Download Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800-1870

Bryn Mawr College
Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at Bryn Mawr
College
Greek, Latin, and Classical Studies Faculty Research
and Scholarship
Greek, Latin, and Classical Studies
2015
Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800-1870
Lee Pearcy
Bryn Mawr College, [email protected]
Let us know how access to this document benefits you.
Follow this and additional works at: http://repository.brynmawr.edu/classics_pubs
Custom Citation
Pearcy, Lee, "Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800-1870," Oxford Handbook of Greek Drama in the Americas, eds. K. Bosher, F.
Macintosh, J. McConnell, P. Rankine. Oxford University Press, 2015.
This paper is posted at Scholarship, Research, and Creative Work at Bryn Mawr College. http://repository.brynmawr.edu/classics_pubs/108
For more information, please contact [email protected].
Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800–1870
OxfordHandbooksOnline
GrecianTheaterinPhiladelphia,1800–1870 LeePearcy
TheOxfordHandbookofGreekDramaintheAmericas
EditedbyKathrynBosher,FionaMacintosh,JustineMcConnell,andPatriceRankine
PrintPublicationDate: Oct
2015
OnlinePublicationDate: Dec
2015
Subject: ClassicalStudies,ClassicalReception
DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199661305.013.005
AbstractandKeywords
BetweenthedeathofPresidentWashingtonandtheCivilWar,dramassetinancientGreeceorbasedonGreek
modelsallowedPhiladelphiaaudiencestosimultaneouslyaffirmandsubverttheirideasaboutgender,race,and
society.GreekdramaonthePhiladelphiastagebeforethe1880swasrepresentedbyadaptations,andoften
adaptationsofadaptations,thatarefarfromanythingthatatwenty-first-centuryaudiencewouldacceptas
Aeschylus,Sophocles,Euripides,orAristophanes.ThereceptionofErnstLegouvé’sMédéeasbothtragicdrama
andminstrelburlesqueandresponsestothereal-lifetragedyofMargaretGarnerprovidestrikingexamplesof
receptionsdividedalongthelinesofraceandclass.
Keywords:Philadelphia,Medea,ErnstLegouvé,AdelaideRistori,FrancescaJanauschek,ThomasTalfourd,MargaretGarner,blackface,
JamesRobinsonPlanché
PRESIDENTGeorgeWashingtondiedonDecember14,1799.1Tendayslater,onDecember23,thecurtainatthe
ChestnutStreetTheatreinPhiladelphiaroseon“anaffectingsceneofatomb,inthecenterofwhichwasaportrait
ofthesageandhero,encircledbyoakleaves.Onthepyramidaltopofthe‘catafalque’perchedaneagleweeping
tearsofblood”(Davis1957:15).Theproducersofthetributehadpreparedacarefullychosenmélangeof
classicalsymbolsandcivilizations.TheeagleofRomeandthecoronacivica,agarlandofoakleavesawardedtoa
Romanwhohadsavedthelifeofafellowcitizeninbattle,connectedtheFatherofhisCountrytothefounderofthe
RomanEmpire,whohadbeengiventhetitleAugustusandawardedtheciviccrownin27BCEandin2BCEhad
receivedthetitlepaterpatriae.2 ThepyramidevokedtheGreatSealoftheUnitedStates,adoptedseventeen
yearsearlier,andcaughtthecrestofarisingwaveofinterestinEgyptiansymbolsandbuildingstyles(Carrott
1978).ThecompanyofactorsnextassembledonstageandsangacompositionbyAlexanderReinagle(1756–
1809),oneofWashington’sfavoritecomposers.ThomasWignell(1753–1803),co-founderwithReinagleofthe
ChestnutStreetTheatre,eulogizedthelatepresident.Theshowmustgoon,though,anditdid.TheChestnutStreet
companyhadchosenoneofWashington’sfavoriteplays,WilliamWhitehead’s(1712–85)TheRomanFather,based
onCorneille’sHorace.Atanemotionallychargedtimeofnationalmourningandpoliticalanxiety,Wignelland
Reinaglereachedforthestabilityandclarityofneoclassicaliconographyanddrama.EventhoughtheirRoman
dramawasanEnglishplaywright’sreworkingofaFrenchplaywright’sadaptationofanarrativefromLivy,Wignell
andReinagle’sintroductorytableauinvitedviewerstolookbeyondthemediatorsandfindconsolationinthe
evening’sevocationofresonancesbetweenRomeandthenewRepublic.InthischapterIhopetoexplorewhat
neoclassicaldramameanttothecitizensofPhiladelphiainthefirstthree-quartersofthenineteenthcentury.Many
ofthefeaturesoftheChestnutStreetTheatre’scommemorationofWashington’sdeathwillrecur:anassumption
that(p.54) theaudiencewouldunderstandandrespondtoclassicaliconographyandactions,mediationthrough
EnglishorFrenchplaywrights,anduseoftheclassicalworldasalensthroughwhichtoviewcontemporary
Americansocialandpoliticalconcerns.
InavolumedevotedtoGreekdramathroughouttheAmericas,someexplanationisneededforitsfocusonasingle
Page 1 of 12
PRINTED FROM OXFORD HANDBOOKS ONLINE (www.oxfordhandbooks.com). (c) Oxford University Press, 2015. All Rights
Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford
Handbooks Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy).
Subscriber: OUP-Reference Gratis Access; date: 18 December 2015
Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800–1870
city.HistoriesoftheaterinAmericaoftenamounttoahistoryoftheaterinNewYork,wheregenerous
documentationallowsdueattentiontoimportantthemesandevents:classdistinctionsbetweenaudiencesatthe
ParkandBowery,theAstorPlaceriot,theplaceofimportedplaysandactors,andsoon.YetPhiladelphiawasthe
capitalofthecountryuntil1800andremainedthesecondlargestcityinthecountryuntilthe1830census,when
Baltimorenudgeditintothirdplace.3 Philadelphiaalsohadathrivingtheatricalculture,andlikeNewYorktothe
northandCharlestontothesouth,itformedafocusofregionalactivity.CompaniesfromtheChestnutStreetand
WalnutStreetTheatresregularlytouredsouthtoBaltimoreandwesttoPittsburghandOhio.
Classicalreception,also,isnotauniformphenomenon,andevenwithinasinglecountryregionaldifferencescan
beobserved.ThisisespeciallytruefortheUnitedStatesinthefirstthree-quartersofthenineteenthcentury,as
geographicalexpansionledtoincreasedpluralismandregionaldiversity.AftertheCivilWar,ontheotherhand,
theriseoftouring“combinationcompanies,”facilitatedbytheincreasedeaseandrangeofrailroadtravel,and
from1896thedominationoftheNewYork-basedTheatricalSyndicate,ledtoadeclineinthevarietyoflocaland
regionaltheatricalcultures(Frick1999).Exploringclassicalreceptioninasinglecitymayleadtoaricher,more
nuancedpictureofAmerica’slongconversationwiththeancientworld.
TheTheaters
Fortheater-goersinearlynineteenth-centuryPhiladelphia,engagementwiththeclassicalworldbeganbeforethe
curtainwentup,andevenbeforetheyenteredthetheateritself.Thethreeleadinghousesforseriousdramawere
namedaftertheirlocationsonthecity’sgrid:theArchStreet,ChestnutStreet,andWalnutStreetTheatres.Priorto
theRevolutionaryWar,Philadelphia’splayhouseshadeitherbeenadaptedfromexisting,utilitarianbuildings,like
thewaterfrontwarehouseconvertedbyWalterMurrayandThomasKeanin1749,orifbuiltastheaters,wereas
plainandunadornedasthespacesthattheyreplaced.AcontemporarywitnessdescribedtheSouthwarkTheatre
atSouthandApollo,builtfortheHallam–Douglasscompanyin1766,as“anuglyill-conceivedaffairoutsideand
inside.”4 TheArchStreet,ChestnutStreet,andWalnutStreethouses,however,declaredtheirallegianceto
classicalandEuropeanmodels,andperhapsthestatusoftheirhoped-foraudiences,intheneoclassicalbalances
oftheirelegantfaçades,builtfromthedesignsofsomeoftheyoungcountry’sleadingarchitects.
