John P Harrington: the Neighborhood Playhouse January 20, 2008

When it opened in 1915 as The Neighborhood Playhouse, until its resident company disbanded in 1927, the Abrons' national landmark theater was the undisputed home of NY C's avant-garde. Revisit this incredible story with celebrated theater historian John P. Harrington, whose new book 'The Life of the Neighborhood Playhouse on Grand Street' is the first full-length study of the Playhouse's remarkable early history. Peppered with such legendary figures as Ethel Barrymore, Ellen Terry, and Lillian Wald, Dr. Harrington will highlight the theater's notable productions, its gradual shift in mission, and the tensions between art and social work. A reception and book-signing with the author follows.