Annals of the New York Stage: Volume VIII (1865-1870)

Booth returned to the stage January 4, 1866, in the role of Hamlet. He had been in retirement since April 14, 1865 - the date of Lincoln's assasination.

Booth also seems to have been encouraged to return to acting by friends and had a degree of public sympathy for the actions of his brother. "The night of his reappearance brought a vast, cheering throng to the Winter Garden, which at once made evident the deep affection of the public and its determination to show the actor that he was in no way to be allowed to suffer fro the outrageous deed of his brother" (20). Booth played Hamlet without interruption until Jan. 24 when he reprised the role of Ruy Blas for the first time in 3 years at a matinee (20). Hamlet ran until Jan. 30, but paled in comparison to the 100-night run and cast of the 1864-65 show (20). Booth made frequent appearances on the stage during the 1866-67 season. Odell records that at one point, Booth was playing the Winter Garden, the Italian opera, and Brooklyn simultaneously.

Booth opened his own theater - Booth's Theatre - in 1869. The theater was located at the south-east corner of Sixth Avenue and 23rd Street. To build the theater, Booth entered a business partnership in 1867 with Richard A. Robertson, businessman of Boston, after the buring of the Winter Garden (Odell claims this was an "unfortunate partnership"). Booth began this business relatioship in the hopes of "building a new house dedicated to the very highest forms of dramatic art" (422). The site for the Theatre was chosen by J.H. Magonigle, who had been married to the first Mrs. Booth's sister, and who remained a close friend. Houses were demolished on the site of the theater and excavations revealed solid rock that had to be blasted before the foundations could be laid. The corner stone of Booth's Theatre was laid April 8, 1868. The front of the building was 184 ft. long; the Theatre occupied 150 ft. with a wing taking up the other 34 ft. This wing extended 76 ft. down Sixth Avenue and was used for shops, offices, etc. The Theatre itself was 100 ft. deep, 120 ft. high. Booth's Theatre also had a much admired facade with two large doors (one stage entrance, one for the auditorium) and three small exit doors in between. The second storey had four windows and was capped by a mansard roof with three towers.

On the inside of the Theatre, the vestibule was paved with Italian marble, and at its south end a stone stairway led to the balcony which was decorated with Gould's bust of Booth's father. There was a gallery above the balcony, and above the gallery there was an amphitheater. The house seated 1750 with standing room for more. A statue of Shakespeare was placed in the middle of the proscenium arch and busts of Garrick, Talma, Edmund Kean, G.F. Cooke, and Betteron were placed above the proscenium. The stage was 76 ft. high and there were 55 ft. from the footlights to the rear wall. Backstage there was a green room, star dressing rooms, and thirty ordinary dressing rooms. The architects for the Theatre were Renwick and Sands. In terms of staff, J.A. Booth was treasurer, Magonigle was business manager, Mark Smith was stage manager, and E. Mollenhauer was the leader of orchestra.

In addition to the public and acting spaces, carpenter shops were housed underneath the sidewalk of 23rd Street. A Pamphlet, Booth's Theatre -- Behind the Scenes, reprinted in 1870 in Appleton's Journal discusses the workings of the theater. The structure seems to have housed massive amounts of machinery to run the theater. Scenes were sent up to the stage from below by hydraulic rams which, as Odell states, "eliminated the ancient magic of flats sliding in grooves and clicking to in the middle of the stage." Booth's Theatre also did away with rectangular side-wings. "Side scenes were solid walls of rooms or in outdoor sets oblique paintings through which the eye could not see through to the regions 'off stage'" these scenes did not run on grooves, either, and were held in place by long braces. "Act drops, drop scenes, canvases fell down complete, taut, and unwrinkled from the well-equipped fly-regions and rigging lofts." No rollers or cylinders ; "immense spaces above allowed the raising or lowering of pictures stretched on frames". Booth's Theatre also contained a very well stocked prop and scene room.

The Theatre opened Feb.3, 1869, with Romeo and Juliet to an audience who had bought their seats at auction; the highest-priced seat went for $125(422-4). Mary McVicker, step-daughter of J.H. McVicker, Chicago actor-manager, became the second Mrs. Booth at Long Branch (N.J.) June, 1870 (424). The Times, Feb. 4, 1869, describes the theatre as "one of the most important ever dedicated to the art. Its exterior grandeur is only equaled by the beauty and brightness of its interior decorations. It lacks, however, the spacious freedom of the Grand Opera House, and is particularly deficient in lobby room. Ladies's dresses were rent and disordered last evening in a way that will bring a powerful interest to bear against the theatre." The review continues to discuss the performance and the feats of set design that led to delays, but not disasters, during the show (424-5).

The Theatre had trouble with Saturday matinee and evening performances. Booth decided to act six times a week, but the question of how to fill the theatre during the nights when he did not appear was a problem (425-6).

The Times seems to have been traditionally unfriendly to Booth in its reviews of his acting.

Booth read, on May 8, 1869, part of Byron's Manfred at a Philharmonic Society Concert.

