History
In 1869, Edwin Booth, then one of the world's most distinguished stage tragedians and arguably America's greatest Hamlet, opened his theatre, Booth's Theatre, in Manhattan on the southeast corner of 23rd Street and Sixth Avenue.
Central to the identity of Booth's theatre was the stage background of Edwin Booth, who belonged to the Booth Family dynasty, which ruled the American stage in the 19th century. It was actually touring with his father, Junius Brutus Booth, that gave Edwin his first break, first appearing as Tressel in Richard II in Boston in 1849. After his father's death in 1852 Booth toured internationally, visiting Australia and Hawaii and briefly settling in California before returning to East Coast. Edwin is perhaps best known for his "hundred nights of Hamlet" in which he played Hamlet for 101 consecutive performances, a record held until 1922. Booth his also known for his relationship with his infamous brother, John Wilkes, who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. After the tragedy, Edwin and John Wilkes' relationship was highly strained and Edwin even disowned him at one point.
Booth had been drawn to the idea of erecting his own theatre, particularly after he purchased the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. Plans overtook Booth when a tragic fire of 1867 consumed The Winter Garden Theatre - Booth's usual performing home in New York - and with it much of Booth's personal wardrobe. The new theatre was to be one of the finest of its time, called in the press "A fitting temple for the presentation of Shakspearean drama."
Booth's Theatre remained Booth's new performing home for several years, during which time Booth and his elder brother Junius Brutus Booth, Jr., produced productions of the classics and hosted guest artists, such as Joseph Jefferson in his popular Rip Van Winkle. Finally, due in part to bad management, Booth lost the theatre to bankruptcy in 1874, and "never again participated in theatrical management." In 1883 the theatre was converted into a department store, which was demolished in 1965. Presently, the land is occupied by a Best Buy electronics store.
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