The Washington herald., 1911-11-19
LORE OF EARLY PLAYHOUSES
SHOWS KEENDRAMATIC INTEREST

verted into Christy's Opera House in
1861. 1t was then opened on March 19,
1862. as Ford's Atheneum, with Lucille
Weston in The French Spy" Follow
ing the fashion prevalent among thea
tiers at the time. it promptly burned on
December 30, 1862. but was rebuilt and
reopened as Fords Theater August q,
1868, with The Naiad Queen"
LIncoIn's Assassination.
What has always given great promi-
hence to this theater was the dreadful
occurrence which married the evening OF
April IA, 1855. when John Wilkes Booth
assassinated President Lincoln. This was
during the performance OF Our Ameri-
can Cousin" which was being given by
Laura Keene and her company. Imme-
diately the theater was closed, and later,
when an attempt was made to open 1t,
file OF soldiers from the War Department
appeared and prevented the dissertation.
The building was afterward purchased
by the government. and during remodel
ing about twenty years ago It collapsed
and killed twenty-five clerks.
The theater which has had more names
than any other theater in the world IS
the Olympic Music Hall, known as the
Majestic ~Theater, situated on Ninth
street and Louisiana avenue. It was
opened as the Gymnasium October II,
1862. Not liking the title, 1t shortly be-
came the Washington Varieties. Again
being ready for a char ge, IT became the
oxford Hall and Pinecotheca. then the
Oxford Music Hall and Theater. Jump
ing from that to the distinguished name
of Canterbury. then back to the casual
Wallis Opera House. II only burned
once, taking a night for its conhagratiOn
of December 6. 1871. when 1t was quickly
rebuilt, and on February p. 1873, was
opened by Mr.. Joseph Jefferson in RIP
Van Wrinkle" Another line Of distin-
guished names came to characterize this
playhouse. The New Opera House, Ford's
Opera House, Harris Bijou Theater,
Empire Theater. and Majestic Theater,
November Is, 1906.
The Academy. while not so prolific in
names, was only second in the list of
fires. However, this last structure was
so spIendidIy and solidly built that 1t
has been years since the fire department
has been called upon to aid IN saving
the heroine from the Vaccinations OF the
villain. It was built in 1858, under the
name OF Lincoln Hall, and was finally
reconstructed and formally opened as a
new, modern theatep IN September. 1907.
Another SPOT which Is OF historical in
terest and which to-day has one Of the
most modern theaters of the country upon
its ground Is the site OF the new Belasco
Theater. It was the residence OF William
H Seward, the Secretary Of War under
President Lincoln. and after the assas-
sination Of Lincoln one OF the assassins
who was aiding Booth broke into Sew
ards house, endeavoring to kill him.
This, however. he did not accomplish and
escaped Afterward 1t became the resi-
dence Of the late James @. Blaine, where
he spent a great portion Of his life and
his last days. Upon his death the La
fayette Square Opera House was built
and opened on September 90. 1895. with
Lillian Russell In The Tzigane." It be-
came the Belasco Theater in 1906, and
opened October . OF that year with
Blanche Bates In THE Girl Of the 6olden
West"