Theatrical Impression

[Marylander in Grey]

Greetings folks,
I am looking for information on period theatrical groups. I have some late teens and early twentys members who are thinking of forming a group. Does anyone have any information or links that I can point them to?
I suggested that they start with Fords Theater.
Thank you,

[vbetts]

Re: Theatrical Impression

I don't have any information on northern theatrical groups, but I do have a list of one-act plays published between 1850 and 1865, if they are looking for short scripts to track down.

http://www.uttyler.edu/vbetts/one_act_plays.htm

Please note that I don't have copies of these to share, alas!

Vicki Betts

[jhuether]

Re: Theatrical Impression

I don't know if this helps, but... perhaps the most popular popular entertainment of the 1850s and 60s was the minstrelsy. Minstrel shows were developed during the late 1700s in England. They first appeared in America as fillers between acts in legitimate playhouses. These shows were characterized with white men dressing in what has become known as "black face," usually using brunt cork or coal. There were two characters that were present in most all shows, the plantation slave (Jim Crow) and the Northern dandy (Zip Coon). The show itself was comedic and based around music. The usual minstrel group consisted of four or five men, which included banjos, bones and tambourines. The five string banjo, or minstrel banjo, is considered by many to be the only indigenous instrument to America. Minstrel shows provided the first popular music in this country. Songs such as "Jim Crow" and "I Wish I Was in Dixieland" are products of the minstrelsy. I recommend checking out the songs of Stephen Foster. While a minstrel show would take a little bit of musical talent, they can be fun to watch and participate in, minus the black face. I used to do a small one man show mistrelistic (I think I made that word up :)) accompanied only by a small mouth harp about ten years ago. There is a great text to work out of, but like so much in my life, I haven't the slightest idea of the name right. I will have to ask my wife to look for it, as I am predisposed currently. It would be possible to do a rather good minstrel impression, you would just need to be sure you stay on this side of good taste.

Another option is a singing family. This trend started prior to the outbreak of War. The most known group was the Hutchinson family, starting in the 1840s. This group, in many forms, existed for decades. Singing families can generally be classified as glees. Think of high school glee clubs and there you go. They sang watered down versions of popular songs, sacred songs and created music of there own. Once again the Hutchinsons would probably be the best place to start for material in this field as they were the most prolific. I would think fitting songs would be "Chester" or "Amazing Grace." This is an impression that wold take a little work, and would of course require a few good voices, but certainly not professional.

I know that this is a little of topic, but hope it at least helps to guide you a little. As far as music goes, a great book to look at is America's Musical Landscape by Jean Ferris. Its a textbook that I came across in my history of American Music class. Hope this helps a little.

[TraciAnn]

Re: Theatrical Impression

This is a topic I absolutely love to research... I think theatre in the mid 19th century is fantastic! I recommend the following two books as a look into the inner workings of the theatre before and during the Civil War Era:

Melodramatic Formations, by Bruce Mcconachie. This book focuses on the overall history of early theatre in America, its foundations, and how it affected society.

Lust for Fame, The Stage Career of John Wilkes Booth, by Gordon Samples. While this book focuses exclusively on the career of John Wilkes Booth, it is a great way to understand how the industry worked and what it was like to be an actor just before and during the war. It is chocked full of primary sources, playbills, and other wonderful information (like lists of the characters he played which provides a wonderful list of popular shows during the era, houses he played in which points to the influential theatre areas at the time...).

Keep in mind that the theatre was still a place that some higher members of society looked down upon. The Civil War era was the time when the theatre was slowly becoming something more than a 'devil's playhouse'. Popular shows reflected the differences in American society and their European counterparts, other shows focused on taboo areas of life. While some star actors moved with high society, many traditional upper-class folks wanted nothing to do with them. Acting, just like today, is not always a glamorous profession. Only the best stars were making the big bucks, traveling around the world, and able to live a decent life. Most actors were stock company members making a fair wage and performing as many as 25 shows a week. Many of these actors would be able to perform several roles with little preparation before a curtain call... their mind was constantly full of the shows and roles they had played before and, in most cases, the shows and roles they hoped to perform one day. Most actors used their own costumes and props, as well, carrying them in large trunks from theatre to theatre (if they were fortunate enough to no longer be a stock player at one location).

[Virginia Mescher]

Re: Theatrical Impression

This is Virginia's spouse chiming in.

If you are in the DC area, there is or was a group, The New Old Theater Company that has presented a couple of plays at large reenactments. I don't know if they are still operating but google their name and they have a contact person.

Michael Mescher

[lhsnj]

Re: Theatrical Impression

This is Virginia's spouse chiming in.

If you are in the DC area, there is or was a group, The New Old Theater Company that has presented a couple of plays at large reenactments. I don't know if they are still operating but google their name and they have a contact person.

Michael Mescher

http://www.geocities.com/lampredi2/HOME.html

The website for New Old Theater Company.

[Wild Rover]

Re: Theatrical Impression

second greg's posting- these guys have done many plays for us in the past, including "Our American Cousin"

They are lined up to do "Stage struck Yankee" at September Storm, anyone wanting to check them out please do, it is free for all participants.

Pards,

[Joanna Jones]

Re: Theatrical Impression

I have seen several performances of this group and have been delighted: http://www.lhsmn.org/minnehaha/index.html

I am sure they would be willing to assist you

Joanna Jones

[crabby]

Re: Theatrical Impression

Another fine quality Theatrical group would be the Mockingbird Theatre, they produce many quality productions and also host the Allendale Melodians.:D http://www.mockingbirdtheatreco.com/

Crabby

[Professor Barclay]

Re: Theatrical Impression

This is very interesting seeing what others are doing to present Victorian and CW era entertainments to modern audiences, as well as to the reenactment community.

Rick