"TEN WHOLE DAYS, WOW!": CONTINUING ON WITH "ON THE TOWN" by Ron Fassler

"On the Town" Playbill cover with photo by Chris Alexander, who played Chip. Later, he would go on to become a professional photographer.December 29, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ro…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 9:01am on December 29, 2023[SHARE]

"I LIKE THE KIDS": THE CREATION OF "ON THE TOWN" by Ron Fassler

Youth and work (and play): Leonard Bernstein at the piano, Jerome Robbins, Betty Comden and Adolph Green.December 28, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler It's hard to ima…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 9:33am on December 28, 2023[SHARE]

THE STRENGTH AND PASSION OF FRANCES STERNHAGEN by Ron Fassler

Frances Sternhagen (1930"2023).November 30, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler With fifty Broadway and off-Broadway shows to her credit over a career that spanned more than…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 6:14am on November 30, 2023[SHARE]

HOW I GOT INTO ROBERT PRESTON'S "MUSIC MAN"COSTUME by Ron Fassler

Modeling Raoul Pène Du Bois "76 Trombones" costume, built for Robert Preston in "The Music Man" in 1957.September 27, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler By chance last …

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 7:31am on September 27, 2023[SHARE]

ALAN SHAYNE: LIFE, LOVE AND THEATRE by Ron Fassler

Cover of Alan Shayne's "The Star Dressing Room: Portrait of an Actor."September 16, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler. There are not a whole lot of people around today …

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 9:39am on September 16, 2023[SHARE]

BARNARD HUGHES: GRAND OLD MAN by Ron Fassler

Barnard Hughes in Murray Schisgal's "All Over Town" (1974). Photo by Martha Swope. "There wasn't a basement in New York I didn't work in."July 17, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ro…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:30am on July 17, 2023[SHARE]

HOWARD DA SILVA: IN CELEBRATION ON THE 4th by Ron Fassler

Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin in "1776" (1969). Photo by Martha Swope.July 4, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler I've been writing 1776-themed columns on July 4th…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 12:30pm on July 4, 2023[SHARE]

ALAN ARKIN: AN ACTOR OF RARE DIMENSIONS by Ron Fassler

Alan Arkin in "Enter Laughing" (1963).June 30, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler Not to be too emphatic about it, but Alan Arkin was among my most favorite actors. King of…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 1:26pm on June 30, 2023[SHARE]

'THERE WITH MY LOVE, I'M HOME" by Ron Fassler

Sheldon Harnick (1924"2023). Photo by Carlo Allegri for the Washington Post.June 24, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler News that Sheldon Harnick left us yesterday at age n…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 6:26pm on June 24, 2023[SHARE]

STOCK OPTIONS by Ron Fassler

Picture postcard of the Priscilla Beach Theatre in Plymouth, Massachusetts circa 1940s.June 21, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler On this first day of summer, I find my…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 8:18am on June 21, 2023[SHARE]

WHAT'S IN A NAME? by Ron Fassler

June 10, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler Between 41st and 66th streets there are forty-two legit Broadway theatres (this includes the Palace, currently under renovation …

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 12:59pm on June 10, 2023[SHARE]

PBS'S "GREAT PERFORMANCES" GREAT EVENING OF BROADWAY by Ron Fassler

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 is a j…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 9:27am on May 12, 2023[SHARE]

THE LITTLE REVUE THAT COULD: "AIN'T MISBEHAVIN'" by Ron Fassler

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 Th…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:16am on May 9, 2023[SHARE]

THE LUNTS' FINAL VISIT by Ron Fassler

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 11:56am on May 5, 2023[SHARE]

"THE PHANTOM'S" FINAL BOW by Ron Fassler

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 …

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 8:54am on April 15, 2023[SHARE]

BEFORE "WICKED" GIVES ITS 7,486th PERFORMANCE, A FEW NOTES ON ITS EARLIEST ONES by Ron Fassler

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 9:28am on April 11, 2023[SHARE]

THE DEATH AND LIFE OF MICHAEL BENNETT by Ron Fassler

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 f…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 10:35am on April 8, 2023[SHARE]

MARCH 31, 1943: "OKLAHOMA! OPENS by Ron Fassler

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, Joseph B…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 8:26am on March 31, 2023[SHARE]

"A CHORUS LINE" FOR THE 21ST CENTURY by Ron Fassler

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) and …

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 12:55pm on March 30, 2023[SHARE]

IT'S SO NICE TO HAVE YOU BACK WHERE YOU BELONG: "DEAR WORLD" RETURNS by Ron Fassler

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 wo…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 10:24am on March 20, 2023[SHARE]

"AND ALL AT ONCE I'M BEAUTIFUL AGAIN" by Ron Fassler

An in-depth column about Dear World

SOURCE: ronfassler.stck.me at 8:44pm on March 19, 2023[SHARE]

HAPPY 96TH, JOHN KANDER by Ron Fassler

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…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 11:58am on March 18, 2023[SHARE]

"AND ALL AT ONCE I WAS BEAUTIFUL AGAIN" by Ron Fassler

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 Herman…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 7:21am on March 17, 2023[SHARE]

WHO'S THE WOMAN? IT'S MARY MCCARTY by Ron Fassler

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 Yester…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 9:24am on March 15, 2023[SHARE]

BROADWAY BABY: ETHEL SHUTTA by Ron Fassler

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 set at…

SOURCE: ronfassler.medium.com at 9:50am on March 13, 2023[SHARE]