A repertory theatre , also called repertory , rep , true rep or stock , which are also called producing theatres, is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation.
84-454: Three New York City playhouses named Wallack's Theatre played an important part in the history of American theater as the successive homes of the stock company managed by actors James W. Wallack and his son, Lester Wallack . During its 35-year lifetime, from 1852 to 1887, that company developed and held a reputation as the best theater company in the country. Each theater operated under other names and managers after (and in one case before)
168-425: A Pulitzer Prize (1982), a Tony Award (1986), and a Jujamcyn Award (1985). In Russia and much of Eastern Europe , repertory theatre is based on the idea that each company maintains a number of productions that are performed on a rotating basis. Each production's life span is determined by its success with the audience. However, many productions remain in repertory for years as this approach presents each piece
252-418: A tragedian . Burton was one of the funniest creatures that ever lived, but his interior nature was thoughtful and saturnine. He thought, felt, and understood tragedy, but when he came to act, he was all comedian. At the outset of his career he led the usual life of an itinerant actor. There is a tradition that in the course of his wanderings he once played before George IV at Windsor . After several years in
336-452: A British movement started in the early 1900s that focused on shorter runs of a single new work, rather than having several plays ready to perform at any given time. For weekly rep and for a typical three-act play, the actors' week would start on Tuesday, and go as follows: Today, repertory theatres employ a wide range of actors, who can play a variety of types. Before the modern repertory system, acting ensembles were normally made up of
420-593: A German-language company), Mr.and Mrs. William J. Florence , Stuart Robson , William H. Crane , Mary Anderson , Sarah Bernhardt , and Wilson Barrett , many of whom had multiple engagements, as did Boucicault, Lawrence Barrett, Irving, and Booth. The McCaull Comic Opera Company had a multi-week run in 1885–86 and another in 1886–87. On August 22, 1887, the house opened under the management of Henry E. Abbey , John B. Schoeffel, and Maurice Grau as Abbey, Schoeffel and Grau , who were primarily importers of European companies and stars to tour North America; they also managed
504-510: A benefit to Theodore Moss. The New York Times wrote: The last night at Wallack's was an appropriate climax to nine months of brilliantly successful management. ... The entertainment offered on [Moss'] behalf on Monday was, in our opinion, the very best that had been advertised anywhere for a twelve-month. The Little Treasure and Rural Felicity were given, and between the pieces Mr. Wallack—the Veteran himself—delivered his annual speech. It
588-501: A big comeback in cities such as Little Rock, AR , Washington, DC , Minneapolis , Indianapolis , Milwaukee , Cincinnati , Chicago , Los Angeles , Nashville , New York , Houston , Boston , San Francisco , San Diego , Buffalo , Kansas City , and Seattle . Festival theatre now provides actors with work in the summer. There are many ways to rehearse repertory theatre. The most prolific American repertory theatres are an example of that. Utah Shakespeare Festival rehearses two plays
672-529: A day split between an eight hour period. This is common. Some theatres only rehearse one play a day and add shows into rotation as the season progresses, like The American Shakespeare Center. They rehearse one play for a little over two weeks before it opens; then, they begin the next one. The length of rehearsal also varies. American Players Theatre has a six-week-long rehearsal period compared to Oregon Shakespeare Festival 's eleven-week-long one. America's oldest resident repertory theatre, Hedgerow Theatre ,
756-452: A few times in a given season, not enough to exhaust the potential audience pool. After the fall of the Soviet regime and the substantial diminution of government subsidy, the repertory practice has required re-examination. Moscow Art Theatre and Lev Dodin 's Maly Drama Theatre of St. Petersburg are the world's most notable practitioners of this approach. Rotation Repertory system is still
840-410: A friend that Burton was a "blackguard and a villain." Poe's friend Joseph E. Snodgrass thought Burton's rumour-mongering was enough for Poe to sue for slander but Poe noted his own name-calling was enough for a countersuit. In late 1840, Burton sold his magazine to George Rex Graham for the price of $ 3,500 (one dollar for each subscriber), who transformed it into Graham's Magazine . Burton used
