Draft I

Morgan Kennedy 3/30/10

Theatrical performance, since its beginning, has grown into one of the most loved and popular forms of entertainment today. Thought it has evolved extremely since its start in the early 18th century, over and over it has proved to be the most heart wrenching, passionate, and dramatic profession in American history. The beginnings and events involved in early American theatre brought about a new, controversial, but extremely popular and lasting form of entertainment.

Although there is some confusion over exactly what the first theatrical performance was in the United States and when it was put on, evidence suggests that some type of theatre was emerging in America as early as the 1600s. However, it wasn’t until the early 1700s when the first professional performances were held. Professional theatres or playhouses began to arise in 1716, the first of which was built in Williamsburg, Virginia. Soon after, theatres popped up in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and other states.

The theatrical world would not have survived or evolved into what it is today wthout the people who started it off. The early actors, directors, and playwrights of American theatre were not always accepted, but their work built up excitement and earned much response, good and bad, for a growing profession.

Life in the performance profession in early America was not nearly as glamorous as it is today. Actors of the time were poorly paid and often looked down upon by certain societies and religions. Life as a performer was not an easy one, but through hard work and a little time actors slowly became respected and eventually admired.

Technical aspects of theatre were relatively simple when performances first arose. Light design, sound, set design, were prominent aspects of performance, and when the 19th century rolled around advances were made in these branches of theatre. New lighting techniques and visually interesting set designs improved the areas of technical theatre.

Costumes were taken very seriously when preparing for performances in early America. Elaborate, detailed, and colorful outfits were made for most shows, which attracted an even larger audience to the newest and most increasingly popular form of entertainment.

Theatrical performance grew more and more popular by the day, but as with everything new in the world, question and controversy arose. Religious groups and communities, especially those in New England States, often did not approve of theatre. Restrictions and laws were made forbidding performances and playhouses were closed. The theatre gained even more negative response when a prominent political figure was murdered by a popular actor in the 19th century.

The early theatre, though less complex and possibly less corrupted, had a serious impact on the way the field of live performance is today. Many influential actors, plays, and events from the beginnings of this art form are worth being remembered and have been remembered in today’s world of theatrical performance.

American theatre began in the early 18th century. It is not entirely known exactly when or where the first theatrical production was performed in North America, but historians do have some rough ideas. It is known that some performances occurred in the late 1600’s, professional acting went on in New York, and a professional theatre was built with running performances in Williamsburg, Virginia around 1716. It is believed that theatrical performance was used mostly in the South where there were people were less prejudice towards the performing arts. In northern states theatrical performance was frowned upon for religious and moral reasons. In 1750 the General Court of Massachusetts passed an act that forbade all types of stage plays from being performed in the state, though some were performed anyway. But ironically, the first kept records of theatrics were found in New England states. Records have also been found of a play performed by Harvard students in the 1600’s. This tragedy “Gustavus Vasa” by Benjamin Colman is the first known play written by an American and performed in America. The newspapers of the time just short of forbade any articles of performances or playhouses, perhaps explaining why historians have found such little information about early American theatre. Without newspaper advertisement, the actors themselves would bring “handbills” to the doors of theatre-goers to advertise upcoming performances. Although theatrics were often looked down upon, eventually people started to realize the greatness of the performing arts.

Boston, Mass. “inaugurated its theater history” with the Boston Theatre which later came to be known as the Federal Street Theatre. The first playhouse in Boston opened on February 3, 1794. In its beginning, the theatre’s star performers were Julia Dean and Edwin Forrest. Sadly the building burned down just four years later, but it was quickly rebuilt. The Federal Street Theatre was changed into a lecture hall named the “Odeon” in the year 1835. However, the building was reopened as a playhouse with its first name, The Boston Theatre, eleven years later. In the year of 1852 the Federal Street building was destroyed, and a new Boston Theatre was opened on Washington Street two years later. This new Boston Theatre was also the host of many opera and musical performances including Beethoven’s Fidelio. The Boston Theatre was dubbed “the finest theatre in the world” by the producer and playwright by the name of Dion Boucicault. The theatre held up to 3000 audience members, and was packed to that 3000 limit many knights. A number of noteworthy actors and actresses performed on that stage. Charlotte Cushman, Henry Irving, and Edwin Booth were just a few of the many.

