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First Theater in America / When was the drama first introduced in America? An inquiry, including a consideration of the objections that have been made to the stage. cover

First Theater in America / When was the drama first introduced in America? An inquiry, including a consideration of the objections that have been made to the stage.

Chapter 8: CAPACITY OF THE THEATER.
By Charles P. Daly
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About This Book

The author investigates competing claims about when drama first appeared in America, challenging the attribution to the Hallam company and marshaling Colonial newspaper evidence for earlier performances. He cites an advertisement implying a playhouse in New York in 1733, recounts the 1750 arrival of a Kean and Murray troupe that obtained gubernatorial permission and converted a Nassau Street room into a theater, and describes its layout, ticketing, and capacity. The paper preserves its original text and concludes with a supplement summarizing additional findings uncovered after the initial presentation.

CAPACITY OF THE THEATER.

The room which had been converted into a theater must have been a very capacious one, as it was arranged with pit and gallery, and afterward boxes were added. The price of admission to the boxes was eight shillings, to the pit five shillings, and to the gallery three shillings. The exact capacity of this theater is known from the following circumstances: Upon the occasion of Mr. Kean’s benefit, who was the leading tragedian, he was honored by a crowded house in his favorite part of Richard III., and great complaint having been made that more tickets had been sold than the house could hold, Kean published a card in the “Post Boy,” which was accompanied by a certificate of Parker, the publisher, to the effect that he had printed in all 161 pit tickets, 10 box, and 121 gallery tickets, declaring that as great a number had been in the house before. Kean in his card informs the public that it had been determined not to receive any money at the door, but that it was impossible to carry out that intention without giving great offense, and that the purchasers of tickets who had come after the house was filled had had their money returned. It may be inferred from this circumstance that the players found “satisfactory encouragement.” “Richard III.” appears to have been a favorite piece, and on March 12, 1750, it was announced that it would be acted for the last time, together with the farce of “The Beau in the Suds,” and that on the following Saturday Dryden’s play of “The Spanish Friar” would be represented. They continued to play on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday from the 5th of March to the 30th of April, 1750, when the season closed, and that the experiment was successful may be inferred from the fact that they opened the theater again for another season on the 30th of December, 1750, and continued to play three times a week until the 17th of June, 1751, closing with a succession of benefits, when the company went to Virginia.