The Mormons and the Theatre; or, The History of Theatricals in UtahLindsay, John S. (John Shanks)
Religion
The Mormons and the Theatre; or, The History of Theatricals in Utah
Lindsay, John S. (John Shanks)
Latter Day Saints; Theater -- Utah -- History
After the Rignold date here, when "The Lady of Lyons," "Black-Eyed
Susan," and "Henry V" were given with such support as was available,
the stock played fitfully, interrupted by occasional novelties, such
as panoramas and concert companies, minstrels and the like, along the
holiday season and into the spring. On February 3rd, John S. Lindsay
was the recipient of another "benefit," on which occasion he exhibited
his strong predilection for Shakespearian roles by appearing as
Hamlet, a character in which he had already won some local
distinction. As on a previous benefit occasion, there were several
first appearances, and the cast as a whole was not very satisfactory,
but our friends were inclined to overlook many shortcomings on those
benefit occasions. As if "Hamlet" was not enough for a benefit
performance, we had to tack on the farce of "The Trials of Tompkins,"
in which Mr. Graham was wont to shine.
On the 23rd and 24th of February, Mr. E. A. Sothern, the world
renowned Dundreary, filled his first engagement at the Salt Lake
Theatre. He exacted a certainty of one thousand dollars in gold coin
for the two nights. Mr. Harris very naturally had some hesitancy about
closing an engagement with him on such exorbitant terms, so he made a
canvass of his patrons, and after a careful consideration, "closed the
deal" with Mr. Sothern. The prices were advanced from the usual scale
of twenty-five cents to one dollar, to fifty cents to two-fifty. The
house was well filled on both nights and the management, not having a
very expensive company or any production to pay for out of its share,
came out all right. There was much dissatisfaction, however, that such
exorbitant prices should be charged for what at best was but an
ordinary "show," especially the last night when David Garrick was
presented, and by ten o'clock the play was over, and the general
expression of the patrons of the theatre was "Sold!" Indeed so
outspoken was the dissatisfaction with David Garrick, and so severe
were the strictures of the press the following morning, that Mr.
Sothern could not have gotten fifty cents a ticket for a third
performance. As a natural consequence, it was a long time before he
came to Salt Lake again.
On March 10th, Miss Annie Adams (Mrs. Kiskadden) who had recently
returned on a visit to Salt Lake after an absence of three years in
San Francisco, assisted by the stock company, gave a production of
"The Two Orphans," Miss Adams appearing as Louise and Miss Colebrook
as Henriette, the writer in the character of Pierre. This was the
first presentation of this play at this theatre and it proved a great
drawing card.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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