.^N BOUGHT WITH THE INCO PROM THE SAGE ENDOWMENT THE GIFT OF I89I CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 760 029 U, 3 m Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924091760029 HISTORY OF THB American Theatre NEW FOUNDATIONS. GEORGE O. SEII^HAMER. PHILADELPHIA: GLOBE PRINTING HOUSE. 1891. 5-4 /\ . ? ^ 1 CORNELL\> UNIVERSITY V \LIBRAR ( Copyright, 1891, GEORGE O. Sehhamer. Press of Globe Printing House, Philadelphia. «; TO ( . ALBERT M. PALMER THIS VOLUME OF NEW FOUNDATIONS IS INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR, In Testimony of his Taste and Skill as a Manager, AND His Earnest Interest in the History of the American Theatre. — CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. American Strollers. " English actors look to the West—The Kennas—Vaughan's mishap—" Walking Stewart —Mrs. Gardner—An American wandering patentee—Signor Trisobio—McGrath and Godwin—Virginia strolling—Mr. and Mrs. Solomon I CHAPTER II. The Beginning at Boston. Hallam and Henry's petition—Plays at Portsmouth and Salem—Repeal meetings in Fanueil Hall —Legislative action—New Exhibitjon Room—Powell—The law defied—Placide's pantomimes—First Boston campaign—Harper's arrest .... 13 . CHAPTER III. Henry's Recruits. Henry in England—Account of John Hodgkinson—Mrs. Hodgkinson—Miss Brett Mrs. Wrighten's career—King and West—Luke Robbins—Personal descriptions of Henry's recruits 27 CHAPTER IV. Hallam and Henry, 1792-3. The season in Philadelphia—Hodgkinson's first appearance—The other debuts—Contem- porary opinions of the actors — Casts and parts—Mr. Chambers—New York season, 1793—Young Hallam's debut—Return to Philadelphia ... 52 CHAPTER V. Mr. Henry's Last Season, 1793-4. Hodgkinson's opposition to Henry—Mrs. Melmoth—Miss Cheer, now Mrs. Long Mr. Richards and Mrs. Wilson—Mrs. Pownall's " Needs Must "—" Tammany " " " —Dunlap's Fatal Deception —Pieces produced—Death of Mr. and Mrs. Henry 77 1 (v) —— vi CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. Hallam and Hodgkinson, 1794-5. Under new management—Last season in Philadelphia—Some new players—Mr. and Mrs. Marriott—Benjamin Can—" Chimera"—The season in New York—Dunlap's second tragedy—Estimates of the acting—Ryan's death 100 CHAPTER VII. WiGNELL's First Company. Important engagements—Miss George—Mr. Fennell—Mr. Chalmers—Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock—Mr. and Mrs. Marshall—Mrs. Warrell—Mr. Darley—Miss Broadhurst —Mr. Bates—Mr. and Mrs. Francis—The Rowsons —Other engagements .... 122 CHAPTER VIII. The Philadelphia Company, 1793-4. Description of the new theatre—Arrival of the company— Brief season at Annapolis Opening of the new house—" Slaves in Algiers " —" Embargo " —Francis' panto- mimes — Opening pieces—The casts and the players 145 CHAPTER IX. The Philadelphia Company, 1794-5. Holiday Street Theatre, Baltimore—Wignell and Reinagle's first season—Interrupted by yellow fever—Second season in Philadelphia—American productions—" The Triumphs of Love "—Estimates of some of the performers 168 CHAPTER X. The Philadelphia Company, 1795-6. The Baltimore season of 1795—Objections of the company to adverse criticism—The Philadelphia season of 1795-6—Changes in the company—The Baltimore season of 1796—Wignell's first company dissolved 192 CHAPTER XL The Boston Theatre, 1794-5. Charles Powell's two seasons—The first Boston company—Productions—Paine's pro- logue—Casts—The Baker family—The company reorganized—Second season Mrs, Spencer— " The Medium "—Charles Powell's retirement 227 — CONTENTS. vii CHAPTER XII. Harper in Rhode Island. The beginning at Providence—Two Newport seasons—Performances and casts Harper's company—Huggins—Mrs. Mechtler—Providence season of 1794—New Providence theatre—Engagement of part of the Old American Company .... 253 , CHAPTER XIII. The Invasion of New England. A part of the Old American Company at Hartford in 1794—Hartford casts—Hodgkin- son leads the Hartford detachment in 1795— Some of the productions and casts The New York company in Boston—A brilUant engagement 265 '' CHAPTER XIV. Mr. Sollee's Charleston Company, 1794-6. Boston players engaged for Charleston—They appear at Newport—City Theatre, Charleston—Sollee's season, 179S-6—The company and the plays—The Misses Wrighten—Mrs. Pownall's death and its cause—Her parts 280 CHAPTER XV. The Boston Theatre, 1796. Mr. and Mrs. Williamson—Colonel Tyler's management—The productions and casts —" Traveller Returned"—A controversy over the American comedy—The season a failure—A word about the retiring players 297 ' CHAPTER XVI. Newt Hay at the Old Market. Return of the Old American Company to New York—Introduction of the new players —Productions of the season—" The Archers "—Dunlap enters the manz^ement Managerial quarrels—Mrs. Hallam's retirement—"Mohawks." 