The Nederlander is one of the eight theaters featured in volume 2 of "Untold Stories of Broadway". During closing weekend of Newsies, Ben Fankhauser took me backstage to see the famous "Rent wall," signed by thousands of people during the show's 12-year run. The Nederlander chapter shares stories from people who worked there in the 1940s and 1950s (including Hal Prince and Len Cariou), stories from people who worked there when the theater was falling apart and used mostly as rehearsal space (including Casey Nicholaw, Hunter Foster, and Michael Berresse), stories from people who were part of Rent saving the theater (including Kevin McCollum, Bernie Telsey, and Michael Greif), and stories from people who have left their mark on the 'new' Nederlander since then (including Alan Menken and Brynn O'Malley who is about to start Honeymoon in Vegas there).
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
In my adventures doing interviews for "The Untold Stories of Broadway," I've found that a lot of show people still call the Neil Simon and August Wilson Theatres by their original names: Alvin and Virginia! On 54th Street near 8th Avenue, just inside the American Theatre of Actors (an off-Broadway house), there's a map on the wall that hasn't been changed since the mid-1980s. There's even a spot on the map for the Mark Hellinger Theatre, which has been the Times Square Church since 1989!
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
In volume 2 of "The Untold Stories of Broadway," there are some fun stories from Krysta Rodriguez and Jeremy Jordan about how it felt to be at the Barrymore Theatre for their show Hit List (the fictional musical from "Smash," that we later actually did together at 54 Below!). Funnily enough, I was working as part of the marketing team on Macbeth which was actually playing the Barrymore at the same time. In this photo, it looks like Hit List and Macbeth might be playing in rep.
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
Some of my favorite "behind the scenes" interviews for volume 2 actually took place inside of the Barrymore. I interviewed Diane Heatherington, who started out in the Barrymore MAIL ROOM (no longer exists) in 1977 and now runs the box office. I also interviewed house prop man Philip Feller, whose family has worked as Broadway stagehands since the early 1900s! I snapped this pic of a Raisin in the Sun costume rack before my interview with Philip.
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
One of my favorite parts of being backstage at Broadway theaters is finding equipment that has been used by past shows. I love that A Chorus Line, Dreamgirls, Big, Smile, Sunset Boulevard and more have used this prior to its current show at the Barrymore. Oh the things this box has seen...
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
This is me peering into the alleyway that leads to the stage door at the Belasco. There are some great theatre ghost stories throughout the "Untold Stories of Broadway" series and some of the best ones are about the haunted Belasco Theatre...
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
The Circle in the Square is one of the eight theaters featured in volume 2, and there are some amazing stories from people who have worked there from 1972 to today. You get some super insider-y behind-the-scenes action on Godspell especially, since I was lucky enough to get to work on the show! Here I am, the day our marquee went up. I am an Early Bird Special.
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
Circle in the Square is the only Broadway theater in the round. This is a pic I snapped during intermission of a performance of Godspell, with the audience partying on stage. Audience interaction is always interesting at Circle, and I have some stories about that in the book, including some fantastic ones from Raúl Esparza, Tom Hewitt, Fritz Frizsell, and Liz Larsen, about Rocky Horror Show!
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
House manager Joe Traina took me backstage at the Cort Theatre, which has some fascinating underground tunnels, unexpected rooms, and old offices. The "Untold Stories of Broadway" tells a lot of tales about the secret spots in theaters that you might not know are there...
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
I snapped this when I was still hanging around the Cort Theatre, waiting to interview Sandy Binion, who has had a fascinating career both as an actress (Broadway's Jane Eyre) and as a Broadway dresser to actors including Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tom Hanks, and Daniel Radcliffe (who she was dressing at the Cort at the time).
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
The Gershwin Theatre is one of the eight theaters featured in volume 2, and one fun tale I heard from a few people was about this garage to the right. Angela Lansbury loved being able to park her car in it so much during Sweeney Todd at the theater, that she insisted on returning to the Gershwin (which was then called the Uris) for Mame. This Broadway house wasn't getting a lot of love back then, so it makes me happy that Angela found something to appreciate about it! Also in this pic: the Gershwin stage door, which several Elphabas talk about in the book, including Julia Murney, Lindsay Mendez, Caissie Levy, and Donna Vivino.
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
My pal F. Michael Haynie, who is featured in the book, took this shot while he was playing Boq in Wicked. I just love that Broadway theaters are not just a place where great theater happens, but also a place where people become honorary family and have fun together. The cast of Wicked enjoys some Dressing Room Hallway Bowling in this photo. You won't believe the hilarious and outrageous backstage traditions and shenanigans that have happened on Broadway throughout the years... those make for some of my favorite stories in the book.
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
I love this photo which includes messages from both F. Michael Haynie and Alex Brightman when they were departing Wicked. So many people leave messages in their Broadway theaters for those who come after them- either on walls, inside drawers, or underneath tables... finding out who's been in your dressing room before you is a fun Broadway tradition, and there are some great stories about that in the book.
