A   HISTORY   OF   THE
NEW   YOR K   STAG E
 

J^^^JSa^^^N 1832 William Dunlap published a "History of
^^^i^^^^^^^^^the American Theatre" and stated that the first
^M I         11 [^9 dramatic   performance  ever   given   in   America

W/s\ I ^^ occurred Sept. 15, 1752, at Williamsburg, the
^^^L__J]^^r capital of Virginia.

^^^O^^O At Castle Garden one hundred years later, as I
^^^s/wli^^^ shall tell In detail, that date was celebrated as
tf=i ^ viK;_^£2:a ^^Q centenary of the introduction of the drama
into America. James Rees ("Colley Gibber") says that "a por¬
tion of Hallam's troupe, combined with several artists engaged for
America by John Moody, arrived in Philadelphia about 1749, and
opened the first theatre dedicated to the dramatic muse with a
well-organized company in the Colonies."

Anthony Aston, otherwise known as Mat Medley, a lawyer,
poet, actor, soldier, excise man, and publican in England, narrates
a number of adventures by sea and land that, so far as we are con¬
cerned, ended with his being wrecked twenty leagues southward
of Charleston, S. C, whence he made his way on a sloop to New
York, and where he positively asserts that he acted in the year
1732.

In September, 1732, a company of professional actors arrived
from London and secured a large room in the upper part of a
building near the junction of Pearl Street and Maiden Lane, which
was fitted up with a platform stage and raised seats, capable of
seating about four hundred people. They continued their perform¬
ances for one month, acting three times each week. Early in
December of the same year they resumed, having made several
additions to their party. I have been unable to get a complete
list of the company, but I know that Messrs. R. Bessel, T. Heady,
Drown, Eastlake, Cone, Mesdames Drown, Chase, Centour, and
Miss Brennan were among those advertised to play in "The
Recruiting Officer " December 6. This company continued until
February, 1734; it was then disbanded. In Bradford's New York
Gazette of Oct. 8, 1734, there appeared the following advertise¬
ment : —