314 CHAPTER XVII. The Boston Theatre, 1796-7. Mr. Williamson's season—The productions—Mrs. Whitlock—Mr. Jones—Mr. Bates William Charles White—His "Orlando"—"Americans in England"—New English pieces—Work of the company—Retirement of the Rowsons—Their parts 333 — 1 viii CONTENTS. CHAPTER XVIII. The Boston Haymarket, 1796-7. Building the new house—Powell's recruits—Mr. and Mrs. Barrett—The Simpsons Williamson, the singer—Mr. Dickenson —The productions—"Bunker Hill" " " West Point Preserved —The casts—A disastrous season 354 CHAPTER XIX. A Rhode Island Interlude. Harper again at Providence and Newport—The Providence season—Boston players the performers—Mrs. Allen—Harper's second company—A queer assortment—Mr. and Mrs. Tubbs—Miss Arnold's first appearance 37 CHAPTER XX. HALLAM, HoDGKINSON and DlTNLAP. At Hartford, 1796—John D. Miller—The New York season of 1796-7—Mrs. Seymour —The Hallam riot—Hallam goes to jail—" Mysterious Monk"—" Edwin and Angelina"— "Bourville Castle"—"Comet"—"Man of Fortitude" 376 I792-I797 A History of the American Theatre: New Foundations. CHAPTER I. AMERICAN STROLLERS. ENGLISH ACTORS LOOK TO THE WEST THE KENNAS VAUGHAN's MIS- HAP 'SWALKING STEWART" MRS. GARDNER AN AMERICAN WANDERING PATENTEE SIGNOR TRISOBIO MCGRATH AND GOD- WIN VIRGINIA STROLLING MR. AND MRS. SOLOMON. DURING the first forty years of the American theatre there was little change in the composition of the company that supplied theatrical entertainments to the few towns that could support a theatre at intervals; but even before 1792, when the Old American Company was reorganized, English strollers began to make their way to the United States. What the crown had lost Thespian royalty determined to reconquer. As early as 1783 one of the London newspapers said that as a taste for theatricals was beginning to prevail in America, English actors may yet have one chance more—perhaps two or three on that continent—if they differ with the managers of the British , 2 HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN THEATRE. theatres. Three thousand miles, it was said, is a great journey ; but that is nothing to a willing mind, spurred on by the goad of expecta- tion. English notions of American theatrical possibilities at that time were misty, as is apparent from a paragraph printed in the Morning Post, in February, 1783, in which it was said that Mr. Hallam, brother to Mrs. Mattocks, had lately had a letter from the American Congress inviting him to the direction of three theatres—namely, New York, Boston and Philadelphia. "A gentleman is now in town," the Post said, "raising some theatrical troops for Mr. Hallam at handsome " salaries ; and that journal added, "the war being now over. Congress has given him a genteel invitation to recompense him for his honorary banishment." Notwithstanding this theatrical lie, that would have done no discredit to the "press agent" of a century later, Mr. Hallam seems to have met with little success in procuring recruits; and when English actors and actresses began to arrive on this side of the At- lantic, he was slow to accept them. In spite of Hallam's disinclination to allow an invasion of the Old American Company's monopoly, the forecast of the London paragrapher proved well founded, and before the close of the century many of the London favorites of the decade succeeding the Revolution found their way to the United States. In the first decade after the Revolution the earliest of the theatri- cal adventurers who found their way to America was the Kenna family. Mr. and Mrs. Kenna were actors of experience, and it may be assumed they were the Mr. and Mrs. Kenna to whose company Mrs. Entwistle, the mother of Harriet Mellon, was attached for a number of years, 1777 to 1783. In America, as in England, Wales and Ireland, the Kennas were itinerants. Mrs. Kenna especially seems to have been a woman of many resources, both as an actress and a manager. She AMERICAN STROLLERS. 3 was equally ready to play all the leading roles in a drama, male and female, herself, or to teach them to unpromising candidates for public favor. Her labors, it must be confessed, were not always crowned with a success that honored them. The difficulties she had to contend with are illustrated by a misfortune that befell Mr. Vaughan one night at the theatre in the Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. A ludicrous actor named Purcell had advertised "Othello" for his benefit, the beneficiary appearing as the Moor. Vaughan had agreed to recite the famous epilogue, " Bucks Have at Ye All," between the play and the farce. Purcell's acting, unfortunately, resulted in an unceasing roar of laughter. This paved the way for Vaughan's downfall, for his habits were convivial, and during the play he devoted himself with great ardor to the flowing bowl at the " Noah's Ark " in the neigh- borhood of the theatre. When he came on the stage his condition was apparent to the audience, and there was a hiss. Undaunted by this mark of disapprobation, Vaughan began : Ye social friends of claret and of wit, when the hiss was repeated.