Thomas Abthorpe Cooper

Father of the American Stage, 1775-1849

F. Arant Maginnes (Autor)

Buch | Softcover

248 Seiten

2004
McFarland & Co Inc (Verlag)
978-0-7864-1935-7 (ISBN)

Artikel merken

This is the biography of Thomas Abthorpe Cooper, the first star of the American stage. Cooper was the chief transitional figure between the British and American stage and contributed greatly to the development of American theatre. For the 30 years after 1797, Cooper performed in the major cities and toured to every state in the Union.

This work covers his entire life and career from his birth outside London in 1775, to his famed performance to celebrate the opening of the City of Washington in 1800, to his death in Bristol, Pennsylvania, in 1849. Much research is drawn from Mr. Cooper's letters to his mentor, English radical philosopher William Godwin. Throughout, there are descriptions of his principal portrayals at different stages drawn from contemporary accounts and theatrical reviews. There are also 22 illustrations, from paintings and engravings to playbills and photographs of the sites associated with the actor.

Professor of theatre and English F. Arant Maginnes taught at Birmingham-Southern College, the University of Alabama, and George Washington University. She lives near Washington, D.C.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

List of Illustrations      xiii

Preface

Introduction

Part

The Rise to Fame, 1775–1803

1. “This Wild Immeasurably Spread”—1800

2. British-Born—1775–88

3. “Aut Caesar aut Nihil”—1788–92

4. “The Die Is Cast”—1792–93

5. “My Fortune Smiles”

An Irish Benefit—1793

“Wretched Set of Mummers—1794

6. “A Young Gentleman”

Mr. Holcroft—1795

First Appearance—1795–96

7. The Wheel of Fortune—1796–98

8. The New House

The Park Debu—1798

André—1799

New Successes—1799

9. “Fame Is My Deity”

New York City—1799–1800

Philadelphia—1800–01

10. Rising Returns—1801–03

Part

The American Star, 1803–1849

11. An American Indeed

Drury Lane—1803

The Provinces—1803–04

12. The United States’ Star

New York and Philadelphia—1804-05

Boston—1805–06

The South—1806–07

13. Yankee Ingenuity

Itinerant Star—1807–10

“This Glorious Son of York”—1810

“A Hearty Welcome”—1811–12

14. The American Roscius—1812–19

15. A Rival

A New Vogue—1819–20

“A Triumph to Cooper”—1820–21

16. A New Venue—1820–25

17. Turning Tide

An American Tragedian—1825–28

Success and Sorrow—1828–33

18. “The Father of the American Stage”—1833–36

Epilogue 1835–49

Chapter Notes

Bibliography

Index

Erscheint lt. Verlag	30.9.2004
Zusatzinfo	22 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Verlagsort	Jefferson, NC
Sprache	englisch
Maße	152 x 229 mm
Gewicht	340 g
Themenwelt	Literatur ► Biografien / Erfahrungsberichte
	Kunst / Musik / Theater ► Film / TV
	Kunst / Musik / Theater ► Theater / Ballett
ISBN-10	0-7864-1935-0 / 0786419350
ISBN-13	978-0-7864-1935-7 / 9780786419357
Zustand	Neuware