924-617: A good enough offer that the plan was postponed and a provisional lease was granted to them, which in the event ran two years. On Saturday, April 20, 1901, with Thomas E. Shea starring in The Man-o'-War's Man, the Star Theatre closed forever. There was no ceremony. A time-lapse film of the demolition , which began the same month, was made by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company from diagonally across Broadway; it
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#17327908638741008-475: A humorous and appropriate address, entitled 'Brougham and Co.,' in which the whole company were introduced. ... The performances concluded with the laughable interlude of Deeds of Dreadful Note, and a new piece, called The Light Guard, or Woman's Rights. Builder and architect John M. Trimble , a theater specialist, had rebuilt the Bowery Theatre in 1845 after its destruction by fire, and had designed
1092-427: A literary critic himself for the magazine. To remain competitive, the magazine included better paper, more illustrations , and higher-quality printing, making production costs high. Poe became an editor in 1839, though Burton disliked Poe's harsh style of criticism. Even so, Poe's responsibilities increased whenever Burton left town to perform at other venues. It was under Burton that Poe began what has since been termed
1176-412: A manager leased a theater from its owner, and since the building was deemed an important part of the playgoer's experience, typically renovated it to his own taste. Sometimes a manager was able to have a theater built to his specifications, as did Irish-American actor and dramatist John Brougham . On December 23, 1850, John Brougham opened his Lyceum at 485 Broadway near Broome Street . The next day,
1260-550: A master was visible in every production, and the taste, elegance, and propriety displayed about the whole establishment gave it a position of respectability never hitherto enjoyed in New York, except at the old Park Theatre . In 1861, Wallack moved his company. After he left number 485, the theater was continued under various managers and names and underwent various vicissitudes — German opera, melodrama , legitimate theatre , concerts, Lent's Circus — until 1864, when it came under
1344-509: A new home for Wallack's company as well. Sketches for the interior of the theater were begun by Trimble, the last he ever made: the work and his career were ended by blindness. The design was carried out by his student Thomas R. Jackson . For something more than twenty years [writes Brown] the most famous theatre in the United States was that of James W. Wallack, situated on the northeast corner of Broadway and Thirteenth Street. ... It
1428-637: A paragraph in English to save his life". Poe was fired by Burton in June 1840. Burton and Poe had a tumultuous working relationship. Burton tried selling the magazine without telling Poe, and Poe made plans to launch his own competing Philadelphia-based magazine called The Penn without mentioning it to Burton. Additionally, Burton may have written a particularly scathing negative review of Poe's novel The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket and spread rumours of his drunkenness, which Poe denied. Poe told
1512-440: A play from his pen, called Ellen Wareham , was first presented, and it is mentioned that this piece had the somewhat unusual fortune of being acted at five different theatres of London on the same evening. Burton went on to a large number of plays during his career. On 10 April 1823 Burton had married Elizabeth Loft, by whom in 1824 he had a son . The marriage was not a success, and partly due to this in 1834 Burton relocated to
1596-567: A similar racing scene—was an irredeemable failure. Early the next year he went on tour, leasing the theater as of January 27 to Walter Sanford, who soon subleased it to Jacob Litt, producer of melodramas. The next season opened Saturday night, August 29, 1896, with low admission prices, under the management of R. M. Gulick & Co. (Gulick, Henry M. Bennett, William T. Keogh, and Thomas Davis), who also operated theaters in Brooklyn , Pittsburgh , Philadelphia , and Boston, and who would manage
1680-499: A sojourn in the city to witness the artistic representations at that theater. Among the actors were, at various times, Charles Fisher , John Gilbert , James Williamson , J. W. Wallack Jr., E. L. Davenport , J. H. Stoddart , Charles Mathews , E. M. Holland , Steele Mackaye , Charles Coghlan, Harry Edwards , Madame Ponisi , Mary Gannon, Mrs. John Hoey, Rose Eytinge , Effie Germon , Jeffreys Lewis , Ada Dyas , Stella Boniface , and Madeline Henriques. According to Brown, some of
