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
During the early days of the Salt Lake Theatre, that is to say, the
first short season of 1862 and part of the season of '62-3, the
company was somewhat handicapped by the lack of a competent "leading
lady." Mrs. Wheelock and Mrs. Tuckett, the two leading actresses of
the Social Hall days, had both left the Territory for California, and
this left the D. D. A. weak in this respect. The comedy roles were
well represented in the persons of Mrs. Margaret Clawson, Miss Sarah
Alexander, Miss Maggie Thomas, and the character parts and old women
by Mrs. Sarah Cook. Mrs. Marian Bowring was good in heavies, while
pretty Alice Clawson could make good in a walking lady or light
juvenile but they were short a "leading" woman. In the classic plays
which Lyne put on: "Virginius," "Damon and Pythias," "Richelieu,"
etc., (Mrs. Alice Clawson was cast for the leading juvenile roles; she
filled all the requirements so far as looks were concerned, but was
not at all convincing where any impassioned acting was required) the
popular verdict was "She's pretty, but can't act." Soon the managers
discovered a very talented and promising actress to fill the place, in
one Mrs. Lydia Gibson. Lydia was the young and pretty wife of Elder
William Gibson, who had recently converted Lydia to the Mormon faith
in the old country and brought her to Salt Lake and prevailed on her
to become Mrs. Gibson number two. She was a very lovely woman and when
she made her advent into the dramatic company soon became a general
favorite both with the company and the public, and more than one
fellow experienced a pang of envy when he learned she was the wife of
Elder Gibson, a man old enough to be her father. Mrs. Gibson remained
in the company only two seasons, long enough to establish herself
thoroughly in the affections of everybody, when she sickened and
shortly after died. She was buried in Brigham Young's private burying
ground near where the prophet himself is buried. The entire dramatic
company and many of the community followed her to her last resting
place with every evidence of genuine sorrow. Her dramatic career was
brief but brilliant.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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