New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-03
LITTLE OLD NETWORK.
Some Odd Phases of Her March 70
Greatness.
XIV.

cured room In a building near the junction OF
Peari-st- and Maiden Lane. capable OF seat
ing four hundred persons. With slight inter
mission they continued their performances here
until February. 1874. when the company was
disbanded. Some Of their productions were
Cato: A Tragedy" and The Recruiting Off
GER" THE Beaux' Stratagem' and The Busy
body" comedies. Individuals and minor COM
panies entertained the old citizens up to the
winter of 1149. when a company crossed the At
lantic and began season Of eight months en-
tertainment. Whether it prospered the dspo-
nent saith not.
On the estate OF Rip Van Dam. mentioned in
the chronology. the first Nassau Street Theatre
was built. 1t stood between John-st and Maiden
Lane. two-story house. with high gables. The
opening bin. on March 5. 1880 was Richard
III. with Thomas Kean Richard. 1t was In
this house on December 81. 1751 that "OtheIlo''
was played for the first time in America Sep
TENDER IL. 1853. in a theatre on the east side
Of Nassau-st.. Lewis HalIam who had accord
ing to the record. been refused a license in the
early part of the year to perform in New-York
received permission 10 present the Conscious
Lovers and Damon and PhfIHda" in the
theatre mentioned. Here also Romeo and
Juliet" on January % 1854. had it's first rep
resentation.
The corporation OF the old city seemed to
look with diSfavOr theatriCals as the rec
ord says they refused permission to another
company to open new playhouse erected on
Crugers Wharf. between Old and Coenties slips.
by David Douglass. and known as David Doug
lass's Theatre. The corporation reIented how
ever. and the theatre was opened on Decembe-
Is 175S. with the tragedy OF Jane Shore" In
1853 the company left New York on tour and
on It's return in 1851 occupied a new theatre on
the corner OF what is now Nassau and Beck.
man SITS Henry W. was given for the first
time on the American stage here. and Ham
let for the first time in New-YOrk
On the north side of John-st.. near Broadway.
on December T. 1861. a new playhouse was
opened Seasons of entertainments were given in
it up to October 24. HI when Congress rec
commended that all places of public amusement
should be closed" A short list of the plays
given viii be interesting to the student of old
NewYork affairs indicating the tastes of the
theatregoers then: Richard Ill" Hamlet
"Cymbeline.'' Romeo and Juliet" King Lear
The Merchant of Venice" Macbeth Cato"
She Stops TO Conquer The Beggar's Opera
and The Irish Widow
During the occupation OF this city by the
British in 17I7 entertainments were given in
this house by the British officers A play writ
ten by Major Andre in 1871 was also produced
here.
Here is something interesting for those who
want 10 see man between the acts OF plays
In New-York theatres to-day: 1T is customary
10 have a dramshOp in the neighbOrhOod of
theatres (as is the case in this city,. where the
audience. exhausted by attention to the per-
Torrance. may recruit their spirits by taking a
glass OF gin CT something equally celebrating
between the acts; and il often happens thaf
Immediately upon drinking dram the person
to he Ter a he
and the sound have been united. and thus
drama or drama is found The foregoing is
from an advertisement in Gaines paper The
last performance occurred in the John Street
Theatre on January Is. 1I9S-
In last weeks chronology Ricketts, Amphi-
theatre was mentioned II was situated in
Greenwich-st near the Battery and in 1896
was known as the Pantheon. Venice Pre-
served was the opening production in this year.
with Thomas Abthorpe Cooper as Pierre.
On January 20, 1T9S. the Park Theatre sit
uated on what is the site of the Syndicate
Building in Park Row. was opened 1t had
frontage OF So feet and a depth of leo feet.
The plan for its construction was furnished by
the builder and engineer OF the London Thames
tunnel Mark IsanGard Brunei. Managerial
quarreIs hindered the work the structure be-
tween the time IL designed. in 1898. and
the year building operations began. in 1898 ON
the opening night it in an unfinished state
"Au in a Bustle: or. The New House." was the
curtain raiser. and AS You Like 1t" and mu-
steal entertainment called The Purse; or. Amer
lean Tar" completed the bill The doors will
be opened at five. and the curtain drawn az a
quarter past six" says the programme la
dies and gentlemen are requested TO be particu-
lar In sending servants early 10 keep boxes"
and will please direct their servants to sit
down with their horses heads toward the New
Brick Meeting and take up with their horses
heads toward Broadway" For the first per-
Torrance boxes were shiIlings, the pit 6 shil-
Iings and the gallery shillings" -Four nights
were given to performances, and the first nights
receipts were 81, 2S2 with many unable TO get IN.
The regular admission price was: Gallery. %
cents; pit 80 cents. and box, 81 In the summer
Of 1T9S the house was in complete order and
beautifully furnished, says the record. For
company OF twenty-six persons and an orches-
ira of fourteen. the salary list of the Park
Theatre amounted 70 S1.161 weekly. Food for
thought in this when compared with the salaries
Of to-day in our metropolitan theatres Indeed.
in 179S the highest salary paid in America was
500 week.
The Park Theatre continued the playhouse
Of New-York of course with varying fortunes.
until MAY *. 1890 when, after the performances
Of the Siege of Tripol," for the benefit OF
Major Noah. the theatre was discovered 10 be
on fire. II was entirely consumed. the actors
losing their effects. The proprietOrs at this
time were John Jacob Aston and John K. Beck
man.
After the fire building operations were inms-
dtateiy begun. and on September I. 1921. the
New Park Theatre rose from the ruins OF the
old one 1t was 165 feet deep. running through
TO the present Theatre Alley. and 50 feet on Park
Row Junius Brutus Booth made his New