The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-01
CHARLESTON NEWS: WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER l. 1869

piping-which would have turned the head OF a
less ingenious and thorough workman than Mr..
| i. H. Gulllcmln, who has had entire Charge OF tho
gas nylng and OF the gas fixtures.
vESrILAri0 AND:ESTRASCES.
| The theatre Is well ventilated throughout, AMI
can be cmptied In less than Ave minutes. The
entrance to the orchestra chairs, orchestra circle
an'l dress circle Is on King-sirect; the entrances
to the family circle and gallery are quite distinct
| from each other, AMI are both ON Market street.
/ WHO Mn THE wOIK.
/ To Mr. John Chadwick the credit Of the bull d
ing Is first due, for Il was he who, In spite of
| crcastns and encouragement, has planned ana
comp!ctc,lan cdicc which is IN ornament to our
city. At the same time It must be said that lii e
architect, Mr.. Joha II. DcvercuX Is tic naster
workman, for his skill enabled him to plan Il model
| theatre, who his wonderful energy secured the
completion Of the whole vast undertaking In less
| than three months. There was working night and
| day, hut DcvcrcuN never tires. The masonry
work was superintendent by Mr.EF. .Dcvcrcux, the
carprntcring by Mr.. D. A. Sullivan, nnd the plns
| tering by Mr.. James II. DevcrcuX; and they did
| their duty well. The painting was done by T. a.
Bcamsh 4 Co., the gliding hy McGcary and Doty,
the upholstcring and carpctlng by Q. ID. Carr x
Co., the iron work by q. Il. Jackson and Bur
nett Co., tile ornamental iron work by Mr. C.
t;uiliemin, and the plumbing by Adams, Damon
& Co. A. 7. ChevrcuX ami Il. Lewis were the
carvcrS, T. Walker AMI Herbert ,hG stage carpcn
ters, and Waack, Tirrcl and Craner the scene
painters. The stage ami stage machincry-ail
| admiruble-are the work " the Ingenious w. w.
Dcmiit.
AN INSPECTION OF THE AcADEAY
Last evening quite n large number of ladies' ana
gentlemen, who had received special invitations
| from Manager FO"d to visit and inspect the intc
rior Of the Academy, gathered within its cosy pre-
| clncts. The drop curtain had been lowered, anu
| was the theme OF general admiration. Later 1t
was raised, revealing In succession several hantl-
some lrawiug-room scenes the fine orchestra
| meanwhile dlscoursing excellent music. The
company present roamcd ut Will anu without
| ceremony through NIL portions or the house, not
! excepting the penetiaifd OF the stage and green
| room; and all united in the verdict that though
| there were niaRy more capacious theatres In the
! United States, there was not one which, IN the
| clements Of elegance, comfort and adornment,
| was superior to ours.
! RRc0LiECTiuSS OF THE DRAMA ~ CHARLESTON.
| review OF the history OF the drama in Charles
ton carries us back to the close OF the last cell
tury About the year 1903 b Hiding known as the
Charleston Theatre, was erected on spot called
| Savagc's Green, now the junction OF Broad and
|
portions and was owned, we believe. by q COM
pany OF gentlemen, who subscribed for their
shares at the rate Of f70 sterling per shnrc. The
| ownership OF these shares entitled them TO 'pro-
prictors' Tickets" which admitted them to every
| performance during the season with the cXccp-
tion Of benefit nights The whole number OF
shareholders was about one hundred. The thea
| tire was opened in 1894 by company OF conc
| dlans from England, under the management OF
West 4 Bi9nall, who main.ained the establish
| mcnt with considerable SUCCESS for about three
years. The company, ut the time, was rated an
excellent one. Besides Bisnall, who ranked as
II iirst-rate comedian, It included n tragedian OF
considerable reputc OF the name OF Edgar, the
two West brothers, anu several actresses Of great
| merit. The Sulys, father and son and three
daughters, were among them. One Of these last
married into one OF the first families In the State
and lived TO the beginning Of our late disastrous
war. And the son, Mat. Sully, lived In Charles
ton for many years and raised large family
here. In later days lie joined the other compu-
mics, and always stipulated with the managers
| that ho should have his benefit OH Easter Monday
| night, Invariably on those occasions obtaining
| crowded houses. There was also In the company
very talented AMI well educated gentleman who
married here, and afterwards opened o seminary
for the education OF young ladies'; he afterwards
became the first teacher OF the German Friendly
|
| Mr.. Faber, In 1904. His widow survived him,
and, with the assistance or her daughters, estab-
llshcd a very respectable young ladies' seminary.
Only one OF the daughters now remains alive.
There was second company composed ofFrench
actors who came here about the year 17o6 or'7 anu
commenced performing in an old lot in Church
street. St. Michael's alley. The lot owned
at the time by Frenchman named Sollee, who in
hcrtcd II by marriage into the Neyic family. The
company came from ST. Domingo aud wcrc
refugees from the French Revolution. Mr. Sollec
afterwards built them theatre called the French
Theatre, out Of the old building which had once
been sugar refinery. Indeed, there Is q tradt-
tIon TINT IL was once before the site or theatre
previous to the American Revolution and which
is said to have been destroyed by fire In very
singular manner. During performance, as the
story runs q piece was exhibited representing
the inrcrnul regions. When the combustbles
were fred, number Of demons suddenly up.
peared, dancing III The lamcs-a scene which was
not in the programme This so alarmed the
audience that they oil ned In dIsmay. The trick
was aftcrwar,l popularity attributed to q Lodge OF
Masons, who occasionally met there or close by.
After year or two this building was occupied
by an English company, under the management
OF Jones & Williamson, who brought ont q re-
markably lne dramatic corps. Chalmers, the
leading actor In tragedies was the first who per
formed the part OF "Isola" In Charleston, q Mrs
Marshall performed "Uora," and Mr.. Marshall
'Alonzo" In this company came the celebrated
Mrs. Righton and two daughters. One OF them
afterwards married Mr. Placide, who became
, eminent Us a manager in the Charleston Theatre
about 1901. This was the father OF Henry Pla
eide, who was destined to win so many iaurels In
the Northern theatres. Here was also engaged
the celebrated Mr.. and Mrs. Whitlock, the latter
sister to Mrs. Sddons, whose acting. In con
junction with that OF Chalmers, drew crowded
houses This so encouraged the managers thai
they engaged tho Charleston Theatre, which, aftei
having been shut up for three or four years, hat
meantime been used by the Rev. Messrs Buls
, and Purcell as o classical academy for young
| gentlemen.