Playwrights & Performers: No Applause–Just Throw Money

Playwrights & Performers presents No Applause–Just Throw Money with Trav S.D. (Travis Stewart). A taste of Trav S.D.’s one-man show with remarks and readings from his new book: No Applause–Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous followed by a book signing.

In No Applause, writer and modern-day vaudevillian Trav S.D. chronicles vaudeville’s far-reaching impact. He explores the many ways in which vaudeville’s story is the story of show business in America and documents the rich history and cultural legacy of our country’s only purely indigenous theatrical form, including its influence on everything from USO shows to Ed Sullivan to The Muppet Show and The Gong Show. More than a quaint historical curiosity, vaudeville is thriving today, and Trav S.D. pulls back the curtain on the vibrant subculture that exists across the United States–a vast grassroots network of fire-eaters, human blockheads, burlesque performers, and bad comics intent on taking vaudeville into its second century.

“Trav S.D. has created an essential (and very funny) history of American popular entertainment, particularly for those of us trying to create popular entertainment today.” –Greg Kotis, creator of Urinetown

“No Applause is a fabulous book worthy of its fabulous topic. Clever, thoughtful, and comprehensive, it is beautifully written and exhaustively researched, and it reminds us of the myriad ways in which vaudeville dominated urban America for half a century and more.” –Kenneth T. Jackson, professor of history, Columbia University and editor of The Encyclopedia of New York City

Trav S.D. is top banana at the American Vaudeville Theatre. His writing has appeared in The Village Voice, American Theatre, Time Out New York, and Reason. Since 1988, he has directed, produced and starred in two dozen of his own plays, most notably House of Trash, a hit at the 2000 NYC International Fringe Festival, subsequently published by the NY Theater Experience and produced many times.

Playwrights & Performers is sponsored by TheaterMania.