11,936 stories by "Trav S.d."
Today is the birthday of the sui generis comedian Joe Besser (for more on him go here). I think if you watch him in this 1950 (pre-Stooges) Columbia short “Dizzy Yardbird” …
Today is the birthday of Gus Van of Van and Schenck. To learn more about the team, you can read my liner notes to the Archeophone Records release “Van and Schenk: Pennant-Winning Batte…
Festivities include live music by New York City’s legendary brass ensemble the Hungry March Band, Ragtime and Dixieland by the Banjo Rascals, andBenjamin Ickies and the Coney …
For much more on this amazing looking event go here.ÂÂ
Oh, I am very, very sad. David Rakoff has lost his battle with cancer. He was a very good friend to me and a generous supporter of my work. In gratitude, in 2010 I wrote an appreciation of h…
Today is opening day of the umpteenth New York International Fringe Festival. I’m proud to say my association with the festival began in its second year (1998) and my disassociation wi…
Today is the birthday of Jack Haley, best known to modern audiences as the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz. Audiences of the 20s knew him as one of the top headliners and masters of cere…
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…