Whentheearliestofthesetheaters,theChestnutStreet,5openedin1794,itsredbrickColonialarchitecture
harmonizedwiththeStateHouse(IndependenceHall)afewsteps(p.55) away,butaremodelingin1805under
thedirectionofitsoriginalarchitect,BenjaminLatrobe,gaveitaCorinthianporticobetweenprojectingwingsand
aninteriorprogramwithneoclassicalandpatrioticthemes(Glazer1986:83–4).TheWalnutStreetTheatre
underwentseveralboutsofremodeling,changingfromanequestriancircustoatheaterandbacktoacircus
beforebecomingatheaterfinallyin1827.LikeitsrivalonChestnutStreet,itinvitedaudiencestopassthrougha
Doriccolonnadeundersixarchedwindowsbeforetheyenteredtheauditorium.JohnHaviland(1792–1852),the
architectofits1809structure,wasalongwithLatrobeoneofthepioneersofGreekRevivalarchitectureinthe
UnitedStates.TheArchStreet,builtin1828,boastedaDoricporchreachedbyasix-stepstylobateinfrontofthe
twostorymainhouse,whichwascrownedbyapedimentwitha“standingheroicstatuegraspingaclassicscene”
(Glazer1986:61).Intheirarchitectureallthreeofthesehousesproclaimedtotheoutsideworldtheirparticipation
inAmerica’sreceptionofclassicalmodelsandtheiraffiliationwiththeGreekandRomanoriginsoftheater(Hamlin
1944:63–89).Fromthe1840sonward,also,“thecommercialtheatrebecameincreasinglydividedbetween
‘respectable’fareforpacifiedbourgeoisspectatorsandunrespectableentertainmentsforrowdyworkers”
(McConachie1999:147).ItistemptingtosuggestthattheneoclassicalfaçadesoftheArchStreet,ChestnutStreet,
andWalnutStreethouseswereintendedtoserveasgatewaystoadmitthegenteelandfilterstoexcludethe
vulgar.
ThePlays
Onceinside,Philadelphiaaudiencescouldexpecttoseetragedies,comedies,farces,operasbothseriousand
comic,andavarietyofotherentertainments.OnWednesdayMarch2,1859,forexample,playgoersattheArch
StreetTheatreweretreatedtoTalfourd’sIon,or,TheFoundlingofArgos,followedbyaballet(apasdedeuxby
“MissWoodandM’lleTherese”),musicalselections,andfinallyaone-actcomedy,RichardButlerGlengall’sThe
IrishTutor.6 Theleapfromneoclassicaltragedytodancetocomedywastypicaloftheatricaleveningsthroughout
Page 2 of 12
PRINTED FROM OXFORD HANDBOOKS ONLINE (www.oxfordhandbooks.com). (c) Oxford University Press, 2015. All Rights
Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford
Handbooks Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy).
Subscriber: OUP-Reference Gratis Access; date: 18 December 2015
Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800–1870
theperiodcoveredbythischapter;onTuesday,November12,1867,theWalnutStreetTheatrepresentedJohn
Banim’sDamonandPythiasintroducedbyanoverture(seefurtherMayer,thisvolume).Instrumentalandvocal
interludes,includingSchubert’ssettingofGoethe’s“ErlKönig”andselectionsfromBellini’sNorma,punctuatedthe
actsofthedrama.7
PlaysdrawnfromancientGreeceorRomeformedonlyonepartofPhiladelphia’sthrivingdramaticcultureinthe
nineteenthcentury.Howlargeapart?A.H.Wilson’scatalogueofmid-nineteenth-centuryPhiladelphiadramaticlife
listswellover3,300titlesproducedbetween1835and1855.8 Onlyabout36ofthe3,000-plusplaysinWilson’s
cataloguehavetitlesthatsuggestaGreekorRomansettingortheme,andsoitmayseemthatclassicaldramawas
notverypopularamongPhiladelphiaaudiencesinthedecadesbeforetheCivilWar.Sheernumberoftitles,
however,maynotbethemostreliableindicatorofeitherpopulartasteorculturalinfluence.Dramasthatdraw
audiences(p.56) toperformancesyearafteryearcouldshapenineteenth-centurytasteinawaythatrepeated
iterationsofMosetheFiremanorcomicalYankeescouldnot.
AncientGreekDramainNineteenth-CenturyPhiladelphia:MedeaandOthers
DespitethereverencethatdevoteesofhighculturehadfortheoriginsofdramainancientAthens,Greektragedy
ontheAmericanstagebeforethe1880swasrepresentedbyadaptations,andoftenadaptationsofadaptations,
likeMatildaHeron’sversionofErnestLegouvé’sMédée.TheseadaptationsuseancientGreekdramaasapointof
departure,andtheircourseoftentakesthemfarfromanythingthatatwenty-first-centuryaudiencewouldaccept
asAeschylus,Sophocles,Euripides,orAristophanes;Legouvé’sMédée,forexample,addsOrpheusasa
character,andhisMedea,unlikeEuripides’heroine,canbeseenasdriventoinfanticide—thelastscenemakesit
clearthatshelovesherchildren,andinthefinalmomentsoftheplay,assheispursuedbyamobofCorinthians
callingforherdeath,shestabsherchildrentopreventthembeingtakenfromher.ThefinalwordsofLegouvé’s
playtransfertheblamefortheirdeathstoJason:
JASON:Ah!Mesfils!…morts,aussi!Tousdeux!tousdeux!Ah,l’horreur!…Mesenfants!…morts!…Qui
lesatués?
MÉDÉE :Toi!
InHeron’srendering:“Greatgods,whatis’tIsee?mychildrendead!whohathkilledthem?MEDEA:Thou!”9
Infact,ifwedefine“ancientGreekdrama”asthescriptsofthefourAtheniandramatists,noancientGreekplay
appearedonanyNorthAmericanpublicstageuntilstudentsatHarvardproducedanOedipusTyrannusin1881
(cf.Mayer,thisvolume;Norman1882;Pluggé1938).PhiladelphianshadnoopportunitytoseeancientGreek
dramainanythinglikeitsoriginalformuntiltheUniversityofPennsylvania’sAcharniansof1886(Pearcy2003).
ThisperformanceformedpartofawaveofacademicproductionsofancientdramaintheUnitedStates,inEurope,
Australia,andNewZealand,oftenintheoriginallanguages,inthe1880sand1890s.10 Between1881and1903,18
differentcollegesanduniversitiesputon12differentGreekplaysin48productions(Pluggé1938:14–16).Atleast
16oftheseproductionswereperformedinGreek(Pluggé1938:tableXI,149).Untilthe1880s,however,
Aeschylus,Sophocles,Euripides,andAristophanesexistedinAmericanlifeasauthors,notplaywrights,andtheir
scriptswereknown,whentheywereknownatall,eitherasobjectsofacademicstudyorascuriositiesreadin
translation.
