p. 70

15.
was the first American play performed in Ame-
rica by a regular company and it is probably
that it was the first play written here.It is
claimed that "Gustavus Vasa" by one Coleman
of Yale College was the first American play
but we have been unable to discover what date
has been assigned to that production. It is wor-
thy of notice that Mr. Dunlap whose "History of
th American Stage" is properly a history of
the New York stage never having investigated
our theatrical affairs asserts that the first Ameri-
can play acted in this country was "The Contrast"
which was played at New York in 1786 and that
the "Prince of Parthia" never was played. This
statement is incorrect. "The Prince of Par-
thia" by a native Philadelphian inaugurated
the American drama in 1767.

On the 27th of April was played "A Bold
Stroke for a Wife" and "The Devil to Pay."

On the 1st of May an extraordinary bill
was offered comprising "All for Love or the
World Well Lost" with the deaths of Anthony
and Cleopatra and an additional scene and
"Flora or Hob in the Well." On this evening
it was announced--"Gentlemen possessed of
tickets bought for the previous plays will please
use them this evening."

May 4th. "A Bold Stroke or a Wife" and
"The Apprentice."

The 7th was appropriated for the benefit of
Miss Cheer. "The Jealous Wife" with other
entertainments vix :--"At the end of the play an
Epilogue on EVERYBODY will be spoken by
Somebody in the character of Nobody." "The
Lying Valet" was the afterpiece. The bottom
of the bill contained the following :

"Miss Cheer begs leave to acquaint the town that the
ceremony of waiting on ladies and gentlemen with bills at
benefits has been for some years laid aside in this com-
pany ; instead of a mark of respect which it was originally
designed it has been often and not without reason.
taken in the light of an importunate solicilation equally
painful to the friends of the theatre and the performers
she therefore flatters herself that this circumstamce
alone sufficiently points out the impropriety of a personal
application."

May 11th for the benefit of Mr. Douglass
the pieces announced were "The Committee
or the Faithful Irishman" with the "Ancient
Irish method of mulling sack as practiced at the
Court of Rotherick O'Connor King of Con-
naught---the decent death and burial of King
Obadiah and a funeral oration sung over him by
Teague." Teague Mr. Allyn. By particular
desire the Prologue will be spoken by Mr.
Douglass in the character of a Master Mason.
"The Picture of a Play House or Bucks have
at ye all" by Mr. Hallam. A farce "The Spirit
of Contradiction" never acted here.

14th. Benefit of Mrs. Morris. "Romeo and
Juliet ;" "The Reprisal ; or the Tars of Old
England."
18th. Benefit of Mr. Harman. "The Drum-
mer ;" "Catherine and Petruchio."
21st. Benefit of Mr. Morris. "The Strata-
gem ;" "Don Quixotte in England."
23d. Benefit of Mr. Hallam. "Cymbeline"
altered by Garrick ; "The Mayor of Garret."
28th. Benefit of Mr. Wools. "Love in a
Village ; "High Life Below Stairs."
June 1st. Benefit of Mr. Wall. "The Re-
venge ;" "Tom Thumb the Great." Mr. Wall
gave notice that his chest containing his ap-
parel and one thousand tickets had been stolen

and that the new tickets would have upon them
"the emblems of Masonry."
4th. Benefit of Miss Wainwright. "The
Country Lasses" and the "Chaplet."
8th. "Coriolanns" by the author of the
Seasons ; "The Contrivance."
12th. Miss Hallam's benefit. "School for
Lovers ;" "Neck or Nothing." The bills say
"There are some alterations in the house in
order to make it cool."
15th. Benefit of Mr. Allyn. "The Miser"
and "The Double Disappointment" a farce.
On this occasion it was announced that an extra
quantity of sperm candles had been bought.
18th. Benefit of Mrs. Douglass. "The Roman
Father" and "Florn ; or Hob in the Well."
The parts of Hob and Flora by Mr. and Mrs.
Parker from the theatre in Jamaica. On this
occasion it was announced that Miss Hallam's
benefit having been postponed on account of
the weather holders of the tickets would be ad-
mitted if they would not wait until her benefit
took place.
22d. Benefit of Mrs. Tomlinson. "The Mer-
chant of Venice" and "The Lying Valet."
25th. Benefit of Mr. Greville. "The Won-
der ;" "The Citizen."
29th. Benefit of Miss Hallam. "Cymbeline"
and "Neck or Nothing."
July 2d. Benefit of Mr. Broadbelt "and posi-
tively the last night of acting this season."
"The Gamester" and "The Reprisal."

"Positively the last night" in those days had
somewhat the same meaning as at present. The
theatre was kept open "one night longer" for
the benefit of Mrs. Wall when the "Constant
Couple" and "The Apprentice" were played.

