Federal Street Theatre, Boston

The Federal Street Theatre (1793–1852), also known as the Boston Theatre,[1] was located at the corner of Federal and Franklin streets in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was "the first building erected purposely for theatrical entertainments in the town of Boston."[2]

History

Opening performance, February 3, 1794

The original building[3] was designed by Charles Bulfinch. It was "the first professionally designed American theater by a native architect."[4] It occupied land formerly owned by Thomas Brattle, Edward H. Robbins and William Tudor.[4] In 1798 fire destroyed the theatre; it was rebuilt the same year. The second building existed through 1852.[4]

Management included Charles S. Powell (1794–1795); John Steel Tyler (1795–1796); John Hodgkinson (1795–1796); John Brown Williamson (1796–1797); John Sollee (1797); Giles Leonard Barrett (ca.1798); Joseph Harper (ca.1798).[4][5]

Musicians affiliated with the theatre included Trille La Barre; Peter Von Hagen Sr.; R. Leaumont; and Gottlieb Graupner.[6] Scene painters included Christian Gullager (1793–1797).[4]

The British actress Charlotte Wattell appeared here in about 1811.

Events

References

  1. Boston Directory. 1823.
  2. Thomas Pemberton. "A Topographical and Historical Description of Boston, 1794." Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1st ser., III (1794, reprinted 1810), 255–56. Quoted in Stoddard. 1970; p.191.
  3. "Architectural Description of the Boston Theatre." Federal Orrery (Boston) 11-10-1794
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Stoddard. 1970
  5. Elias Nason. A Memoir of Mrs. Susanna Rowson. NY: Munsell, 1870.
  6. H. Earle Johnson. The Musical Von Hagens. New England Quarterly, Vol. 16, No. 1 (Mar., 1943); p.112.
  7. "Early American Imprints, Series 1."
  8. American Apollo, Feb. 27, 1794
  9. American Apollo, 24 April 1794.
  10. Skemp, Sheila (2009). First Lady of Letters. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 254. ISBN 978-0-8122-4140-2.
  11. Skemp, Sheila (2009). First Lady of Letters. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 258. ISBN 978-0-8122-4140-2.
  12. Nason. 1870.
  13. Young, Alfred F. (2004). Masquerade. United States of America: Vintage Books. pp. 203–206. ISBN 0-679-76185-3.
  14. 1 2 3 American Broadsides and Ephemera, Series 1
  15. Mark Antony De Wolfe Howe, Memoirs of the Life and Services of the Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, D.D., LL.D.,: Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Pennsylvania (J.B. Lippincott Company, 1871), 121. and William Bacon Stevens, A Discourse Commemorative of the Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, D.D., LL.D., Late Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania (October 19, 1865), 56-57.
  16. Mark Antony De Wolfe Howe, Memoirs of the Life and Services of the Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, D.D., LL.D.,: Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Pennsylvania (J.B. Lippincott Company, 1871), 121. and William Bacon Stevens, A Discourse Commemorative of the Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, D.D., LL.D., Late Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania (October 19, 1865), 56-57.
  17. Mark Antony De Wolfe Howe, Memoirs of the Life and Services of the Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, D.D., LL.D.,: Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Pennsylvania (J.B. Lippincott Company, 1871), 121. and William Bacon Stevens, A Discourse Commemorative of the Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, D.D., LL.D., Late Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania (October 19, 1865), 56-57.
  18. Mark Antony De Wolfe Howe, Memoirs of the Life and Services of the Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, D.D., LL.D.,: Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Pennsylvania (J.B. Lippincott Company, 1871), 121. and William Bacon Stevens, A Discourse Commemorative of the Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, D.D., LL.D., Late Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania (October 19, 1865), 56-57.
  19. "Lucrezia Borgia". Gleason's Pictorial. Boston, Mass. 1. 1851.
  20. Mark Antony De Wolfe Howe, Memoirs of the Life and Services of the Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, D.D., LL.D.,: Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Pennsylvania (J.B. Lippincott Company, 1871), 121. and William Bacon Stevens, A Discourse Commemorative of the Rt. Rev. Alonzo Potter, D.D., LL.D., Late Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania (October 19, 1865), 56-57.

Further reading

42°21′19.97″N 71°3′23.48″W / 42.3555472°N 71.0565222°W / 42.3555472; -71.0565222

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