1764-665: A subject of public complaint, and its connection to theater managements, beginning December 13, with an article spotlighting the Star Theatre and Theodore Moss. Edwin Booth appeared for a month in December and January. Over the next several years, there appeared such stars as Joseph Jefferson , E. H. Sothern , Fanny Janauschek , John Edward McCullough , Johnston Forbes–Robertson , William E. Sheridan , Helena Modjeska , Maurice Barrymore , Anna Judic , Fanny Davenport , Henry Miller , Frederick Mitterwurzer (a German star, supported by
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#17327908638741848-736: Is Mr. George A. Freeman Jr. George Albree Freeman (1859–1934), born and raised in New York City, graduated in architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . He practiced in Stamford, Connecticut , mostly in the late 19th century, before removing to Sarasota, Florida , where he continued to practice. He was a designer of the Seacroft House, with Bruce Price , in Sea Bright, New Jersey (1882) and
1932-679: Is also produced by the Summer Theatre season at Frinton-on-Sea . Organizations in Canada include North America's largest classical repertory theatre company, the Stratford Festival , founded in 1953 primarily to present productions of William Shakespeare 's plays. Canada also hosts North America's second largest repertory theatre company, the Shaw Festival , founded in 1962, which presents plays written by or set during
2016-574: Is located in Rose Valley, Pennsylvania . It was founded by actor Jasper Deeter in 1923. The present producing artistic director is actress and director Penelope Reed. Other notable repertory theatres include the Guthrie Theater , which was set up as a regional repertory theatre concept that is free from commercial constraints in the choice of repertoire. It is aligned in objectives to the repertory and resident theatre movement that emerged in
2100-402: Is on Broadway and is 30 feet wide, the visitor passing under a portico resting on six polished red granite columns. There are, besides, two gallery entrances on Broadway, an entrance on Thirtieth-street, and stage entrances on Thirtieth-street and on Broadway. ... The parquet and balcony contain 800 seats. ... The gallery contains 450 most comfortable chairs. There are also eight boxes. ... Under
2184-509: Is still seen in large cities. Actors now have the luxury of at least three weeks of rehearsal , however. Repertory can still be found in the UK in a variation of guises: in Sidmouth (12 plays), Wolverhampton (eight), and Burslem and Taunton (four each). The Sheringham Little Theatre produces an in-house repertory season each summer, running from June until September. Weekly repertory theatre
2268-584: The Gentlemen's Magazine , of which Edgar Allan Poe was for some time the editor. His magazine was intended for a general audience, incorporating the standard fare of poetry and fiction, but had a focus on sporting life like hunting and sailing. For the September 1837 issue Burton wrote an early example of the detective story , 'The Secret Cell', detailing a London policeman's efforts to trace an abducted girl and arrest her kidnappers. Burton likely served as
2352-525: The New York Herald reported: This new temple of Thespis was opened last evening, before a brilliant and crowded audience, with an éclat which prognosticates its future career to be triumphant. ... [It] is capable of containing about 1,800 or 2,000 persons. ... The whole presents a very pretty little theatre. ... Mr. Trimble, the well-known builder, has added another 'story' to his architectural fame. ... The opening entertainments commenced with
2436-816: The Abbey Theatre in Dublin. Horniman's Gaiety Theatre opened its first season in September 1908. The opening of the Gaiety was followed by the Citizens' Theatre in Glasgow and the Liverpool Repertory Theatre . Previously, regional theatre relied on mostly London touring ensembles. During the time the theatre was being run by Annie Horniman, a wide variety of types of plays were produced. Horniman encouraged local writers who became known as
2520-649: The Arthur Brough Players in Folkestone in the South. When an actor joined one of their companies, it could mean "twice-nightly" shows, and a new play to learn every week. Actress Rosemary Harris has told of her 50 consecutive weeks of doing that at Bedford rep. However, this is no longer possible, owing to restrictions from British Equity , which came to mandate just eight shows a week, including perhaps two matinées. The practice of repertory ("rep")
2604-534: The Broadway Theatre , between Pearl and Anthony (now Worth) Streets in 1847. Earlier in 1850, he had built the new "Lecture Room" (theater) of Barnum's American Museum , and Tripler Hall (a concert venue). The performances at the new theater were principally burlesques and farces . Brougham was a successful actor, but this enterprise failed. After two seasons, James W. Wallack leased the house and, following custom, renamed it for himself. Aged 57, he