Other theatres…Pennsylvania theatre etc.

Mrs. Leslie Carter was an American stage and silent film actress in the 19th century. She was born to Orson Dudley in Louisville, Kentucky in 1862, but spent most of her childhood in Dayton, Ohio. Carter grew to be known as “the American Sarah Bernhardt” (Sara Bernhardt was a legendary French stage and film actress). She married Mr. Leslie Carter, a Chicago socialite, at age 17. Mrs. Carter first became known for a notorious divorce after only nine years of marriage for which she was accused of disloyalty. Carter was born as Caroline Louise Dudley, and after her divorce she turned to a career in acting where she kept her married name in retaliation to her ex-husband. Her fame as an actress was achieved under the direction of David Belasco who directed four shows in ten years that brought Carter to international fame. The quartet of plays included The Heart of Maryland, Zaza, Du Barry, and Adrea. Unfortunately, not many other works of hers would amount to the success of these four plays. During a later performance of Two Women Carter was negatively criticized by a review that stated her as having “the courage to persevere in a form of acting which is now almost extinct”. She then turned to “posing” rather than acting in her fifties when she performed in a few silent films. Later in her career Carter took on some supporting roles on Broadway before retiring to California.

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.

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.

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.

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”.

American playwright Eugene Gladstone O’Neill was born on October 16, 1888 in “a Broadway hotel room in New York City”. Son of the famous actor James O’Neill, Eugene was constantly on tours with his father as a young child. Eugene enrolled in Princeton University but was expelled. In the year of 1912, he came down with tuberculosis and became very ill. But the disease actually set his career in motion, for he was inspired to become a playwright while reading during his recovery from the illness. O’Neill’s playwriting was broken up over three periods. His early realist shows were influenced by his own life experiences. His next batch of shows were expressionistic. Some of his many influences during this time consisted of Frederick Nietzsche, Carl Jung, and August Strindberg. O’Neill went back to writing about realism in his final playwriting period. His final pieces were those “which most critics consider his best”. Four of his plays won Pulitzer Prizes: Beyond the Horizon in 1920, Anna Christie in 1922, Strange Interlude in 1928, and Long Day’s Journey into Night in 1957. O’Neill was also awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1936.

Thomas Godfrey, son of inventor Thomas Godfrey (1704-1749), was a prominent playwright in 18th century America. Godfrey grew up in Pennsylvania, and he was a member of Benjamin Franklin’s Junto Club (a self-appointed committee that usually has political goals). As strong writer, he was known throughout Pennsylvania by literary groups. Godfrey was also good friends with the poet Nathaniel Evans and college provost William Smith. In hopes of entering business, Godfrey left Pennsylvania in 1758 for Wilmington, North Carolina. A prominent poet, Godfrey wrote The Court of Fancy, a long poem that was published in 1762. Throughout his life he also published smaller pieces in local magazines. His biggest accomplishment came when his blank-verse (written in iambic pentameter without rhyme) play titled The Prince of Parthia was published in 1765. The Prince of Parthia, a tragedy, became famous as the first tragedy written by an American to be produced and performed on an American stage. The show was performed by a professional cast of actors at the Southwark Theatre in Philadelphia on April 24, 1767. Godfrey’s play was considered “a noble beginning of dramatic literature in America.”

In the late 1700s and early 1800s, actors were viewed as outcasts. Their profession was thought to be sinful and many were excluded from the social society. However, when the mid-1800’s rolled around the view of actors and actresses had greatly improved. They were beginning to be seen as “prominent persons in society”. But their work life was not as sweet as their new social acceptance. The Work schedule was extremely grueling requiring constant focus, unlimited energy, mental strength, physical strength, and extreme dedication. Some actors rehearsed up to three shows a day along with preparing for the night’s performance. A single season could consist of anywhere from 40 to 130 shows, which could change daily. Professionals were expected to learn multiple parts at once. Actors in a company might have been prepared for up to 100 roles at any given time, and most were expected to learn a part within two days. The salaries of working actors varied according to their roles. Beginners earned about $3 to $6 per week while lead actors earned $35 to $100 per week. These were the average salaries during the antebellum period, and aside from the beginner’s they were considered generally good pay.

