Federal Street Theatre

Federal Street Theatre, Boston

The Federal Street Theatre (1793–1852), also known as the Boston Theatre,[1] was located at the corner of Federal and Franklin streets in Boston, Massachusetts. It was "the first building erected purposely for theatrical entertainments in the town of Boston."[2]

History

Opening performance, February 3, 1794

The original building[3] was designed by Charles Bulfinch. It was "the first professionally designed American theater by a native architect."[4] It occupied land formerly owned by Thomas Brattle, Edward H. Robbins and William Tudor.[4] In 1798 fire destroyed the theatre; it was rebuilt the same year. The second building existed through 1852.[4]

Management included Charles S. Powell (1794–1795); John Steel Tyler (1795–1796); John Hodgkinson (1795–1796); John Brown Williamson (1796–1797); John Sollee (1797); Giles Leonard Barrett (ca.1798); Joseph Harper (ca.1798).[4][5]

Musicians affiliated with the theatre included Trille La Barre; Peter Von Hagen Sr.; R. Leaumont; and Gottlieb Graupner.[6] Scene painters included Christian Gullager (1793–1797).[4]

Events

References

  1. Boston Directory. 1823.
  2. Thomas Pemberton. "A Topographical and Historical Description of Boston, 1794." Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1st ser., III (1794, reprinted 1810), 255-56. Quoted in Stoddard. 1970; p.191.
  3. "Architectural Description of the Boston Theatre." Federal Orrery (Boston) 11-10-1794
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Stoddard. 1970
  5. Elias Nason. A Memoir of Mrs. Susanna Rowson. NY: Munsell, 1870.
  6. H. Earle Johnson. The Musical Von Hagens. New England Quarterly, Vol. 16, No. 1 (Mar., 1943); p.112.
  7. Early American Imprints, Series 1
  8. American Apollo, Feb. 27, 1794
  9. American Apollo, 24 April 1794.
  10. Skemp, Sheila (2009). First Lady of Letters. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 254. ISBN 978-0-8122-4140-2.
  11. Skemp, Sheila (2009). First Lady of Letters. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. p. 258. ISBN 978-0-8122-4140-2.
  12. Nason. 1870.
  13. 1 2 3 American Broadsides and Ephemera, Series 1
  14. "Lucrezia Borgia". Gleason's Pictorial. Boston, Mass. 1. 1851.

Further reading

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Coordinates: 42°21′19.97″N 71°3′23.48″W / 42.3555472°N 71.0565222°W / 42.3555472; -71.0565222

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