11,879 stories by "Trav S.D."
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.ÂÂ
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. …
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…
Today is the birthday of one of America’s greatest comedians, Gracie Allen (see my full Burns and Allen post here). The “greatest thing ever” is this clip, a Vitaphone reco…
Wednesday night at Dixon Place, Theatre Askew will be presenting a workshop  production of a section of my play The Fickle Mistress, about the original “Naked Lady” Adah Is…
Today is the birthday of the prototypical American stage Irishman, Chancellor “Chauncey” Olcott (1858-1932). Starting out in minstrel shows, he had moved up to Broadway by the tu…
I don’t usually plug shows that are in direct competition with my own, but how can I not plug this? Besides Chris is making a guest appeareance in our July 26 show, so it’s all i…
No fooling! Not only is former middleweight champion Jake LaMotta (subject of Martin Scorcese’s film Raging Bull) still ALIVE, but, at the age of 90 he’s starring in a new sho…
Never-before-seen photos of the ornate interior of the Shore Theater Building by Coney Island History Project director Charles Denson are on view at our exhibition center through September 3…
Today is the birthday of comedian Red Skelton (for his complete bio go here). Below is his most famous comedy routine “Guzzler’s Gin”. To find out about the history of …
Today is Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ birthday! (For more on him, see last year’s post here). Here is an awesome version of one of my favorite Screamin’ Jay tunes “Al…
Vent Haven the annual convention of ventriloquists (and their small wooden friends) opens today in Cincinnatti. For more information see their web site here.
OK, I’m not really gay, but I’m glad I got your attention! I only rate as queer by Theatre Askew’s Big Tent Definition; only artistic director Tim Cusack can speak in an of…
Today is James Cagney’s birthday (for my full article on him go here). This little clip from The Seven Little Foys (1955) gives us four separate vaudevillians for the price of two: …
Today is Babs’s birthday, a fitting time to do a little plug for Dan Callahan’s recently released book Barbara Stanwyck: The Miracle Woman. Stanwyck wasn’t a vaudevillian (…
Today is the birthday of the great vaudeville jazz belter Blossom Seeley (for her full story go here). See her in action below, singing “On San Francisco Bay” in the 1933 film Bl…
Today is the birthday of silent film comedian Larry Semon, a rival to Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd in his day (see his full bio here). Here is one of his funnier shorts The Show (1922) I especi…
Today is the birthday of Ginger Rogers (for her full story go here). The footage below is from her 83rd birthday celebration in 1994. Heartwarming to see how many fans she had even then: …
