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