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'Goldbergs' episode will star Walnut Street Theatre: 'My version of Broadway,' says creator

"The Goldbergs" this Wednesday will feature the Walnut Theatre in a show celebrating Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Jeff Garlin (left) as Murray Goldberg and Sean Giambrone as Adam Goldberg in a scene set in the 1980s Walnut Street Theatre in the ABC comedy “The Goldbergs.”
Jeff Garlin (left) as Murray Goldberg and Sean Giambrone as Adam Goldberg in a scene set in the 1980s Walnut Street Theatre in the ABC comedy “The Goldbergs.”Read moreABC

The Walnut Theatre Company will be playing its 1980s self in the next episode of the ABC comedy hit The Goldbergs.

As the world knows, The Goldbergs is based on show creator Adam F. Goldberg's 1980s growing-up years in Philadelphia. Titled "Colors," the episode is scheduled to air 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28. It tells of how Goldberg's drama teacher, Susan Cinoman (played by Ana Gasteyer), created a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The Walnut is doing a production of Joseph (as it really did in 1989), and young Adam begs and begs until he gets to go.

Grown-up Adam has often cited Cinoman, who herself went on to be a playwright and screenwriter, as an early formative influence. "Colors" also honors the 70th birthday of Joseph composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, which fell on March 22. Goldberg asked the Walnut for '80s photographs to make it real.

In a statement, Goldberg called the Walnut Street Theatre "my version of Broadway right here in Philadelphia. I was a bona fide theater geek and forced my parents to get season tickets. I still have my "Playbill" collection from every play and musical I went to see there." He also recounted a 1996 fundraiser by the Philadelphia Young Playwrights that featured an entire night of his one-act plays: "It was then that I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to writing scripts."

Bernard Havard, president and producing artistic director at the Walnut, said he was thrilled to be part of the episode and that "we hope to inspire countless more generations of young theater lovers, just like Adam Goldberg." The Walnut will also honor Webber with his romantic musical Tell Me On A Sunday in its Independence Studio on 3 (April 10-June 10).