roster of incredible looking clowns from all over the country, but also (this is how it go…
In the wake of my recent New York Times piece about the boxing-theatre connection, my good friends at Archeophone Records wrote to tell me that two of the old-tyme champs are on disc. Â�…
Today is the birthday of torch singer Helen Morgan (for full article go here). Here she is singing one of the songs with which she is most associated: “Bill” from Showboat: To…
You will find many references to Eva Tanguay (whose birthday it is) on this web site, starting with the title of my last book. Tanguay billed herself not only as “The Girl Who Made Vau…
Today IndieTheaterNow.com, the New York Theatre Experience’s online play bookstore has launched a new reader that makes it easier for users to access scripts. The timing couldn’t…
Well this is conflict with my own show somewhat as the times overlap but I can’t NOT plug it. So many of my friends are competing I dasn’t single any out. I wish I could be there…
