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Lyceum Theatre (Park Avenue South)

November 10, 2023

The Lyceum Theatre was a theatre in New York City located on Fourth Avenue (now Park Avenue South) between 23rd and 24th Streets in Manhattan. It was built in 1885 and operated until 1902, when it was torn down to make way for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower. It was replaced by a new Lyceum Theatre on 45th Street. For all but its first two seasons, the theatre was home to Daniel Frohman's Lyceum Theatre Stock Company, which presented many important plays and actors of the day.

Lyceum Theatre (Park Avenue South)
Facade of the Lyceum announcing an appearance by Annie Russell.
General information
LocationManhattan, New York City
Opened1885
Demolished1902

Building edit

The three-story building's auditorium was 75 feet (23 m) deep by 48.5 feet (14.8 m) wide, with a seating capacity of 727: boxes 88, parquet 344, dress circle 172, and balcony 123. Thomas Edison is reported to have personally worked on making it the first theatre lit entirely by electricity (not the first to use electric lights), and Louis Comfort Tiffany designed aspects of the interior. Not all new technologies lasted: for the first season the orchestra rode an "automatic elevator car" into the fly gallery to play in a gallery over the proscenium during performances, but the car was removed in the theatre's second year. Ticket prices initially ranged from $1 to $2.50.[1][2]

Origins edit

Actor, playwright and theatre technology innovator Steele Mackaye and producer Gustave Frohman built the theatre as the base for the Lyceum School of Acting, to be run by them and Franklin H. Sargent. The school quickly became the New York School of Acting and then, by 1888, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts (AADA).[3][4] Sargent soon left and after six months Mackaye and Frohman were forced to sell their interests to benefit Tiffany and other creditors.[5] Actress Helen Dauvray then became manager, making her one of the first woman theatrical executives in the U.S. Gustave's brother, the impresario Daniel Frohman, took over at the beginning of the theatre's third season and stayed until it was demolished in 1902, when he established the Lyceum Theatre on 45th St.[6]

Lyceum Theatre Stock Company edit

Daniel Frohman ran the Lyceum Theatre Company, a stock company with a more or less constant troupe of actors performing several different plays each season. Frohman sought to introduce as many new, “modern plays” as possible. The plays reflected both the older melodrama style and the newer naturalistic or realistic style, common to the last decades before the motion picture era. The Lyceum Company also sent productions on the road with full complements of actors, sets, musicians, crew, and publicists. (Prior to this, lead actors tended to tour alone and work with local actors and musicians, with results of varying artistic quality.)[7][8] From 1886 until 1890, David Belasco worked for the Lyceum Company as stage manager (in today's terms, director or artistic director),[9] co-wrote three of the company's productions with Henry Churchill de Mille, and taught at the acting school. In January 1899, three years before the old Lyceum shut down, Daniel Frohman moved the Lyceum Theatre Company to Daly's Theatre.[10] He and his brother Charles Frohman continued to produce plays at the Lyceum after the stock company moved.[11]

Actors edit

Lyceum productions featured top American and English actors. Many later appeared in silent films.[12][13]

Among the married couples in the company were:

  • William Faversham and Julie Opp
  • James K. Hackett and Mary Mannering
  • Herbert Kelcey and Effie Shannon
  • Morton Selten and Kate Pattison-Selten
  • E.H. Sothern and Virginia Harned
  • Mr. and Mrs. Charles Walcot
  • Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Whiffen

Presentations edit

Over 80 plays were presented at the Lyceum, not counting dozens of benefits, concerts, lectures, amateur and student productions, short-stay touring performances, and revivals of these plays in repertory. (WP=world premiere, AP=American premiere.)[11][13][14][15][16]

References edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Brown, A History of the New York Stage, p. 419-420.
  2. ^ Lyceum Theatre, Internet Broadway Database (ibdb.com).
  3. ^ Brown, A History of the New York Stage, pp. 419, 424.
  4. ^ Frohman, Memories of a Manager, p. 77.
  5. ^ Belasco, "My Life's Story", Mar. 1915, p. 321.
  6. ^ Brown, A History of the New York Stage, pp. 420, 422, 441.
  7. ^ Frohman, Memories of a Manager, pp. 132-136.
  8. ^ Wickham, A History of the Theatre, p. 209-210.
  9. ^ Winter, Life of Belasco, p. 313.
  10. ^ Frohman, Memories of a Manager, p. 75, 210.
  11. ^ a b Mantle and Sherwood, The Best Plays of 1899-1909, pp. 346-584.
  12. ^ Actors listed appeared in five or more of the main productions, i.e., those cited by Frohman in Memories of a Manager, pp. 205-211.
  13. ^ a b Brown, A History of the New York Stage, pp. 419-441.
  14. ^ These plays ran for at least 48 performances, or six weeks if performance data are not available. Opening Night dates are in the format MM/DD/YYYY.
  15. ^ Frohman, Memories of a Manager, pp. 205-211.
  16. ^ Chapman and Sherwood, The Best Plays of 1894-1899, pp. 83-260.

Bibliography edit

  • Belasco, David, "My Life's Story", Hearst's Magazine, serialized, vols. 24–28, Mar. 1914-Dec. 1915.
  • Brown, Thomas Allston, A History of the New York Stage From the First Performance in 1732 to 1901, vol. III, (New York: Dodd, Mead & Company), 1903.
  • Chapman, John, and Garrison P. Sherwood, eds., The Best Plays of 1894-1899, (New York: Dodd, Mead, & Company), 1955.
  • Frohman, Daniel, ‘’Memories of a Manager: Reminiscences of the Old Lyceum and of Some Players of the Last Quarter Century,’’ (London [printed in NY]: W. Heinemann), 1911.
  • Mantle, Burns, and Garrison P. Sherwood, eds., The Best Plays of 1899-1909, (Philadelphia: The Blakiston Company), 1944.
  • Wickham, Glynne, A History of the Theatre, 2nd Edition, (London: Phaedon Press Limited), 1999.
  • Winter, William, ed. by William Jefferson Winter, The Life of David Belasco, Volume 1, (New York: Moffat, Yard), 1918.

External links edit

  • Belasco, "My Life's Story", via Google Books
  • Brown, A History of the New York Stage, via Google Books
  • Frohman, Memories of a Manager, via Google Books
  • Lyceum Theatre at the Internet Broadway Database
  • Winter, Life of Belasco, via Google Books
  • Louis Comfort Tiffany design for Lyceum interior