A breakthrough in the technology of theatrical lighting occurred in the 19th century. This new lighting technique based on gas originated in England in 1804. William Murdock developed the lighting technique which used coal gas to produce better and stronger light. The first use of gas light, however, was used only to light the entrance of the Lyceum Theatre in London where it made its first public debut. It wasn’t until 1815 that the Olympic Theatre first used gas lighting on stage. The use of gas lighting on stage allowed brighter light to be projected from greater distances as well as from different angles. The new technology also allowed stage lights to be dimmed. Footlights, winglights, and borderlights were a few of the new types of gaslighting instruments used. Gas lighting soon became popular in American theatres as well. The lighting technique was used in The Chestnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia as early as 1816. The Chestnut Street Theatre soon burned down as a result of a gas lighting mishap in 1820, but the new and improved method of illuminating the stage continued to gain popularity throughout theatres in Boston, New Orleans, Baltimore, and many other cities across the country.

Sound Technology

There are not many published works on early American theatrical scenery, so not much is known it. It is assumed that American theatre companies used a so called “wing and shutter” system for scenery. This popular European technique consisted of flat, painted wings and shutters which could be moved on and off the stage. It is believed that Lewis Hallam brought the first complex settings and scenery to America from England; scenery that is believed to have been used at London’s Goodman’s Fields Theatre. A short while later, most American playhouses had the five following settings: a rich interior, a simple interior, a woodland, a garden, and a street. Charles Ciceri was one of the first major set designers. Trained in Europe, Ciceri came to Philadelphia and brought with him “the first transparent scrim”. It is also believed that in John Daly Burk’s Bunker Hill was the first “architecturally conceived scenery” used. In this production, the hill was “raised gradually by boards extended from the stage”. Although he was born in England, Joseph Holland, who worked mainly with New York’s Park Theatre, was credited with being the first American set designer who tried to show historical accuracy in scene and set work. After Holland’s death, his idea became largely popular because of a realism movement. A new contraption called a box-set was invented. This gave the audience the feeling that they were looking at a room “from an invisible fourth wall”. Although not much was documented, a lot of stunning information has been inferred about the scene and set design of early American theatre.

Early theater had strong aspects of acting, directing, lighting, and set design to name a few. But perhaps the most visually important and interesting aspect of the theatre was costumes. Huge amounts of money were poured into costuming. Today, most clothes are made from cotton, but in the early centuries the advantage of this material wasn’t available. It was rare and expensive, so most clothes were made from linen and wool. The upper class costumes were often made from precious materials such as satin, velvet, or silk. The costumes in tragic shows were often more lavish than those of comedies. Coloring costumes was a difficult and tedious process. Artificial dyes were not available in early theatrics, so in order to get certain colors they had to be taken from insects. For instance, in order to dye a garment purple, the color had to be created by crushing sea snails. Although the costumes varied with the shows, typical items were used by men and woman in multiple performances. Women often wore tight corsets, petticoats, skirts, and gowns. Men wore pants, boots, vests, and hats which varied according to status. In early theatre woman were not allowed to act, so masks were often used by men playing female roles. They also aided in increasing the voice of the actors. Makeup of the time often consisted of a white base with red lipstick, but it varied by show, part, and theatre.

In northern states theatrical performance was frowned upon for religious and moral reasons. In 1750 the General Court of Massachusetts passed an act that forbade all types of stage plays from being performed in the state, though some were performed anyway. But ironically, the first kept records of theatrics were found in New England states.

Find more about controversial factors.

Lincoln’s assassination…move to here?

