Lester Wallack's (?) comedy, "Central Park, or the House with two Doors," was first acted Feb. 14: Theodore Moss, the treasurer of the house, took his annual benefit March 11, and offered "A Bold Stroke for a Husband," with this cast: Don Julio. Don Cæsar Don Vincentio Don Carlos Don Garcia Diego . Lester Wallack | Donna Olivia Mr. Blake Minetta Mr. Walcot Donna Victoria Wm. R. Blake took his benefit March 13, with Ruin," and March 16 Mrs. John Hoey, for her "London Assurance." Charles Courtley Mr. Wallack Dolly Spanker Mr. Reynolds Grace Harkaway Mrs. Hoey Miss Gannon Miss Morant Mrs. Sloan Miss Reeves Miss Carman "The Road to "annual," gave Mr. Floyd Mr. Young Mrs. Hoey Sir Harcourt Courtley. Mark Meddle Mr. Blake Lady Gay Spanker Dazzle. Miss Gannon Max Harkaway Table": Mr. Norton Pert. Julia Tree Walcot took his benefit March 18, in "Knights of the Round For Fanny Morant's benefit, March 20, "Money" had "She Stoops to Conquer," was given for the first time here March 25: E. G. P. Wilkins' comedy "Henriette" was seen bere March 27, Boucicault's "Love and Money" was played April 28, cast thus: The season closed April 29, 1861, with a benefit to Lester Wallack. James W. Wallack came in front of the curtain for the first time in two years, and delivered a closing address. "Simpson & Co." and the last act of "Jessie Brown" were performed. A benefit performance was given May 2 and 3, for the Union Defence Fund for the widows and children of soldiers. May 6" Jessie Brown, or the Relief of Lucknow," was seen with this cast: This was Harry Pearson's first appearance at this theatre. The theatre remained closed until May 22, 1861, when it was reopened by Robert W. Butler as the BROADWAY MUSIC HALL, with Aynesley Cook, Billy O'Neill, Tony Pastor, Annetta Galetti, Mons. Velarde, Clara Harrington, Ben Yates, Add Weaver, Master Barney, Tim Norton, Billy Arlington, Mlle. Katrina, Lizzie Schultze, Matilda Schultze, Julia Christine, Sophie Wilton, Mons. La Thorne, stage manager. A. J. Leavitt, Ben Cotton, Billy Birch, J. O. Sefton, Denny Gallagher, and John Mulligan were added to the forces. It was not a marked success, and Mr. Butler closed about Jan. 25, 1862, having compromised with Wallack. Feb. 19 its doors were reopened by a German Opera troupe under the direction of Carl Proch, whose sole production was "Der Freischütz," with this cast: Agatha, Mrs. Schroeder-Duemmler; Amina, Mrs. Schreiner-Kronfeldt; Max, Herr Quinn; Caspar, Herr Weinlich; Cuno, Herr Ochslein. This house was reopened March 1, Lewis Baker and Geo. Ryer managers. They christened it THE NEW YORK ATHENEUM. "Uncle Tom's Cabin, or Lights and Shadows of Southern Life," by a member of the Pennsylvania judiciary, was produced with this cast: S. C. Campbell appeared in the fifth act as Adolphus, and sang St. Clair's Lament. The dramatic company included: Mrs. G. C. Howard, Mrs. Lotty Hough, Mrs. Rand, Mrs. W. R. Floyd, Mrs. F. S. Chanfrau, Little Mary Bullock, George Ryer, G. C. Howard, Charles Hale, Collier, Donnelly, Mme. Ponisi, Gray, Carter, Spackman, Ward, Wise, Cooper, Hapgood, and others. The season was brought to a premature termination March 6. March 17 the house was reopened as MARY PROVOST'S THEATRE. Samuel Colville and John L. Baker were the managers when John Wilkes Booth appeared as Richard III., beginning his only engagement in this city, though on one subsequent occasion he played in "Julius Cæsar," with his brothers, at the Winter Garden Theatre. Mary Provost had in her company George Ryer, J. H. Allen, Lewis Baker, E. L. Tilton, Mrs. F. S. Chanfrau, Mrs. Lotty Hough, and Mrs. M. A. Farren. Booth's repertory was: "Richard III.." "The Robbers," "Hamlet," "The Apostate," "Macbeth," and "The Merchant of Venice." He took his benefit March 21, in "Richard III.": Wilkes Booth's last appearance on the stage was at Ford's Theatre, Washington, D. C., March 18, 1865, as Pescara in "The Apostate," for the benefit of John E. McCullough. Edwin Forrest was playing an engagement there at the time, and Mr. McCullough, who was the leading man with Forrest, took his benefit on the " off night." Booth died Thursday, April 27, 1865. He gave promise of becoming a great actor. He had in him much of the spontaneous fire of his father, whose performance of Richard III. was simply terrific in its dramatic intensity. He was one of the handsomest actors that ever graced the modern stage. He possessed gracious manners and a form of almost perfect symmetry. As Richard, he was different from all other tragedians. He imitated no one, but struck out into a path of his own, introducing points which older actors would not dare to attempt. In the last act he was truly original, particularly where the battle commences. With most tragedians