Franklin Theatre

The Franklin Theatre was a theatre located at 175 Chatham Street (now Park Row) between James and Oliver Streets in Lower Manhattan, New York City, New York.[1] A smaller venue with a seating capacity of five hundred and fifty people,[2] it originally operated under the management of William E. Dinneford who leased the theater for the 1835-1836 season.[3] It opened to the public on September 7, 1835[2] with a performance of The Golden Farmer; a hit production which was repeated more than one hundred times.[3] It was initially known for its quality productions with strong actors.[2] Mary Ann Duff was an early star at the venue.[4] The Panic of 1837 had a negative impact on the theater, and the strength of its offerings began to decline.[5] Marietta Judah gave her first performance in New York at the Franklin Theatre on October 12, 1840.[6]

In April 1841 the name of the venue was briefly changed to the Little Drury Theatre before becoming the Little Franklin Theatre in August 1841.[4] At some point in the 1840s its name was changed to the Old Drury.[4] During this period it offered variety theatre, minstrel show entertainments, and German language productions.[5] It was converted into a dime museum along the lines of Barnum's American Museum and re-named the Franklin Museum in 1848.[2] The museum and its theatre continued to operate until 1854;[2] offering twice daily exhibitions and magic lantern shows.[4] The exhibitions included "living statue" which were an excuse for audiences to view scantily dressed models.[5] Its final performance was given on April 22, 1854.[2] After this it was converted into a furniture store.[2]

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Jackson, Keller & Flood 2010, "Theaters Within the Present Boundaries of New York City by Date of Founding".
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Jenkins 2017, p. 45.
  3. 1 2 Picton 1995, p. 157.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Dimmick 1913, p. 29.
  5. 1 2 3 Henderson 1973, p. 66.
  6. ↑ Brown 1903, p. 261.

Bibliography

  • Brown, Thomas Allston (1903). A History of the New York Stage from the First Performance in 1732 to 1901, Volume 1. Dodd, Mead & Co.
  • Dimmick, Ruth Crosby (1913). Our Theatres To-day and Yesterday. H. K. Fly Company.
  • Henderson, Mary C. (1973). The City and the Theatre: New York Playhouses from Bowling Green to Times Square. J. T. White.
  • Jackson, Kenneth T.; Keller, Lisa; Flood, Nancy, eds. (2010). The Encyclopedia of New York City, Second Edition. Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300182576.
  • Jenkins, Stephen (2017). The Old Boston Post Road. Jazzybee Verlag Jürgen Beck. ISBN 9783849676674.
  • Picton, Col. Tom (1995). Slout, William Lawrence (ed.). Old Gotham Theatricals. Borgo Press. ISBN 9780893704629.

40°42′47″N 73°59′56″W / 40.7131°N 73.9988°W / 40.7131; -73.9988

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