40°44′26″N 73°59′09″W / 40.74048°N 73.98596°W / 40.74048; -73.98596

November 10, 2023
lyceum, theatre, park, avenue, south, lyceum, theatre, theatre, york, city, located, fourth, avenue, park, avenue, south, between, 23rd, 24th, streets, manhattan, built, 1885, operated, until, 1902, when, torn, down, make, metropolitan, life, insurance, compan. The Lyceum Theatre was a theatre in New York City located on Fourth Avenue now Park Avenue South between 23rd and 24th Streets in Manhattan It was built in 1885 and operated until 1902 when it was torn down to make way for the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company Tower It was replaced by a new Lyceum Theatre on 45th Street For all but its first two seasons the theatre was home to Daniel Frohman s Lyceum Theatre Stock Company which presented many important plays and actors of the day Lyceum Theatre Park Avenue South Facade of the Lyceum announcing an appearance by Annie Russell General informationLocationManhattan New York CityOpened1885Demolished1902 Contents 1 Building 2 Origins 3 Lyceum Theatre Stock Company 3 1 Actors 4 Presentations 5 References 5 1 Notes 5 2 Bibliography 6 External linksBuilding editThe three story building s auditorium was 75 feet 23 m deep by 48 5 feet 14 8 m wide with a seating capacity of 727 boxes 88 parquet 344 dress circle 172 and balcony 123 Thomas Edison is reported to have personally worked on making it the first theatre lit entirely by electricity not the first to use electric lights and Louis Comfort Tiffany designed aspects of the interior Not all new technologies lasted for the first season the orchestra rode an automatic elevator car into the fly gallery to play in a gallery over the proscenium during performances but the car was removed in the theatre s second year Ticket prices initially ranged from 1 to 2 50 1 2 Origins editActor playwright and theatre technology innovator Steele Mackaye and producer Gustave Frohman built the theatre as the base for the Lyceum School of Acting to be run by them and Franklin H Sargent The school quickly became the New York School of Acting and then by 1888 the American Academy of Dramatic Arts AADA 3 4 Sargent soon left and after six months Mackaye and Frohman were forced to sell their interests to benefit Tiffany and other creditors 5 Actress Helen Dauvray then became manager making her one of the first woman theatrical executives in the U S Gustave s brother the impresario Daniel Frohman took over at the beginning of the theatre s third season and stayed until it was demolished in 1902 when he established the Lyceum Theatre on 45th St 6 Lyceum Theatre Stock Company editDaniel Frohman ran the Lyceum Theatre Company a stock company with a more or less constant troupe of actors performing several different plays each season Frohman sought to introduce as many new modern plays as possible The plays reflected both the older melodrama style and the newer naturalistic or realistic style common to the last decades before the motion picture era The Lyceum Company also sent productions on the road with full complements of actors sets musicians crew and publicists Prior to this lead actors tended to tour alone and work with local actors and musicians with results of varying artistic quality 7 8 From 1886 until 1890 David Belasco worked for the Lyceum Company as stage manager in today s terms director or artistic director 9 co wrote three of the company s productions with Henry Churchill de Mille and taught at the acting school In January 1899 three years before the old Lyceum shut down Daniel Frohman moved the Lyceum Theatre Company to Daly s Theatre 10 He and his brother Charles Frohman continued to produce plays at the Lyceum after the stock company moved 11 Actors edit Lyceum productions featured top American and English actors Many later appeared in silent films 12 13 W C Bellows William Courtleigh Rowland Buckstone Georgia Cayvan Helen Dauvray James K Hackett Virginia Harned Isabel Irving Herbert Kelcey W J LeMoyne Sarah Cowell Le Moyne Enid Leslie Mary Mannering Edward J Morgan Kate Pattison Selten Annie Russell Morton Selten Effie Shannon E H Sothern Sam Sothern Ernest Tarleton Elizabeth Bessie Tyree Charles Walcot Mrs Charles Walcot Thomas Whiffen Mrs Thomas Blanche Whiffen Among the married couples in the company were William Faversham and Julie Opp James K Hackett and Mary Mannering Herbert Kelcey and Effie Shannon Morton Selten and Kate Pattison Selten E H Sothern and Virginia Harned Mr and Mrs Charles Walcot Mr and Mrs Thomas WhiffenPresentations editOver 80 plays were presented at the Lyceum not counting dozens of benefits concerts lectures amateur and student productions short stay touring performances and revivals of these plays in repertory