America's Oldest · Founded 1808

Walnut Street Theatre part of hit ABC comedy The Goldbergs on March 28th

March 23, 2018

PHILADELPHIA, PA: ABC's top-rated comedy "THE GOLDBERGS," a series based on recreations of Adam F. Goldberg's real-life experiences of growing up in suburban Philadelphia in the 1980s, features the Walnut Street Theatre in the upcoming episode, "Colors," coinciding with the 70th birthday of the world-renowned composer Andrew Lloyd Webber on Wednesday, March 28 at 8 p.m. on ABC-TV at 8 p.m. EST / 7 p.m. CST.

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The episode "Colors" is a true story about Goldberg's drama teacher Susan Cinoman (played by Ana Gasteyer) who pulled out all the stops for a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Goldberg even reached out to the theatre to get 80s photographs to feature on the show to make it as realistic as possible.

"We're thrilled to be a part of this week's episode of The Goldbergs," says President and Producing Artistic Director Bernard Havard. "The Walnut has a long and exciting history filled with wonderful productions and we hope to inspire countless more generations of young theatre lovers, just like Adam Goldberg."

"The Walnut Street Theater was my version of Broadway right here in Philadelphia. I was a bona fide theater geek and forced my parents to get season tickets," said Adam F. Goldberg, executive producer of The Goldbergs. "I still have my Playbill collection from every play and musical I went to see there."

"One of the highlights of my writing career was when The Philadelphia Young Playwrights did a fundraiser in 1996 and rented out the Walnut Street Theater," recalled Goldberg. "They performed a whole night of my one act plays. To go from a fan sitting in the audience to seeing my plays performed on that very stage was an incredibly impactful moment for me. It was then that I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to writing scripts."

The episode will also pay homage to the renowned composer, Andrew Lloyd Webber and features one of his most celebrated musicals, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, produced by the Walnut Street Theatre in 1989.

"Each season I do several big event episodes about the people who inspired me most when I was growing up in Jenkintown," said Goldberg. "There is a reason Andrew Lloyd Webber has been mentioned on my show dozens of times. He's a true master of his craft and inspired me to become a writer."

Walnut Street Theatre will also be honoring the legacy of Andrew Lloyd Webber with their production of his most romantic musical, Tell Me On A Sunday in their Independence Studio on 3. The show was deemed "the best thing that Lloyd Webber has written for the theater," by the New York Post.

Walnut Street Theatre is proud to currently have on its stage, Noises Off, called "the funniest farce ever written" by The New York Post, and will end its 209th season with an all-new production of the ultimate feel-good musical, Mamma Mia! In the just-announced 210th season audiences will be treated to over twenty of Irving Berlin's classic songs in the new romantic musical comedy, Holiday Inn; the musical retelling of Roald Dahl's magical story, Matilda; a brilliantly over-the-top comedy by Ken Ludwig, A Comedy of Tenors; and the innovative, insightful, and award-winning play, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. The season will end with Harvard's favorite blonde taking the stage in a pink storm with Legally Blonde the Musical!

Walnut Street Theatre is America's Oldest Theatre and the most popular theatre company in Philadelphia. As a non-profit institution, the Walnut is recognized nationally for bringing theatre to more subscribers than any other theatre company in the world. In addition to its five Mainstage productions, popular Walnut Street Theatre for Kids Series and Independence Studio on 3 Series, the Walnut's education and outreach programs reach over 172,000 students, teachers, parents, and kids of all ages every year.

Adam F. Goldberg and Doug Robinson are executive producers. The episode is produced by Adam F. Goldberg Productions, Doug Robinson Productions, and Happy Madison in association with Sony Pictures Television.