Mostcollege-educatedAmericanmenencounteredGreekdramathroughthepagesofAndrewDalzell’s(1784–
1812)GraecaMajora(1789),aheftyanthologythat(p.57) includedSophocles’OedipusTyrannusand
Euripides’Medea.ThefirstAmericaneditionappearedin1809,anditwasquicklyadoptedbyHarvard,Yale,
Columbia,Hamilton,andmanyothercollegesanduniversities(Winterer2002:32–4).TheLawsoftheUniversityof
Pennsylvaniafor1826specifyGraecaMajoraamongtherequiredreadingsforthefreshman,sophomore,and
junioryears(Snow1907:140–1).Thesecondvolume,containingOedipusandMedea,appearsalongwithPersius
andJuvenalamongthereadingsforthejunioryear,andsothereisagoodpossibilitythatsomeelitePhiladelphian
youngmenfirstexperiencedGreekdramathroughthedailygrindofcollegerecitations.Othersmayhavemet
Greekdramainalessformalway,throughprivatereadingoramateurproductions.11Philadelphia,likeother
Americancitiesintheearnestlyself-improvingearlynineteenthcentury,hadamateurdramaticsocietieslikethe
BoothenianDramaticSociety,whichmetandgaveperformancesonthefourthfloorofanabandonedwarehouse
Page 3 of 12
PRINTED FROM OXFORD HANDBOOKS ONLINE (www.oxfordhandbooks.com). (c) Oxford University Press, 2015. All Rights
Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford
Handbooks Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy).
Subscriber: OUP-Reference Gratis Access; date: 18 December 2015
Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800–1870
(Winter1913:243).PerhapsoneoftheseclubsattemptedaMedeaorOedipus;ifso,ithasleftnotrace.
Innineteenth-centuryPhiladelphiauntilthe1880s,classicalAtheniandramawastooalien,tooacademic,andtoo
completelytextualandliterarytoimagineonthestage.TofindMedea,oranyotherancientdrama,onPhiladelphia
stagesbefore1881wemustlooktowhatEdithHallcalls“therichparallellifethatancienttextshaveenjoyedin
post-Renaissancetheatres.”12 Inmanycases,especiallyearlyintheperiodunderconsiderationhere,anancient
mythingeneralratherthanaspecificGreektragedyseemstobetheinspirationforGreeceonstage;forexample,
apantomime,MedeaandJason,performedinNewYorkin1798andagainin1800,1801,and1805,maynotowe
muchtoEuripides,especiallyifitisanAmericanrevivalofeitherGaetanoVestris’sMedeaandJasonorGeorge
ColmantheElder’sburlesqueofit,“MedeaandJason,ABalletTragi-ComiquebySigniorNovestris.”Bothwerefirst
producedafewmonthsapartin1780.13 Ifitwasthelatter,thenAmericanaudiencessawtheancientstoryreenactedbycharactersfromBritishpanto:JasonasPierrot,MedeaasMotherShipton,andCreonasMr.Punch
(McDonagh2003:50).Likewiseamelodrama,TheseusandAriadna,whichappearedattheChestnutStreet
Theatresometimebefore1810andsoantedatesJohnVanderlyn’scontroversialpaintingof1812,probablyreflects
generalinterestinmyth,andnotadesiretorepresentanyspecifictextonstage.14
EvenaplayexplicitlybasedonAtheniandramacoulddrawfromseveraldifferenttragediesratherthanattempting
topresentasingleancientdramaonstage.Talfourd’sIon,or,TheFoundlingofArgos,whichhadatleast31
separate,multi-eveningrunsinPhiladelphiabetween1836and1867,isnot,despiteitstitle,muchlikeEuripides’Ion
oranyotherGreektragedy.TalfourdhimselfwroteofhisplaythatEuripides’Ion“gavethefirsthintofthesituation
inwhichitsheroisintroduced…butotherwisethereisnoresemblancebetweenthisimperfectsketchandthat
exquisitepicture”(Talfourd1846:17).AudiencesinclinedtolookforsourcesmusthavethoughtofSophocles
morethanEuripides,andespeciallyofOedipusTyrannuswhentheysawtheplay’sopeningscene,withelders
lamentingtheplaguethatafflictstheircity,orthefirstencounterbetweenIonandAdrastus,whichevokesthe
exchangebetweenOedipusandTeiresias.AntigonemayhavecontributedIon’sdeliberatedisobedienceofthe
tyrant’sedictand(p.58) hisinsistencethat“theeternallaw,thatwhereguiltis|Sorrowshallanswerit”trumps
Adrastus’humanlaw.EdithHallsuggeststhat“themotifofthepatrioticyouth’ssuicideowessomethingto
Euripides’PhoenicianWomen”andthat“thereconciliationofthedyingkingAdrastuswithhislong-lostsonIon
powerfullyrecallstheendingsofbothHippolytusandTrachiniae”(Hall1997:291).TotheseIamtemptedtoadd
twoplaysinwhichEuripidespresentskingsofArgosopposedbyyoungmonarchswithdemocraticleanings:
SuppliantWomen,whichturnsonthecontrastbetweenAdrastus,KingofArgos,andTheseus,andTheChildrenof
Heracles,inwhichtheyoungKingofAthens,Demophon,isreallyademocratindisguise,andanotherKingof
Argos,Eurystheus,becomesamoresympatheticcharacterashislifeends,justasAdrastusdoesinTalfourd’s
play.
Evenso,Philadelphiaaudiencesinthemid-nineteenthcenturycouldhavereceivedsomeimpressionofatleast
oneplayofEuripides,Medea,fromastringofvisitingproductionsbetween1858and1886.15Theseproductions
originatedinEuropeantheaterandcametoPhiladelphiaontour;theyexemplifythegrowingpoweroftouringstar
actorsandcompaniesmadepossiblebytherevolutionintravelandcommunicationthatrailroadsandtelegraph
broughtabout.TheearliestofthisgroupsawtheEnglish-bornactressJeanMargaretDavenport(1829–1903)
broughtinforthreeweeksinDecember,1858,togivestarpowertotheWalnutStreetTheatre’sthenstruggling
company.16 TherecentlywidowedMrs.DavidP.Bowers(bornElizabethCrocker),awell-knownPhiladelphia
actress,hadassumedmanagementoftheWalnutStreetin1857andattemptedtorevivethealreadyobsolescent
stockcompanysystem.TheneedtoimportastarlikeDavenport,likeJohnDrew’sappearanceafewweeksbefore,
confirmedtheimminentfailureofBowers’sexperiment,andshegaveupcontroloftheWalnutonJanuary20
(Davis2010:115).Davenportappearedintwostandardsoftherepertoire,CamilleandLegouvé’sMedeainthe
EnglishadaptationbyOliverC.Wyman,andshereturnedtotheWalnutStreethouseforanotherturnasMedeain
October1859.17 M.AugustaGarrettson,ashrewdbusinesswomanwhorecognizedtheinevitabliltyofthestar
system,tookoverthemanagementoftheWalnutStreetinJanuary1859.OnlyafewweeksafterDavenport’s
secondappearance,shebroughtinMatildaHeron(1830–77)foranotherMedea,thistimeinHeron’sown
translationofLegouvé’sversion.18 AlthoughHeron,whohadbeenborninIreland,madeherhomeinPhiladelphia,
shewaspartofthenewsystemoftouringstaractors,asfamiliartoaudiencesinNewYorkandSanFranciscoas
shewasinherhometown.InherJanuary1860appearance,HeronalternatedherMedeawithanothersignature
role,Camille,andalsobroughtherownnewplay,Lesbia,toPhiladelphiaaudiences(seefurtherDavis,this
volume).19 AnothervisitingactressknownforherportrayalofMedea,AvoniaJones(1839–67),appearedin
20
Page 4 of 12
PRINTED FROM OXFORD HANDBOOKS ONLINE (www.oxfordhandbooks.com). (c) Oxford University Press, 2015. All Rights
Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford
Handbooks Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy).
