The Theatre Essay Research Paper Introduction free essay sample

The Theatre Essay, Research Paper Introduction The chief ground why I chose to make my study on the history of theater in NY is because I find theatre really interesting ( As you know I do some of it myself ) . I besides grew up in a house full of theatre instructors. I think this subject is really of import to people who want to larn about theater because many people believe that theater in New York started on Broadway, but that is non true at all. In this study I would wish to demo you how theatre developed in New York. Chapter 1 eighteenth Century In the early 18th century the Dutch occupied most of New York. Other civilizations included the Germans, Scots, Irish and likely the most of import to theatre in all, the English. The English started to urbanise New York. Signs of the increasing urbanizing were largely seen between 1730 and 1770. We will write a custom essay sample on The Theatre Essay Research Paper Introduction or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page English headmasters started learning with Dutch co-workers in schools. Subsequently on in 1747 Columbia College was founded and a campus was established. The college taught musical direction and people could buy instruments at the local merchandiser. When vacations took topographic point people would hold entertainers preform in their gardens. Peoples would besides keep parties in tap houses like Robert Todd? s and Black Horse. These entertainers included puppeteers, acrobats, rope terpsichoreans and prestidigitators. At Todd? s public house, the first public concerts took topographic point every bit early as 1736. The presence of the royal governor changed peoples? societal activities. Every governor tried to do his ain illumination tribunal ( all were seeking to copy the English royal tribunal ) . In England, the theater had been an extension of the tribunal, so many governors tried to do theatre portion of their tribunal. In 1699 Richard Hunter petitioned for theatres in New York against Governor John Nafan, and won. Other than that nowhere is it recorded that he of all time produced any dramas but, it contributed to societal life. A few old ages subsequently Anthony Aston recorded that he spent the winter of 1703? Acting, authorship, courtship, and contending. ? 1 No other visual aspects of theatrical companies were of all time noted but, it is assumed there was recreational moving traveling on in courtyards. -3- Several decennaries subsequently another governor named William Cosby seemed to hold been linked to the visual aspect of two theaters in the metropolis. A theater was opened on December 11, 1752 in a edifice owned by Van Dam on Nassau Street. This is non that of import, although a little population of 8,622 ( nose count taken in 1730 ) was at that place to back up the theater. Even more astonishing was that there was a 2nd theater in the metropolis at the same clip. This was likely a wendy house on Broadway. Beside the being of these two theaters, nil else of import is known about their activities. By the late 1740s controls on theatrical companies in England had tightened. Therefore, many companies began to travel to the Americas. There is some grounds that several of these companies performed in the theater on Nassau Street. In 1758 former histrion David Douglass brought his company to NY and built a wendy house on Cruger? s Wharf. He built his 2nd theater in 1761 farther North on Chapel ( subsequently Beekman ) street. Douglass built his concluding theater in 1767 on John St. merely west of Broadway. This 3rd theater was Douglass # 8217 ; merely successful theater and had about no competition until 1797 when a theatre company from Philadelphia took over a circus amphitheater. -4- Chapter 2 nineteenth Century When the people returned to New York after the Revolutionary War in 1785, New Yorkers were happy to see a theater still standing after the business and devastation of much of the metropolis. New York made such a bounciness back that people who had lived at that place before the war hardly recognized it. If the first half of the nineteenth century was inordinately full of enlargement of the metropolis, there was besides great enlargement of the theater. At the bend of the century there was merely one wendy house, but by mid-century there were over two twelve. They were all over the metropolis, largely located where crowds would be attracted. A major theater in that clip was known as The New Theatre, built in 1798. The most of import thing about this theater is that it brought an about unpeopled country to a premier residential country. The Bowery Theatre, built in 1825 and subsequently called The Thalia, and the New Theatre, ( subsequently called the Park ) , were the most popular theaters built at this clip. The Park existed until 1848 and The Bowery, rebuilt five times on the same topographic point, was in usage until it burned down in 1929. -5- By the 1850s, Broadway had become the centre for theater in New York because it was going New York? s? Main Street. ? Harmonizing to George Templeton Strong, Broadway, now paved and lighted, had become? fit to walk in of an eventide. ? 