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
Lyne's engagement was the first one made with any outside actor and
broke almost in the very start the President's avowed policy of having
no Gentile actors in his theatre. It was a comparatively easy step,
however, as Mr. Lyne was regarded as almost, and likely to be
altogether, one of us again, which idea, however, proved quite
erroneous for Tom Lyne, after playing several profitable engagements
during his first years in Salt Lake, where he settled down to end his
days, became unnecessarily cynical and bitter against the dominant
party; and especially against the proprietor and managers of the Salt
Lake Theatre, when they decided that they had played him all that was
profitable. Lyne's first engagement had "let down the bars," broken
the isolation policy to such an extent that other Gentile actors soon
followed. The truth is that the managers discovered even at that early
period in Salt Lake's theatrical experience that the local Stock
Company could not hold up the interest unaided and alone, especially
after the Lyne engagement had shown the public the difference between
a past master in the art (as Lyne was), and a company of comparative
novices however talented they might be. Another line of policy which
had been laid down by the chief of the new amusement bureau (that he
would not have any tragedies nor murder plays performed in the new
theatre) was sadly tangled and demoralized, during the very first
engagement of an outside actor. "Virginius" was a favorite part of Mr.
Lyne's and it went on, notwithstanding some discussion and protest,
with Mrs. Alice Clawson (Brigham's prettiest daughter) as Virginia.
When Virginius thrust the death dealing butcher knife which he
purloins from the neighboring butcher stall into the trusting bosom of
the fair Virginia, exclaiming "It is to save thine honor," the Rubicon
was crossed the leap was taken, and the second cherished whim of the
chief promoter of amusements for the Saints was shattered; it fell a
sacrifice to a worldly "box office" policy; and significant to relate,
his favorite daughter Alice was made the principal accessory to this
disregard of his desires and counsel.
The step once taken could not be retraced. Mr. Lyne's "Virginius" like
his "Damon" and "Richelieu" proved very popular, and justified several
repetitions. It was found that tragedy had its votaries quite as
numerous as those of the Comic Muse; and there were no more protests
either against the Gentile actors or the tragic plays, for the varied
tastes of theatre patrons had to be considered and from this time on
"box office" considerations wholly dictated the managerial policy of
the Salt Lake Theatre.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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