KAČER, Tomáš. Shakespeare according to Early American Actor Dynasties. Hradec Králové Journal of Anglophone Studies. Hradec Králové: Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty od Education, University of Hradec Králové, 2017, vol. 4, No 2, p. 101-110. ISSN 2336-3347.
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Basic information
Original name Shakespeare according to Early American Actor Dynasties
Authors KAČER, Tomáš (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution).
Edition Hradec Králové Journal of Anglophone Studies, Hradec Králové, Department of English Language and Literature, Faculty od Education, University of Hradec Králové, 2017, 2336-3347.
Other information
Original language English
Type of outcome Article in a journal
Field of Study 60204 General literature studies
Country of publisher Czech Republic
Confidentiality degree is not subject to a state or trade secret
WWW Journal web site
RIV identification code RIV/00216224:14210/17:00103273
Organization unit Faculty of Arts
Keywords in English William Shakespeare; 19th century American Theatre; Acting
Tags rivok
Tags Reviewed
Changed by Changed by: Mgr. Igor Hlaváč, učo 342491. Changed: 8/3/2019 10:21.
Abstract
This paper explores the importance of Shakespeare in colonial and antebellum American theatre through the work of theatrical family dynasties. It presents the earliest professional actors from Lewis Hallam’s theatre company as well as some of the greatest stars of 19th century American Shakespearean acting such as Charlotte Cushman, who employed her sister Susan as her acting partner, and Edwin Booth. It was especially the Booth dynasty, founded by Junius Brutus Booth, Sr., that presented successful productions of Shakespeare’s plays on American stages. Three sons of this ‘Mad Tragedian’, Junius Brutus, Jr., Edwin, and John Wilkes met on stage for the last time to perform Julius Caesar at the Winter Garden on November 25, 1864. While Edwin was the greatest star of the American theatre then, John Wilkes was a failed actor, unsuccessful businessman and political radical. The resulting rivalry between the two brothers led to competition on the stage and contributed to the tragic assassination of President Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth on 14 April 1865. The paper describes a development of American Shakespearean acting, where America was initially a mere receiver of theatre art, while in the 19th century, it became artistically emancipated and American actors could compete in quality with their British counterparts in the most challenging field for English-speaking theatre performance: Shakespearean acting.
Links
MUNI/A/1065/2016, interní kód MUName: Profilace výzkumných zaměření v anglofonní lingvistické a literární vědě II (Acronym: VZALL2)
Investor: Masaryk University, Category A
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