147 stories from ronfassler.medium.com
Nina Hoss as Ranevskaya in "The Cherry Orchard." Photo by Johan Persson.May 19, 2024: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler.
The Cherry Orchard is one of my favorite plays. I was…
Robert Morse as Jerry/Daphne and Tony Roberts as Joe/Josephine in "Sugar" (1972). Photo by Martha Swope.April 9, 2024: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler.
Fifty-two years ago …
Chita Rivera (1933"2024). Photo by Gregg Delman for The New York Times from "The Visit" (2015).January 31, 2024: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler.
Chita Rivera first started…
2014 Revival of "On the Town" with Clyde Alves, Tony Yazbeck and Jay Armstrong Johnson in the front line.December 30, 2023: Theatre Yesterday and Today, by Ron Fassler
This week's two …
"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…
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…
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…
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 …
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 …
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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…
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…
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 …
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…
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…
