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
The season of '66 and '67 opened on September 8th with Alonzo R.
Phelps as the star attraction. Mr. Phelps opened in the character of
"Damon" and made a fairly good showing, although he appeared to much
greater advantage in some lighter roles, and particularly as "Crepin,"
the Cobbler, in "A Wonderful Woman." His engagement lasted two weeks,
when the Irwins returned after an absence of over two years. They
opened on September 29th, just in time to get well ready with a
repertory of plays for the approaching conference. Their engagement
lasted up to November 15th, when they departed for the East and Salt
Lake was never favored with a visit from them afterwards. "Sel" Irwin
"died young in years, not service," after very intense suffering for
several years from rheumatism, which virtually made a helpless cripple
of him. He died in New York in 1886, being only a little over fifty
years of age. His widow, Maria Irwin, still survives, and up to a
recent date was playing in a road company. Harry Rainforth, her son by
her first marriage, who was a mere boy of sixteen when they played
their first engagement in Salt Lake, has been for many years manager
of the Pike Grand Opera House, Cincinnati, the associate and partner
of "Bob" Miles. It was during this last Irwin engagement that Miss
Nellie Colebrook, who later on became leading lady of the company,
made her debut. Her first appearance was in the comedy of "Dominique,
the Deserter." The first line she had to speak was, "Oh, I'm half dead
with fear," which was literally true of Miss Colebrook on the
occasion. She was shaking like an aspen leaf in a strong wind, but her
nervous condition fitted the character remarkably well and the lady
sailed at once into public favor. Miss Colebrook was tall and stately,
with a very winning face and musical voice; she went rapidly to the
front, being especially well suited to many of the leading roles. Mrs.
Lydia Gibson, the leading actress of the theatre, died on January 8th,
1866, a little less than three years after her first appearance. This
left a vacancy in the company difficult to fill, and afforded Miss
Colebrook many excellent opportunities in leading roles, which she
always filled satisfactorily, so that by the time Pauncefort returned
to play his third engagement--after an absence of more than two years
Miss Colebrook was doing most of the leading female roles.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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