Booth's Theatre seems to have had a troublesome business partnership from the first season (427). Booth's seems to have struggled at the beginning of its second season and paled in comparison to Wallack's (565). Odell notes that the outstanding production of the 1869-70 season was Hamlet, with Booth in the title role, "a performance now mellowed to the point of richness which from the time forward for yeras stamped the impression idelibly on the public consciousness. Thereafter for us Booth was Hamlet and Hamlet was Booth, one and inseparable"(567-8).

Booth, in the role of Hamlet, was the subject of series of pictures by Napoleon Sarony that are featured in Volume VII of The Annals of the New York Stage. Odell also reprints Booth's reviews from the Herald. Hamlet ran six ngihts a week from Janaury to mid-March (567-8).

Booth read "The Passions" at Steiway Hall Feb.12, 1870.

Deland appeared in The Red Light, or, the Signal of Danger with Brougham.

Lectured at the (Brooklyn) Athenaeum in the 1865-66 season in December on "Social Aims," "Resources," and "Books and Culture" (113). Emerson repeated these lectures at the New England Congregational Church and added "Classes of Men" and "Success and Clubs." The audiences for these lectures were not large; interest in Emerson seems to have been low that winter (118). During the 1867-68 season Emerson lectured at Packer Institute on "Eloquence," "The Man and the World," and "The Relation of Intellect and Morals" (398).

M.W. Fiske is mentioned as an old favorite on the stage in the 1867-68 season (404). She took part in The Glorious Seven, a burlesque that boasted several actresses of the time and "forty graceful beauties" and Odell says that this show is the predecessor of future similar revues (647). Fox might also be known as Minnie Maddern -mentioned as "the afterwars famous Mrs. Fiske" (564). (unconfirmed if this is the right Mary Fox/Fiske)

Odell mentions that he was "in the chair" for Anna Dickinson's lecture called "Something to Do," February 29, 1867 (227). Greeley lectured January 7, 1868, on "Self-Made Men" at the Brooklyn Academy (388). He spoke at the Masonic Temple on Dec. 8, 1867, on "Temperance" (406). Greeley also spoke at Apollo Hall on "Self-Made Men," February 23, 1869 (515).

Greeley spoke during the 5th Anniversary celebration of the Brooklyn Library Association, Dec. 29, 1869, at Dr. Porter's Chruch. This event seems to have been highly noted among one of many "church fairs and festivals" written about in the "amusement" columns of the Brooklyn Times (687).

Greeley lectured on "Self-Made Men" at Town Hall in Queens (?) March 1, 1870. Odell notes the "comical enough" admission fee of 30 cents (690).

Hall watched Booth perform in Romeo and Juliet on February 3, 1869.

Jefferson resumed his role as Asa Trenchard in Our American Cousin on Oct. 4, 1866. This performance received good reviews from William Winter (139). Jefferson continued to play the Olympic Theater for a good portion of that season (139).

The Olympic began the 1867-68 season under the direction of Mrs. John Wood with Jefferson in Rip Van Winkle (279). Odell reprints reviews of this season from the Times on p.279-80.

Jefferson also plays Rip van Winkle at Booth's during the 1868-69 season. Odell mentions that Jefferson's retirement ended the first season at Booth's (it is unclear is this statement means that Jefferson planned to retire completely or for the summer). Jefferson played Rip Van Winkle at the Brooklyn Academy in the 1869-70 season after having a successful run at Booth's (666).

Keene attempted to prevent a production of Our American Cousin in the 1865-66 season. She created a lot of newspaper controversy between herself and J.S. Clarke, who was producing and acting in the show for his New York debut. Keene mades insinuations about Clarke as brother-in-law of John Wilkes Booth (which he was), but the court sided with Clarke (18).

Odell makes mention of the members of Keene's company in their later careers. Odell also states that the melodrama Hunted Down is "associated chiefly with our recollections of the last days of Laura Keene" (664).

Menken is written about as part of what Odell claims is the Broadway Theatre's turn "away from comedy to mere sensationalism" in the 1865-66 season (34).

Menken began her engagement in Mazeppa April 30, 1866. Odell describes her as "beautiful and erratic." The show ran for nearly a month. Menken received bad reviews from the Tribune because of her scandalous performance. Odell reprints the Tribune review of Mazeppa on p.34-35. Mazeppa runs to May 21, followed by The French Spy. A benefit was held for her shortly after that included The French Spy and Black-Eyed Susan. Odell cites T.Allston Brown's mentions that her engagement ended abruptly because of her illness (35). Menken reappeared the next month at the Broadway.

Odell states that "The myth of Menken is one of the ineradicable obsessions of American theatrical history, aided as it is by the well-known photographs of her taken with the elder Dumas and Algernon Charles Swinburne, and by the legends of her wild romantic life" (34).

Nast drew "new and original" caricatures for the book that accompanied Fox's Volume II of Humpty Dumpty that played at the Olympic Theatre in the 1868-69 season (433).

Odell mentions a concert given in his memory June 12, 1869, with afternoon and evening performances at Steinway Hall. The concert appears to have been well cast with noted musicians.