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2688-478: The Chicago Opera House . During the summer of 1889, the stage was removed and a "section stage" was constructed. The roof was raised 25 feet, so that the heaviest scenery could be drawn up out of sight without folding it. Electric lights were introduced in the auditorium and on the stage, though the gas was retained for use in emergencies, or in producing stage effects in which it might be superior to
2772-594: The Manchester School of playwrights. They included Allan Monkhouse , Harold Brighouse —writer of Hobson's Choice —and Stanley Houghton , who wrote Hindle Wakes . Actors who performed at the Gaiety early in their careers included Sybil Thorndike and Basil Dean . From the 1930s to the 1960s, two impresarios dominated the field of British rep, mostly in the North. They were Harry Hanson and his Court players, and Frank H. Fortescue's Famous Players, with
2856-595: The Metropolitan Opera House in its first season (1883–84) and again subsequently. Johnson and Slavin's minstrels, Hedwig Raabe (a German actress with a German-language company), magician Alexander Herrmann , and Brockmann's Monkey Theatre Company appeared, plus Irving, Jefferson, Julia Marlowe , and the Florences. During the summer of 1888, the interior was largely redesigned and reconstructed to improve sightlines and add seats. On August 27, 1888,
2940-537: The Winter Garden , and then the New Park Theatre , on Broadway between 21st and 22nd Streets, and was widely popular socially. The elder Wallack performed October 20 through November 22, 1856, and May 11 through June 6, 1857. Brown asserts that Wallack's engagement was unsuccessful, that he played to the poorest houses of the season, and that he insisted on appearing in parts for which at this time he
3024-438: The "Longfellow War", with Poe using his role as critic to anonymously accuse the popular poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow of plagiarism. Another critic, Willis Gaylord Clark , blamed Burton for allowing these literary attacks, telling Longfellow that Burton was: "a vagrant from England, who has left a wife and offspring behind him there, and plays the bigamist in this with another wife, and his whore besides; one who cannot write
3108-468: The Broadway curbstone and the main entrance is a café. ... A magnificent chandelier of copper and brass, with a spread of 14 feet and 200 burners, depends from the dome, and smaller gas-fixtures spring from the painted panels on the walls and other points. Electric lights will be used outside the theatre, and the question of using them within was ... dismissed from immediate consideration. ... The architect
3192-676: The Federal Building, with Harold N. Hall and Louis A. Simon , in Sarasota (1932); expanded Stanford White 's 1905 Lambs Club Building , 130 West 44th Street in New York City (1915); and designed the Soldiers and Sailors' Monument in Stamford (1920). The new theater was dedicated January 4, 1882, "with a magnificent revival of The School for Scandal, which had an exceptionally fine cast" led by John Gilbert and Rose Coghlan. As in
3276-507: The Star for its remaining five seasons (1896–1901). There was a new bill every Monday, except for occasional multi-week runs. Burgess went bankrupt and Moss reacquired the primary leases, which expired May 1, 1899, finally ending his association with the Star Theatre. In that year the ground owner, William Waldorf Astor , announced the projected redevelopment of the site, but the Gulick firm made
3360-442: The United States in the 1960s. This sought to establish an alternative and decentralized theatre network outside of New York, one which would have non-profit-making status and would be focused on the art of the theatre as well as the development of artists, craftsmen, and administrators. Publicly funded theatres that belong to this type have been receiving erratic support since the 1980s. The Association of Producing Artists (APA)
3444-464: The United States, the repertory system has also found a base to compete with commercial theatre. Many summer stock theatre companies are repertory in nature. College students and young professionals making up much of the acting company are supported by guest stars or actors who are further along in their careers. Repertory theatre with mostly changing casts and longer-running plays, perhaps better classed as "provincial" or "non-profit" theatre, has made
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3528-788: The United States, where he appeared in Philadelphia as Dr. Ollapod in The Poor Gentleman . He took a prominent place, both as actor and manager, in New York City, Philadelphia and Baltimore , the theatre which he leased in New York being renamed Burton's Theatre . He was very successful as Captain Cuttle in John Brougham 's dramatisation of Dombey and Son , and in other low comedy parts in plays from Charles Dickens 's novels. In 1837 in Philadelphia he established
