[Chestnut Street Theatre, 603-609 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia] [graphic] / Photograph by McClees 160 Chestnut St., Philada.
Title
[Chestnut Street Theatre, 603-609 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia]
Description
View of the second building of the theater, built 1820-1822 after the designs of William Strickland, displaying several playbills for the last performance at the current building. Includes additional playbills displayed under a gaslight fixture in front of the adjacent theater, the Melodeon (611-613 Chestnut). Fixture adorned with shades advertising the "Melodeon Celebrated Troupe Dancer" and an illustration of a dancer. Also shows the opposite neighboring businesses of a shooting gallery and "Shakespeare Bowling Saloon" (601 Chestnut) and Hart's Building owned by prominent Jewish publisher and philanthropist, Abraham Hart, erected 1848 (537-539 Chestnut). Signage advertising Gilbert & Gihon, engravers on wood, is partially visible on Hart's Building and a poster showing a man shooting a pistol adorns the shooting gallery. Theater razed 1856., Title supplied by cataloguer., Photographer's blindstamp on mount of (6)1322.F.44., Originally part of a McAllister scrapbook of views of Philadelphia., Retrospective conversion record: original entry, edited., Published in Robert F. Looney's Old Philadelphia in Early Photographs, 1839-1914 (New York: Dover Publications, Inc. in cooperation with The Free Library of Philadelphia, 1976), entry #125., Reproduced in The Print and Photograph Department of the Library Company of Philadelphia's Center City Philadelphia in the 19th century (Portsmouth, N.H.: Arcadia Publishing, 2006), p. 16., Arcadia caption text: Referred to as the New Theatre to distinguish it from the Southwark, or Old, Theatre, the Chestnut Street Theatre opened in 1794 near the northwest corner of Sixth and Chestnut streets. After fire destroyed its building in 1820, the Association of the Proprietors of the New Theatre sold shares in the property and hired William Strickland to design a new building. Constructed at the same location in only eight months, the imposing marble structure included the statues of Comedy and Tragedy sculpted by William Rush, which survived the fire. To celebrate its opening, the managers held a contest for the best opening night address. Prize winner Charles Sprague’s verses were so well-received that his address was read a second night. The theater is shown here in 1855, shortly before being demolished.
Creator
M'Clees, Jas. E. (James E.), photographer
Date
May 1, 1855
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department photo - McClees - Theaters [(6)1322.F.44; (7)1322.F.63a]