Subscriber: OUP-Reference Gratis Access; date: 18 December 2015
Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800–1870
Heron’stranslationofLegouvé’sversionattheChestnutStreetTheatreforatwo-weekruninNovember1863.20
TwoEuropeanactresses,however,AdelaideRistoriandFrancescaJanauschek,performinginItalianandGerman
respectively,definedPhiladelphia’sexperienceofMedeainthe1860s(seefurtherDavis,thisvolume).Ristori
appearedattheAcademyofMusiconDecember10,1866,inanItaliantranslationofLegouvé’sMedée.The
Evening(p.59) Telegraph’sanonymouscriticconfesseddisappointmentwiththe“tameness”ofherconception
oftherole:“Attimesshereachedtothestern,inborndignityandloftycommandoftheColchianprincess;but
morefrequentlyfellbeneathitandbecamealmosttrivial.”21AfewdayslaterhewashappierwithherPhaedraand
praisedthesamequalitiesofnaturalnessandrealitythathehadcondemnedinherMedea.22 Thisreviewer’s
responsetoRistori’sMedeamayhavebeeninfluencedbyawarenessofEuripides’text,oratleastbyafeelingthat
heoughttobeawareofit:nineteenth-centuryelitetheater-goersencounteredGreektragedy,and
Euripides’Medeainparticular,inthefirstplaceasatextonthepage,andthatexperiencecoloredtheirperception
ofMedeawhentheysawheronstage.Evenareviewerwho,whetherfromlackofaclassicaleducationorfading
memoryofone,betrayshisignoranceoftheGreekoriginalfeelsobligedtopretendtofamiliaritywithit.Inreviewing
Ristori’sMedea,theEveningTelegraph’scriticremarksthat“the‘Medea’ofLegouve[sic],andthe‘Medea’of
Sophocles[sic],aretwodifferentcreations,”andhereinforcestheliteraryorientationofhisreviewbypepperingit
withwhatseemtobequotationsfromtheplay:“Yetenoughremainsoftheoriginaltorecognizethedark
enchantressofColchis;shewho,fortheloveofthe‘yellow-hairedJason’,stainedherwhitehandswiththebloodof
heryoungbrother,andforsakingthebarbaricsplendorofthe‘marblewallsandroofsofgold’ofAeetes’palace,
daredtheperilsofthe‘unknownsea’withtheboldArgonautsofHellas.”RistoritouredtheUnitiedStatesin
Legouvé’sMédéefornearly20yearsandreturnedtoPhiladelphiaatleasttwice.Thepartwassoidentifiedwithher
thatin1870DuprezandBenedict’sMinstrelscouldhopetodrawacrowdtotheirtheaterat47–9NorthSeventh
Streetforaneveningincludingskitstitled“ManLifeBoat,”“Medea,orRistoriRestored,”and“Sportsofthe
Arena.”23
TheMedeamostoftenseeninPhiladelphiaintheyearsaftertheCivilWar,however,wasnotRistoributanother
Europeanactress,FrancescaJanauschek(1830–1904),whoappearedinFranzGrillparzer’sMedea.24 Janauschek
appearedasMedeaattheChestnutStreetTheatrein1867,andtheAcademyofMusicin1868,attheWalnut
Streetin1873,1874,1877,1878,and1881,andattheChestnutStreetOperaHousein1886(Foley2012:279).
HerperformancesinGermanattractedenthusiasticcrowdsfromPhiladelphia’slargeGerman-speaking
population.25Attentionseemstohavefocused,though,onherperformancesinotherroles,onhercelebrity,and,
asshebecamemoreproficientinEnglish,onherskillinportrayingroleslikeLadyMacbeth.BothRistoriand
Janauschek,infact,representanewkindofactresswhoemergedinthesecondhalfofthenineteenthcentury:the
internationalstar,knownoftenbyasinglename—Rachel,Ristori—andfamousasmuchforwhoshewasasforthe
partsthatsheplayed.Theseactresses,asShannynFiskesuggests,concentratedonportrayingintenseemotions
inawaythatwouldmovetheiraudiencetoananalogousresponse(seefurtherDavis,thisvolume;Fiske2008:
30–5).
ButwhatmadeMedeainparticularavehicleforstardom?WhatwerePhiladelphiaaudienceswatchingforwhen
theysawRistoriorJanauschekasMedea(seefurtherBosherandCox,thisvolume,fortheverydifferentaudience
responsestoRistoriinChicago)?Twointersectingculturalmovements,Isuggest,gaveMedeaspecialrelevance
forAmericantheateraudiencesfromabout1850on.First,actualandpotential(p.60) changesinthesocial,
legal,andexistentialstatusofwomen,subsumedundertheheading“thewomanquestion,”becamemattersof
culturalurgency.ThevariousMedeasofthenineteenthcenturyjoininthisdialoguebyposingthequestionofwhat
awomancanbe.26 IsMedeamonstrous,barbarous,an“other”beyondcomprehension,orissherecognizablythe
sameasthewomenwho,withtheirhusbands,brothers,fathers,andlovers,filledtheaterstowatchRistorior
Janauschek?ContemporaryresponsessuggestthatPhiladelphiaaudiencesbroughtthesequestionstothetheater
orfoundthemtherewhentheyarrived.ReportingonJanauschek’sfirstappearanceinPhiladelphia,ananonymous
reviewerintheDailyEveningTelegraphin1867notedGrillparzer’somissionofLegouvé’scharacterOrpheusand
thoughtthatthiscreatedadifferencebetweenhisMedeaandLegouvé’sheroine:
Ifanything,thisomissionisanimprovement,foritgivesmoredecisionandgreaterstrengthtothe
prominentroleoftheplay,anddemandsanincreasedversatilityinthepersonatorofthatrole.Helpless,
forsakenby“Jason,”pursuedwithunrelentinghatebygodsandmenalike,thecharacterof“Medea”is
deprivedofmuchofitsusualbarbarity,ismademorehumanandlessferocious;andthestrongloveof
countryandearnestdevotiontothewelfareofherchildrenwhichpervadeitappealirresistiblytothe
Page 5 of 12
PRINTED FROM OXFORD HANDBOOKS ONLINE (www.oxfordhandbooks.com). (c) Oxford University Press, 2015. All Rights
Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford
Handbooks Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy).
Subscriber: OUP-Reference Gratis Access; date: 18 December 2015
Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800–1870
sympathiesofeveryauditor.M’lleJanauschek’sconceptionofthisdifficultandimposingcharacteris
wonderfullyfaithful.Shedoesnotstormandrave,but,despitetheharshnessofherfate,isstillhuman,and
womanlywithal.27
OnDecember11ofthepreviousyearthesameoranotherreviewerfortheEveningTelegraphconfessed
disappointmentwithRistori’sMedeaattheAcademyofMusic,whichhefoundtameandlackinginthe“subtle
effect”and“irresistibleimpulseofintensefeeling”thathefeltthecharacterrequired.28 Bothresponsesreveala
concerntodemarcatetheappropriaterangeofMedea’spassion.Medeahadtoremainrecognizableasawoman,
buttoportrayherasanordinarywomanriskedsuggestingthatanywoman,eventhoseintheaudience,might
becomeaMedea(seefurtherDavis,thisvolume).29
Bymid-century,Americantheateraudiencesincludedincreasingnumbersofwomen,andbythethirdquarterof
thecenturywomenmayhavemadeupamajority,astheydonow,intheaterscateringtoupper-andmiddle-class
audiences(Butsch1994).TheaudienceforRistori’sMedea,announcedtheEveningTelegraphonDecember10,
1866,wouldbe“large,elite,anddistingue[sic].”Adecadeearlier,renovationsoftheWalnutStreetTheatrehad
includedremovingpartitionsbetweenboxessoastoaccommodatethenewlyfashionablehoopskirts(Davis2010:
114).Thatchangecoincidedwithanexpansionintheaudienceforclassical,andspecificallyGreek,culture.
