Federal Street Theatre

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]

Federal Street Theatre, Boston

History

edit
 
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

edit
edit

References

edit
  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. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ a b c 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. 1. Boston, Mass. 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

edit
edit

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