3612-548: The United States. Born in London on 24 September 1804, Burton was the son of William George Burton (1774–1825), a printer and the author of Research into the religions of the Eastern nations as illustrative of the scriptures in 1805. Intended for a career in the church, Burton was a pupil at St. Paul's School in London, an institution associated also with the dramatic names of Robert William Elliston and Charles Mathews . At
3696-515: The Wallack company's tenure. All three are demolished. James W. Wallack and Lester Wallack , father and son, were 19th century actors and theater managers; that is, entrepreneurs whose business was a theatrical stock company , a troupe of actors and support personnel presenting a variety of plays in one theater. Actor-managers , such as the Wallacks, were members of their own company. Often,
3780-541: The actress Mary Gannon , who had a series of critical triumphs in comedies with Wallack's company over the next decade, including performances in James Sheridan Knowles 's The Love Chase , Octave Feuillet 's The Romance of a Poor Young Man , Knights of the Round Table , Elizabeth Inchbald 's To Marry or Not to Marry , and Augustus Glossop Harris 's The Little Treasure , among others. For
3864-400: The aforementioned Broadway Theatre, September 27, 1847, playing Sir Charles Coldstream in the afterpiece , Dion Boucicault's and Charles Mathews' farce Used Up . (His stage name was John Lester; he didn't work as Lester Wallack until October 1858.) In 1854, Putnam's Monthly commented: There are two theatres in New York, and but two which are devoted exclusively to the performance of
3948-409: The age of 18, in consequence of the death of his father, the youth was called to take charge of the printing office, and also to be the support of a widowed mother. His first effort was to establish a monthly magazine. The attempt was a failure, but it brought him theatrical acquaintances, and under their influence he presently drifted toward the stage. The first step in his theatrical career, as usual,
4032-405: The costumes and scenery form an important part of the attraction. English comedy and domestic dramas form the chief attractions at Wallack's, and the house is generally full. The utmost order and decorum are maintained ... and everything offensive to the most delicate taste carefully excluded from the stage. Charlotte Thompson made her theatrical debut at Wallack's in 1854. In 1855, Wallack engaged
4116-534: The earlier style of Burton was in a measure founded. In 1832 Burton obtained a chance to show his talents at the Haymarket Theatre —Liston having temporarily withdrawn—and there he played Marall to Edmund Kean as Sir Giles Overreach, and Mrs. Glover as Meg in A New Way to Pay Old Debts , a circumstance which he always remembered, and often mentioned with pride and pleasure. His talents as a writer likewise displayed themselves at an early age. In May 1833,
4200-503: The early 1950s. There are many noted Resident companies or repertory companies , such as the Artists Repertory Theatre . Murray, Stephen. Taking Our Amusements Seriously . LAP, 2010. ISBN 978-3-8383-7608-0 . William Evans Burton William Evans Burton (24 September 1804 – 10 February 1860) was an English actor, playwright, theatre manager and publisher who relocated to
4284-414: The electric light. New ventilation equipment was installed. The entire orchestra floor was reconstructed; the circle which had been added to this part of the auditorium the previous summer was removed. The boxes were rearranged, and the original iron fronts of the balcony and gallery were replaced by papier-mâché and woodwork. The capacity was 1,573. For the next six seasons (1889–95) Theodore Moss managed
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#17327908638744368-678: The finest set designer in America, with his settings admired for their elegance and proper sense of period". By 1881, shrinking audiences prompted Wallack to seek, once again, a new location farther north, where most of the theaters were located by that time. In February, he leased the corner of 30th Street and Broadway and agreed to sell his lease on number 844 to Adolph Neuendorff , the conductor-composer whose German-language Germania Theatre company had been playing in Tammany Hall since 1873. On July 2, Wallack's company closed its last season at
4452-403: The ground and building. The purchaser was Neil Burgess , a comedian who was best known for his perennial hit, The County Fair, with its famous racing scene which featured real horses on treadmills. Burgess spent six months rebuilding the stage, electrical lighting system, and dressing rooms. On November 2, 1895, he opened in a new vehicle: The Year One, by Charles Barnard, which—despite