CarolineWintererhasdocumentedthewaysinwhichanewturnfromelite“Grecian”tastetomiddle-classmoral
edificationinmid-nineteenth-centuryAmericanclassicismopenedadoorforwomenintothepreviouslymasculine
worldofclassicallearning(Winterer2007:142–64).ExcludedfromuniversitiesandthedelightsofGraecaMajora,
middle-classandelitewomencouldneverthelessfindawaytotheclassicalworldthroughtranslations,
mythologicalcompendialikeThomasBulfinch’sAgeofFable(1855),andneoclassicaldrama.Greeceespecially
wasthoughttoofferexamplesofthekindofspiritual,(p.61) moral,andemotionaltruthsandexperiencesthat
wereasavailabletowomenastomen.Women’sinvolvementinpopularHellenism,expansionofclassicallearning
beyonduniversitiesandtheirmalegraduates,anddestabilizationofgenderrolescreatedanaudienceforthe
PhiladelphiaMedeasofthesecondhalfofthenineteenthcentury.
TheOtherGreeks:Spectacle,Burlesque,Blackface
NeoclassicaltragedieslikePayne’sBrutusandTalfourd’sIonoradaptationslikeLegouvé’sMedeamayhave
provokedthoughtandgiventheaudienceswhosteppedundertheclassicalporticoesoftheWalnutStreet,
ChestnutStreet,andArchStreetTheatresasensethattheirconcernsaboutauthorityinthefamily,socialstatus,
andgenderroleshadantecedentsintheculturallyapprovedworldofancientGreeceandRome.Theancient
world,however,servedotherfunctionsaswell.GreecemorethanRomeprovidedmatterforfarce,parody,
burlesque,spectacle,andothermodesofdramaticrepresentationthatextendedbeyondthegrave,political,and
paternalsubjectsofplayslikeBrutus,or,TheFallofTarquinandVirginius,or,TheRomanFather.Yetintheseless
elevatedgenresaswell,Philadelphiaaudiencescouldfindculturalsanctionfortheirbeliefsaboutsociety.
Especiallyintheearlypartofthenineteenthcentury,Philadelphiaaudiencesappreciatedagoodspectacle,and
suchpiecesoftenstoodbythemselvesaspartofanevening’sbill,withoutanydramaticstructureorcontext.The
SiegeofOxydrache,attheChestnutStreetTheatreonJanuary12,1800,offeredapageantofpureactionand
calleduponthecity’smilitaryresources:
Theantiquebatteringramswereinfulloperation.ThescalingofthewallsbyAlexanderandhisofficers
wasexciting.ThewarriorswerepoisedonthelargeGrecianshieldsofthesoldiery,whoformedbridges,
onerisingabovetheotherliketurretsorplatformsofscaffolding,formingatortoise,asitwascalledinthe
bills.OverthisshieldworkAlexander,Hephestian,etc.,swordinhand,withtheirscalingladders,mounted
andthrewtherope-laddersoverthecopingoftheturrets.Theyclimbedup,fightingateverystep.They
severallygainedthetopofthebattlementsandprecipitatedthemselves,apparentlyintothecity.Onthe
bridgeattheback[were]overwhelmingnumbersinhandtohandcontention—receivingthedartsof
enemiesinashield,pluckingthemoutandhurlingthembacktotheenemy.…Theyemployedrealhorses
inthispiece,cladinfullarmorialhousings,orcoverings,akindofscalearmor…ThemarchintoBabylon
wasamostimposingprocessionalexhibition.Theproperties,bannersandtrophies,witheagles,elephants,
lions,etc.,werecomposedofpapier-mache[sic],inthemostartisticalstyle.Themarchingofthetroopsin
sections,hollowsquaresandphalanx,weremostadmirablyperformedbyeightymarinesfromtheNavy
30
Page 6 of 12
PRINTED FROM OXFORD HANDBOOKS ONLINE (www.oxfordhandbooks.com). (c) Oxford University Press, 2015. All Rights
Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford
Handbooks Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy).
Subscriber: OUP-Reference Gratis Access; date: 18 December 2015
Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800–1870
Yard,drilledbynightrehearsalsforthispurpose.30
(p.62) TheSiegeofOxydracheclaimedtobederivedfromNathanielLee’spopulardramaTheRivalQueens,or,
TheDeathofAlexandertheGreat(1677),butitsmilitaryexcitementsremainoffstageinthatplay.Another
classicallythemedspectacle,thepantomimeHerculesandOmphaleof1801,featureda“showeroffire”(Davis
1957:45).
The1830sand1840ssawavogueforclassicalburlesqueswithtitleslikeHercules,KingofClubs(ChestnutStreet,
1839);firstattheWalnutStreetin1843,itreturnedtotheNewTheatrein1844,totheArchStreethousein1847,
andtoboththeArchStreetandWalnutStreetin1849.Themostpopularoftheseclassicalburlesqueswerethe
“extravaganzas”ofJamesRobinsonPlanché(1796–1880).Planché’splaylets,withtitleslikeOlympicRevels,or,
PrometheusandPandora;OlympicDevils,or,OrpheusandEurydice(both1831);ThePaphianBower,or,Venus
andAdonis(1832);andTelemachus,or,TheIslandofCalypso(1834),canstillentertainbecausetheydependon
thehumorinherentintransplantingcontemporarysentiments,songs,andcharactertypesintotheworldofGreek
mythology.31TheyoccupyaplacebetweenJohnGayandGilbertandSullivan,“recallingtheburlettasand
pantomimesoftheeighteenthcenturyandpointingthewaytowardthecomicoperasofthelate
nineteenth.”32 OlympicDevilshadabriefrunattheChestnutStreetin1839,butinPhiladelphiathemostpopular
byfarofPlanché’ssketcheswastheexuberantlytitledTheDeep,DeepSeaorPerseusandAndromedaorthe
AmericanSeaSerpent.33 ItplayedattheWalnutandArchStreetTheatresin1835,returnedtotheArchStreetin
1836andtotheArchandChestnutStreetin1837,andwasrevivedatBarnum’sCircusin1848.Morethan
Planché’sotherextravaganzasitappealedtoAmericanaudiences.Planchépresentstheseaserpentinpursuitof
AndromedaasyetanothervariationonthecomicalYankee,describedas“aYankee-DoodlecometoTown—‘half
man’,withaSea-garinhismouth—‘halfhorse’,withanazuremane—and‘halfalligator’,withanendlesstale”
(CrokerandTuckern.d.:1.145).Thephrase“halfhorse,halfalligator”alludesto“TheHuntersofKentucky,”
PresidentJackson’spopularcampaignsongof1828,accordingtowhichKentuckyfrontiersmenattheBattleofNew
Orleansmadeupaforceinwhich“ev’rymanwashalfahorse,andhalfanalligator.”Arashofreportedsightings
ofseaserpentsoffthecoastofNewEnglandfrom1817onmayalsohavegivenTheDeep,DeepSeatopical
interest.
