The Booth Theatre (video)

This short video explains about the present day Booth Theatre and how it got its name from a 19th century actor. It talks about Edwin Booth's career and why this theatre was named in rememberance of him. This video also explains a bit about the harsh actions Edwin's brother John took against President Abraham Lincoln.

Edwin Wilkes Booth

Edwin Wilkes Booth, brother of actor and President Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth, was also a famous American actor. Edwin Booth was born in Belair, Maryland in 1833 to actor Junius Booth. He made his first stage appearance in 1849 as Tressel in Richard III. He performed this show with his father who played the role of Richard. The opinions of Edwin’s acting abilities, even from his father were less than stellar. It wasn’t until after the death of his father that Edwin received respect on the stage. After gaining the acceptance and praise of the audience, he performed significant roles in many major shows including Hamle and Othello. This success was paused however, when Edwin’s brother John assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. After performing with his brother in Julius Caesar just the year before, Edwin and his career were significantly impacted by his brother’s actions. But not letting the mistakes of his brother ruin his career, Edwin continued to work hard and persevere. He built his own theater, Booth’s Theatre, in Manhattan. It opened in 1869 with Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, in which Booth played Romeo. His theatre proved he could achieve whatever his goals might have been despite his brother’s actions. Romeo and Juliet was followed by many other successful performances at Booth’s Theatre.

http://www.theatrehistory.com/american/booth001.html

Charlotte Cushman

Charlotte Cushman, born in 1816 in Boston, Massachusetts, was a famous actress in the 19th century. Hoping to earn money as a musician, she debuted as an opera singer in Marriage of Figaro at just 19 years old. She then went on tour in New Orleans and received very negative reviews. It was suggested that she pursue a career in acting rather voice, and she did just that. After turning to leading actor James Barton for training, Cushman made her acting debut as Lady Macbeth in 1836. Her acting reviews proved to be much better than those of her vocal performances, and she went on to star in a number a plays including Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, in which she played the lead male, Romeo, opposite her sister who played Juliet. It was actually quite common for women of this time to play male roles, and these women were given the name “breeches actresses”. Being one of the first famous, openly lesbian actresses, Cushman was also a strong feminist. She “insisted upon her economic independence, demanding fees commensurate with her male counterparts”. Sadly, in 1869, Cushman was diagnosed with breast cancer. She gave her last performance as Lady Macbeth in 1874, and died from the disease two years later.

http://www.comm.unt.edu/histofperf/tiffanyvandewall/Charlotte.html

James A. Herne

James A. Herne was a prominent American actor and playwright of the 19th century. He was born as James Ahearn in Cohoes, New York in the year 1839. His name was allegedly changed during his career as an actor due to a misprint on a set of posters. Herne made his theatrical debut at age 20 in Uncle Tom’s Cabin. After acting with theatre companies in Baltimore and Albany, he came to be manager of the New York Grand Opera House. His second marriage to actress Katherine Corcoran showed to be a turning point in his career. Katherine convinced her husband to spend his time writing plays rather than performing in them. Although he continued to act, Herne wrote a number of plays in the years following his marriage to Corcoran. It is though that some of “his most important plays were written definitely with her in mind as the leading woman”. His first show entitled Hearts of Oak was produced only a year after his marriage. His other shows included The Minute Men, Shore Acres, and Drifting Apart. Herne’s plays brought him much fame and success. They included “a note of simplicity, of sympathy, of reality, which lifts them into the realm of true drama”.

http://www.wayneturney.20m.com/hernejamesa.htm

http://www.theatredatabase.com/19th_century/james_a_herne_001.html

John Wilkes Booth

John Wilkes Booth, though remembered for being the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, was also a famous actor in the 19th century. He was born on May 10, 1838 to a family well known for their acting. Also in the business were John’s brother Edwin and his father Junius. John got into acting when his father died. He felt that he “must have fame! fame!” and follow in his fathers footsteps. John made his debut at 17 years old. He played the Earl of Richmond in Richard III by William Shakespeare. He acted again two years later, but “frequently missed cues and forgot his lines”. During the height of Booth’s career, he made about $20,000 a year and acted in shows including Romeo and Juliet, The Apostate, Julius Caesar, The Taming of the Shrew, and many others. On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln attended Our American Cousin, at Ford’s Theater. Booth also attended the show that night, but for a different cause. He went to the theater, snuck up behind President Lincoln, and shot him in the back of the head. The bullet killed Lincoln, and Booth ran and hid for 12 days until he was found sleeping in a tobacco barn. After refusing to leave the barn, it was set on fire and Booth was shot to death.

http://www.economicexpert.com/a/John:Wilkes:Booth.html

http://home.att.net/~rjnorton/Lincoln72.html

online databases.

Zelenak, Michael X. "Women in the American Theatre: Actresses and Audiences, 1790-1870." American Theatre Sept. 1994: 69+. General OneFile. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.

"Walter Hampden; dean of the American theatre." Reference & Research Book News (2009). General OneFile. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.

"What's Happening to Musicals? Four histories view that most American of theatrical genres through the looking-glass of craft." American Theatre Oct. 2008: 136+. General OneFile. Web. 2 Dec. 2009.

ebooks.

Theater: The American Stage in Transition. American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, Victor Bondi, Richard Layman, Tandy McConnell, and Vincent Tompkins. Vol. 2: 1910-1919. Detroit: Gale, 2001.

Drama in Transition. American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, Victor Bondi, Richard Layman, Tandy McConnell, and Vincent Tompkins. Vol. 8: 1970-1979. Detroit: Gale, 2001.

Performance and Ritual. Richard Schechner. Encyclopedia of Religion. Ed. Lindsay Jones. Vol. 10. 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2005. p7041-7053.

Theater: Musicals Take Center Stage. American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, Victor Bondi, Richard Layman, Tandy McConnell, and Vincent Tompkins. Vol. 2: 1910-1919. Detroit: Gale, 2001.

Musical Theater. American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, Victor Bondi, Richard Layman, Tandy McConnell, and Vincent Tompkins. Vol. 3: 1920-1929. Detroit: Gale, 2001.