4536-423: The house for two more seasons. Ireland's assessment (published in 1867): The establishment heretofore known as Brougham's Lyceum, which during the [1851–52] season had ceased to attract any share of public attention, [in 1852] passed into the hands of James W. Wallack, who, with [his department heads], soon succeeded not only in rivaling, but in a measure superseding Burton 's Theatre in public esteem. The hand of
4620-491: The house would be devoted to touring companies exclusively; it was extensively redecorated and the stage rebuilt with traps and built-in platforms. The new season opened August 27 with Lawrence Barrett 's production of Francesca da Rimini, by George H. Boker . Henry Irving 's Lyceum Theatre stock company of London (whose leading lady was Ellen Terry ) opened its first American tour at the Star on October 29. The New York Times published an investigation of ticket speculation,
4704-566: The lifetime of Bernard Shaw , or that follow Shaw's ideal of socially provocative theatre. However, Canadian repertory companies follow a model that differs somewhat from the years-long rotation repertory system found in Europe. In Canada, productions often stay on the repertory for one season, running in repertory with other productions in the same year. The actors are not employed full time long term, but instead work on contracts usually maximum 8 months long. The Vagabond Repertory Theatre Company
4788-456: The main-floor aisles. Wall fans circulated the air. A huge sponge, saturated with perfume, was placed at the mouth of the principal air duct. By 1895, the city's first-class theaters had reached the West 40's. In May, Moss announced that he was repositioning his 13th Street theater as a "popular-priced" house, but he immediately changed course, selling his interest, which comprised leases he held on
4872-487: The management of George Wood, who restored its pre-circus condition and opened it May 2 as the Broadway Theatre . On April 1, 1867, Wood transferred the lease to Barney Williams , who managed the house for its last two years. The final performance was a benefit for Williams' business manager on Wednesday, April 28, 1869, comprising Ireland as It Was, the farces The Returned Volunteer and Game of Tag, two dance numbers, and performers with velocipedes . The Broadway Theatre
4956-749: The money from the sale to renovate his theatre, which eventually failed. Burton went on to become the editor of the Cambridge Quarterly and the Souvenir . He also wrote several books, including a Cyclopaedia of Wit and Humour in 1857. Burton died on 10 February 1860 in New York City. At the time of his death, he had collected a library of over 100,000 volumes, especially rich in books by and relating to William Shakespeare . He left his fortune to charity but his wife Elizabeth, from whom he had separated 26 years earlier, arrived from England to claim dower. Judgment initially went against her but after
5040-553: The most commonly used business model of live theatre in Eastern and Central Europe, specifically in countries such as Austria, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Slovakia and Czech Republic. In Germany, Schaubuhne and some other theatres run on a repertory system. A combination company was a touring theater company which performed only one play . Unlike repertory companies, which performed multiple plays in rotation, combination companies used more elaborate and specialised scenery in their productions. A similar term, "weekly rep," denotes
5124-432: The northeast corner of 30th Street and Broadway May 21, 1881, and on December 4, The New York Times reported: The building, which is erected on ground leased for 21 years, with the privilege of two renewals of 21 years each, has frontage of 105 feet on Broadway and 122 feet on Thirtieth-street. In due course, a nine-story flat-house will rise above the theatre [never built], and shops will environ it. ... The main entrance
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#17327908638745208-479: The notable performances in the 1860s, not only on account of their artistic quality, but on account of the large receipts, were The Poor Gentleman , The Provoked Husband , She Stoops to Conquer , Still Waters Run Deep, The School for Scandal , Captain of the Watch, Central Park, The Belle's Stratagem , and The Rivals . But the great run of those days was made by Rosedale, in which Lester Wallack
5292-474: The old house with The World . On September 15 Neuendorff opened at 844, renamed Germania Theatre , with a festive program, but the move proved disastrous. By early 1883, he was bankrupt, and sold the theater back to Lester Wallack, who renamed it the Star Theatre and reopened it on March 26 with an engagement by a company headed by Boucicault presenting several of his plays. That summer Wallack announced
