Theatre Talks and Walks 2016

Currently accepting bookings for theatre talks and walks in 2016: historical societies, libraries, senior centers, etc.

Details for independent walks will be posted in the New Year.

January 8, 2012 walking tour of the Yiddish Rialto for the
Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation.
 (Photo copyright Betty Sword, all rights reserved)

May 18, 2014 Bowery Walking Tour
for the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative.
(Photo copyright Betty Sword, all rights reserved)

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, a three-volume history of borough theatres. The first two chosen 2010 OUTSTANDING BOOK OF THE YEAR by the Theatre Historical Society. Final volume published in September 2014.

Currently editing the third edition of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, Volume I.

Now selling on Etsy and Amazon

Theatre Walks 2014-2015

Award winning author, Cezar Del Valle has had many years of experience developing and leading walking tours of New York’s theatrical and cultural districts.

Mindful of the budgetary constraints facing most non-profits, Del Valle is willing to discuss fees.

January 8, 2012 walking tour for the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP)
“Your amount of historic knowledge was nothing short of incredible”
-Dana Schulz, Program and Administrative Associate, GVSHP

Times Square:
Explore the “Crossroads of the World” to discover some of the lesser known sites along the “Great White Way.”

Lower East Side:
Five walks are available of New York City’s former melting pot of the immigrant working class.

Introductory Walk(s)
Three tours offer a basic introduction to the neighborhood’s showbiz past from immigrant theatre to off-off-Broadway and early television.

Yiddish Rialto
Stroll Second Avenue as Del Valle relates tales of Adler, Picon, Thomashefsky and other greats of the Yiddish stage.

Bowery
The colorful, salty history of the Bowery, once alive with Yiddish, Italian and Chinese theatres, vaudeville houses, dime museums, concert saloons and early film venues.

Downtown Brooklyn:
A former hub of theatrical activity, downtown Brooklyn is currently enjoying a rebirth with the development of the new BAM Cultural District.

Coney Island:
Del Valle invites you to Brooklyn’s “Sodom by the Sea” where Gary Grant walked on stilts, Harpo Marx made his stage début and where the music halls ran early & late.

Visit our Theatre Talks website for information and reviews.

Above photo copyright Betty Sword, all rights reserved.

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Book of the year by the Theatre Historical Society. 

Lower East Side Preservation Initiative's Moveable Feast

An Afternoon on The Lower East Side

 Sunday May 18, 2014

Part One: Tour the Bowery

2:00-4:00 pm

with theatre historian Cezar Del Valle

Meet in front of the Liz Christy Garden, Bowery and Houston Street

The Bowery entertainment district was once bursting with Yiddish, Chinese and Italian Theatres, vaudeville houses, early film venues, dime museums, and concert saloons. Explore this colorful, earthy history with theatre historian Cezar Del Valle.

Admission: $20  LESPI Members: $15

 

History Quickie: Lower East Side History Project


Part Two:

 LUNCH AT AN HISTORIC GREEK-AMERICAN SYNAGOGUE 

4:00 - 6:00 pm

At the Kehila Janina Kedosha synagogue, a New York City Landmark, enjoy  a delicious lunch of traditional Greek-Jewish kosher yaprakes, bourekas, kourlouia, Greek salad, seasonal fruit, hot and cold beverages.

Tour the beautifully restored 1927 synagogue interior, and visit the synagogue's fascinating museum on the history of the congregation and Greek American Jewish life.

Cosponsored with Kehila Janina Kedosha 

Meet  at: Kehila Janina Kedosha Synagogue at 280 Broome St, between EldrIdge and Allen Streets

Admission: $25

LESPI and Synagogue members $20

SPECIAL COMBINED TOUR AND LUNCH EVENT PRICE: $40   

LESPI MEMBERS: $30

Info@LESPI-nyc.org with any questions.

This program is part of Lower East Side History Month 

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

He is available for theatre talks and walks in 2014, historical societies, libraries, senior centers, etc. 

Theatre Walks and Talks 2014

From Victorian Opera Houses to opulent movie palaces, Cezar Del Valle offers a series of entertaining and informative theatre talks and walking tours.

Currently accepting bookings for 2014, historical societies, libraries, senior centers, etc.

New Walks and Talks Added for 2014:

Haunted Theatres for October

Holidays Past for December

"Versatile and effective in his well-crafted presentations."