WP world premiere AP American premiere 11 13 14 15 16 Dakolar Steele Mackaye 4 6 1885 In Spite of All Steele Mackaye after Victorien Sardou 9 15 1885 One of Our Girls Bronson Howard 1 10 1885 200 performances The Highest Bidder J Maddison Morton 5 3 1887 WP first D Frohman Belasco production Editha s Burglar Frances Hodgson Burnett and George Flemine 9 19 1887 The Wife David Belasco and Henry DeMille 11 1 1887 WP 239 perfs Lord Chumley Henry De Mille and David Belasco 8 21 1888 WP Sweet Lavender Arthur Wing Pinero 11 13 1888 AP 100 perfs The Marquis Sardou 3 18 1889 The Charity Ball David Belasco and Henry DeMille 11 19 1889 WP 200 perfs The Maister of Woodbarrow Jerome K Jerome 8 26 1890 AP The Idler C Haddon Chambers 11 11 1890 WP Nerves J Comyns Carr 1 19 1891 AP Old Heads and Young Hearts Dion Boucicault 4 6 1891 The Dancing Girl Henry Arthur Jones 8 31 1891 AP Lady Bountiful Arthur Wing Pinero 11 16 1891 AP Squire Kate adapted by Robert Buchanan 1 18 1892 Merry Gotham Elisabeth Marbury 3 14 1892 WP Captain Lettarblair Marguerite Merrington 8 16 1892 WP Americans Abroad Sardou 12 5 1892 The Guardsman George R Sims and Cecil Raleigh 4 3 1893 Sheridan or the Maid of Bath Paul Potter 9 5 1893 Our Country Cousins Paul Potter 1 8 1894 WP The Amazons Arthur Wing Pinero 2 19 1894 AP 100 perfs The Case of Rebellious Susan Henry Arthur Jones 12 29 1894 The Prisoner of Zenda Edward E Rose 9 4 1895 200 perfs The Home Secretary R C Carton 11 25 1895 AP An Enemy to the King R N Stephens 9 1 1896 103 perfs The Late Mr Castello Sydney Grundy 12 14 1896 The First Gentleman of Europe Frances Hodgson Burnett and George Fleming 1 25 1897 The Mysterious Mr Bugle Madeleine Lucette Ryley 4 19 1897 The Princess and the Butterfly Arthur Wing Pinero 11 23 1897 The Tree of Knowledge R C Carton 1 24 1898 The Moth and the Flame Clyde Fitch 4 11 1898 The Adventure of Lady Ursula Anthony Hope 9 1 1898 Trelawny of the Wells Arthur Wing Pinero 11 22 1898 AP 131 perfs His Excellency the Governor Capt Robert Marshall 5 9 1899 First post Lyceum Stock Company production Miss Hobbs Jerome K Jerome 9 7 1899 158 perfs My Daughter in Law Paul Bilhaud and Michel Carre 2 26 1900 A Royal Family Capt Robert Marshall 9 5 1900 175 perfs The Love Match Sydney Grundy 10 12 1901 The Girl and the Judge Clyde Fitch 12 4 1901 Last production at the old Lyceum Theatre 125 perfs References editNotes edit Brown A History of the New York Stage p 419 420 Lyceum Theatre Internet Broadway Database ibdb com Brown A History of the New York Stage pp 419 424 Frohman Memories of a Manager p 77 Belasco My Life s Story Mar 1915 p 321 Brown A History of the New York Stage pp 420 422 441 Frohman Memories of a Manager pp 132 136 Wickham A History of the Theatre p 209 210 Winter Life of Belasco p 313 Frohman Memories of a Manager p 75 210 a b Mantle and Sherwood The Best Plays of 1899 1909 pp 346 584 Actors listed appeared in five or more of the main productions i e those cited by Frohman in Memories of a Manager pp 205 211 a b Brown A History of the New York Stage pp 419 441 These plays ran for at least 48 performances or six weeks if performance data are not available Opening Night dates are in the format MM DD YYYY Frohman Memories of a Manager pp 205 211 Chapman and Sherwood The Best Plays of 1894 1899 pp 83 260 Bibliography edit Belasco David My Life s Story Hearst s Magazine serialized vols 24 28 Mar 1914 Dec 1915 Brown Thomas Allston A History of the New York Stage From the First Performance in 1732 to 1901 vol III New York Dodd Mead amp Company 1903 Chapman John and Garrison P Sherwood eds The Best Plays of 1894 1899 New York Dodd Mead amp Company 1955 Frohman Daniel Memories of a Manager Reminiscences of the Old Lyceum and of Some Players of the Last Quarter Century London printed in NY W Heinemann 1911 Mantle Burns and Garrison P Sherwood eds The Best Plays of 1899 1909 Philadelphia The Blakiston Company 1944 Wickham Glynne A History of the Theatre 2nd Edition London Phaedon Press Limited 1999 Winter William ed by William Jefferson Winter The Life of David Belasco Volume 1 New York Moffat Yard 1918 External links editAmerican Academy of Dramatic Arts Belasco My Life s Story via Google Books Brown A History of the New York Stage via Google Books Frohman Memories of a Manager via Google Books Lyceum Theatre at the Internet Broadway Database Winter Life of Belasco via Google Books The Theaters of New York photo of Lyceum Louis Comfort Tiffany design for Lyceum interior40 44 26 N 73 59 09 W 40 74048 N 73 98596 W 40 74048 73 98596 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lyceum Theatre Park Avenue South amp oldid 1178736664, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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