Evening star., 1931-12-20
BY JOHN CLACETT PROCTOR.

Fifteenth street and Pennsylvania
avenue-known Chase's and by
other names to the younger people
and F6rd's Opera House. at Ninth and
streets northwest have been entirely removed,
and the old Comique, we once used to call
1t, has only short while yet to remain at,
Eleventh and the Avenue ere it, too, will be
razed and carted away. These buildings are
all within the area being improved by the
Federal Government, and hence their removal
could not be avoided.
In the blocks taken by the local gov
ernment there two old theaters,
on the south side of Louisiana avenue
Indiana avenue), between John Marshall place
and Sixth street. early known as the Wash
ington Theater, and the Odeon ON the north
east corner Of John Marshall place and Penn
sylvania. avenue, now being removed. The
site of the Washington Theater has been
cant since it was destroyed by fire many years
ago, and with the passing of the Odeon, per-
hapS only one Of what might be called the
older play houses will remain standing.
Washington has always been a good the
atrical city since the Capital moved here
in 1900, and it was shortly after Wignell SS
Reinagle closed their New Theater" in Phil
adelphia- May IT, of that year that the
scenery and equipment we're moved to this city
and performances given in the United States
Theater, which located in an incompleted
building known the United States or Great
Hotel, and also as Blodgetts Hotel from the
name of the builder, Sampel Blodgett, who
erected the building as part of lottery
scheme, to which, at least from the first, there
seems to have been no objection. Here the
first play performed Venice Preserved"
with Wignell Gaffier, Cooper as Pierre and
Mrs. Merry as Belvidera.
Wignell, of the firm of Wignell g. Reinagle,
it would appear. early trod the boards in
New York and had evidently played before
PTpSiI tho riOl tha
Capital located in that city. 1t was the
only theater in New York at that time, land
SO small were its dimensions it Is stated
that the whole fabric might easily be placed
on the stage of one of our modern theaters.
Yet humble the edfce, it possessed
an excellent company of actors and actresses
including old Morris, who was the associate of
Garrick in the very outset of that great
tors career at Goodmansfelds. The stage boxes
were appropriated to the President and Vice
President and were each of them decorated
with emblems, trophies, etc. At the foot of
the playbills were always the words 'Vivat
Respublica." Washington often visited this
theater, being particularly gratifed by Wig
nells performance of Darby, in The Poor
Soldier
1T was in the theater in John street that
the new national air Of Hail. Columbia then
called the President s March, was first played
It was composed by a German musician named
~
ment to the President"
A FIER the Capital was moved to Philadel-
\phia, in the latter part Of $780, Wignen
also followed there; and at the time the Coy
ernment was moved to this city he and Rein
agile also found their way here
1t is quite likely that Washington not only
saw Wignen act in New York, but also In
for fhp frc& 10
to have attended the theater in both cities
when residing there. Writing of these visits
to the play house, his adopted son, George
Washington Parke Custis says:
1.-The First President was partial to the
amusements of the theater, and attended some
five or six times in q season, more especially
where some public charity was to be bene-
fitted by the performance. The habit was for
the manager to wait on the President request
ing him to command a play. The pieces so
commanded partook of but little variety, but
must be admitted to have been in excellent
taste, the School for Scandal and Every One
Has His Fault, for the plays; and of the aft
erpieces, there was almost standing order for
The Poor Soldier and 'Wignel's Darby The
Old American Co., comprising Hallam and
Henry, Harper. Wignel and Old Morris, first
played in 1889. in the theater, John street,
and nothing more truly shows our transcendent
march to empire than the contrast between the
uunnpie, nay u1iAiihs, IuedttF WHICH the FrSt
President attended 40 years ago, and the now
various and magnificent temples of Thespis
which adorn the now great and splendid city
Of New York.
1.-THE company moved with the Government
to Philadelphia and performed in the. old
theater, Southwark Gin which was some
scenery, said to have been painted by the in
teresting and unfortunate Maj Andre), until
the erection of the house on Chestnut street
where, we believe, the curtain fell upon the
exits of the remnants of the Old American
company
"(By particular desireD at the head of the
play bill, always announced that the President