it is the custom to rush on the stage, while the fight is going on, looking as if dressed for court. Wilkes Booth made a terrible feature of this part of the performance. He would dart across the stage as if he “meant business;" then again he would appear “seeking for Richmond in the throat of death." His face was covered with blood from wounds supposed to have been received in slaying those five other Richmonds he refers to; his beaver was lost in the fray, his hair flying helter skelter, his clothes all torn, and he panted and fumed like a prize fighter. In this character he was more terribly real than any other actor I ever saw. Mary Provost, after an absence from the American stage of five years, appeared April 7, as Julia in "The Hunchback," George Ryer acting Master Walter; Lewis Baker, Modus; and J. H. Allen, Sir Thomas Clifford. Owing to the illness of Mary Provost, the house was closed April 12. R. M. Carroll and Tommy Peel danced a challenge match April 16, for (it was stated) $500 a side. The judges chosen were Wm. Kennedy for Peel and Bob Hart for Carroll, and the parties chose John Landers for referee. The dance took place at 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon. Frank B. Converse, the banjo player, furnished the music for Peel, and William Ross, banjoist, played for Carroll. In about an hour after the audience had dispersed a decision was arrived at, which was that T. J. Peel was the winner of the match and the money. The next change in the title of this house was to that of George L. FOX'S OLYMPIC THEATRE, and it opened April 21, 1862. “Eustache Baudin" was the opening play, given with this cast: "The Invisible Prince" was the afterpiece, with Fanny Herring as Don Leander, Mrs. J. R. Scott as Sanguino, G. L. Fox as Furibund. The company was as follows: Mrs. H. P. Grattan, Agnes Claire, the Misses Freall, Hyde, Millie Sackett, Wilbur, Spencer, Thompson and Smith, Mrs. John R. Scott, Messrs. C. K. Fox, J. R. Spackman, E. Clarke, M. B. Pike, Charles Nichols, J. J. McCloskey, L. Bradshaw, Mitchell, George Davenport, Greer, James Pilgrim, Miss Francis, danseuse. Mr. Fox retired from the house, and concluded to try his fortunes once more at the Old Bowery Theatre. Mary Provost resumed the management after Fox left, with Samuel Colville as her acting manager. The house was again called MARY PROVOST'S THEATRE. The initial performance of this new venture took place June 26, and consisted of "Medea" and "The Eton Boy." "Geo. Ryer, L. F. Rand, Milnes Levick, William Scallan, Mrs. Frank Drew, and John W. Albaugh, were in the company. Augusta Page made her New York début July 2, as Juliet. The season closed July 6, owing to the continued illness of Mary Provost. Robert Fox and J. C. Curran were the next managers, who rechristened it THE NEW IDEA, but that name soon gave place to THE GERMAN OPERA HOUSE, when Carl Anschultz opened Sept. 15 with German opera and the following company: Mlle. Johannsen, Mlle. Johanna Rotter, Mlle. Zimmerman, Mlle. Schaumberg, Mlle. Bertrel, Messrs. Quint, Lotti, Graff, Rudolphsen, and Weinlich. "Martha" was the initial performance, followed by "Der Freischütz," "Alessandro Stradella," "Czar und Zimmerman," "The Child of the Regiment," "The Seraglio," "Postillion of Lonjumeau," " Fidelio," "Der Wildschutz," "Mason and Locksmith," "Le Nozze de Figaro," "A Night in Grenada," "The Magic Flute," and "Jean de Paris." The season closed Jan. 10, 1863, but was resumed Feb. 4, by the same company, and maintained for four weeks. March 10 the house was converted into a variety hall, under the management of the Martinetti troupe of pantomimists, who opened July 6, 1863, with the following people: Paul, Albert, Julian, Philippe, and Esther Martinetti, M. and Mme. Mathieu, Édouard Velarde, Virginia Chiarini, Marietta Zanfretta, Gustavus Geary, Johannes Senia, Antonio Grossi, Camille Mathieu, Mlle. Desiree, J. C. Franklin, W. B. Harrison, Mr. Clifton. The house closed Aug. 17, but was reopened Sept. 7, under the title of THE NEW YORK THEATRE, the Martinetti troupe continuing the attraction. The house was closed Oct. 31. L. B. Lent then took a lease of it, removed the cosy boxes from either side, built on the stage a forty-foot ring full of sawdust, and christened the house THE BROADWAY AMPHITHEATRE. The stars of Mr. Lent's circus were the Melville Family, Jimmy Reynolds and Joe Pentland as clowns, Tom King the vaulter, Mme. Tourniaire, S. P. and Robert Stickney, Wallace and his trained bears. Mr. Lent opened Nov. 10 and closed April 9, 1864. George Wood, the Cincinnati manager, who had also recently experimented with the Old Bowery Theatre, this city, now leased the building, and by a liberal expenditure of money both in repairs |