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8o Youth's Golden Gleam |
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Another local favorite as Othello and Richard III was Junius Brutus Booth, referred to kindly,7 upon his final Cincinnati appearance in December 1848, as "one of the old school tragedians [who] plays still with the power and spirit which distinguished him in his younger days." He was the father of Edwin Booth.
Among the numerous other Shakespearean productions two stand out for our narrative. They were both of Romeo and Juliet. In December 1846 the leading parts were taken by Miss E. Logan and Mr. Morris;8 a year later the play was given with Miss E. Wemyss as Juliet.9 From either of these performances may have germinated the idea for "Wilt Thou be Gone, Love?" the song whose words Stephen adapted from the lines in the balcony scene.
The National Theater was the usual house for Shakespearean and other "legitimate" plays such as the School for Scandal, The Lady of Lyons^ The Gladiator, and Richelieu. Professional concerts were generally put on at the Melodeon and at Shires Garden Theater (where Shakespeare was also played). For various other productions, amateur and professional, there were Rockwell's Amphi-The-ater, the Atheneum, the Masonic Hall and similar halls.
When Stephen and other citizens of greater or less purse stepped into the theater lobbies in the late 'forties, what did they have to pay |
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