A
Glimpse of Theater History
THE HALLAMS
THE
HALLAMS:
There have been many Theatre Families in the history of the American
theatre, some well known, like the Barrymores, some obscure. The first theatrical
family in America was the Hallams. The first professional troupe to play in America
was headed by Lewis Hallam, Sr. with the backing of his brother William.
They were the sons of Adam Hallam who had acted at Covent Garden between 1734
and 1741. He joined the company just two years after John Rich had built that
prestigious theatre and left only a year and a half after the debut of the famous
Peg Woffington. He went on to act at Drury Lane, disappearing from public notice
after his benefit in 1746.
Son William Hallam became manager of the "New
Wells" Theatre in Leman (or Lemon) Street and in 1750 according to Dunlap
(who mistakenly placed them at Goodsman's Fields) the theatre went into bankruptcy.
The decision was made to go to the Colonies to try establish themselves there.
Accordingly, in 1751,William Hallam dispatched fellow actor Robert Upton to prepare
the way and secure a theatre while he and brother Lewis assembled a company which
was organized on a share basis. Seilhamer says, (p. 28)
| … the number of shares was fixed at eighteen. There were twelve adult performers, including the manager and each performer was allowed a share. Lewis Hallam had another share as manager and a share was allowed to his three children. The remaining four shares were for the profit of the backer for the use of his money. As the amount invested was necessarily small, coming as it did from a man situated as William Hallam was, the capitalist, in the case of success, could not fail to have the best of it. |
Dunlap (p. 7) asserts that the company
| … appears to have been a well organized republic, every member of which had his part assigned to him, both private and public, behind and before the curtain. Lewis Hallam was appointed manager, chief magistrate, or king, and William, who staid (sic) at home, was to be 'viceroy over him,' according to Trinculo's division of offices. The brothers were to divide profits equally, after deducting the expenses and shares. Thus William was entitled to half of such profits as projector and proprietor, and Lewis to the other half as manager and conductor. Thus prepared for the journey across the Atlantic, they embarked on the Charming Sally piloted by Captain William Lee early in May 1752, arriving June 28 after a "very expensive and tiresome Voyage. |
Their trust in Upton was misplaced
for instead of acting as "advance man" for the Hallams, he fell in with
what Hallam referred to as a "sett of pretenders" in New York and beginning
December 26, 1751 Upton starred in a season on plays in the same rooms where Murray
and Kean had performed. William, dismayed at Upton's treachery, obtained permission
from the Governor of Virginia to perform in the newly altered theatre at Williamsburg,
where they remained for eleven months. When the company journeyed on to New York,
where Upton et al.had already performed (thereby possibly diluting the potential
audience), he published the following card in part to dispel the notion that actors
were all treacherous scoundrels:
|
The Case of the London Company of Comedians, lately arrived
from Virginia: |
A new theatre was erected in Williamsburg in 1760 by David Douglass for the remainder of the so-called London company.
Lewis Hallam, Jr.