AMedeaofaDifferentColor
PhiladelphiaaudienceswholaughedattheYankeeseaserpentinPlanché’sentertainmentalsofoundhumorin
anotherstereotypicalcharacter.Thelistofdramatispersonaedescribeshimasthe“BlackCookoftheOcean,a
white-liveredrunagate.”PlayedbyawhiteactorinblackfaceandspeakinginexaggeratedNegrodialect,34 he
appearsonlytoannouncetheseaserpentwiththewords“Help!murder!massacaptain;onlylook!…Nebbersee
himanysuchman.Himsarpent!—danatousandcablebigger.”DiscomfitingthoughPlanché’sCookmaybeto
readersinthetwenty-firstcentury,heisnottheonlycorkedupcomiccharacterinthehistoryofPhiladelphia’s
receptionofGreekdrama.Aswehaveheard,in1870DuprezandBenedict’sMinstrelsincluded“Medea,orRistori
(p.63) Restored”intheprogramfortheirappearanceinPhiladelphia.35Thatblackfaceskititselfhasleftnotrace.
Thenegativeracialstereotypingofextravaganzaandminstrelshowfindsitspositivecounterpoiseintheuseof
classicalparadigmstoennobleAfrican-Americanresistancetoslavery.MargaretGarner,thefugitivewhokilledher
ownchildrenratherthanseethemreturnedtoslavery,wascomparedtoseveralfiguresfromGreekandRoman
antiquity;inthesecomparisonswecanseeblackandwhiteabolitionistsandotheranti-slaveryadvocatesdrawing
ontheirexperienceofneoclassicaldramatounderstandGarner’stragicactioninsignificantlydifferentways.To
JamesBell,writingintheCanadianProvincialFreeman,GarnerevokedtheheroofJamesSheridanKnowles’splay
Virginius,or,TheRomanFather,whomurderedhisdaughterratherthanseeherbecomeaslave:
Thus,didaRomanFatherslay,Theidolofhissoul,Toscreenherfromatyrant’slust,Atyrant’sfoul
control.Thoughthiswasdone,indaysofyore,Theactwastrulybrave;Whatvalue,pray,islifetoman,If
thatmanbeaslave.GoandaskofMargaretGarner,Who’snowinprisonbound,(Nobraverwomane’er
hathtrod,Columbia’sslave-cursedground:)Whydidshewithamother’shand,Depriveherchildof
breath!She’lltellyou,withaRoman’ssmile,Thatslavery’sworsethandeath.
(Bell1856)
Page 7 of 12
PRINTED FROM OXFORD HANDBOOKS ONLINE (www.oxfordhandbooks.com). (c) Oxford University Press, 2015. All Rights
Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford
Handbooks Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy).
Subscriber: OUP-Reference Gratis Access; date: 18 December 2015
Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800–1870
FrancesEllenWatkinsHarper’spoem“TheSlaveMother:ATaleoftheOhio”alsocomparesGarnertoRoman
heroes(Winterer2007:187).TheProvincialFreemanwaswritten,edited,andpublishedbetween1854and1857
byex-slavesandfreebornblackslivinginToronto.36 F.E.W.HarperwasablackAmericanpoet.Forthem,the
appropriateclassicalanaloguesforGarnerweretobefoundinRome;itwastherethattheysoughtpatternsofselfsacrificeandheroicmoralactsanimatedbyasenseofpublicduty.Inmid-nineteenth-centuryPhiladelphia,AfricanAmericanswereforcedtopaymoreforseatsattheelitetheaters.37 Thisdifferentialpricingreinforcedexclusionof
African-AmericansfromanimportantmediumofpopularbourgeoisHellenism,butgroupsliketheColoredReading
SocietyofPhiladelphiaandthePhiladelphiaFemaleLiteraryAssociationprovidedaspacewithinwhichAfricanAmericanscouldappropriateandrefashiontheliterarytasteandmoralconsciousnessthatclassicismand
classicaleducationhadgiventheirwhitecounterparts(BaconandMcClish2000;Malamud2011).
Clicktoviewlarger
Fig.4.1 TheModernMedea,woodengravingafterThomasSatterwhiteNoble’spaintingMargaretGarner,
reproducedfromHarper’sWeekly(May18,1867).
Elite,largelywhiteaudiencesneededtoseeGarnerthroughadifferentclassicallens.Inastrikingparalleltothe
multiplymediatedMedeasonstageasaudiencesexperiencedRistori’srealizationofanItaliantranslationof
LegouvésreworkingofEuripides’play,GarnerbecameknownasMedeaprimarilythroughthecaptiontothe
Harper’sWeeklyengravingofMatthewBrady’sphotographofThomasSatterwhiteNoble’s1867painting,Margaret
Garner(Fig.4.1).Noble’spaintingitselfsetstheconfrontationbetweenGarnerandherpursuersinastage-like
settingframedbyanopenwindow.Downstageleft,Garnergesturesdramaticallytowardthebodiesofherchildren
center;facingherstandfourslave-catchers,whoappeartohavejustmadetheirentrance,carefullyblockedfrom
upstagecentertodownstagerightsothattheirvariousemotionsandresponsescaneachbeseenand
appreciated.Evenwhitessympathetictotheabolitionistcause,Caroline(p.64) (p.65) Wintererhassuggested,
werereluctanttodrawparallelsbetweenactsofresistancebyenslavedwomenandtheheroismofancient
Romans.AsCharlesDarwinputit,anactthatifdonebyaRomanmatronwouldhavecountedasnobleloveof
freedomwas“inapoornegress…merebrutalobstinacy”(Winterer2007:186).Itmayhavebeeneasierforthe
readersofHarper’sWeeklyandotherelitewhitestoseeGarnerthroughthelensofMedea,thebarbarian
sorceresswho,rightlyinterpretedandenactedbyaRistoriorJanauschek,couldbeseenasanimatedbymaternal
loveandfemininepassion,thanforthemtounderstandherdeedasanactofpoliticalagency.Resistanceto
tyranny,likeotherpoliticalvirtues,remainedtheprovinceofwhites,men,andRomans.
Conclusion
MeasuringthepsychologicaldistancebetweentheMedeaofRistoriattheChestnutStreetTheatreorAcademyof
MusicandtheblackfaceMedeaofDuprezandBenedict’sMinstrelsonlyafewblocksawayservestoremindusof
thediversityofclassicalreceptionswithinasingleAmericancity.YetDuprezandBenedict’s“RistoriRestored”
couldnothavemadesensewithoutAdelaideRistori’sportrayalofLegouvé’sheroine.DramawithGreekorRoman
settings,basedonmyth,legend,history,oractualGreekdrama,andalwaysmediatedthroughadaptation,
translation,andimaginationoftheancientworld,allowedPhiladelphiaaudiencesinthefirsttwo-thirdsofthe
nineteenthcenturytoaffirmandsubvertsimultaneouslytheirideasaboutgender,race,andsociety.Hellenism,
thenasnow,wasacontestedarena.
Page 8 of 12
PRINTED FROM OXFORD HANDBOOKS ONLINE (www.oxfordhandbooks.com). (c) Oxford University Press, 2015. All Rights
Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford
Handbooks Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy).
Subscriber: OUP-Reference Gratis Access; date: 18 December 2015
Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800–1870
References
Austin,G.E.(1966),“TheAdventoftheNegroActorontheLegitimateStageinAmerica,”JournalofNegro
Education35,237–45.
Bacon,J.andG.McClish(2000),“ReinventingtheMaster’sTools:Nineteenth-CenturyAfrican-AmericanLiterary
SocietiesofPhiladelphiaandRhetoricalEducation,”RhetoricSocietyQuarterly30.4,19–47.
