Peter Schmitz Talks ADVENTURES IN THEATER HISTORY - B&N Philly 3/4 @ 6pm

Join us for a talk and signing with author and actor about his new book,, on Tuesday, March 4th at 6pm at B&N Philadelphia!

Perfect for fans of the stage, is a collection of stories and fascinating facets of theater history in Philadelphia.

We ask that all interested attendees register for a ticket through Eventbrite and purchase their copy of the book at our Center City Philadelphia location.

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For Seated Tickets: Limited quantity is available and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Purchase of a ticket guarantees entrance to the event for the discussion and signing. However, this ticket may not necessarily guarantee a seat at the event, as later arrivals may be placed in a line behind the seated audience.

For Standing Room-Only Tickets: Limited quantity is available and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Purchase of a ticket guarantees entrance to the event for the discussion and signing. Ticket holders will be granted a standing view from behind the seated audience -- some views may be more limited/obstructed than others.

• Please arrive on time according to your ticket in order to secure your seat in the event space. Late arrivals may only have access to standing room and may not have the opportunity to enter the event space.
• The exact time at which the event ends will be determined on the day. To avoid disappointment, we strongly advise you to arrive on time for the event.

• All event guidelines are subject to change.

• If you have any additional questions, please can call the store directly at: (267) 234-9790.

• Barnes & Noble may cancel this event at any time with or without notice to the ticket holders.

Please note that Eventbrite is the only authorized dealer for this event.

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Peter Schmitz has been teaching Theater History, Writing and Dramaturgy at Temple University in Philadelphia since 2018. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, he studied History at Yale College, and then trained as an actor at NYU. He has performed both on and off Broadway, and with many American regional theater companies. For the past twenty years, Peter has mainly worked as an actor and a dialect coach for many Philadelphia theaters and university programs. In 2021 he began his podcast "Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia," which is now entering its fourth season.

From the founding of The Walnut Street Theatre and the beginning of the American circus to the world premiere performance of Arthur Miller’s play Death of a Salesman, and from censorship and opposition to riots and deadly fires, this engaging collection of short, focused narratives introduces the reader to the often overlooked and frequently underappreciated topic of the history of theater in Philadelphia, and offer a new way of approaching the wider history of this unique and important American city.
The stories are populated by some of the many notable visitors to the city’s theaters, including Oscar Wilde, Edmund Kean, John Wilkes Booth, Sarah Bernhardt, Ayn Rand, Tennessee Williams, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Muhammad Ali, Paul Robeson and Joseph Papp; and the stories of heroes of local theater including Edwin Forrest, Pearl Bailey, Molly Picon, and Charles Fuller and Kevin Bacon. Also putting in appearances are the mostly forgotten, but no less fascinating Annie Kemp Bowler “the Original Stalacta,” May Manning Lillile the Quaker Cowgirl, and tennis champion William (“Big Bill”) Tilden.
All together, these lively and vivid stories—many of them little-known or unexplored—serve to form a larger narrative of the role that theater has played, and continues to play, in shaping and reflecting the texture of life in an American city.

Host or Publisher Barnes & Noble - Philadelphia