5376-537: The origin of the repertoire tradition. One of the earliest examples of this system is the Moscow Art Theatre circa 1898. An even earlier example are the theatres of Germany. See the Deutsches Theater, a privately owned German theatre founded in 1883 to produce plays in rep. While variations appeared before, the modern repertory system did not become popular until the twentieth century. In
5460-507: The past, the treasurer was Theodore Moss. Jenkins comments: Here Wallack had an excellent stock company as before; but the house never became so famous or so popular as the old Thirteenth Street theatre—perhaps, because a new generation of theatre goers had grown up and the actor-manager was getting old. Repertory theatre Annie Horniman founded the first modern repertory theatre in Manchester after withdrawing her support from
5544-545: The provinces, he made his first London appearance in 1831 at the Pavilion Theatre as Wormwood in The Lottery Ticket , in which part he was much admired, and which he then acted there upward of fifty consecutive times. John Liston was then the reigning favourite in London ( Joseph Shepherd Munden , who died in 1832, being in decadence), and next to Liston stood John Reeve , upon whom it is thought that
5628-465: The regular drama; these are Burton 's in Chambers Street, and Wallack's in Broadway. ... Wallack's Lyceum, in Broadway, is an exceedingly elegant little house, the style of the interior decoration is in excellent taste, and the effect of a full house is light, cheerful, exhilarating, and brilliant. ... Great attention is always paid to the production of pieces at this brilliant little house, and
5712-469: The stage, so fitly costumed and so conscientiously enacted. ... The old stage traditions and time-honored conventionalisms are given up there. Mouthing, ranting, and attitudinizing are not in vogue; and men and women appear and act as such, and represent art instead of artificiality. It is commonly said that New-York goes to Wallack's; and so it does more than to any other place of amusement. But lovers of good acting from every section usually avail themselves of
5796-597: The standard stock company and later the touring company. The stock company would usually consist of a leading man and lady, a character actor and actress, younger actors to play romantic roles, and the rest of the actors would be a variety of ages and body types. The acting ensemble was typically around twelve. This was most popular prior to the Restoration. Post Restoration and into the nineteenth century, stock companies remained, but they were joined and then replaced by traveling companies. These ensembles consisted of
5880-571: The stars and actors hired to play a very specific role as a single production toured around. Examples of rep performers who went on to become well-known are John Gielgud , Ralph Richardson , Laurence Olivier , Rosemary Harris , Christopher Plummer , Harold Pinter , Peter O'Toole , Jeremy Brett , Geraldine McEwan , Vanessa Redgrave , Judi Dench , Ian McKellen , Michael Gambon , Imelda Staunton and Patrick Stewart . Dirk Bogarde wrote about his start at Amersham rep in 1939, and Michael Caine has recounted his time spent at Horsham rep in
5964-420: The theater himself. His biggest star was comedian William H. Crane, whose hits included For Money, On Probation, The Pacific Mail, The Player, and, especially, The Senator . During the summer of 1890, a new cooling system was installed, with an electric-powered Sturtevant blower forcing 20,000 cubic feet of air a minute over two tons of ice in a basement tank, and then through ducts to registers under
6048-415: The theater opened with Theodore Moss as proprietor and Charles Burnham as manager. Johnson & Slavin's minstrels, Lydia Thompson , John W. Albaugh , Henry E. Dixey , Annie Pixley , Marie Wainwright , Fanny Davenport, John Wild, Benoît–Constant Coquelin , Rose Coghlan , and Robson and Crane appeared, and attractions included Boston 's Howard Athenaeum Specialty Company and The Crystal Slipper from
6132-543: The two seasons 1856–58 Wallack leased the house to William Stuart , who managed it with Lester Wallack as stage manager, Dion Boucicault as general director, and Theodore Moss as treasurer. Stuart, an Irishman whose real name was Edmund O'Flaherty, had been a Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom. An alleged embezzler, he fled to New York in 1854, and wrote for the New York Tribune . He later managed
6216-560: Was a singularly graceful, handsome, and attractive hero. The rôle fitted him admirably. The play ran in 1863 for 125 nights, something almost unprecedented. ... The most phenomenal run at the house occurred during the following decade, when Dion Boucicault produced The Shaughraun , which had 143 performances." In 1871 Lester Wallack brought the English scenic designer Joseph Clare to New York to become his company's resident designer. Theatre historian Gerald Bordman stated that Clare's work for Wallack gained Clare "the reputation of possibly
