A History of the Theatre in America from its Beginnings to the Present Time
By Arthur Hornblow
Volume I Contents

I–The First American Theatre II–The First Play Acted in New York III–The Coming of the Hallams IV–Lewis Hallam in New York and Philadelphia V–David Douglass, Theatre Builder VI–Opening of the Famous John Street Theatre VII–The Theatre During the Revolution VIII–First Successful American Play IX–The Chestnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia X–Boston’s First Theatre XI–The First Park Theatre XII–Cooke and the Elder Wallack XIII–The Golden Era of the American Stage XIV–The Drama in the West

Preface

For nearly two hundred years the theatre in America has been without a historian. Of books on plays and playacting there has been no end. We have also several histories of the stage, but practically all of them are limited to the chronicling of theatrical happenings in certain localities, such as Blake’s History of the Providence Stage, Clapp’s Record of the Boston Stage, Ireland’s Records of the New York Stage, etc. Until now no attempt has been made to produce a work embracing the entire field of American theatrical activity, from the earliest beginnings in Colonial days down to the present time.

Thirty years ago George O. Seilhamer began the publication of his History of the American Theatre, perhaps the best, because the most complete, chronicle of the American stage up to the time of the Revolution that we have. Unfortunately, Mr. Seilhamer died when his history reached the year 1797, so that his splendidly conceived work remained unfinished. The three large volumes that did appear constitute, however, a monument of patient research, and I wish to acknowledge indebtedness to their interesting pages for much valuable information and data regarding the earlier period of our stage.

Of William Dunlap’s better-known work A History of the American Theatre –now a classic of our literature–almost everything can be said in praise except that it is not history. The book, which might properly be classed as an autobiography, seeing that the author writes mostly of his own experiences in theatrical authorship and management, is a series of charming pen pictures of old-time players and theatres by one who was contemporaneous with them. The work has little value as history. It goes back only a few years earlier than Dunlap’s own life, it completely ignores important events that had already made theatrical history before he was born, and the book ends with his own retirement from management. Wholly delightful as a piece of literature, full of piquant observation and amusing anecdote, Dunlap’s book, bristling as it is with…

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