Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia

The story of the Shubert Brothers, and how they began to take control over almost every commercial theater in Philadelphia - just like they did in cities all across
America.
For a blog post with images of the stories and topics we discuss in this episode, go to our website: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/the-shuberts-and-their-philadelphia-theaters/
If you liked the show, leave a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adventures-in-theater-history-philadelphia/id1562046673

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"Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia" the BOOK is coming soon! It will only be in USA bookstores after November 30, 2024. But you can secure your copy NOW!
TO PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON: GO HERETO ORDER ON BROOKLINE BOOKS WEBSITE: GO HERE (Use the code 25PESC to save 25% at checkout!)
Our email address: [email protected]
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Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AITHpodcast© Podcast text copyright, Peter Schmitz. All rights reserved.

℗ All voice recordings copyright Peter Schmitz.

℗ All original music copyright Christopher Mark Colucci. Used by permission.

Philadelphia, like all American cities of the day, was home to the exciting energy and show-biz hustle of vaudeville theaters in the first decades of the 20th Century.
On our website, there's a blog post with a Bibliography of the sources for this episode, plus lots of images of the many Philly vaudeville theaters we discuss on it - "The Exciting New Vaudeville Theaters of Sleepy Old Philadelphia":
https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/the-exciting-new-vaudeville-theaters-of-sleepy-old-philadelphia/

If you liked the show, leave a Review on Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/adventures-in-theater-history-philadelphia/id1562046673

Support the show

"Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia" the BOOK is coming soon! It will only be in USA bookstores after November 30, 2024. But you can secure your copy NOW!
TO PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON: GO HERETO ORDER ON BROOKLINE BOOKS WEBSITE: GO HERE (Use the code 25PESC to save 25% at checkout!)
Our email address: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AITHpodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aithpodcast/Or, follow us on Bluesky: @aithpodcast.bsky.social
Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AITHpodcast© Podcast text copyright, Peter Schmitz. All rights reserved.

℗ All voice recordings copyright Peter Schmitz.

℗ All original music copyright Christopher Mark Colucci. Used by permission.

Our first episode of Season Four - introducing our plans and hopes for the upcoming year on the podcast.

Support the show

"Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia" the BOOK is coming soon! It will only be in USA bookstores after November 30, 2024. But you can secure your copy NOW!
TO PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON: GO HERETO ORDER ON BROOKLINE BOOKS WEBSITE: GO HERE (Use the code 25PESC to save 25% at checkout!)
Our email address: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AITHpodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aithpodcast/Or, follow us on Bluesky: @aithpodcast.bsky.social
Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AITHpodcast© Podcast text copyright, Peter Schmitz. All rights reserved.

℗ All voice recordings copyright Peter Schmitz.

℗ All original music copyright Christopher Mark Colucci. Used by permission.

Actress, director and educator Penelope Reed sits down for an interview with us, and shares fascinating memories of her long career in Philadelphia area theater. In particular she discusses her lifelong involvement and eventual leadership of the Hedgerow Theatre in Rose Valley, Pennsylvania.
This episode can be seen as a continuation of our Episode 36, "Jasper Deeter and the Hedgerow Theatre" from September 2022. You can find it on any podcasting app, or go right to the episode page on our website: https://www.aithpodcast.com/jasper-deeter-and-the-hedgerow-theatre/
As a special bonus, you can also hear Penelope Reed discuss the history of her amazing theatrical family! In return for a small membership donation on Patreon, you can year this additional 24-minute section of the interview: [email protected]
A blog post on our website, with images from Reed's career: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/penelope-reed/

Support the show

"Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia" the BOOK is coming soon! It will only be in USA bookstores after November 30, 2024. But you can secure your copy NOW!
TO PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON: GO HERETO ORDER ON BROOKLINE BOOKS WEBSITE: GO HERE (Use the code 25PESC to save 25% at checkout!)
Our email address: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AITHpodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aithpodcast/Or, follow us on Bluesky: @aithpodcast.bsky.social
Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AITHpodcast© Podcast text copyright, Peter Schmitz. All rights reserved.

℗ All voice recordings copyright Peter Schmitz.

℗ All original music copyright Christopher Mark Colucci. Used by permission.

The theater of Philadelphia was being staged during the roiling years of the 1840s. Bankruptcies, riots, labor unrest, growing religious fervor and racial tensions, rising crime (and public perception of crime due to increasing availability of journals and newspapers) were everywhere.
This is the context for the first episode of our Season Two: "Drama is Conflict," in which we set the scene for the coming battle over the play at Philadelphia's Chestnut Street Theater, entitledThe Quaker City, or the Monks of Monk Hall, by George Lippard. How and why this production came about will be the story of our next two episodes, as well.
For more about the historical context of today's episode, including images of many of the people and events we discuss, see the blog post on our website: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/philadelphia-in-1844/
The image used for this episode is a detail from an 1844 lithograph entitled "The Death of George Shifler." It was a bit of popular propaganda produced by the nativist "American Republican Party," and supposedly depicted the death of the 19 year-old Shifler during the Kensington Riots of May 6, 1844. It is from the collection of the Library Company of Philadelphia. Persistent link: https://digital.librarycompany.org/islandora/object/digitool%3A65090
For more information about the riots, there is an excellent article in the online Encyplopedia of Greater Philadelphia: https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/nativist-riots-of-1844/

Support the show

"Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia" the BOOK is coming soon! It will only be in USA bookstores after November 30, 2024. But you can secure your copy NOW!
TO PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON: GO HERETO ORDER ON BROOKLINE BOOKS WEBSITE: GO HERE (Use the code 25PESC to save 25% at checkout!)
Our email address: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AITHpodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aithpodcast/Or, follow us on Bluesky: @aithpodcast.bsky.social
Join us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/AITHpodcast© Podcast text copyright, Peter Schmitz. All rights reserved.

℗ All voice recordings copyright Peter Schmitz.

℗ All original music copyright Christopher Mark Colucci. Used by permission.