-Tuesday Evening Hour

"The presentation was wonderful. Thanks for coming."

-Kelly & Linda

Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council

"Our open meeting was a full-to-capacity event. Guest speaker Cezar Del Valle, a theatre historian from the New York Council for the Humanities gave an exquisite presentation."

--The Richmond Hill Historical Society

Above photograph:

January 8, 2012 walking tour for the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP)

"Your amount of historic knowledge was nothing short of incredible."

-Dana Schulz, Program and Administrative Associate, GVSHP

(Photo: copyright Betty Sword, all rights reserved)  

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the year by the Theatre Historical Society.

 

Theatre Talks and Walks 2013

After a brief hiatus, I am once again available for theatre talks and walks,

"We have a wonderful collector of theatre history named Cezar Del Valle, who has collected more Brooklyn theatre information than probably anyone else around and written two wonderful books." -Montrose Morris, Brownstoner Blog 

 

"Thank you for a fabulous 'matinee.' The audience loved hearing about the theatres and were enthralled with your slides." -Tracey Simon, Program Coordinator, Lynbrook Library

"The presentation was wonderful. Thanks for coming." -Kelly & Linda, Genesee-Orleans Regional  Arts Council    

"Our open meeting was a full-to-capacity event. Guest speaker, Cezar Del Valle, a theatre historian from the New York Council for the Humanities, gave an exquisite presentation." -Nancy Cataldi, The Richmond Hill Historical Society   

Top photograph: Grand Prospect Hall, the Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment walking tour of Park Slope Theatres

Bottom: With the Savoy Theatre in the background, part of a walking tour for the Cinema Theatre Association

Photos by Betty Sword, all rights reserved

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the year by the Theatre Historical Society

 

Changes

January 8, 2012 walking tour for the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP)

“Your amount of historic knowledge was nothing short of incredible”

 -Dana Schulz, Program and Administrative Associate, GVSHP

Since 1995, I have presented theatre talks and walks. It has been a long and often enjoyable run. However it has also interfered (time-wise) with my creative work as an artist.

This year I decided to focus my attention on the art, pushing the theatres into background. Don’t know yet what this means to the walks, talks, blogs and websites operated under the Theatre Talks banner.

June 3, 2012 walk of the Jewish Rialto for the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative (L.E.S.P.I.)

“The tour, led by theater historian Cezar Del Valle, was phenomenal!
  Cezar shared his encyclopedic knowledge of theater lore, history, and gossip.”–L.E.S.P.I.

Photographs by Betty Sword, All rights reserved

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.

Second Avenue Theatre, 35- 37 Second Avenue, New York, NY

The Second Avenue Theatre  will be one of the sites featured on my Footsteps of Yiddish Theatre walking tour for the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation on Sunday, June 8, 2012, 11 a.m. to      1 p.m.

It is free but reservations required: RSVP to rsvp@gvshp.org or call (212) 475-9585 ext. 35
Meeting location available upon registration.

The Second Avenue Theatre opened on September 14, 1911 with God, Man and Devil by Jacob Gordin.

Excerpts from the New York Clipper, September 23, 1911:
"David Kessler's Second Avenue Theatre, New York City, the new theatre of the Ghetto, at Second Street and Second Avenue, opened Thursday night, Sept. 14, and Mayor [William Jay] Gaynor was present to help.
"The theatre cost $800,000, and is to represent everything that is artistic in the Yiddish drama."

"On opening night thousands were turned away, and the project looks like a huge success."

"David Kessler's Second Avenue Theatre seats 2,000 people without crowding. Besides the large orchestra floor there is a balcony, a gallery and twelve boxes arranged in tiers. The building extends from First Street to Second Street, and from Second Avenue half way to Third Street.
"In the interior the decorations are unique and costly. The draperies and upholsterings are in olive green, in contrast with the deep bronze walls and ceilings. The drop curtain, of the same shade of green as the draperies, is painted in covent[?] design, encircling the letters D. K. for David Kessler. The building is thoroughly fireproof, even the floors being of cement. There are twenty-one exits and the fire preventative conditions are said to be superior to anything in the city."

The theatre was demolished in 1959.       

Postcard part of the collection of Theatre Talks LLC

Cezar Del Valle is the author of the Brooklyn Theatre Index, chosen 2010 Best Book of the Year by the Theatre Historical Society.