File:Charlotte Cushman, early in her career.jpg

Identifier: playersplaysofla01strauoft (find matches)
Title: Players and plays of the last quarter century; an historical summary of causes and a critical review of conditions as existing in the American theatre at the close of the nineteenth century
Year: 1903 (1900s)
Authors: Strang, Lewis Clinton, 1869-1935
Subjects: Theater -- History Theater -- United States Acting and actors
Publisher: Boston, L.C. Page
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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s always been to mea creature of mystery, though exactly why, Icannot say. Certainly the facts of her life andcareer are straightforward and simple, evenprosaic. Yet, as regards Charlotte Cushmanherself, I always have been and am stillpuzzled, dissatisfied, and undecided. She wasthe first great American actress. That muchis plain; but is it true, as it is so oftenclaimed, that she has never been rivalled onthe stage of this country.* As regards thepotent spell of her personality, there can beno dispute, for scarcely a critic writes of herin cold blood and with satisfactory analysis.Still, how came it that this marvel of person-ality grew out of even-tempered and strictlyconventional New England ? To be sure,neither New England nor New York, forthat matter, had any notion that she wasa genius until England discovered it, forCharlotte Cushman was simply the utilitywoman of a New York stock company, whenWilliam Charles Macready magically arousedher and sent her abroad to conquer the same
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CHARLOTTE CUSHMANEarly in her career Forrest and Charlotte Cushman 99 London, which would not receive the Amer-ican Forrest, already accounted a great actorin his own country. Charlotte Cushman was born in Boston,Massachusetts, on July 23, 1816. Her fam-ily was thoroughly Puritan, Robert Cush-man, the original immigrant, being creditedwith having preached the first sermon in NewEngland. Miss Cushman went on the stagebecause necessity compelled her to earn herliving. When she was thirteen years old, shehad to leave school; and she began then asemi-public life by singing contralto in churchchoirs and in concerts in Boston. In 1835,Mrs. Wood, a famous prima donna of that day,required a contralto for her company, and se-cured Miss Cushman. After a little coachingMiss Cushman sang at one of Mrs. Wood sconcerts so successfully that her patron senther to James G. Maeder to be prepared forthe operatic work. Miss Cushman made her professional debutin opera at the Tremont Theatre, Boston, onApr

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