The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-12-01
THE OLD DRURY.
REOPENlNG OF TINE OLDEST TEMPLE
OF ART IN NEW ORLEANS.

ment OF the 81 CnarleS Theatre make fOrmAl
announcement Of the reopening for the season
Of the glorious and time honored st. Charles
Theatre
| The occurrence IL one 80 fraught with remln-
iscenses Of the good and prospt rous times Of
| the Crescent City and of the haeyon days of the
English drama that our readers will pardon us
| II we indulge In some enthusiasm I'm recording
It., We even suspect that many Will be thank
| ful Tor the recital OF some of the main events
| connected with the institution whose history
is not surpassed In interest by that Of
any :. other her, IT., theatre In the country
with that quickenng pleasure which inevitably
accompanies reeolleetions Of auld lang syne.
destro yed the original st. Charles Theatre T'l at
| that time the largest theatre in the world with
| tlfSaxeeption of In Scala Of Milan and one or
James =. CalfEell the introducer Of gas In
In New Orleans was the promoter Of the recon
struction Of the present s.; Charles, the corner
on the pinth Ct May, 1912. In sixty days-not
unlike Aladdins fairy palace-the dramatic
temple was thoroughly rebuilt and apportioned
anxious public until the eighteenth Of Janna,y,
1919. With the elder, Wallaek, ,vandenhoIf and
| play. John Brougham and Placide. who were
already shining. IN the theatrical armament.
| followed the brilliant galaxy. Then came Ole
Bull. who played to twelve hundred dollar
We cannot promise to give complete list of
the
LIGHTS OF THE PROFESSION
| who have In times gone by caused the ancient
walls Of the st. Charles TO resound with the
echoes Of the plaudts Of the mutitudes who as
Sembled nightly within Its vast and commodt
Gus AUDITORIUM, the acoustics Of which. by the
| way have been pronounced by the, most cele-
| TO that OF any other theatre In the country. But
we propose to give In brief history Of the most
| distinguished theatrical people who have ap-
peared there and as n matter Of record the date
nUnDtnp Dt
w. O. McCready we find In the chronicles Of
The times, made his first appearance In New
| in Hamlet" Forrest, who but a few years
previous ut the Camp Street Theatre. modestly
claimed fame Romeo ja6ier JeDkins. played
during the, same season an engagement rs q
star tragedian. Next season we find J. L. An
derson drawing crowded houses and In the
| list Of attractions the celebrated Seguin Opera
Troupe.
The season o. 1916 saw Mr.. and Mrs Charles
| Kean outshining the footlights. Julius Caesar"
and wife In the cast: y, J.. Davenport. Mrs.
| Mowatt. the Ravels and the. Keans again. In
s7 the sensation ha was the v1nn"se
seen in this country; the vast stage Of the st.
Charles aiIording this remarkable ballet com
pany the flnest opportunity of exhibiting its
beauties. They played thirty nights. averaging
Dean. Anna Bishop. McGready and Dan Mar.
| BILE were among those who closed the season.
The stock company was nnually good and IN
Guided George vapdenhofr. Ryder and Melinda
Ing Rip Van Wake as an
aFTERpIECE.
The next season began November TO- 1ato, with
poor Benedict DeBar as stage manager for
Ludlow \ Smith. Marx Smith, who was then
Oushman and Couldock played together that
year for thirty nights to crowded houses.
The next year the season began November -,
a fortunate date for the st. Charles It would
seem. Julia Dean and Charlotte. Cushman
adorned the stage; each for a period Marx
with Charlotte Cushman. 1t WAS during this
season that
appeared In New Orleans seats sold for from
$40 to 800 the receipts the first night amount
ing to 100000 tprobaby the largest received at
any theatre ut any time) and never fell short Of
$4,000 during the thirteen nights that she sang
We pause to breathe a short prayer on behalf of
mod I'm theatre managers.
The !, season OF 1871 81 opened on Novembsr /.
sloan in the company. Among the stars ds we're we're,
George Barrett, Eliza Logan. Mile Celeste. Mrs
Barrow, Neafle and Jane M Davenport Profess
sor Anderson played to $1,000 houses. The
Ravels closed the season after playing forty six
nights.
November 8. 1852, our Old Drury reopened, the
elder Booth being the star. and played his last
engagement on any .stage. November ~. rs Sir
Edward Mortimer timer ip the Iron Chest After
who drew immense houses, Mrs. Mowatt. Anna
Thilon and Julia Dean. The Ravels closed the
season. for the third time playing thirty six
closed the management of Ludlow X Smith
November 10 again, this time In 1859. Bon Dollar
a rs proprietor an and manager, opens the st.
November g. 1854, the theatre liz opened again,
snd Ben as Toodles and the Mock Duke i'm
on NoveR5er II. with Mrs. Fanen In the
Stranger, aid good company, including Chas.
Pope y. u. Duifleld, Mark Smith. Ben DeBar,
Vining Bowers. J. i. Studley and Mary Glad
stane.
Mrs Fanen opened the season Of ls5G on She
Rnveis, the Campbell Mnstrels were among the
attractions. Mr. and Mrs. John Wood on No
vember 9. oponed the season Of 1857, Kate Reig
nulds being the leading lady OF tho stock com
Edwin Booth appeared, during the following
season for the first, time in New Orleans, The
critics of the period were not favorable to him.
A grand French opera company distinguished
tho season Of 1869.
In 1860 Mrs. Emma Waller as Lady Macbeth.
won the praise Of press and PUBLIC. joey Gu
genheim starred that season.
On April H. 1861.
THE FIRST GUN
fred at Fort Sumter closed the theatre for the
season. and it was not reopened until January
1864. by A. L. Griffin. II was during this year
that u hle9t Lews Morrison made his debut as
Claude Melno'te, making. according to critic.
the son Of the widow sick.
r. W. Davey undertook tho management on
February g. 1864 with Mary Gladstane and
Wilkes Booth played Richard III" in March OF
the same year. After Boots came the Marti-
hs mas Mf9% Sa nnd
table by the first appearance of Lolita. j. Eddy
played In 1865. In 1867 Ben Dollar opened his
theatre on November 3 with the Japanese
Troupe The dramatic troupe had w. II. Riley
as Its leading man.
We forget many more such as Fanny Ellsler.
the Wizard McAllister, Davenport, Janau-
scheck all OF whom met with the most enthu-
siastic receptions. and to use a popular ex-
preston. coined money during their engage
ments.
With such record we can only hope for the
most prosperous times for Major Robt. Strong,
the lessee and manager. whose success last
seasorCin catering to the public taste is estab-
ished. Major Strong is this season assisted by
Mr.. j. Kittredge as business manager. whose
energy and activity. coupled with a long expe-
rience in theatrical affairs dating back to his
youth, will supply sfund of amusement equal
with the importance OF the st. Charles.
PAT GLEASON.
We have only few words to say Of him He
has been either treasurer Or assistant treasurer