The first Booth Theatre was built by 18th century actor Edwin Booth in the year 1869. It stood at 23rd Street and 6th Avenue in New York City. Edwin was widely known for being the brother of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, but also managed to break from this shadow and be remembered for his talent as an actor. He decided to build his own theatre after the theatre in which he regularly performed, The Winter Garden Theatre, was tragically burned down. Booth opened his theatre with an extremely successful production of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, in which he played Romeo. Unfortunately, the theatre only lasted five years before Booth filed for bankruptcy, and ironically the closing performance was the same as the opening. Many years later Edwin Booth’s memory lived on when a new theatre was built in his name. The second Booth Theatre was built in 1913 by Lee Shubert and Winthrop Ames. Ames’s father was a fan of Edwin Booth’s acting and wished to preserve his name by having the new theatre built in his honor. The Booth Theatre still stands today on West 45th Street and 8th Avenue in New York City. It has been home to many famous Broadway musicals and plays. Currently, the Booth Theatre is occupied by eight performances a week of the Tony award winning Broadway musical Next to Normal.

Find more relations and connections to modern theatre.

Conclusion…..write one.


Harwood, Ronald. All the world's a stage. Boston: Little, Brown, 1984. Print.

Blum, Daniel. A Pictorial History of the American Theatre 1860-1976. Ed. John Willis. 4th ed. New York: Crown, Inc, 1977. Print.

Kennedy, Dennis, ed. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theater & Performance. Vol. 2. New York: Oxford UP, 2003. Print. M-Z.

Kennedy, Dennis, ed. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Theater & Performance. Vol. 1. New York: Oxford UP, 2003. Print. A-L.

Hartnoll, Phyllis, ed. The Oxford Companion To The Theater. 4th ed. New York: Oxford UP, 1983. Print.

Bordman, Gerald Martin. American Musical Theatre A Chronicle. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2000. Print.

Gassner, John. Masters of the Drama. New York: Random House, Inc., 1940. Print.

Hartnoll, Phyllis, ed. The Oxford Companion to the Theatre. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford UP, 1957. Print.

Taubman, Howard. The Making of the American Theatre. New York: Coward McCann, Inc., 1965. Print.

Cheney, Sheldon. The Theatre. New York: David McKay Company, Inc., 1929. Print.

Lewis, Allan. American Plays and Playwrights of the Contemporary Theatre. New York: Crown, Inc, 1965. Print.

Lewis, Allan, and John Gassner. The Contemporary Theater. New York: Crown, Inc, 1971. Print

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

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

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

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

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

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

http://www.stage-lighting-museum.com/museum/html/history-4/history-4-text.html

http://content.lib.washington.edu/19thcenturyactorsweb/essay.html

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

http://www.cvrperformingarts.com/drama/Theatre_history/Melodrama/Melodrama_facts.htm

http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/melodrama.htm

http://www.bostonathenaeum.org/node/224

http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/95oct/egoneill.html

http://academic.reed.edu/theatre/faculty/clinton/00msccarter/

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Mrs._Leslie_Carter

http://www.theatrehistory.com/american/hornblow01.html

http://www.shubertorganization.com/theatres/booth.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booth's_Theatre

http://www.umich.edu/~ece/student_projects/early_theater/costume.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/380883/theatrical_costumes_throughout_history_pg6.html?cat=2

http://www.answers.com/topic/scene-and-lighting-design-in-american-theatre

http://proquest.com/assets/literature/products/databases/american_drama.pdf

http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/thomas_godfrey/biography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prince_of_Parthia

Introduction

Morgan Kennedy 3/30/10

Theatrical performance, since its beginning, has grown into one of the most loved and popular forms of entertainment today. Thought it has evolved extremely since its start in the early 18th century, over and over it has proved to be the most heart wrenching, passionate, and dramatic profession in American history. The beginnings and events involved in early American theatre brought about a new controversial but extremely popular and lasting form of entertainment.

