11,744 stories by "Trav S.D."
Kambri Crews’ inaugural book (just released) is so compelling that I had to take a break from my own current maisterwerk to finish reading it… A good memoir is supported by two p…
This post is one of a series honoring Women’s History Month Today is the birthday of Ada Reeve (1874-1966). Born into a London theatrical family, she began performing in the pantomi…
This is one in a series of posts in honor of Women’s History Month Martha Firschke, born in Budapest in 1920 and billed as “Trixie” has been called by some “The First…
Tonight is the launch of the Talking Band's revival of their 1983 show Hot Lunch Apostles at La Mama. This might have been of some passing interest to me as I walk my Indie Theatre beat, but…
It’s not really tangential for me to include LeBeau from Hogan’s Heroeson this blog. Robert Clary (born today in 1926) started out singing in French music halls at the age of 12.…
Juliet Jeske is at the controls of this provocative sounding show tonight. If ya can’t read the fine print, Tammany Hall is a 112 Orchard Street. (No, not that Tammany Hall, ya idjut!)
This is one of a series of posts observing Women’s History Month. For reasons that may ultimately defy analysis, the biggest stars in vaudeville — and consequently, the highest p…
Elizabeth “Bonnie” Cox (ca. 1871-1920) started out as a singing single at Tony Pastor’s and the Proctor singer before forming a double act with her husband, songwriter Jame…
The catch is, you have to go to Newark to see it! Runs March 1-4. For more info: ringling.com.
Run, don’t walk, y’all! Dixon Place is offering a super cool Winter deal for the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Winter Cabaret for opening night only (tomorrow night, March 1). Se…
Hard to believe as it may seem (that is, for those who are paying attention), Travalanche turns four years old today. That’s right, she’s a Leap Year Baby, meaning she’s on…
And now here’s the 16th installment in our Vaudephone series, Solomon the Peculiarist: Vaudephone is a co-production of Travalanche/ the American Vaudeville Theatre, and Vaudevisuals.c…
Designer Mike Holmes tells me his swell new card game “The Big Time”, now available from Barnacle Press, was partially inspired by No Applause. It looks fairly ingenious. In the …
As will come as no surprise to those who know me even a little bit, in my youth I was never more inwardly arrogant than when sitting in a playwriting or screenwriting class. In theatre and f…
Today is the birthday of Charles Blondin (1824-1897) who did a tightrope walk over the gorge at Niagara, not once, but many times, and with many variations (on stilts, blindfolded, carrying …
Today is the birthday of the great Yiddish performer Molly Picon (for her full story go here). Here she is on record in 1931 singing “Yom Pom Pom”: To find out more about the…
Sometimes Weegee seems too good to be true….just when the world needed an intrepid and unflinching freelance crime photographer to document the seamier side of New York in the 193os an…
This post is one of a series honoring Black History Month. Perhaps he doesn’t look it, but this man was as important in his own way as W.E.B. DuBois. Well…maybe not. Billy Kersan…
Today is the birthday of Robert Alda (Alfonso Giuseppe Giovanni Roberto D’Abruzzo, 1914-1986). He started out as a singer and dancer in vaudeville, then moved to burlesque when vaudevi…
It’s Betty Hutton’s birthday (see here for her full bio). Check out this cool artifact, a 1977 interview with her onThe Mike Douglas Show: To find out more about the histo…
Today is the birthday of William Frawley, a.k.a I Love Lucy’s Fred Mertz. Go here for more on him. Fans of the show know of his vaudeville pedigree. Here’s proof: To find out mor…
Today is Buffalo Bill Cody’s birthday. For my full enconium on the man go here. Below is a clip of him circa 1917, not long before he died. Got no idea what that hasty-sounding narr…
Today is the birthday of The Great One, Mr. Jackie Gleason. The fact that that title was bestowed upon him by Orson Welles will give some indication of how highly his artistry was regarded i…
This post is one of a series honoring Black History Month. Clinton “Dusty” Fletcher (1897-1954) is best known for the comedy routine, song and film “Open the Door, Richard&…
This post is one of a series honoring Black History Month. Today is the birthday of the great blues queen Ida Cox (1896-1967). For my full bio on her, go here. Here she is singing the “…