Bell,J.(1856),“LibertyorDeath,”TheProvincialFreeman,March8.Toronto.
Brown,T.A.(1903),AHistoryoftheNewYorkStagefromtheFirstPerformancein1732to1901.NewYork.
Butsch,R.(1994),“BoweryB’hoysandMatineeLadies:TheRe-GenderingofNineteenth-CenturyTheater
Audiences,”AmericanQuarterly46,374–405.
Carrott,R.G.(1978),TheEgyptianRevival:ItsSources,Monuments,andMeaning,1808–1858.Berkeley.
Croker,T.F.andS.Tucker(eds.n.d.)TheExtravaganzasofJ.R.Planché,Esq.(SomersetHerald)1825–1871.
London.
Davis,A.(2010),America’sLongestRun:AHistoryoftheWalnutStreetTheatre.UniversityPark,PA.
Davis,R.J.(1957),CradleofCulture:ThePhiladelphiaStage1800–1810.Philadelphia.
Diercks,P.T.(1976),“JamesRobinsonPlanchéandtheEnglishBurlettaTradition,”TheatreSurvey17,68–81.
Fiske,S.(2008),HereticalHellenism:WomenWriters,AncientGreece,andtheVictorianPopularImagination.
Athens,OH.
Foley,H.P.(2012),ReimaginingGreekTragedyontheAmericanStage,Berkeley,LosAngeles,andLondon.
Frick,J.(1999),“AChangingTheatre:NewYorkandBeyond,”inD.B.WilmethandC.Bigsbyeds.,TheCambridge
HistoryofAmericanTheatre,ii:1870–1945.Cambridge,196–232.
Gibson,C.(1998),“Populationofthe100LargestCitiesandOtherUrbanPlacesintheUnitedStates:1790to
1900,”PopulationDivisionWorkingPaperNo.27,U.S.BureauoftheCensus,<>accessedMarch27,2013.
Washington,DC.
Glazer,I.R.(1986),PhiladelphiaTheatres,A–Z:AComprehensive,DescriptiveRecordof813Theatres
ConstructedSince1724.NewYork,Westport,CT,andLondon.
Hall,E.(1997),“Talfourd’sAncientGreeksintheTheatreofReform,”InternationalJournaloftheClassical
Tradition3.3,283–307.
Hall,E.(2004),“TowardsaTheoryofPerformanceReception,”ArionThirdSeries12.1,51–89.
Hall,E.andF.Macintosh(2005),GreekTragedyandtheBritishTheatre1660–1914.Oxford.
Hamlin,T.(1944),GreekRevivalArchitectureinAmerica:BeinganAccountofImportantTrendsinAmerican
ArchitectureandAmericanLifepriortoTheWarBetweentheStates.London,NewYork,andToronto.
Heron,M.(trans.1857),Medea.NewYork.
Lada-Richards,I.(2010),“DeadbutnotExtinct:OnReinventingPantomimeDancinginEighteenth-Century
England,”inF.Macintoshed.,TheAncientDancerintheModernWorld.Oxford,19–39.
Macintosh,F.(1997),“TragedyinPerformance:NineteenthandTwentieth-CenturyProductions,”inP.Easterling
ed.,TheCambridgeCompaniontoGreekTragedy.Cambridge,284–323.
Macintosh,F.(2000a),“Introduction:ThePerformerinPerformance,”inE.Hall,F.Macintosh,andO.Taplineds.,
MedeainPerformance.Oxford,1–31.
Page 9 of 12
PRINTED FROM OXFORD HANDBOOKS ONLINE (www.oxfordhandbooks.com). (c) Oxford University Press, 2015. All Rights
Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford
Handbooks Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy).
Subscriber: OUP-Reference Gratis Access; date: 18 December 2015
Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800–1870
Macintosh,F.(2000b),“MedeaTransposed:BurlesqueandGenderontheMid-VictorianStage,”inE.Hall,F.
Macintosh,andO.Taplineds.,MedeainPerformance.Oxford,75–99.
Macintosh,F.(ed.2010),TheAncientDancerintheModernWorld:ResponsestoGreekandRomanDance.
Oxford.
McConachie,B.(1999),“AmericanTheatreinContext,fromtheBeginningsto1870,”inD.B.WilmethandC.Bigsby
eds.,TheCambridgeHistoryofAmericanTheatre,i:Beginningsto1870.Cambridge,111–81.
McDonagh,J.(2003),ChildMurder&BritishCulture,1720–1900.Cambridge.
Macmillan,D.(1928),“Planché’sEarlyClassicalBurlesques,”StudiesinPhilology25,340–5.
Malamud,M.(2011),“TheAuctoritasofAntiquity:DebatingSlaverythroughClassicalExemplaintheAntebellum
USA,”inE.Hall,R.Alston,andJ.Mc Connelleds.,AncientSlaveryandAbolition:FromHobbestoHollywood,
ClassicalPresences.Oxford,279–318.
Morrison,S.E.(1936),HarvardCollegeintheSeventeenthCentury,2vols.Cambridge,MA.
Norman,H.(1882),AnAccountoftheHarvardGreekPlay.Boston.
Pearcy,L.T.(2003),“AristophanesinPhiladelphia:TheAcharniansof1886,”ClassicalWorld96.3,299–313.
Pearcy,L.T.(2013),“Talfourd’sIon:ClassicalReceptionandGenderinNineteenth-CenturyPhiladelphia,”inB.
Gold,D.Lateiner,andJ.Perkinseds.,DominaIllustris:EssaysforJudithP.Hallett.London,241–51.
Pluggé,D.E.(1938),HistoryofGreekPlayProductioninAmericanCollegesandUniversitiesfrom1881to1936.
NewYork.
Rankin,H.F.(1965,2ndedn.),TheTheatreinColonialAmerica.ChapelHill,NC.
Snow,L.F.(1907),TheCollegeCurriculumintheUnitedStates.NewYork.Alsoavailableat<>accessedMarch
25,2013.
Talfourd,T.N.(1846),Tragedies:ToWhichareAddedAFewSonnetsandVerses.NewYork.
Wilson,A.H.(1935),AHistoryofthePhiladelphiaTheatre,1835–1885.Philadelphia.
Winter,W.(1913),TheWalletofTime,ContainingPersonal,Biographical,andCriticalReminiscenceofthe
AmericanTheatre,2vols.NewYork.
Winterer,C.(2002),TheCultureofClassicism:AncientGreeceandRomeinAmericanIntellectualLife.Baltimore.
Winterer,C.(2007),TheMirrorofAntiquity:AmericanWomenandtheClassicalTradition,1750–1900.Ithaca,NY,
andLondon.
Notes:
(1.)SomematerialinthischapterappearsinslightlydifferentforminPearcy2003andPearcy2013.Anearly
versionwasdeliveredatNorthwesternUniversityonDecember5,2009aspartofaSawyerSeminarserieson
“TheatreafterAthens”(<http://www.sawyerseminar.northwestern.edu>),organizedbyKathrynBosher.Her
memorycontinuestoinspiremyworkonancientdramaanditsmodernreceptions.Thischapterdrawsheavilyon
thecollectionsoftheFreeLibraryofPhiladelphia,theLibraryCompanyofPhiladelphia,andtheHistoricalSocietyof
Pennsylvania.IamgratefultoKarinSuriattheFreeLibrary,CorneliaKingattheLibraryCompany,andtheother
librariansandstaffofthoseinstitutions.APGRD=TheArchiveofPerformancesofGreekandRomanDrama,Oxford
(<http://www.apgrd.ox.ac.uk/>).NumbersfollowingtheabbreviationAPGRDpointtoperformancesinthedatabase
oftheArchive.ReferencestoTheEveningTelegraph(Philadelphia)refertoissuesfoundintheLibraryofCongress
digitalarchiveChroniclingAmerica:HistoricAmericanNewspapers(<http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/>).
