American Theatre History
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Transcript of American Theatre History
American Theatre History
The first play ever produced on American soil…
August 27, 1655Ye Bare and Ye CubbAccomac, VirginiaFowkes’ Tavern
The first playhouse in the American colonies…
1716Williamsburg, Virginia
The first professional theatre in America…
1752William Hallam
The first time American soldiers fired on American
citizens…The Astor Place
RiotsMay 7, 1849William Charles
MacCreadyEnglishAstor Place Opera
HouseShakespeareUpper class
Edwin ForrestAmericanBowery TheatreShakespeareWorking Class
The Astor Place Opera House
Bowery Theatre
William Charles MacCready
Edwin Forrest
First President Assassinated…Abraham Lincoln
John Wilkes BoothFord’s Theatre, Washington D.C.April 14, 1865
John Wilkes Booth (AKA J.B. Wilkes)
Actor and AssassinFirst stage appearance:17 years oldAugust 14, 1855Earl of Richmond in Richard IIICharles Street Theatre, Baltimore, MDDownfall?
Southern Sympathizer
Sic Semper TyrannisApril 14, 1865
Went to get his mail, came out an assassin
Stabbed Henry RathboneShot LincolnDove onstage to escapeBroke his legCarried to Garrett farmShot and Killed on April 26, 1865
Common Works of the Late Nineteenth Century
Most popular:Shakespeare
“…Shakespeare, had he been alive at the time, would have been, at heart at least, an American.”
Development:Melodrama
A sensational dramatic piece with exaggerated characters and exciting events intended to appeal to the emotions of the audience
One of the Most Famous Melodramatic Works
Uncle Tom’s Cabin Adapted by George AikenBased on the novel by Harriet Beecher
StoweVital Abolitionist novel
Created Stereotypes we still know today:The Mammy– affectionate, dark-skinned
grandmotherThe Pickaninny– black childrenUncle Tom– dutiful, faithful, hard-working servant-
slave
“The Mammy”
“The Pickaninny”
“Uncle Tom”
ClimaxEliza escaping with her child
Theatrical Poster
African Grove TheatreNew York City, New York3rd attempt
Most successfulFirst Play Written by an African-
AmericanThe Drama of King Shotaway
Shut down in 18231858
William Wells BrownThe EscapeEx-slave
The Minstrel ShowPopular Form of Theatre at the timeWhite, or black, actors dressed in
“blackface”Comic skitsParodiesBuffoonerySlapstick
RevealedRacial stereotypingRacist Themes
Theatrical SyndicateCreators
Charles FrohmanAl HaymanAde ErlangerMark FlawSam FlendersonFred Zimmerman
PurposeA systemized booking agency for
theatrical troupes across the US
Rival: The Shubert Organization
CreatorsLee ShubertSam ShubertJacob Shubert
Purpose“Theatre for all”
VaudevilleThe Variety Show
is bornSeries of
separate, unrelated acts grouped together and billed together
Types of ActsMusiciansSingersDancers
ComediansTrained animalsMagiciansImpersonatorsAcrobatsjugglers
SourcesConcert saloonMinstrelsyFreak showsDime museumsBurlesque
BurlesqueCharacteristics of Burlesque:
Minimal costumingFocus on the female formSexual innuendoQuick-witted humorPunsShort routines or sketches
Think SNL
Birth of the MusicalComic Operas and Pantomimes
performedMinstrel shows - played banjos,
tambourines, “bones”, sang, danced, and made jokes
Music Halls and Vaudevilles - unrelated acts, magic, jugglers, acrobats, sketches, animals, singers, and dancers
What is a Musical?a play or movie in which singing and
dancing play an essential part
The First MusicalThe Black Crook - Sept 12, 1866 in
New YorkRan 474 performances5 1/2 hours longMixture of drama, spectacle, scenery,
transformations with ballet and scantily clad dancers
Lots of scenic special effectsProduced in Birmingham, AL in 1882!
The Black Crook