Theater in 19th Century America PDF

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Notes on Deb Currier's lecture on Theater in 19th Century America...

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American Drama – 19th Century (to 1915) Changes in drama: Romanticism to Melodrama to Realism I. Melodrama: From Merriam Webster Dictionary: “A drama in which many exciting events happen and the characters have very strong or exaggerated emotions.”

**The Primary 19th Century American theatrical form - becoming the most popular by 1840 and continuing through to the turn of the century.** II. Occasion: America! A. “Showboats” 1. 1st: -William Chapman's Floating Theatre -1831 a. 200 seats b. Traveled the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers from Pittsburgh, PA to New Orleans 2. By the 1850s - dozens of showboats are playing the water ways of the Midwest a. Continued to operate into the middle of the 20th century b. Edna Ferber (Show Boat, 1926) 3. What was the importance of the showboat to the westward movement of the American theatre? a. early part of the 19th century, most major American cities were built along the river (usually the Mississippi or Ohio) or a canal b. Mounting a theatre on a flat boar, or taking the show to the major cities along the river was an efficient way to tour c. no "Western" community was large enough to support a resident theater company

B. Railroads 1. American Industrial Revolution a. 1828: Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, first railroad chartered in the United States. b. 1850: 9,000 miles of rail 2. Growth of the “road show” a. 1860- Dion Boucicault began promoting “combination companies” which started the touring tradition b. The company with the players would travel with scenery for 1 play 3. Over next 40 years…1860-1900: 50+ residence companies operating to over 500 railroad stops C. Circuses 1. John Bill Ricketts, 1793: brought the new popular entertainment form to America, where the first circus opened in Philadelphia 2. To find new audiences, Ricketts moved his circus to New York, Boston, Charlestown, Richmond, Baltimore, and other major cities 3. Tents replace wooden building in mid 1800’s for ease of travel

II. Location – U.S. A. By 1869 there were 21 theatre in New York, 6 in Boston

"By the end of the 18th Century dramatic companies enjoyed the novel luxury of freedom to perform openly and honestly in almost every city of the nation--the nation then being confined largely to the east coast." B. First modern theatre in New York City 1. The Booth Theatre, built in 1869 for Edwin Booth (actor and brother of John Wilkes booth) 2. Some improvements: a. Flat (not raked) stage floor! b. Elevators that could be used to raise scenery from the basement c. 76 floor high grid which 25 foot tall drops could be hung 3. Proscenium boxes surrounding the stage for the wealthy who wanted to be seen, BUT majority of the audience sat in individual chairs in the orchestra and balcony (beginnings of orchestra seats being the best) 4. This theatre should not be confused with the present Booth Theatre located on west 45th Street. C. Philadelphia's Chestnut Street Theatre 1. commenced in 1792 2. first theatre in the United States constructed from the ground up as a professional venue 3. Chestnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia was the first to be lit by gas, in 1816 B. How did realism of spectacle translate into staging techniques in the 19th century? 1. Theaters grew in size –this encouraged spectacle. 2. The pit was renamed the orchestra and became the best seats 3. Increased interest in historical accuracy, Expanded to interest in usual or exotic therefore, authentic folk dances and costumes and picturesque settings became to be on the stage. 4. Realism of spectacle led to the elimination of the wing and drop sets,a dent he development of the “box set” with three walls and perhaps a ceiling to represent interiors. 5. This "realism" also led to the leveling of the stage floor, stagehands moving scenery manually and the 4th wall convention was accepted more fully 6. With the use of electric lighting, which illuminated much better, there was an increased need for greater scenic realism IV. Performers/People A. U.S. Thru 1900: typical producing organization = resident company performing a large number of plays each season 1. The repertory system finally fell when the long-term contract was deeming unfeasible, as some actors were idle during some shows; actors began to be employed only for the length of the play. 2. By 1900, the repertory system has all but disappeared in favor of the “single play”, long run policy.” B. What did the new system do? 1. Moved toward long runs to recoup costs. 2. Built dominant star system - Exploitation of stars - the star system, after 1810, was popular. English actors would tour with American companies as stars, perform famous roles with resident companies. Many stars made round-the-world tours

3. Principally relied upon fewer playwrights 4. 1856: First American copyright law. Attributed to effort of Dion Boucicault. It actually protected the title of the play C. Augustine Daly (1836 – 1899) American Melodrama playwright 1. Started as a a critic, but then became the first writer to tie characters to tracks (incidentally, it was a man rescued by a woman). 2. Gave much to the development of realism - special effects and plots 3. Defined the American directors as a major force in theater: coached actors in interpretation, stage business and blocking - also abandoned casting by lines of business D. 3 Most influential American Performers/Producers to know… 1. Edwin Booth (1833-1893) Actor: considered by many to be the greatest tragic actor of the United States 2. David Belasco (1854-1931) Producer a. 1882 - Madison Square Theater in New York as stage manager, and became an independent producer in 1895 b. Required realism in everything, was very popular, and relied heavily on electric lighting c. Very profitable for theatres. "Henceforth, America was to be a gold mine for many foreign visitors--and many of the visitors, in turn, were to earn large profits for astute American managers." 3. Edwin Forrest (1806-1871) Actor a. One of the first American born performers to achieve lasting fame b. “physical” or “heroic” due to his great vocal strength and powerful physique c. Established an “American” school of acting - despised the “repressed” acting styles of the European (english) schools d. He helped make it vogue to play Native Americans as the “noble savage” portraying many Native Americans himself V. Standards of Judgment A. Definition of Melodrama: 1. Melos: Greek word for song and Drama for action - “music drama” - music was used to increase emotions or signify characters (sig music) 2. Heroes and Villains: Virtue is seemingly helpless in the face of menace. "The end of the nightmare is an awakening brought about by confrontation and expulsion of the villain, the person in whom evil is seen to be concentrated, and a reaffirmation of the society of 'decent people'." (Brooks) 3. Melodrama = strong justice; tragedy, in contrast often includes mercy B. Characteristics 1. Virtuous hero goes through trials (caused by villain) in simplified moral universe; good and evil are embodied in stock characters 2. Episodic story developed after a short expository scene 3. Each act ends in a strong climax 4. Almost never five acts - usually 2-4 (five saved for “serious” drama) 5. All important events occur on stage 6. Many special effects: fires, explosions, drownings, earthquakes

7. Strict poetic justice 8. Comic relief by a servant 9. Songs and music underscore emotion 10. Plot devices: disguises, abductions, concealed identities, strange coincidences...