(2.)RembrandtPeale’s1824painting“GeorgeWashington,PatriaePater,”nowinthecollectionofthe
Page 10 of 12
PRINTED FROM OXFORD HANDBOOKS ONLINE (www.oxfordhandbooks.com). (c) Oxford University Press, 2015. All Rights
Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford
Handbooks Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy).
Subscriber: OUP-Reference Gratis Access; date: 18 December 2015
Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800–1870
PennsylvaniaAcademyoftheFineArts,combinesthemotto“PatriaePater”withthecoronacivicainanillusionistic
“porthole”styleportraitofWashington;see<http://www.pafa.org/museum/The-Collection-Greenfield-American-ArtResource/Tour-the-Collection/Category/Collection-Detail/985/let--P/mkey--1627/nameid--527/>accessedMarch28,
2013.
(3.)Inthe1830censusBaltimorecounted80,620citizenstoPhiladelphia’s80,462.Philadelphiawoulddropto
fourthplaceinthe1840census,behindNewYork,NewOrleans(whichgrewfrom27,176citizensinthe1830
censusto102,913in1840),andBaltimore.SeeGibson1998.
(4.)JohnF.Watson,AnnalsofPhiladelphiaandPennsylvania,quotedinRankin1965:112.
(5.)“Chesnut”appearstohavebeentheregularspellinginthenineteenthcentury.
(6.)Playbill,WheatleyandClarke’sArchStreetTheatre,March2,1859;inScrapbook12,19thCenturyPlaybills,
1803–1939,TheFreeLibraryofPhiladelphia,RareBookDepartment—TheatreCollection.
(7.)Playbill,WalnutStreetTheatre,November12,1867;inScrapbook62,19thCenturyPlaybills,1803–1939,The
FreeLibraryofPhiladelphia,RareBookDepartment—TheatreCollection.
(8.)Myroughcountgives3,346,includingalternativetitles;seeWilson1935.
(9.)Legouvé1854:85=Heron1857:56.OnLegouvé’sMédéeinParisandLondon,seeMacintosh2000a:14–17;
andHallandMacintosh2005:201–5.FortheNewYorkreception,seeDavis,thisvolume.
(10.)Forproductionsfrom1880inEurope,Australia,andNewZealand,seeMacintosh1997.
(11.)Asearlyas1676,atleastoneHarvardfreshmanwasinterestedenoughtopurchaseaneditionofSophocles;
Morrison1936:i.197.
(12.)Hall2004:51–89;quotationfromp.58.
(13.)OnNoverre’sballetd’actionMédéeetJason(1776),uponwhichVestris’MedeaandJasonisbased,see
Lada-Richards2010:24–9.
(14.)Vanderlyn’spaintingisnowpartofthecollectionofthePennsylvaniaAcademyoftheFineArts;see
<http://www.pafa.org/Museum/The-Collection-Greenfield-American-Art-Resource/Tour-theCollection/Category/Collection-Detail/985/mkey--2514/>accessedNovember26,2012.
(15.)AndevenearlierfromGiudettaPasta’s1828tourinJohannMayr’sopera,MedeainCorinto,whichwasat
leastknowninPhiladelphia;seePhiladelphiaAlbumandLadiesLiteraryPortfolio,September24,1831,310,cited
Foley2012:277–93.
(16.)APGRD7087,December10–24,1858;forthisandlaterproductions,seealsoFoley2012:277.
(17.)APGRD7088,October17–25,1859.
(18.)APGRD7089,January10–21,1860.
(19.)Heron’snon-classicalLesbia,whichissetinVenice,isnottobeconfusedwithRichardDavey’sone-act
curtainraiserbasedonCatullus,whichhaditsfirstperformancein1888;seeBrown1903:442.
(20.)APGRD7090,November9–21,1863.ForHeron’sandJones’sappearancesasMedeainLondonin1861,see
HallandMacintosh2005:423.
(21.)TheEveningTelegraph(Philadelphia),December11,1866,fifthedition,4.
(22.)“ButifinPhaedraRistorididnotrisetotheclassicgrandeurofRachel,shegatheredthecharactertoher
heart,humanizedit,andmadeitnatural,”TheEveningTelegraph(Philadelphia),December15,1866,fourthedition,
8.
(23.)AdvertisementinTheEveningTelegraph(Philadelphia),January22,1870,fifthedition,3.Forthenumerous
Page 11 of 12
PRINTED FROM OXFORD HANDBOOKS ONLINE (www.oxfordhandbooks.com). (c) Oxford University Press, 2015. All Rights
Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford
Handbooks Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy).
Subscriber: OUP-Reference Gratis Access; date: 18 December 2015
Grecian Theater in Philadelphia, 1800–1870
burlesquesofRistori’sMedeainLondon,seeMacintosh2000b:75–99;HallandMacintosh2005:401–22.
(24.)ForGrillparzer’s1821version,seeMacintosh2000a:12–14;andforthenegativeimpactofJanauschek’s
appearancesinLondonin1876,comparedtoherpopularityinGermany,Austria,andRussia,seeHalland
Macintosh2005:424.
(25.)“OurGermanresidentsaregreatlyexercisedabouttheappearanceofM’lleFannyJanauschekattheNew
ChestnutStreetTheatrenextweek,andtheywillviewiththeirAmerican-bornfriendsingivingthegreat
tragedienneanimmensereception;”TheEveningTelegraph(Philadelphia),December11,1867,fifthedition,3.
(26.)Cf.HallandMacintosh2005:391–429onMedeainBritain.
(27.)DailyEveningTelegraph,December17,1867.
(28.)TheEveningTelegraph(Philadelphia),December11,1866,fifthedition,4.
(29.)OnsimilarconcernsaboutgenderintegrityinthetitleroleinTalfourd’sIon,whichwasusuallyabreechesrole
inAmerica,seePearcy2013.
(30.)Durang,quotedinDavis1957:31.
(31.)OnclassicalburlesquesandGreektragicburlesquesinparticular,seeHallandMacintosh2005:350–90.
(32.)MacMillan1928:340.SeealsoDiercks1976.
(33.)Planché’soriginaltitlewassimplyTheDeep,DeepSea,or,PerseusandAndromeda.ForAmericanaudiences
theseaserpentgottopbilling.
(34.)BlackactorsdidnotappearonAmericanstagesuntilaftertheCivilWar;seeAustin1966.
(35.)AdvertisementinTheEveningTelegraph(Philadelphia),January22,1870,fifthedition,3.
(36.)<http://www.accessible-archives.com/collections/african-american-newspapers/provincial-freeman/>
accessedMarch22,2013.
(37.)Atleastthroughthe1850s,asplaybillsshow,agalleryseatattheArchStreetTheatrecost13centsforwhite
patronsbut25centsfor“coloredpersons.”
LeePearcy
ResearchAssociate,DepartmentofClassics,BrynMawrCollege
Page 12 of 12
PRINTED FROM OXFORD HANDBOOKS ONLINE (www.oxfordhandbooks.com). (c) Oxford University Press, 2015. All Rights
Reserved. Under the terms of the licence agreement, an individual user may print out a PDF of a single chapter of a title in Oxford
Handbooks Online for personal use (for details see Privacy Policy).
Subscriber: OUP-Reference Gratis Access; date: 18 December 2015