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
![This is a photo I took of the secret trap door at the Lyceum during <i>[title of show]</i>. The original owner of the Lyceum, Daniel Frohman, had an office above the theater and would open this trap door and wave a handkerchief at his wife, actress Margar](http://assets.playbill.com/editorial/_embeddedGallerySize/1783042b361ad9d4486243f57288d767-tepper14.jpg)
This is a photo I took of the secret trap door at the Lyceum during [title of show]. The original owner of the Lyceum, Daniel Frohman, had an office above the theater and would open this trap door and wave a handkerchief at his wife, actress Margaret Illington, while she was on stage, if he felt she was overacting. Today these offices are the Shubert Archives. The Shubert Theatre, which is one of the eight theaters featured in volume 2, has a secret trap door as well...
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
The Lyceum is on 45th Street but its stage door is on 46th Street. The theater goes through the entire city block! As the oldest continually-operating Broadway theater (since 1903!), the Lyceum is filled with secrets. A lot of these are uncovered in volume 1, which is also now available in audiobook form.
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
![This is my favorite photo I took backstage at the Lyceum during "[title of show]".](http://assets.playbill.com/editorial/_embeddedGallerySize/ca749b8ccd26526015f4e8c9e2ca2747-tepper16.jpg)
This is my favorite photo I took backstage at the Lyceum during "[title of show]".
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
This photo was snapped by my pal Jeff Heimbrock, backstage at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre when he was doing Book of Mormon. I love that Jonathan Groff, whose stories are featured in the book series, left his mark there during Spring Awakening!
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
Not only does "The Untold Stories of Broadway" series chronicle the untold stories of theaters, it also chronicles the untold stories of the New York streets, restaurants, bars, hotels, shops, and other places all around the theatre district. In volume two, there are some great tales about the Theatre Bar/Charlie's/Sam's, a popular joint on 45th Street that was demolished. There are also stories about the history of places including Shubert Alley and Sardi's. You might even learn about the Milford Plaza or Hotel Carter, which at certain times have experienced unfortunate lighting outages causing their signs to read "Milf Plaza" and "Hoe Cart".
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
Because of my amazing publishers Brisa Trinchero and Roberta Pereira, I landed an interview with Robert E. Wankel, president of the Shubert Organization! His amazing stories, and the story of the interview itself and the fascinating Shubert offices I got to see, are in volume 2. This is a pic I snapped through a window, of Sardi's across the street! Lee Shubert had his office above the Shubert and J.J. Shubert had his above Sardi's. The two brothers did not get along and would stare daggers at each other across the street through this very window.
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
This is me on stage at the Winter Garden, listening to Follies on my iPod after seeing Mamma Mia! My buddy Eric William Morris was playing Sky at the time. One of my favorite stories in volume 2 is about how Eric went from janitorial duties at Circle in the Square, picking up audience members' garbage, to starring in the Broadway show across the street at the Winter Garden. Because the book provides a snapshot of different moments in each person's career that took place in different Broadway houses, you also get to hear about, for example, Laura Linney's first Broadway job as an understudy, or Ted Chapin's first Broadway job as a P.A. Then a few chapters later, you might hear about them starring on Broadway or running the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization, later in their careers.
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
Each book in the "Untold Stories Of Broadway" series includes one "lost" Broadway theater that is no longer. If you're walking down 51st Street and pass the Times Square Church at the right moment, you might be able to sneak inside like I do sometimes! This is a photo I snapped of the theater, which has been kept in beautiful shape since its days housing My Fair Lady and Jesus Christ Superstar. I sometimes sit in the mezz during church services and listen to Rags and Fade Out-Fade In. The lost Broadway theaters are filled with untold stories...
Jennifer Ashley Tepper
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"Each chapter of the book is a different Broadway theatre," author Tepper explained to Playbill.com in an earlier interview. "Basically, [readers] get taken through the history of the theatre through people's personal stories and through my stories — chronologically."
"Volume 2" is the second in a multi-volume series that will examine 40 legendary Broadway theatres in total. "The Untold Stories of Broadway," which covers over 65 years of theatrical history, also includes an exclusive Broadway theatre map designed by Broadway artist Justin "Squigs" Robertson. According to press notes, the second volume will include interviews with Michael Grief, Lindsay Mendez, Jonathan Groff, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Julie Taymor, Bernie Telsey, Brian Yorkey and many, many more popular industry personalities.
The book is currently available for pre-sale. Visit DressCirclePublishing.com.
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In the first volume, readers explored the Al Hirschfield, August Wilson, Lyceum, Mark Hellinger, Marquis, Neil Simon, Richard Rodgers and Winter Garden Theatres.
Tepper, also a producer, writer and the director of programming at Manhattan nightspot 54 Below, interviewed over 200 theatre professionals to "elicit their funniest and most compelling backstage experiences on The Great White Way." Read more about the book.
"The Untold Stories of Broadway: Tales from the World's Most Famous Theaters, Volume 1" is available in paperback and eBook forms from Kindle, Amazon, iBooks and Barnes & Noble Nook. To order Volume 1, visit DressCirclePublishing.com or visit the Playbill Store.