Although there is some confusion over exactly what the first theatrical performance was in the United States and when it was put on, evidence suggests that some type of theatre was emerging in America as early as the 1600s. However, it wasn’t until the early 1700s when the first professional performances were held. Professional theatres or playhouses began to arise in 1716, the first of which was built in Williamsburg, Virginia. Soon after, theatres popped up in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, as well as a few other states.

The theatrical world would not have survived or evolved into what it is today without the people started it off. The early actors, directors, and playwrights of American theatre were not always accepted, but their work built up excitement and earned much response, good and bad, for a growing profession.

Life in the performance profession in early America was not nearly as glamorous as it is today. Actors of the time were poorly paid and often looked down upon by certain societies and religions. Life as a performer was not an easy one, but by hard work and a little time actors slowly became respected and eventually admired.

Technical aspects of theatre were relatively simple when performances first arose. Light design, sound, set design, were prominent aspects of performance, and when the 19th century rolled around advances were made in these branches of theatre. New lighting techniques and visually interesting set designs improved the areas of technical theatre.

Costumes were taken very seriously when preparing for performances in early America. Elaborate, detailed, and colorful outfits were made for most shows, which attracted an even larger audience to the newest and most increasingly popular form of entertainment.

Theatrical performance grew more and more popular by the day, but as with everything new in the world, question and controversy arose. Religious groups and communities, especially those in New England States, often did not approve of theatre. Restrictions and laws were made forbidding performances and playhouses were closed. The theatre gained even more negative response when a prominent political figure was murdered by a popular actor in the 19th century.

The early theatre, though less complex and possibly less corrupted, had a serious impact on the way the field of live performance is today. Many influential actors, plays, and events from the beginnings of this art form are worth being remembered and have been remembered in today’s world of theatrical performance.

Weaknesses

- I don't know how to make my paper interesting
- I need to get a lot of information in a little amount of time
- I need to work on not being repetative
- My thesis probably still needs work

Thesis and Outline

Thesis: The beginnings and events involved in early American theatre brought about a new controversial but extrememly popular and lasting form of entertainment.

Outline:

Introduction

I The Beginnings

a. first performances
b. first playhouses

II The Beginnings

a. first & early influential actors
b. first & early influential playwrites
c. first & early influential directors
d. theatre life

III The Beginnings

a. light design
b. sound design
c. set design
d. costume design

IV Controversial Factors

a. atitudes towards theatre from different groups and religions
b. theatrical restrictions, bans, and laws
c. controversial events (Abraham Lincoln's assassination)

V Connections to Today

a. lasting influences (The Booth Theatre etc.)
b. now and then comparisons

Conclusion

Thesis (a work in progress)

The beginnings and events of early American theatre brought about a new and popular form of entertainment.

Strengths: most of my blog posts can be included in this thesis

Weaknesses: information about technical aspects and costumes
most information about early theatre is on Shakespeare

Thomas Godfrey’s The Prince of Parthia

Thomas Godfrey, son of inventor Thomas Godfrey (1704-1749), was a prominent playwright in 18th century America. Godfrey grew up in Pennsylvania, and he was a member of Benjamin Franklin’s Junto Club (a self-appointed committee that usually has political goals). As strong writer, he was known throughout Pennsylvania by literary groups. Godfrey was also good friends with the poet Nathaniel Evans and college provost William Smith. In hopes of entering business, Godfrey left Pennsylvania in 1758 for Wilmington, North Carolina. A prominent poet, Godfrey wrote The Court of Fancy, a long poem that was published in 1762. Throughout his life he also published smaller pieces in local magazines. His biggest accomplishment came when his blank-verse (written in iambic pentameter without rhyme) play titled The Prince of Parthia was published in 1765. The Prince of Parthia, a tragedy, became famous as the first tragedy written by an American to be produced and performed on an American stage. The show was performed by a professional cast of actors at the Southwark Theatre in Philadelphia on April 24, 1767. Godfrey’s play was considered “a noble beginning of dramatic literature in America.”


http://proquest.com/assets/literature/products/databases/american_drama.pdf

http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/thomas_godfrey/biography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prince_of_Parthia

