Leland Todd Powers (January 28, 1857 – November 27, 1920) was an American performing arts educator, author, and actor. The founder of the Leland Powers School, he was once renowned as "the highest paid man in the Lyceum field."[1]
Born in Pultneyville, New York, Powers attended the Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts and graduated there in 1875. In 1884, Powers gained popularity for acting all the roles in plays on his own, and was noted for being "the first man on the Lyceum platform in America to do this."[2] In 1888, he married his first wife Louise Nancy Baldwin. They were divorced in 1895 and she travelled to Europe to have lessons with Alberto Randegger, to whom she was married in 1897.[3] He eventually traveled across the country and to South America, and was noted as being the best paid performer on the Lyceum circuit in America between 1890 and 1900, during which time he was managed by the Redpath Lyceum Bureau. In 1895, he married Carol Hoyt Powers, and they had two children. The family were Christian Scientists,[4] with Carol Hoyt Powers serving a three-year term as Second Reader of The Mother Church in Boston.
In 1893, it was written that, "Leland Powers is small and active, and tropical in temperament, and he dare enact a play with great fidelity."[5]
In 1904, he founded the Leland Powers School of the Spoken Word in Boston, Massachusetts, joining his wife and more than a dozen staff members in teaching 140 students annually. Ten years later, in 1914, Powers had a building constructed in the Fenway next door to the Girls' Latin School. From the school Powers sold several books, including Talks on Expression, Fundamentals of Expression (with Mrs. Powers), and a practice book for learners.
Powers' pedagogy was credited as "offering a more holistic answer to the actor's problems," similar to his contemporary, Charles Wesley Emerson.[6]
Referencesedit
^Bacon, E.M. (1916). The book of Boston: Fifty years' recollections of the New England metropolis. Book of Boston Co. p. 236.
^Bacon, E.M. (1916). The book of Boston: Fifty years' recollections of the New England metropolis. Book of Boston Co. p. 237.
^(March 23, 1897.) "Louise Baldwin Married", New York Times. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
^Leonard, J.W. (1914) Woman's who's who of America: A biographical dictionary of contemporary women of the United States and Canada, 1914-1915. American Commonwealth Company. p 1695.
^(1893) Proceedings of the National Speech Arts Association. p 208.
^Wilmeth, D.B. and Miller, T.L. (1996) Cambridge guide to American theatre. Cambridge University Press. p. 383.
leland, powers, leland, todd, powers, january, 1857, november, 1920, american, performing, arts, educator, author, actor, founder, leland, powers, school, once, renowned, highest, paid, lyceum, field, leland, todd, powersborn, 1857, january, 1857pultneyville, . Leland Todd Powers January 28 1857 November 27 1920 was an American performing arts educator author and actor The founder of the Leland Powers School he was once renowned as the highest paid man in the Lyceum field 1 Leland Todd PowersBorn 1857 01 28 January 28 1857Pultneyville New York United StatesDiedNovember 27 1920 1920 11 27 aged 63 Brookline MassachusettsNationalityAmericanOccupationEducatorKnown forFounder of the Leland Powers SchoolSpouseCarol Hoyt m 1895 wbr Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Leland Powers School 2 References 3 External linksBiography editBorn in Pultneyville New York Powers attended the Phillips Academy in Andover Massachusetts and graduated there in 1875 In 1884 Powers gained popularity for acting all the roles in plays on his own and was noted for being the first man on the Lyceum platform in America to do this 2 In 1888 he married his first wife Louise Nancy Baldwin They were divorced in 1895 and she travelled to Europe to have lessons with Alberto Randegger to whom she was married in 1897 3 He eventually traveled across the country and to South America and was noted as being the best paid performer on the Lyceum circuit in America between 1890 and 1900 during which time he was managed by the Redpath Lyceum Bureau In 1895 he married Carol Hoyt Powers and they had two children The family were Christian Scientists 4 with Carol Hoyt Powers serving a three year term as Second Reader of The Mother Church in Boston In 1893 it was written that Leland Powers is small and active and tropical in temperament and he dare enact a play with great fidelity 5 He married Carol Hoyt on Christmas Eve December 24 1895 in Somerville Massachusetts Leland Powers School edit Main article Leland Powers School In 1904 he founded the Leland Powers School of the Spoken Word in Boston Massachusetts joining his wife and more than a dozen staff members in teaching 140 students annually Ten years later in 1914 Powers had a building constructed in the Fenway next door to the Girls Latin School From the school Powers sold several books including Talks on Expression Fundamentals of Expression with Mrs Powers and a practice book for learners Powers pedagogy was credited as offering a more holistic answer to the actor s problems similar to his contemporary Charles Wesley Emerson 6 References edit Bacon E M 1916 The book of Boston Fifty years recollections of the New England metropolis Book of Boston Co p 236 Bacon E M 1916 The book of Boston Fifty years recollections of the New England metropolis Book of Boston Co p 237 March 23 1897 Louise Baldwin Married New York Times Retrieved May 28 2011 Leonard J W 1914 Woman s who s who of America A biographical dictionary of contemporary women of the United States and Canada 1914 1915 American Commonwealth Company p 1695 1893 Proceedings of the National Speech Arts Association p 208 Wilmeth D B and Miller T L 1996 Cambridge guide to American theatre Cambridge University Press p 383 External links editWorks by Leland T Powers at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Leland T Powers at Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leland T Powers amp oldid 1176670312, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
