Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-30
THE OLD MARSHALL THEATRE.
"Reminiscences of the piay-iouse by
a Former Resident Of Richmond.

Mr.. III. w. Burton, of Corsicana, Tex,
contributes to the st. Louis Republic
the following interesting letter about the
Richmond Theatre:
In last Sundays Issue OF your paper !
read the following interesting telegram
from my old home-"Richmond on the
James"
The Richmond Theatre. the oldest play
house in this city and one Of
few days be converted into n
furniture store. Before the war
1t was known as the Marshall Theatre.
In 1862 1t was burned TO the ground and
was then rebuilt, the materials being
brought through the blockade. The
scenery for the new building was brought
from England"
Thousands OF Virginlans who read the
Republic IN distant homes can recall TO
memory many happy visits TO the OLD
Marshall Theatre at Richmond. When
first erected, in 1913. IL was named In
honor OF John Marshall. then a lawyer
of much distinction In the Old Dominion,
and afterwards world-famed as Chiet
Justice OF the United States Supreme
Court. 1t was In this old theatre that
the elder Booth (when Edwin was
boy made his great reputation as AN
actOr-partlcularly AS Richard III. The
elder Kean. Macready. Forrest. Char
lotte Cushman. W. T.. Burton. Burke.
Gustavus Brooke-all displayed their his
trionic talent on its boards In the days
when such talent was an honor To the
stage and appreciated by the best people
Of this land
LIND AND MAGGIE MITCHELL
Ny earliest recolections of the old
theatre take me back TO the acme or
Jenny Lind's success. | heard her sing
there in 1859 About the same period
can family remember the acting or
Charles Burke and Mrs. anna corr
Acknowledgement Mrs. william r.
Richie. Later | saw star after star ap-
pear on the historic old stage, supported
by splendid stock companies. l remem-
Der well--along in the 5Gs-Maggic
Mitchell in the French Spy'-her hrst
appearance in Richmond; Theodore Ham
ilton played Mohammed. Then came &.
". Couldock. as Luke Fielding, in the
"Wlllow Copse' This grand old actor
OF Hazel Kirke" fame. was then In the
prime OF manhood. Mr.. and Mrs. Waller
were very popular In "raZio' ana" the
Duchess OF Malh"-grand old plays
which we never see nowadays. Edwin
| Forrest often came TO Richmond in
| ante-belium days. and was the only actor
| then for whom the price OF admission
was raised y. l.. Davenport. james ~
| Murdoch, j. w. Wallack. Barry Sullivan,
| Kate Fisher Din "MaZeppaD. Mr; and
Mrs Tarney Williams. Mrs. Chafle-
Howard, and Laura Keene were amons
! the travelling stars then, but the mos
| profitable and enjoyable seasons OF me
| old Marshall Theatre were reserved fol
| the wears from 1856 to iS5l-when George
| Kinkle. John r. Ford. and Tom Mox
| ley were the lessees ana managers.
FINEST SEEN IN THE SOUTH
These gentlemen had the finest stocs
| companies and star attractions ever seer
| in the South-probably the entire coun
| try. During their management sue
sterling actors as Charles Lamb. =.
Chippendale. John II. JACK, Joseph ~, ~,
Adams, J. y. studley. Mrs. /. B: PM
lips. and Miss Mary Devln. as leading
! ladies'; Mrs Helen Muzzey and MIS-
| Cappelle. as Old women: the Darlington
sisters 0our-as soubrettes ana SONG an,
dance artists-were all in the stock an,
! prime favoritss In those days. Twai
! then that Edwin Booth began his greh
career. | remember when he came .
Richmond In 1885, heralded as the gFea,,
est son OF his great father-now sn'
house was packed at each pertori.i'ai,c
| Of mis- lively. nights stay. Also, his Ie
turn the next season--l saw MN a. .,
Hamlet with George Bonitace az o',os, -,
Edwin Adams as L .S. ps MI1, hrs frs
wife1 as OYhelia and Joseph Jefferson .,
first grave-dlgger. Ihat "as
worth remembering.
PROCTOR AND OTHERS.
In the halcyon days OF stock compenls,'
q good play was performed eaen , U.s.
followed BY u dance, am 'tt't a.,
From 1857 to 1850 the stock COMPANY a. az
the old Marshall was ;r.. Il i1 n,R p,'dTS ca
10 mind !. b. Proctor, John ,..rcs
Clark MI s,o ard M mso Drew M i large audi
aha j. y, 81, every old chizen OF tns
old Ely can 5s% wSsn he 'a appsafs
niebt alter night for two enrre saac,r,
s Comedian il the s tsrSis raf Ls sSf'MM
ps,,a sSbI,iings." Goodies" and nun.
srd s!nsr funny S4si ''s sa. Ne ,q !se'
r mar "a came as a star ana player pV =,
S Heres 70 me R,ysls" and 2T' Psnf9ffs ry !,
Ine ~ the people insisted thai Jensr
saa Should PLAY the wsa sane s sssssss
next sta So MAINLY and easily he IT.
eyer Clark s. a bore A' y.
anu pnor Ned Adams'-he OF ,Enoem ~ =.
as aa ,s sss k asss ff sa fpsssss,
lie u e his grand ifnpersons,y,nnss
see Michael Earle. In fns A