6300-495: Was a well-known and well-respected British American actor who had proved himself as a manager at the National Theater (Church and Leonard Streets) from 1837 until it burned down in 1839. After extensive renovation, he opened his new theater on September 8, 1852, with The Way to Get Married and The Boarding School. His sons, Lester, age 32, and Charles, were stage-manager and treasurer, respectively. Theodore Moss, who
6384-476: Was added to the National Film Registry in 2002. The theater was replaced by an eight-story commercial structure, designed by Clinton & Russell , whose principal tenant was the clothier Rogers, Peet & Co. Today the entire block is occupied by a 1999 mixed-use building, with an entrance to a multiplex cinema on the Wallack's site. Ground was broken for Lester Wallack's new theater on
6468-674: Was formed in March 2009 by artistic directors Nathaniel Fried and Ryan LaPlante, and currently resides and performs in Kingston, Ontario . It shuttered in 2019. The old English-style repertory theatres such as Ottawa 's CRT (Canadian Repertory Theatre) and Toronto 's Crest Theatre no longer exist—although they did have a version of summer theatre in smaller holiday districts, such as the "Straw Hat" players of Gravenhurst and Port Carling at Ontario 's vacation Muskoka Lakes area. State-subsidized theatres on continental Europe have been suggested as
6552-503: Was his last appearance on any stage; he died Christmas Day, 1864. In 1869, Junius Henri Browne wrote: Wallack's is, and has been for years, the best theater in the United States, and is quite as good as any in Europe outside of Paris. It is devoted almost entirely to comedy, and has no 'stars,' as that term is usually employed, but the most capable and best-trained company that can be selected at home or abroad. Plays without any particular merit succeed, because they are so carefully put upon
6636-412: Was in this house the name of Wallack won its proudest laurels. [James] W. Wallack was its first manager, but he never played there, and to all intents and purposes J. Lester Wallack, with Theodore Moss in the business department, was from the first head and front of the theatre. ... The initial program was The New President, by Tom Taylor , September 25, 1861. The first season closed June 9, 1862, with
6720-598: Was one of the most successful repertory theatres in the United States, touring for four years and holding residencies in several cities before finally joining the Phoenix Theatre in New York City, where it was known for staging plays with modest prices. Currently, the American Repertory Theatre is considered one of the most distinguished repertory theatres in the United States. Since its foundation in 1979, it has earned several awards including
6804-416: Was soon torn down and replaced by the extant (in 2013) building comprising a store and lofts. As the city grew northward, James Wallack sought to follow. So did William Gibson, a glass stainer and supplier of architectural ornament, who by 1860 had acquired land on the northeast corner of Broadway and 13th Street for a new home for his business (and himself). Gibson was persuaded to include in his development
6888-502: Was to become a lifelong associate of the Wallacks, was assistant treasurer and later became treasurer, his position for many years. Admissions were fifty and twenty-five cents. The elder Wallack had made his first appearance in America at age 24, on September 7, 1818, playing Macbeth at the Park Theatre to much acclaim. Lester's first appearance in the United States had been made, also to much acclaim, at age 27 on opening night of
6972-529: Was to join an amateur dramatic society, and it is said that about this time he gave a performance of Hamlet somewhere on the Strand. In 1825 he was associated with a provincial company acting at Norwich , and elsewhere in England, and he played low comedy. His aspirations at the start were for the tragic, and it is known that late in life he still at times entertained the fancy that nature had intended him to be
7056-675: Was too old, though he had gained a reputation in them twenty years before. Wallack did not perform during the 1857–58 season, and he resumed management of the theater in fall 1858. He appeared for the first time that season on December 9, as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice ; on January 17 created the part of Colonel Delmar in The Veteran, Lester's new play, which ran 102 nights; and ended his acting career on May 14, as Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing . He managed
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