Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-23

daries of the metropolis of Virginia,
the seat of William and Mary College
and the residence of all the officers of his
majestys government, it was so near the
woods that the manager could stand
in the door and shoot pigeons for his
dinner which he did more than once.
Everything was now ready for the
first rehearsals on terra firma. but in
the preEa atoms made in London,
which Were multitudinous and had been
wonderfully carried out for a first ven
ture in distant land. an orchestra had
either been overlooked or the manage
ment hoped to find musical talent in
the new world. They were fortunate
in getting the services of Mr.. Pelham.
a teacher of the harpsichord and music
master to the gentry of the colony, in
Guiding Martha SHELTON. who was to
marry Thomas jefferson. and Martha
cambridge, later the wife of President
Washington, and other bellies of VIII
liamsburg.
Instead of the large orchestras, which
are an integral part of the wonderful
theatrical productions now taking
place to mark this tercentennary. and
the strolling musicians of some of the
London theaters, Mr.. Pelham was the
whole orchestra and seemed to have
enIivened the time between acts with
pleasing program.
September 5. little over month
after the arrival. everything was ready
for the opening night of The Mer-
chant of Venice, which was followed
by 'Lethe.' a farce by Garrick, which
was even then new in London; so the
fashionables at this performance were
getting the newest of the London
stage.
Shylock. the money lender. and the
beautiful Portia, the first woman law
yer to plead On American soil, doubt
less never trod the boards in sock and
buskin among more poetic and pictur-
esque surroundings than that evening
in early September by the light of the
torches
the windows held in the hands of the
dusky attendant who had lighted
milady to the playhouse. AS the usual
hour of performance was O'Clock.
there was an act at least in the partial
twilight OF that beautiful fall border
ing on Indian summer. with the great
forest trees and the mysterious depths
of the woods forming a natural accom-
panying mise en- scene, while the birds
hoped and twittered from branch to
branch or softly lulled themselves to
rest among the leafy branches, assist
Ing Mr.. Pelham in exquisite way,
while the hooking bird occasionally
burst into song or saucily called note
of mimicry.
The players and play had been duly
advertised In the Williamsburg Gazette
and the fashionable world of the cap
ital had been on the qui vive for weeks
watching impatiently for the event
which was to vary the round of balls.
receptions and river parties and the
routs at the Apollo room in the Ra-
leigh tavern. Some of the bellies who
had attended school abroad and with
out doubt many of the macaronies had
seen the more finished performances at
the Drury Lane and Covent Garden in
London, and were particularly blase
when speaking of the actresses.
On this opening night the ladies were
dressed in their latest satin brocadeS,
laces and jewels, with powdered hair
and bewitchng patch just below the
left eye, as fashion decreed. The beauX
were in their latest from London, their
glasses The foX-hunting parson is
said to have occupied a box. and among
the audience were the Beverleys, the
Randolphs. Masons, Pendletons and,
perhaps. Maj. George Washington. for
it was in the next year, 1853, that he
was sent by Gov. Dinwiddie to sum-
mons the French posts ON the Ohio to
surrender to the arms of England. That
Lewis Hallam the second played before
him In later life In New York and
Philadelphia when he was chief mag
istrate is certain.
All was ready for the performance
to begin. and Mr.. Singleton. who played
prologue for the occasion which was
read by Mr.. Rigby. who played the part
of Bassanio. This prologue was the
first composition connected with a
drama that was written for or partic-
ularly addressed to an American audi
ence. 1t was very apropos, the first
lines running:
To this New World, from fam'd Britannia's
shore,