- unitid
-
{"value"=>"29991", "type"=>"local_mss"}
{"value"=>"*T-AMI 2019-001", "type"=>"local_call"}
{"value"=>"b23518396", "type"=>"local_b"}
- unitdate
-
{"value"=>"1995-2019", "type"=>"inclusive", "normal"=>"1995/2019"}
- unittitle
-
{"value"=>"Charles Gross collection of B-roll recordings"}
- physdesc
-
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"1 box", "unit"=>"containers"}, {"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"0.21 linear feet", "unit"=>"linear_feet"}]}
{"format"=>"structured", "physdesc_components"=>[{"name"=>"extent", "value"=>"74 video recordings", "unit"=>"video_recordings"}]}
- repository
-
{"value"=>"<span class=\"corpname\">Billy Rose Theatre Division</span>"}
- abstract
-
{"value"=>"Charles Gross is the creator and co-host of <span class=\"title\">Two on the Aisle</span>, a review show covering the New York City theater scene that aired on cable television during the 1990s and 2000s. The Charles Gross collection of B-roll recordings contains videos of theater productions between 1995 and 2006 that were sent to Gross by press agencies for reviewing purposes (an additional performance video dates from 2019). Most productions represented in the collection played on Broadway, including <span class=\"title\">Avenue Q</span>, <span class=\"title\">Fiddler on the Roof</span>, <span class=\"title\">Gypsy</span>, <span class=\"title\">Hairspray</span>, <span class=\"title\">Man of La Mancha</span>, <span class=\"title\">Noises Off</span>, <span class=\"title\">Oklahoma!</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Wicked</span>."}
- langmaterial
-
{"value"=>"English"}
- origination
-
{"value"=>"Gross, Charles", "type"=>"persname"}
- bioghist
-
{"value"=>"<p>Charles Gross is a New York City-based theater critic. He grew up in Englewood, New Jersey, and wrote theater reviews for <span class=\"title\">Englewood Press Journal</span>. Gross is the creator and co-host of <span class=\"title\">Two on the Aisle</span>, a television program about the New York theater scene that features reviews of Broadway and off-Broadway shows, and interviews with theater industry professionals. <span class=\"title\">Two on the Aisle</span> was broadcast on cable television beginning in the early 1990s, hosted by Gross and Jeff Goodman. As reviewers, Gross and Goodman received B-roll videos from press agencies representing productions or theaters; these videos contained performance footage for the purposes of television reviews. As of 2025, <span class=\"title\">Two on the Aisle</span> is broadcast on YouTube, hosted by Gross and Leslie (Hoban) Blake.</p> <p>In 2008, Gross's one-man play, <span class=\"title\">How I Found an Affordable Apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan Without Really Trying</span>, debuted at the International Midtown Theatre Festival. Based on short stories Gross wrote, the play is an autobiographical account of his moving to New York City at age thirty. He also performed the show at the 2019 United Solo Festival.</p> <p>Outside of his theater activities, Gross works in commercial real estate.</p>"}
- scopecontent
-
{"value"=>"<p>The Charles Gross collection of B-roll recordings contains seventy-four videos prepared by press agencies that were sent to Gross for reviewing purposes on his television program <span class=\"title\">Two on the Aisle</span>. The B-rolls feature footage of theater productions that were active between 1995 and 2006, most of which played on Broadway. The collection reflects the approach used by press agencies to market theater productions, while showcasing a variety of popular plays and musicals from the above time period.</p> <p>The B-rolls include clips of scenes from performances of productions. Individual clips range from around thirty seconds to two minutes, with most full videos ranging from five to fifteen minutes. When names of scene clips are displayed on the videos, they are included with their corresponding productions in the container list. Scene clips are described by songs performed, actors featured, or scene names. In the case of some plays, scene names of actors are repeated, indicating different scenes featuring the same actors. Several physical scene lists are present in the collection, filed with their corresponding productions in the container list.</p> <p>The collection holds B-rolls for then-new Broadway productions, such as <span class=\"title\">All Shook Up</span>, <span class=\"title\">Avenue Q</span>, <span class=\"title\">Hairspray</span>, <span class=\"title\">Ragtime</span>, <span class=\"title\">Seussical the Musical</span>, and <span class=\"title\">Wicked</span>. There are also B-rolls of revivals of popular plays and musicals. These include <span class=\"title\">Amadeus</span>, <span class=\"title\">Barefoot in the Park</span>, <span class=\"title\">Fiddler on the Roof</span>, <span class=\"title\">Gypsy</span>, <span class=\"title\">I'm Not Rappaport</span>, <span class=\"title\">Man of La Mancha</span>, <span class=\"title\">Noises Off</span>, <span class=\"title\">Oklahoma!</span>, <span class=\"title\">On the Town</span>, <span class=\"title\">The Rocky Horror Show</span>, and <span class=\"title\">True West</span>. Additionally, the collection includes two videos of full performances: Gross's <span class=\"title\">How I Found an Affordable Apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan Without Really Trying</span> at the 2019 United Solo festival; and a 2001 workshop at Dixon Place in New York City.</p> <p>Notable performers featured on the B-rolls include Billy Crystal, Laura Linney, Audra McDonald, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Patti LuPone, Christopher Plummer, Tom Selleck, and Patrick Wilson.</p> <p>Press agencies that compiled the B-rolls include Barlow-Hartman, Bill Evans and Associates, Boneau/Bryan-Brown, Philip Rinaldi Publicity, The Publicity Office, and Richard Kornberg and Associates. Agency names are usually noted at the beginning of each video.</p> <p>Most of the videos have, in addition to a six-digit identification code assigned by the Library, a five- or six-digit code that was assigned by Gross. These codes are noted in the container list when present.</p>"}
- arrangement
-
{"value"=>"<p>Alphabetical by production name.</p>"}
- acqinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Donated by Charles Gross in 2020.</p>"}
- processinfo
-
{"value"=>"<p>Processed by <span class=\"name\">Nathan Evans</span> in <span class=\"date\">2025</span>.</p>"}
- accessrestrict
-
{"value"=>"<p>Digitized versions of the media are available to researchers. Original media formats are noted in the finding aid.</p>"}
- date_start
-
1995
- keydate
-
1995
- date_end
-
2019
- date_inclusive_start
-
1995
- date_inclusive_end
-
2019
- extent_statement
-
0.21 linear feet (1 box). 74 video recordings
- prefercite
-
{"value"=>"Charles Gross collection of B-roll recordings, *T-AMI 2019-001. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts"}