The heat of the weather caused a vacation
from this time until September. The first an-
nouncement of an exhibition in the latter
month as on the 24th when "The Lec-
ture on Heads" was delivered at the theatre by
Messrs. Douglass and Hallam. The humorous
scene of a drunken man was acted by Hallam.
There was singing by Wools Miss Hallam and
Miss Wainwright accompanied by a band of
music.

On the 6th of October "The Roman Father"
was performed. "Publius Horatius by Mr.
Henry from the theatre in Jamaica." The farce
was "Miss in Her Teens." "Miss Biddy by
Miss Storer from the theatre in Jamaica."
This was the first appearance of John Henry on
the American continent. Mr. Dunlap with his
usual belief in the infallibility of New York
states tht his first appearance was at the theatre
in that city December 1767.

October 9th. "The Jealous Wife ;" "Harle-
quin."
12th. "Hamlet ;" "The Citizen restored."
16th. "Romeo and Juliet ;" "Mayor of Gar-
ret."
19th. "The Beaux Stratagem ;" "High Life
Below Stairs."
23d. "The Gamester ;" "Harlequin Collec-
tor."
26th. "Love in a Village ;" "The Oracle."
November 3d. "The Wonder ;" "Devil to
Pay."
5th. "Venice Preserved"--Jaffier Mr. Henry ;

Belvidera Miss Cheer. "Neck or Nothing."
13th. "Theodosius ;" "The Chaplet."
19th. "The Clandestine Marriage :" never
acted in America. Ogelby Hallam ; Melville
Douglass ; Lovewell Henry ; Sterling Morris ;
Brush Wall ; Canton Allyn ; Sergt Flower
Tomlinson ; Travese Malone ; Truman Gre-
ville ; Mrs. Heidelburg Mrs. Douglass ; Fanny
Miss Hallam ; Betty Miss Wainwright ; Trusty
Mrs. Morris. The afterpiece was "The Brave
Irishman." Capt. O'Blander Mr. Henry.

November 23d was announced as "positively
the last night of acting this season." The pieces
were "The Clandestine Marriage" and "The
Lying Valt." The farewell epilogue to the la-
dies was spoken by Mrs. Douglass. The com-
pany immediately set out to New York. On
the way Mrs. Morris was drowned by the up-
setting of a boat crossing a river.

[For the Sunday Dispatch.]
THE PHILADELPHIA STAGE ;
FROM 1749 TO 1821.

BY CHARLES DURANG.
PARTLY COMPILED FROM THE PAPERS OF HIS FATHER THE LATE
JOHN DURANG ; WITH NOTES BY THE EDITORS.

CHAPTER VIII.
The season of 1768-'9--Cast of pieces--Alexander the Great
--Curious conduct of an enemy of the theatre--Season in
New York--Albany--Fall season of 1769-'70 in this city
--Production of Midas--The Tempest--Comus--The An-
napolis season of 1772--Mr. Morris and his second wife--
--Mr. Goodman the first native American ator--Phila-
delphia season of 1772-'3--The second American Drama
ever performed on the stage--"The Conquest of Canada"
&c.

The American company having opened the
theatre in New York Dec. 7, 1767 seem to
have performed there during that winter and in
the spring and summer of 1768. On the 21st of
October in the latter year the theatre in South-
wark was again opened with the comedy of
"The Spanish Friar or the Double Discovery
with alterations by Dr. Johnson" and the farce
of "the Honest Yorkshireman." The business
during the first week must have been bad for
on October 27th it was announced on the bills
"the last week but one." A favorable turn
probably took place shortly afterwards as the
season was extended until January 1769. Among
the plays performed were the "Mourning Bride"
"Love a la mode" "the Busy Body" "King
John" "Cymbeline" and the farces "Miss in her
Teens" "High Life below Stairs" and "Contri-
vances." The names of Darby Byerly Raworth
and Roberts appeared among the members of the
company during this season. Miss Wainwright
seems to have retired from the stage. Miss
Hallam who was now grown quite a woman
took many of the parts formerly assigned to
Miss W. In order to give some idea of the ma-
terial of the company this season we subjoin the
cast of "tamerlane" as performed December
22d, 1768 :--Bajazet Mr. Hallam ; Moneses Mr.
Henry ; Axalla Mr. Parker ; Omar Mr. Tomlin-
son ; Dervise Mr. Morris ; Tamerlane Mr. Doug-
lass ; Prince of Tanais Mr. Darby ; Mirvan Mr.
Wools ; Stratocles Mr. Byerly ; Zama Mr. Ra-
worth ; Selima Miss Cheer ; "Aspasia to be at-
tempted by Miss Hallam."

On the 9th of December after the performance
of the "Busy Body" and "Contrivances" it was