Early American Scene and Set Design

There are not many published works on early American theatrical scenery, so not much is known it. It is assumed that American theatre companies used a so called “wing and shutter” system for scenery. This popular European technique consisted of flat, painted wings and shutters which could be moved on and off the stage. It is believed that Lewis Hallam brought the first complex settings and scenery to America from England; scenery that is believed to have been used at London’s Goodman’s Fields Theatre. A short while later, most American playhouses had the five following settings: a rich interior, a simple interior, a woodland, a garden, and a street. Charles Ciceri was one of the first major set designers. Trained in Europe, Ciceri came to Philadelphia and brought with him “the first transparent scrim”. It is also believed that in John Daly Burk’s Bunker Hill was the first “architecturally conceived scenery” used. In this production, the hill was “raised gradually by boards extended from the stage”. Although he was born in England, Joseph Holland, who worked mainly with New York’s Park Theatre, was credited with being the first American set designer who tried to show historical accuracy in scene and set work. After Holland’s death, his idea became largely popular because of a realism movement. A new contraption called a box-set was invented. This gave the audience the feeling that they were looking at a room “from an invisible fourth wall”. Although not much was documented, a lot of stunning information has been inferred about the scene and set design of early American theatre.

http://www.answers.com/topic/scene-and-lighting-design-in-american-theatre

Early Theatrical Costumes

Early theater had strong aspects of acting, directing, lighting, and set design to name a few. But perhaps the most visually important and interesting aspect of the theatre was costumes. Huge amounts of money were poured into costuming. Today, most clothes are made from cotton, but in the early centuries the advantage of this material wasn’t available. It was rare and expensive, so most clothes were made from linen and wool. The upper class costumes were often made from precious materials such as satin, velvet, or silk. The costumes in tragic shows were often more lavish than those of comedies. Coloring costumes was a difficult and tedious process. Artificial dyes were not available in early theatrics, so in order to get certain colors they had to be taken from insects. For instance, in order to dye a garment purple, the color had to be created by crushing sea snails. Although the costumes varied with the shows, typical items were used by men and woman in multiple performances. Women often wore tight corsets, petticoats, skirts, and gowns. Men wore pants, boots, vests, and hats which varied according to status. In early theatre woman were not allowed to act, so masks were often used by men playing female roles. They also aided in increasing the voice of the actors. Makeup of the time often consisted of a white base with red lipstick, but it varied by show, part, and theatre.

http://www.umich.edu/~ece/student_projects/early_theater/costume.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/380883/theatrical_costumes_throughout_history_pg6.html?cat=2

Early Theatre Is Remembered In Modern Time: Booth Theatre

The first Booth Theatre was built by 18th century actor Edwin Booth in the year 1869. It stood at 23rd Street and 6th Avenue in New York City. Edwin was widely known for being the brother of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of President Abraham Lincoln, but also managed to break from this shadow and be remembered for his talent as an actor. He decided to build his own theatre after the theatre in which he regularly performed, The Winter Garden Theatre, was tragically burned down. Booth opened his theatre with an extremely successful production of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, in which he played Romeo. Unfortunately, the theatre only lasted five years before Booth filed for bankruptcy, and ironically the closing performance was the same as the opening. Many years later Edwin Booth’s memory lived on when a new theatre was built in his name. The second Booth Theatre was built in 1913 by Lee Shubert and Winthrop Ames. Ames’s father was a fan of Edwin Booth’s acting and wished to preserve his name by having the new theatre built in his honor. The Booth Theatre still stands today on West 45th Street and 8th Avenue in New York City. It has been home to many famous Broadway musicals and plays. Currently, the Booth Theatre is occupied by eight performances a week of the Tony award winning Broadway musical Next to Normal.


