The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-06-03
FIRST ACTOR TO PLAY HERE.
AMERICAN DRAMA OLDER THAN
WAS GENERALLY SUPPOSED.
The Testimony OF a Book Makes II start in
1901 Instead OF About l53O-Adven.
lures OF Anthony Aston. Who Was the
First American Playwright and Actor.

1901 Instead OF About lS3O-Adven.
lures OF Anthony Aston. Who Was the
First American Playwright and Actor.
American dramatic historians have as a
rule either determined on about 1850 as
the date Of the introduction of the drama
into this country or have aimedin a rather
uncertain manner to carry it ba ok to about
1880. A foremost dramatist-manager, in
an article entitled THE Beginnings of the
Drama in America repeated last Deem
Der the familiar stories relating to the sub
ject, seeming to overlook the fact that a
book exists which clearly indicates that
theatrical performances were given in New
York city and other American towns many
years before 1880, n that its writer was
the first known professional to perform
upon the native stage.
This book, a copy of which "a owned by
a collector of theatrical literature in this
city, has long been famous among book
collectors on account of its rarity, although
its interest also is great. Its title is as
follows: "The FOOLS Opera; or. The Taste
Of the Age. Written by Mat. Medley, and
Performed by his Company in Oxford:
To which is prefx'd a Sketch Of the Authors
Life, Written by Himself"
MAT Medley" the author, was in reality
Anthony Aston. an English s~trolling player
Of considerable notoriety, of whom a curl
GUS account is given by William Rufus
Chetwood, the Drury Lane prompter, in
his General History of the Stage" Dub
lin, 1749. THE Fools Opera" printed with
out date in London, was probably issued
about 1881.
II -1.x l@,,II -A-N.a Fz-Al-
piece; title page, one leaf; ITO the Reader
one leaf; advertisement and cast Of char
acters, one leaf; text, twenty-five pages,
and one leaf Of publishers advertisements
at the end. The frontispiece, one of the
features of this book, gives a scene from
the opera, showing four players on the
stage, while in the upper left hand corner
is an oval portrait of Tony Aston, impor-
tant as the only known portrait Of him in
existence.
In his biographical sketch Aston rays:
MY merry hearts. you arc to know me
as a gentleman, lawyer. poet, actor, soldier,
sailor, exciseman, publican. in England.
Scotland, Ireland, New York, Enst and
West Jersey, Maryland Virginia on both
sides Cheesapeekl, North and South Caro-
lima, South Florida, Bahamas, Jamaica,
Hispaniola, and often n coaster by all the
same"
Following this introduction Aston states
that his father was Richard Aston, a lawyer,
and that he was educated in Staffordshire
and was later "an unlucky, idle clerk" rs
instead OF copying bills" he was prone
to making verses, reading plays, and went
to see Dogget make conical faces in the
last two acts" Later he became an actor
and played many characters in Ireland,
and returning to England travelled and
played with a company Of London ONE
dams who acted IN the provinces.
Aston is believed to have arrived in the
American colonies about 1901, although
the exact date il not given in his sketch.
which states that he landed after many
yioissitudes" at Charleston, s. c., full OF
shame, poverty, Dakedness and hunger
turned player and poet, and wrote n
play on the subject Of the county,
After leaving Charleston he Embarked
on a chip bound for Rev York, but when