Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1916-04-26
WILLIAM HALLAM
FATHEROF THEATRE
Financed Shakespeare's Plays
Sent Company Of Players to
America
MARYLAND GAZETTE"
Files Tell of Plays Produced in An
napohs in 1752 When Richard
Ill Was Acted Twice Here
The Gazette Now the Evening
Capital"
Part II.

Ii Is not stated how many nights
The Merchant of Venice" was played.
but there was evidently an early per.
formance of "Othello," at which was
entertairend the first fashionable and
distinguished theatre party in the col
onies.
1t was on November 9, 1852. a little
more than d month after the first per
formance that a writer in a Williams
burg letter to the Maryland Gazette
gives the following society note:
"Maryalnd Gazette. Williamsburg.
November 1.-THE emperor of the
Cherokee nation. with his empress. and
their son. attended by several of his
great men and their ladies'. were re-
ceived az the palace by his honor the
governor attended by such of the coun-
ell as were in town on THURSDAY the
9Th instant with all marks of court
esy and friendshipand were that even
ing entertained al the theatre with the
play tthe tragedy of Othello) arl
pantomime performance which gave
them great surprise. as did the fight
ing with naked swords on the stage
whicn occasioned the empress to order
some about her 10 go and preveni them
killing one another.'
II these Indians were given great
surprise what must have been the
feeling of theEnglish artists when they
played the first time before the court
where TIE evening dress was as mod
est as that worn az the present time
nut the evening gown thar She cmnras-
of the Cberokees prabai ly wore was
bead necklace and q bright blanket
made after the hobble skirt recently
worn, with the accompanying slasbar
side 90 give more fre5siom 10 the child
Of nature, VINO had not a Deisartiau
walk and was la sirg her debut CO the
governors lheatre party
From files of the Maryland Gazette if
seems pla3 were produced u An
napolis by a company Of comedians in
1852, as this advertisement appears
BY permission of his homo ihl
President Az The new theatre ia An
uapolis. bv the company of comedians.
on Monday next being the 18Th ri this
instant Iulg 1852. wtll be performed
comedy called the Beaux Stratagem
Likewise farce callol'The Virgin Tn
masked To begin precisely az
O'Clock Tickets 20 be hai at the
printing office. Box. ten shulncs.
pit : and 8 pence. gallery. 3 shillmcs.
No person aImltcd behind the scenes
In the advertisement of Richard
Ill" which was acted twice. the char
acter of Richard was taken by Mr.. Wy
nell. and that Of Richmond by a Mr..
Herbert. Il appears that while the
Hallam company was - earsiEg and
making over the warehouse az Will
iamsbure these two players. who had
inferior parts in the Hallam company
may have 8 ne &c Annapolis and play
cd with Air Evanson who was not
member OF the English troupe
Later in the season, when The reg
ular company played there. it is all
verused in tho Maryland Gazette that
the House (theatre) is entirely lined
throughout for the reception OF Ladies
aud Gentlemen. and they have also
raised Porch at the door. that viii keeT
out Il g inclemency OF the weather"
After remaining in Virginia ten or
'+tcf+A tsoittAs Lewis 1ditdAlt AAtl tlS
entire company, except Wynol ana
Herbert, who played Ia Annapolis,
went TO New York When the com
pany left the Old Dominion, Governor
Dinwiddie gave Mr.. Haaam certif-
cate sigudl in council and recommend
ing the company of comedians and
bearing testimony 10 their behavior
as men.
Conclusion