http://www.shubertorganization.com/theatres/booth.asp

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Booth's_Theatre

The Beginnings of American Theatre

American theatre began in the early 18th century. It is not entirely known exactly when or where the first theatrical production was performed in North America, but historians do have some rough ideas. It is known that some performances occurred in the late 1600’s, professional acting went on in New York, and a professional theatre was built with running performances in Williamsburg, Virginia around 1716. It is believed that theatrical performance was used mostly in the South where there were people were less prejudice towards the performing arts. In northern states theatrical performance was frowned upon for religious and moral reasons. In 1750 the General Court of Massachusetts passed an act that forbade all types of stage plays from being performed in the state, though some were performed anyway. But ironically, the first kept records of theatrics were found in New England states. Records have also been found of a play performed by Harvard students in the 1600’s. This tragedy “Gustavus Vasa” by Benjamin Colman is the first known play written by an American and performed in America. The newspapers of the time just short of forbade any articles of performances or playhouses, perhaps explaining why historians have found such little information about early American theatre. Without newspaper advertisement, the actors themselves would bring “handbills” to the doors of theatre-goers to advertise upcoming performances. Although theatrics were often looked down upon, eventually people started to realize the greatness of the performing arts.

http://www.theatrehistory.com/american/hornblow01.html

Mrs. Leslie Carter

Mrs. Leslie Carter was an American stage and silent film actress in the 19th century. She was born to Orson Dudley in Louisville, Kentucky in 1862, but spent most of her childhood in Dayton, Ohio. Carter grew to be known as “the American Sarah Bernhardt” (Sara Bernhardt was a legendary French stage and film actress). She married Mr. Leslie Carter, a Chicago socialite, at age 17. Mrs. Carter first became known for a notorious divorce after only nine years of marriage for which she was accused of disloyalty. Carter was born as Caroline Louise Dudley, and after her divorce she turned to a career in acting where she kept her married name in retaliation to her ex-husband. Her fame as an actress was achieved under the direction of David Belasco who directed four shows in ten years that brought Carter to international fame. The quartet of plays included The Heart of Maryland, Zaza, Du Barry, and Adrea. Unfortunately, not many other works of hers would amount to the success of these four plays. During a later performance of Two Women Carter was negatively criticized by a review that stated her as having “the courage to persevere in a form of acting which is now almost extinct”. She then turned to “posing” rather than acting in her fifties when she performed in a few silent films. Later in her career Carter took on some supporting roles on Broadway before retiring to California.

http://academic.reed.edu/theatre/faculty/clinton/00msccarter/

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Mrs._Leslie_Carter

Theatrical Performance (future blog ideas)

lives of actors

actor biographies

playwrites

theatres/playhouses/opera houses

lighting

sound

set design

makeup

costumes

performance types: plays, musicals, operas

specific performance types: comedy, drama, tragedy

dance/movement

salaries

the views of society towards actors

directors

choreographers

band/music

audiences

emotions

Wilkes Booth (famous actor) shoots president Abe Lincoln

Eugene O’Neill

American playwright Eugene Gladstone O’Neill was born on October 16, 1888 in “a Broadway hotel room in New York City”. Son of the famous actor James O’Neill, Eugene was constantly on tours with his father as a young child. Eugene enrolled in Princeton University but was expelled. In the year of 1912, he came down with tuberculosis and became very ill. But the disease actually set his career in motion, for he was inspired to become a playwright while reading during his recovery from the illness. O’Neill’s playwriting was broken up over three periods. His early realist shows were influenced by his own life experiences. His next batch of shows were expressionistic. Some of his many influences during this time consisted of Frederick Nietzsche, Carl Jung, and August Strindberg. O’Neill went back to writing about realism in his final playwriting period. His final pieces were those “which most critics consider his best”. Four of his plays won Pulitzer Prizes: Beyond the Horizon in 1920, Anna Christie in 1922, Strange Interlude in 1928, and Long Day’s Journey into Night in 1957. O’Neill was also awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1936.

http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/95oct/egoneill.html

Boston Theatre (1794-1852 and 1854-1925)

