Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-02-19
BIOGRAPHICAL

BIOGRAPHICAL,
Charlotte Ssuuders Cu:hman was born
in Boston, Massachusetts, July %, 1916,
the Oldest of a family OF fve children
| by Q second marriage. In CONSEQUENCE e
Of the bankruptcy OF her father she was
called upon at the age Of twelve to con-
tribute to the family support. Possessing
a fine vOica and much musical taste, she
had already acquired some local reputs-
ton as 3 vocalist, when she was engaged
to sing In concert with Mrs. Wood,
who declared her voice to be the finest
cCntraItO she had ever heard, and ad-
v.ssd her 10 cultivate it for the stage
Against the advice and wishes of her
friends she re olved to adopt this course,
and made h.T debut at the fremont the
stsr, Boston, April IS. 1895, SIS the
"Countes9," in the English adaptation
of Mozart's N0zze di Figaro. Her sue
cess was such that an engagement was
procure for her to sing in English opera
at New Orleans. Scarcely had she ar
rived there when her voice failed her I'M
der the effect Of suddel change of eli.
mate and of an unwiss attempt to con.
vert it into an available soprano. In this
emergency she resolved to become an
actress, and aEd5r the tuition OF Mr..
Barton, an actor who proved a sincere
friend, studied the part of Lsdy Mac.
beth," in which to the surprise Of all she
made her appearance with complete sue-
cess. The piece was repeated many
nights, and she returned to New York
with considerable reputation for histri-
onic ability. She accepted three years
angagemement at the Bowery theater,
but after peEfIrming week to large su
diences, she was pFOstrated by fever, the
result Of over-excitement and exertion,
aud during her illness the theater, and
with it her entire theatrical wardrobe,
was destroyed by fire. After an interval
OF several months she accepted an en-
gagement as stock actress in the Park
theater, and for three years appeared in
a great variety Of psrts, thus p3rfecting
herself in stage busineys and acquiring
the versatility for which she afterward
became distinguished. During this Pc
riod she assisted her younger sister, Mrs.
Ne trrimau, better known as Miss Susan
w. Cushmau, to make her debut On the
stage, and afterWsrd appeared with her
fer several seasons at Philadelphia ard
New YOrb. For the purpose of eucour.
aging and improving the young actress,
and of obtaining for her prominent f5-
customed to take the chief male parts in
the plays in which her sister appeared.
In this manner they performed in Lon
don assurance in New York for upward
OF ninety nights; and for one season in
Pniladelphia they played all the prin-
cipal characters. Miss Cushmau after
ward undertook the direction of one of
the Pniladelphia theaters, which she re
tanned until invited by Mr.. Macready,
in 1874. to accompany him on a profess
sional tour in the northern States, in the
c0ufs9 of which she undertook the high
er range OF tragic parts with gteas sug-
cess. In 1915 she went to England, and,
unknown and unheralded, made her first
appearance before London audience,
st the Princess's theater, as ''B. .anca,"
in Milman's tragedy Of FuziO. Her Ie.
ceptiOn was enthusiastic, and for eighty
four nigh s she appeared in variety Of
characters, including "Lsdy Macbeth, ,"
Julia" in the Hupchbdck, Mrs. Hall
ier,n n"Be4trice,n - Lady peaz!e, ," "Rosa-
lind" and" Juliana" in the Honey
moon. Her sister having joined her,
they acted together for several years st
the Haymsrket theater in London and
in the chief provincial towns of Great
Britain. In 1919 she revisited the
United States. and, in addition to her
ordinary characters, assumed that OF
" Meg Merrilies,n in the play of Guy
Aannering-a striking personation, ana
one whicn she may be slid to have Gre
atei. After another professional tour 10
England she returneI t. Americs, and
having accumulated fortune by her
profession, took formal leave Cf the
American Stage. She subsequ ontiy
acted a round OF engagements in Eag
lard, and appeared again in the United
States in 1857 and 1858, after which she
returned to Rome, where she had pre-
Viously resided. A few years since Miss
Cushman returned to the United States,
aud two seasons since, at Booths the
ater, took her formal farewell of the
stage under circumstances of great ecJat,
the iIiu=tTious and venerable poet, Bry-
an, presiding and doing the honOrs of
presentation of a crown of merit She
afterward Travelled through the Union
and gave readings, refusing many
tempting offsrs to re-appssr uPol the
stage which she left the cIOwned queen
of tragedy without q rival, and 80 far
without suCcs s3or.