2 By the terminal of the century, theaters had moved their manner up Broadway as far north as West 36 Street.In the 2nd half of the century, many immigrants were dwelling the metropolis. When they came, they brought their different civilizations and different facets of theater, demanding more theaters to house them. The Min strel show, about life in the South, had become really popular as good. -6- Chapter 3 twentieth Century As the population of the metropolis grew, it continued to travel north. The theaters moved with it. In 1895, Oscar Hammerstein I built a immense theater, the Olympia, near Long Acre Square ( where the New York Times is published ) . He chose a location between 44 and 45 Streets on Broadway. The theater was non successful, but he was subsequently called? The adult male who created Times Square? .3 Most of the theaters in usage today were built in the Times Square country between 1900 and 1930. Many theaters built at that clip were changed to film theaters or rupture down, but those that are still at that place serve as the bosom of American theater today. Right now, on Broadway, there are 20 two shows running. These are the shows, the theaters they are in and some information about each theater: 1. An Inspector Calls # 8211 ; Royale Theatre, 242 West 45 St. Opened January 11, 1927 with a show called Piggy. 2. Beauty and the Beast # 8211 ; Palace Theatre, 1564 Broadway. Opened March 24, 1913 with a music hall show. 3. Blood Brothers # 8211 ; Music Box Theatre, 239 West 45 St. Opened September 22, 1921 with a show called Music Box Revue. 4. Cats # 8211 ; Winter Garden Theatre, 1634 Broadway. Opened March 20, 1911with a show called La Belle Paree. 5. Crazy For You # 8211 ; Shubert Theatre,225 West 44 St. Opened October 2, 1913 with Hamlet. 6. Damn Yankees # 8211 ; Marquis Theatre, 1555 Broadway. Opened in the mid-1980s as portion of the Marriott Marquis Hotel. Three theaters were torn down to construct this hotel, over the protests of many theatre people. 7. Defending the Caveman # 8211 ; Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 W 44 St. Opened March 12, 1912 with a show called The Pigeon. This is the 2nd theater named after? The First Lady of The American Theatre. ? the first 1 was torn down for the Marriott. -7- 8. Grease # 8211 ; Eugene O? Neill Theatre,230 West 49 St. Opened November 25, 1925 with a show called Mayflowers. 9. The Heiress # 8211 ; Cort Theatre, 138 West 48 St. Opened December 12, 1912 with a show called Peg O? My Heart. 10. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying # 8211 ; Richard Rodgers Theatre,226 West 46 St. Opened December 24, 1924 with a show called The Greenwich Village Follies. 11. Jackie Mason # 8211 ; Politically Incorrect # 8211 ; Golden Theatre, 252 West 45 St. Opened February 24, 1927 with a show called Puppets of Passion. 12. Kiss of the Spider Woman # 8211 ; Broadhurst Theatre, 235 West 44 St. Opened September 27, 1917 with a show called Misalliance. 13. Les Miserables # 8211 ; Imperial Theatre, 249 West 45 St. Opened December 25, 1923 with a show called Mary Jane McKane. 14. Love! Heroism! Compassion! # 8211 ; Walter Kerr Theatre,219 West 48 St. no other information available. 15. Miss Saigon # 8211 ; Broadway Theatre, Broadway at 53 St. Opened December 24, 1924 with a show called The New Yorkers. 16. The Moliere Comedies # 8211 ; Roundabout Theatre, 1530 Broadway no other information available. 17. The Phantom of the Opera -Majestic Theatre, 247 West 44 St. Opened March 28, 1927 with a show called Rufus LeMaire? s Affairs. 18. Show Boat # 8211 ; Gershwin Theatre, 222 West 51 St. Opened November 18, 1972 with a show called Via Galactica. 19. Sunset Boulevard # 8211 ; Minskoff Theatre, 200 West 45 St. Opened March 13, 1973 with a show called Irene. 20. Translations # 8211 ; Booth Theatre, 222 West 45 St. Opened October 16, 1913 with a show called The Great Adventure. 21. Uncle Vanya # 8211 ; Circle in the Square, 1633 Broadway. Opened November 15, 1972 with a show called Mourning Becomes Electra. 22. The Who? s TOMMY # 8211 ; St. James Theatre, 246 West 44 St. Opened September 26, 1927 with a show called Merry Malones.4 -8- Decision By making this this study I have gained alot of cognition about the history of theater in New York. I think that it is of import that we learn about our theatric heritage because it has alot to make with every twenty-four hours jobs. Some theater is for societal agencies and some theater is here to learn us about something. -9- End Notes 1. Mary C. Henderson, The City and the Theatre ( James T.White A ; Company ; 1973, New Jersey ) Pg. 13 2. Ibid Pg. 88 3. Ibid Pg. 196 4. Louis Botto, At This Theatre ( Dodd Mead Company ; 1984 New York ) Various Pgs. Theatre Week ( That New Magazine ; 1995 New York ) Pg. 51 -10- Bibliography Botto, Louis ; At This Theatre ; Dodd Mead Company, 1984, New York Brockett, Oscar G. ; History of the Theatre, Sixth Edition ; Allyn and Bacon, 1991, Needham, MA Henderson, Mary C. ; The City A ; the Theatre ; James T. White and Company, 1973, Clifton, New Jersey Ommanney, Katharine A ; Schanker, Harry H. ; The Stage A ; The School, Fifth Edition ; McGraw-Hill, Inc. , 1982, New York Ortleb, Charles L. , Publisher and Editor-in-Chief ; Theatre Week ; Vol. 8, No. 33, Issue 39 ; March 20, 1995, New York