IS THERE A BETTER STAGE ACTRESS IN AMERICA THAN LAURIE METCALF? by Ron Fassler

Laurie Metcalf as Sarah and Micah Stock as Ethan in "Little Bear Ridge Road" (photo by Julia Cervantes).November 13, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler. In 1984, I attended…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 3:02pm on November 13, 2025☆⚑

WHEN COMEDY WAS KING by Ron Fassler

Mike Nichols and Neil Simon in an empty theatre in the 1960s, eyes forward towards the stage.November 7, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler. Mike Nichols, born ninety-fo…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 10:43am on November 7, 2025☆⚑

"PUNCH" PACKS A WALLOP by Ron Fassler

Sam Robards, Victoria Clarke, Camila Canó-Flaviá, and Will Harrison in "Punch" (photo by Matthew Murphy).October 13, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler If you've n…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 10:44am on October 13, 2025☆⚑

ROBERT REDFORD ONSTAGE: HIS EARLY LIFE IN THE THEATRE by Ron Fassler

Robert Redford (1936"2025).September 16, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler. Robert Redford died early this morning at age eighty-nine. A major film actor, his star never d…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:43am on September 16, 2025☆⚑

LONDON REPORT: "THE PRODUCERS" IS BACK " JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT! by Ron Fassler

LONDON REPORT: "THE PRODUCERS" IS BACK " JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT! Andy Nyman and Marc Antolin as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom in "The Producers" (2025).September 11, 2025: Thea…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 3:14pm on September 11, 2025☆⚑

JERRY ADLER: A MAN OF THE THEATRE by Ron Fassler

Jerry Adler (1929"2025).August 25, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler. A dozen years ago, I had the pleasure of sitting across the table from the recently departed Jerry Ad…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 12:36pm on August 25, 2025☆⚑

MURDER IS HARD: THE THRILLER ON BROADWAY by Ron Fassler

John Wood, Marian Seldes and Victor Garber in "Deathtrap" (1978).August 13, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler. On this date forty-four years ago, Ira Levin's Deathtrap pla…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:57am on August 13, 2025☆⚑

FOR LOVE OF LIBERTY (AND "1776") by Ron Fassler

The 1969 marquee for "1776" in its original production at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rodgers).July 4, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler. This is a re-working…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 2:33pm on July 4, 2025☆⚑

THE MOST HAPPY LOESSER by Ron Fassler

Frank Loesser (1910"1969).June 29, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler One hundred fifteen years ago today, composer-lyricist Frank Loesser was born on the Upper West Side o…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 1:00pm on June 29, 2025☆⚑

GOOD GOLLY! "HELLO, DOLLY!" AT 61! by Ron Fassler

Advertisement for the one-night only "Hello, Dolly" in Concert at Carnegie Hall.June 24, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler. Last night at Carnegie Hall, those in attend…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 6:47pm on June 24, 2025☆⚑

"ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL" IN A SUPERB OUTDOOR PRODUCTION by Ron Fassler

Paul Deo Jr as Bertram and Anique Clements as Helena in "All's Well That Ends Well."June 12, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler This piece ran yesterday on the Theater P…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 10:52am on June 12, 2025☆⚑

IN THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENED: THE 78TH ANNUAL TONY AWARDS by Ron Fassler

Photo taken from my seat in the Front Mezzanine at Radio City Music Hall last night.June 9, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler. The Tony Awards have been broadcast on na…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 3:49pm on June 9, 2025☆⚑

CHARLES STROUSE IN SONG & STORIES by Ron Fassler

Charles Strouse (1928"2026).May 16, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler Composer Charles Strouse died yesterday at the age of ninety-six, just shy of his ninety-seventh birt…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:29am on May 16, 2025☆⚑

MAY DAY! THE TONY NOMINATIONS ARE HERE! by Ron Fassler

"Buena Vista Social Club" has reason to celebrate with its ten Tony nominations announced today.May 1, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler It's always a thrill for me to rea…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 1:27pm on May 1, 2025☆⚑

AL PACINO: A LIFE IN THE THEATRE by Ron Fassler

A pensive Al Pacino, circa the 1970's, his most defined decade as an actor.April 25, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler I've written about him before, but there's always…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 9:50am on April 25, 2025☆⚑

DONNA MCKECHNIE SINGS SONDHEIM AT 54 BELOW by Ron Fassler

Donna McKechnie onstage at 54 Below in her new Sondheim show.April 22, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler In her current three-performance engagement at 54 Below, the am…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 4:50pm on April 22, 2025☆⚑

"BYE BYE BIRDIE" AT 65: THAT'S A LOT OF LIVING by Ron Fassler

Chita Rivera and Dick Van Dyke perform "Rosie" in "Bye Bye Birdie" (1960).Producer Edward Padula was worried. He liked the show he was working hard to raise money for, but he was taking a…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 10:28am on April 14, 2025☆⚑

"SMILE" IS BACK AFTER 40 YEARS IN LIMBO by Ron Fassler

Eleven of the twelve beauty contestant combatants in JR2 Spotlight Musical Theatre Company's production of "Smile" (Photo by Russ Roland).April 13, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by R…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 6:57pm on April 13, 2025☆⚑

"GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK" IS SMOKING GOOD by Ron Fassler

George Clooney as Edward R. Murrow in "Good Night, and Good Luck" (Photo: Emilio Madrid).April 5, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler. The current state of journalism in …

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:50am on April 5, 2025☆⚑

AFTER 77 YEARS: "LOVE LIFE" RETURNS TO THE NY STAGE by Ron Fassler

Brian Stokes Mitchell and Kate Baldwin in 2025's "Love Life" (photo by Joan Marcus).March 28, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler You would think that the only musical ev…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 5:04pm on March 28, 2025☆⚑

"MOMENTS": A BIRTHDAY SALUTE TO STEPHEN SONDHEIM by Ron Fassler

Stephen Sondheim (1930"2021). Photo by Richard Avedon.March 22, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler. "Oh, if life were made of moments,Even now and then a bad one "…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 10:34am on March 22, 2025☆⚑

MEMORIES OF "1776" 56 YEARS AFTER SEEING ITS SECOND-TO-LAST PREVIEW by Ron Fassler

My ticket stub from 56 years ago (note the tape marks). It used to hang on my bedroom wall.Fifty-six years ago yesterday afternoon, I took my seat as a just-turned twelve-year old in seat…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 9:49am on March 16, 2025☆⚑

JOHN GARFIELD: STAND UP GUY AND A HELL OF AN ACTOR by Ron Fassler

Jacob Julius Garfinkel, also known as John Garfield (1913"1952).March 5, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler Yesterday was my birthday. I share the date with an actor born i…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 4:29pm on March 5, 2025☆⚑

THE LEGEND THAT WAS GENE HACKMAN by Ron Fassler

Gene Hackman in "Under Fire" (1983).February 27, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler. Waking up to news of the death of Gene Hackman has been a shocking blow due to circu…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 4:23pm on February 27, 2025☆⚑

ON HAL HOLBROOK'S 100TH BIRTHDAY by Ron Fassler

Hal Holbrook on the left and his alter ego, Mark Twain, on the right.February 18, 2025: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler Yesterday marked 100 years since the birth of Harold…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 12:18pm on February 18, 2025☆⚑