The Varieties of Miss Laura Keene
On December 27, 1855, the actress and manager Laura Keene reopened the theatre as Laura Keene's Varieties with Old Heads and Young Hearts.
It was here in her newly renamed theatre that the leading female impresario of New York, Laura Keene, developed her talent for producing an eclectic form of entertainment which she would perfect in subsequent productions such as the musical Seven Sisters five years later.
A rare etching of the interior of the theatre at this time depicts a production by Laura Keene in her theatre; From the point of view of the stage, it depicts what is probably the production of a classical text, with two figures in historical costumes standing downstage close to the footlights. This etching, from the actors' point of view, gives a rare glimpse into theatrical production on the American stage in the pre-Civil War era.
Despite the success of the theatre under the management of Laura Keene, the Panic of 1857 bankrupted the theatre and it was forced to be closed once again.
This house was reopened Sept. 8, 1856 as Burton's New Theatre, with The Rivals. In 1858, Joseph Jefferson performed in a burlesque of the play Mazeppa by F. A. Brady in which he was drawn across the stage atop a Crandall horse.
Read more about this topic: Winter Garden Theatre (1850)
Famous quotes containing the word laura:
“For infants and toddlers learning and living are the same thing. If they feel secure, treasured, loved, their own energy and curiosity will bring them new understanding and new skills.”
—Amy Laura Dombro (20th century)