playbill vip

Joseph Kesselring was an American play writer, best known for his broadway hit "Arsenic and Old Lace". He was born on July 21, 1902 in New York City and passed away on November 5, 1967. The majority of Kesselring's 65 years of life were spent or linked in some way to the theatre. During his life Kesselring taught vocal music, directed stage productions, worked in an theatrical group, and eventually in 1933, began working as a freelance playwright. While working as a playwright Joseph completed 12 original plays, four of which made it to Broadway: "There's Wisdom in Women", "Arsenic and Old Lace", "Four Twelves are 48", and "Mother of that Wisdom". Arsenic and Old Lace ran a total of 1444 Broadway performances and was considered his best piece as it was extremely successful and received almost universal praise. (Binn College Resource Guide)

Allusions to know for the show:

Judith Anderson: A famous actress of the 1930's

"Murder Will Out": One of Kesserling's other plays

Burns Mantle: A famous theatre critic who edited "The Best Plays" Series for many years 

Boris Karloff: A well known actor best known for playing Franstein's monster in 1931- is considered to be one of the original great actors of the Horror film genre.

Hellzapoppin: A Broadway slapstick comedy later made into a movie.

Woodrow Wilson: an American statesman and academic who served as the 28th President of the United States from 1913 to 1921.

Teddy Roosevelt: 26th president of the United States from 1901-1908.

General Goethals: The primary engineer of the Panama Canal.

Culebra Cut: A man-made valley that cuts through the continental divide in Panama connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Thoreau: 19th century author and naturalist.

Strindberg: A Swedish novelist and dramatist.