Transcript Civil War Theatre

Civil War Theatre
By: Taylor Copeland
Theater During the Civil War
Prior to the Civil War, America was already displaying characteristics of Europe.
Theater was a favorite pastime of Europeans, and soon became a favorite of
Americans too. As the North was becoming more urbanized, demand for
entertainment became more desired. Men of the working class usually watched
these shows. Theater and entertainment during the Civil War usually consisted of
comedic variety shows and later entertainment was suitable for the whole family
became more popular. Plays were mostly revivals of classics such as Shakespeare,
special acts, pantomimes, romantic dramas, and melodramas.
Music Halls
• Music Halls were the most popular form of entertainment in England.
• Music Halls were theatres and taverns with stages where people could
drink, sing, and hear popular songs, see dance routines, comedy,
magic, and other acts.
• Some of these artists even toured in America.
Minstrel Shows
• Minstrel Shows in America had the same popularity as Music Halls in England.
• These shows had existed in the U.S. since colonial times.
• Their alternative name was blackface shows because they were typically performed
by white men wearing black face paint who sang and spoke like black people,
whose purpose it was to ridicule black people. This highlighted the white’s racism
towards blacks.
• Obviously these shows were more accepted and popular in the South.
• These shows included comedy, dance, and popular music.
Minstrel Shows (continued)
• Minstrel Shows consisted of three parts:
• 1: The cast would sit on stage in a semi-circle and sing songs such as
“Camptown Races”, and engaged in riddles, puns, and comedic oneliners.
• 2: Also called the Olio, a variety show in which entertainers performed
individually.
• 3: This was a skit that combined comedy and music in what is often a
parody of current fads and events.
Variety Shows
• Tony Pastor, who was dubbed the “father of American vaudeville” and
other stage managers discovered a market for clean variety shows that
were appropriate for women and children.
• These theatres poked fun at the upper classes, which made his shows
popular with the working-class people.
Burlesque
• Burlesque shows started out as comic spoofs well-known people or
subjects, but steadily evolved into “girlie” shows that included
provocative displays of women.
• When women would play male roles, they would wear tights and a
tunic, a very risqué outfit for the time.
• Some producers cashed in on “burleycue” and “leg shows” by replacing
comedic routines with playful dances like the cancan.
• Male comedians eventually joined the shows.
Vaudeville
• Vaudeville shows were a variety of unconnected musical, dancing, comedy, and
specialty acts that grew in the decades following the Civil War.
• It was basically a longer version of the olio section of Minstrel Shows, without
making fun of blacks, and eventually came to replace Minstrel Shows all together.
• At first, its only audience were men, but it developed to become a popular form of
family entertainment.
Stars
• Like actors today, thespians of the 19th century were well-known and loved.
• “Swedish Nightingale” Jenny Lind- most beloved all, who appeared in every major
European opera house between 1838 and 1849 and toured through the U.S., where
she was praised by the press.
• William Charles Macready- also famous in both Europe and the United States,
where he frequently toured.
• Edwin Forrest- the most famous of the increasingly popular stage divas, known for
his arrogance, short temper, booming voice and fierce looks. His most famous
Shakespeare role was Othello. Many roles were written for him because he offered
prizes to encourage the writing of American plays.
Stars (continued)
•
•
•
Frederick Aldridge- the 1st famous black American actor. He debuted in London playing an
African prince. “African Roscius” was also lauded for his roles as King Lear and Macbeth.
John Wilkes Booth- came from a family of performers. His brother was Edwin Booth who owned
his own New York City theater. Booth, most famous today as the assassin of Abraham Lincoln,
was called the handsomest man in America, a natural genius, and a brilliant talent. He played
such roles as Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Horatio in Hamlet, and Brutus, the murderer of Ceaser.
Charlotte Saunders- famous actress who played in Romeo and Juliet with her sister, she being
Romeo and her sister being Juliet. She also played Lady Macbeth and Meg Marrilees, and later
became a sculptor.
Theaters
• Ford Theater, Washington D.C. (where Lincoln was shot)
• The Empire & The Hippodrome, Great Britain (music halls in
Great Britain)
• Tony Pastor’s Opera House on Bowery, New York City
• Apollo Theatre, New York (burlesque theatre)
Directors and Playwrights
• Directors became increasingly coveted and were not only responsible
for every detail of their production, but also usually had the lead role.
• Playwrights became wealthy through receiving royalties on their plays
through copyrights and directed and had the star roles in their own
plays.
Scenery and Lighting
• Candle and oil lamps had been replaced by gaslight in many theatres and
spotlighting effects were used more frequently.
• As in Edwin Booth’s theater, scenery could be raised from below the stage or
lowered from above using hydraulics.
• Moving panoramas gave the illusion of the actor’s movement.
• Real animals joined actors on stage.
• More elaborate settings were being used such as erupting volcanoes and falling
trees.
• Costumes and props also helped achieve realism as they became more elaborate.
• This made the plays longer.
THE END!