Boston, Mass. “inaugurated its theater history” with the Boston Theatre which later came to be known as the Federal Street Theatre. The first playhouse in Boston opened on February 3, 1794. In its beginning, the theatre’s star performers were Julia Dean and Edwin Forrest. Sadly the building burned down just four years later, but it was quickly rebuilt. The Federal Street Theatre was changed into a lecture hall named the “Odeon” in the year 1835. However, the building was reopened as a playhouse with its first name, The Boston Theatre, eleven years later. In the year of 1852 the Federal Street building was destroyed, and a new Boston Theatre was opened on Washington Street two years later. This new Boston Theatre was also the host of many opera and musical performances including Beethoven’s Fidelio. The Boston Theatre was dubbed “the finest theatre in the world” by the producer and playwright by the name of Dion Boucicault. The theatre held up to 3000 audience members, and was packed to that 3000 limit many knights. A number of noteworthy actors and actresses performed on that stage. Charlotte Cushman, Henry Irving, and Edwin Booth were just a few of the many.

http://www.bostonathenaeum.org/node/224

19th Century Melodrama

During the theatrical 19th century, the most prominent type of theatre production was the melodrama. Melodrama is a type of production that includes many specific characteristics. Melodrama comes from “music drama”. Music is used to increase or elicit emotions and to signify certain characters. Traits of good and evil are personified in main characters of a melodrama. There are certain character types seen in melodramas such as a hero, a heroine, a comic character, and a villain. This type of production has a specific formula. First, an antagonist creates a threat or problem, next the hero escapes the problem and/or rescues the heroine from a dangerous situation, and finally the situation or problem is resolved through strong morals and virtues. The ends of melodramas often show a switch of fortune in the characters such as a switch from poverty to wealth or extreme danger to safety. Three acts are usually used in melodramas. Suspense also plays a big role in these shows, increasing with each action of the antagonist. The evil is punished and the good is rewarded. Most often a happy ending is used as the resolution to melodramas.

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

http://www.cvrperformingarts.com/drama/Theatre_history/Melodrama/Melodrama_facts.htm

http://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/spd130et/melodrama.htm

18th-19th Century Theatre Life

In the late 1700s and early 1800s, actors were viewed as outcasts. Their profession was thought to be sinful and many were excluded from the social society. However, when the mid-1800’s rolled around the view of actors and actresses had greatly improved. They were beginning to be seen as “prominent persons in society”. But their work life was not as sweet as their new social acceptance. The Work schedule was extremely grueling requiring constant focus, unlimited energy, mental strength, physical strength, and extreme dedication. Some actors rehearsed up to three shows a day along with preparing for the night’s performance. A single season could consist of anywhere from 40 to 130 shows, which could change daily. Professionals were expected to learn multiple parts at once. Actors in a company might have been prepared for up to 100 roles at any given time, and most were expected to learn a part within two days. The salaries of working actors varied according to their roles. Beginners earned about $3 to $6 per week while lead actors earned $35 to $100 per week. These were the average salaries during the antebellum period, and aside from the beginner’s they were considered generally good pay.


http://content.lib.washington.edu/19thcenturyactorsweb/essay.html

19th Century Theatrical Lighting

A breakthrough in the technology of theatrical lighting occurred in the 19th century. This new lighting technique based on gas originated in England in 1804. William Murdock developed the lighting technique which used coal gas to produce better and stronger light. The first use of gas light, however, was used only to light the entrance of the Lyceum Theatre in London where it made its first public debut. It wasn’t until 1815 that the Olympic Theatre first used gas lighting on stage. The use of gas lighting on stage allowed brighter light to be projected from greater distances as well as from different angles. The new technology also allowed stage lights to be dimmed. Footlights, winglights, and borderlights were a few of the new types of gaslighting instruments used. Gas lighting soon became popular in American theatres as well. The lighting technique was used in The Chestnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia as early as 1816. The Chestnut Street Theatre soon burned down as a result of a gas lighting mishap in 1820, but the new and improved method of illuminating the stage continued to gain popularity throughout theatres in Boston, New Orleans, Baltimore, and many other cities across the country.


http://www.stage-lighting-museum.com/museum/html/history-4/history-4-text.html