Lovisa Simson

Lovisa Concordia Simson, née Kliecnik or Lindström (1746 - 26 February 1808, Gothenburg), was a Swedish theater director. She was the managing director of the theater Comediehuset in Gothenburg between 1787 and 1792. She was the first female theater director over a permanent theater (rather than a travelling theater company) in her country.

Lovisa Simson was married to Johan Gustaf Simson (1756-1787), managing director of the Comediehuset in 1786-87, with whom she had two children. When he died, she took over his post and managed the economy and administration of the theater, while she left the artistic work and the supervision of the actors to the actors Andreas Widerberg (until 1788) and Johan Pettersson. When she retired in 1792, the grand day of the theater was regarded to be over as it lost a permanent staff and was only used by travelling companies: Simson, however, continued to tax the companies performing there.

References

• Forser Tomas, Heed Sven Åke, red (2007). Ny svensk teaterhistoria. 1, Teater före 1800. Hedemora: Gidlund. Libris 10415996. ISBN 978-91-7844-739-8
• Levertin, Oscar (1920). Samlade skrifter. D. 17, Teater och drama under Gustaf III : litteraturhistorisk studie (4. uppl.). Stockholm: Bonnier. Libris 284702