The New York herald., 1921-04-16

New York's First Theatre.

New York's First Theatre.
The dedication of a tablet to mark
the entrance to the long vanished
John Street Theatre opens a new
field OF comparisons and contrasts
between the old and the new In New
York. The taste for theatricals was
Of early growth among the residents
of Manhattan, for although this was
the first building planned and erected
for dramatic performances-it was
opened in 1767-two lofts had pre-
viously been used for the purpose,
one fronting on the East River as
early as 1871 and the other about 175O
on Nassau street.
The John Street Theatre was
rough structure of lumber and stood
in the middle of the block west of
Broadway, with it's entrance from IL
John street through long wooden
| tunnel. 1t Is calculated that 1t held
$500 In the money Of to-day; it must
therefore have accommodated from
800 to 1000 people, for the prices
were S shillings FOR q box seat, 5
shilllngs In the pit and 3 shillings
in the gallery. Against this one
house a list Of theatres shows sew
enty-two regular houses in the Bor-
ough OF Manhattan to-day, ranging
from capacity of $500 at the Met
ropolitan Opera House down to
couple of hundred at some of the
little theatres. Altogether they
will easily hold 100000 people of an
evening; the total population Of New
York IN the John street days was
between $4,000 and 6o,000. But be-
sides these regular houses there are
Mt least an equal number of yaude-
Vile and motion picture houses, hold
ing at least 100000 more. The show
places OF to-day, In word, would
swallow up all the people of New
York when "Mr. DOUGLAS" launched
his enterprise.
IL the ghosts OF those who posed
and pleased the public upon the
boards Of that old time could revisit
the scenes of their tinsel triumphs
the change indicated by mere numbers
would not be circumstance to the
metamorphosis of the physical con-
ditions Where their old playhouse
hid behind small dwellings nesting In
gardens, where small shops, dirt roads
and scanty crowds presented the SEM
blance of thriving country town, the
skyscrapers, the asphalt pavement and
the rushing throng make a scene
matchless even in the world of
today for its material splendor and
pusating life.
And If they went looking for the
theatrics Of the new time how their
eyes, accustomed to the dim illumina-
tion of wax tapers, would be dazzled
by the glare of the Great White Wayi
But the John Street Theatre gave the
public It's favorites-its toasts, they
said then-Miss CHEER, Miss VAIN
WRIGHT, Mrs. NORRIS. Is there any
picture OF some one of them still ex-
tant? Miss WAINWRIGHT, 1t seems,
was charming as Polly in The Beg
gar's OPERA" which so recently failed
to charm Greenwich Village enough
to score long run.
In compliance with resolution Of
the Continental Congress the house
went dark" during the Revolution.
But the British officers reopened II
as the Theatre Royal. They gave
amateur productions, and the luckless
Major ANDRE wrote skits for il and
helped paint the scenery. Reopened
after the British evacuation, 1t be.
came prosperous and fashionable. The
first play by an American to be
staged in America was "The Con-
trasts" by RoyALL TYLER, produced
April 10, 1857. President WASHING
TON often enjoyed an evening in his
box. When he did the manager met
him at the door with q pair of wax
candles and conducted MIN TO MS
seat J; sentries were posted about the
auditorium.
1t Is a good thing to mark the site
Of this landmark in the city's growth.
Mellow are the memories that come
down to present day theatregoers OF It's
simple but sincere struggle to enter
tain the public. 1t was the cradle OF
great development in art and en-
lightenmeut in the new land. II
would be a pity indeed IL New Workers
allowed II 20 be forgotten.
There was some balm in Gilcad yes
terday for the patriot. He had a
coupon 70 cut from his Fourth loan
bonds. That Is. unless he had sold the
bonds to pay his State income tax.
II fs confidently asserted that moth