Odell mentions that Sothern played a role originally intended for Jefferson at the London Haymarket in Home by Roberston. Sothern originated the role abroad, but did not play it in America (561).

In the 1866-67 season he assembled the Max Strakosch Alliance which put on a "grand inaugural concert" Oct. 1, 1866 at Cooper Institute (228).

Strakocsh and Maretzeck were the team with "wretched management" of the Academy of Music that could not bring Adelina Patti (diva) to their stage (374). Odell mentions that in the 1868-69 season they presented Clara Lousie Kellogg, who had had success in Europe, at the Academy of Music, in concerts ending with the third act of Faust. This was quite a popular concert series (471).

It is important to note that Max Strakosch is NOT Maurice Strakosch - they are brothers. Maurice was married to Amalia Patti and helped her sister Adelina get her very successful career started (653).

Gayler's Fritz, Our Cousin German played at Wallack's during the 1869-70 season.

Wallack was in ill health at the opening of Wallack's in Sept. 1865. He returned to Wallack's in the 1865-66 season in She Stoops to Conquer on April 9, 1866,and had a full schedule from that point on (9). Wallack ended his engagement at the theatre on May 5 after several comedies (9).

Wallack returned Dec.3, 1866 , and brought T.W. Robertson's comedies, especially Ours to Wallack's (130-131). Odell reprints reviews of this show on p.131-132. Wallack also brought Ours to Brooklyn on Feb. 8, 1867 (247).

Wallack was a memeber of the strong cast of Wallack's in the 1867-68 season. He played what Odell calls a "star engagement in mid-season" (269). Odell mentions that Wallack was an actor-manager and that he had appeared "but infrequently" since his father's death in 1864.

Wallack began his 1867-68 season on Jan. 13, 1868, his first acting night at Wallack's in 12 months. The opening bill ran a week with average nightly receipts of $1,111.14 1/6. (273). Odell reprints a review of The Wonder from the Times on p. 274.

Benefits stop at Wallack's for good in the 1867-68 season. Wallack "considered the custom undignified, and that, when he came in control, he abolished it, adding to the salaries of the actors a sum equivalent to what they had made by their benefits" (275). Wallack's abolition of farces seems to have been more controversial, but other theaters soon followed his lead and the custom was also abolished (275).

Odell writes that in the 1868-69 season Wallack had already "been for years a star in his infrequent visits to his own theatre." Wallack began his first engagement in 12 months in two shows. The nightly receipts for these performances averaged $1044.75. The double bills seemed to have made a successful first six weeks of Wallack's season (415-16).

Wallack did not bring Shakespeare to Wallack's until after the opening of Booth's. He began a production of Much Ado About Nothing Feb.1, 1869, with very lavish and expensive scenes and costumes. The play seems to have been a very rare and extravagant production. Odell reprints a disapproving review from the Times from Feb. 8,1869 on p.417-18. Wallack seems to have aroused controversy over the production of Shakespeare and how it should be done. Much Ado About Nothing had a lengthy run, but Wallack did not attempt Shakespeare again until 1880 when he began his last season at Wallack's with As You Like It (415-419).

Odell states that on August 28, 1865, Ward "inaugurated a series of 'farewell' talks, 'Artemus Ward among the Mormons,'still with panoramic effects -- this time of the Moonlight Waters of Salt Lake, the Illuminated Mormon Temple, etc. These were his 'last nights' prior to a journey in Europe. He lectured at Irving Hall for two weeks; then, on the 9th [of September], 'adoo! adoo!'" (91).

After this engagement, but before Europe, Ward appeared at the Athenaeum and gave the same "Mormon-Utah pictures and comicalities" (111-12). Ward also appeared on Oct. 5 at Tenor's Washington Hall in one of his "Farewell Nights in America" and gave his lecture on the Mormons with "eighteen panoramic pictures of the 'Streets of Salt Lake City and the Valley of Utah'" (116). Odell expresses a wish to have attended the event.

Odell uses Winter as a source for citations, reviews, etc. Odell cites Winter's review of Jefferson's return to the stage in the lead role (Asa Trenchard) of Our American Cousin (139). Odell also reprints an excerpt from Winter's review in of Kate Reginolds as Donna Violante in The Wonder that originally appeared in The Tribune (158). Winter is cited about the performances of Polish actor Bogumil Dawison in Othello and Narciss (189-190).

Odell uses Winter's Shakespeare on the Stage as a source for citations and information. According to Odell, Winter's reviews of Wallack's in 1867-68 have become the cannonical understanding and estimation of the company for that year. Odell seems to agree with Winter's contemporary assessment of the company as well as corroborates it with other information (271).

Winter is credited with recording that Edwin Booth very much enjoyed G.L. Fox's comedic interpretation of Hamlet in the 1869-70 season (584). Winter is also cited for other cannonical criticisms of other landmark Hamlets.

(Unconfirmed, may be another Frank Wood) May have been a part of a vairety show that featured the Zanfretta troupe in 1866-67 season (225). Also listed as appearing in a variety in 1868-69 season (505).