American Theatre The Beginning Intro to Theatre

1700s 1709 – New York Province forbade “play acting and other forms of disreputable entertainment” 1716 – Williamsburg, VA – first theatre in English colonies built – run by British touring company (looked like theatres in England) April 24, 1767 – “American Company” (which was British) presented first play written by an American Thomas Godfrey’s The Prince of Parthia

Play Booth Theatre Open-air theatre on Palace Green First play in honor of King’s birthday American performing tradition William Levingston started this one. 1768 The Beggar’s Opera. (Playbill) Students from William and Mary performed here. (W&M was founded in 1693)

…and there was that war… 1774 – Continental Congress passed a resolution discouraging “exhibitions of shows, plays and other expensive diversions and entertainments” Many amateur productions during the Revolutionary war, but professional actors returned to England

After the war… 1782 – American Company returned 1787 – Royall Tyler’s The Contrast was produced in New York 1789 – William Dunlap’s The Father or American Shandyism 1794 – Philadelphia – Chestnut Street Theatre - the first theater in the United States built by entrepreneurs solely as a venue for paying audiences. First in America to use gas light instead of oil or candles.

The First Chestnut Street Theatre - Philadelphia

Interior of Chestnut St. Theatre

Post-Revolution Trends 1800s Desire to be “unique” and separate from England – need independence in the arts as well as in politics Romanticism 1800s A reaction against the strict rules of neoclassical theatre/writing Focused on imagination, freedom of form, mood over content Popular after revolutions

Melodrama Popularized in America – mid century Drama with (mood) music Sentimental plots with stereotypical characters – either all good or all bad Strict moral code Ex: Uncle Tom’s Cabin – 1852 – Harriet Beecher Stowe

Minstrel Shows – America Mid-century Done in “black face” Racial stereotyping

Burlesque – farce – often sexual Vaudeville – short acts – usually singing and dancing – not as sexual as burlesque

LIGHTING GASLIGHT 1815 – London Could control the flow of light, and darken the audience Totally revolutionized theatre 400 theatres burned in England and America (Including the Chestnut St Theatre in 1820)

More LIGHTING Scottish surveyor, engineer and politician Thomas Drummond invented the limelight in 1825. Limelight first used for performance in 1836. Limelight was used in the first theatrical spotlights. Example right from London ca. 1860. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/almanac-limelight/

Scenery Simultaneous Sets Showing 2 rooms on stage at once (think about Thunder on Sycamore Street)

Expansion from the East Coast Railroad travel allowed performers to get around More theatres in smaller towns – Theatrical Syndicates Sidney, Ohio – Opera House

Realism Began early in 1800s – peaked late and remained strong in 1900s Emphasis on depicting individuals and society as realistically as possible Became popular as scientific and psychological discoveries challenged the romantic viewpoint Took hold as middle class dominated life in European and American culture Norwegian Henrik Ibsen’s A Doll’s House – prime example

Naturalism Late 1800s and early 1900s Extreme form of realism made popular in France by Emile Zola Related to Darwin’s scientific principles Drama should look for causes of “disease” in society the way a doc looks for disease in a patient – theatres should expose social infection Seen as an honest slice of life – both good and bad

Surrealism Made popular after WWI Seeking a deeper meaning than the conscious mind Replaced realism with strange logic of dreams Influence on avant-garde and “theatre of the absurd” movements

20th Century Greater variety of content and form BROADWAY Professional – Community – College – High School – Churches Awards: The Tony Award (1947) Organizations: Actor’s Equity Association – theatre union (1913)

Local Theatres Westerville: Curtain Players – Harlem Rd

Central Ohio Community Theatres –OCTA (Ohio Community Theatre Association) Emerald Players – Dublin Imagine Productions – Columbus Little Theatre off Broadway – Grove City Pickerington Community Theatre Worthington Community Theatre

Central Ohio Pro Theatre CATCO and CATCO IS KIDS 3 theatres in the Vern Riffe Center Columbus Performing Arts Center BROADWAY IN COLUMBUS