Theatre is one of America’s most popular and thriving art forms. It has been a part of American culture since the early part of the 18th century. The development of theatre in the earliest American colonies in New England was prohibited because of those colonists’ strong Puritan beliefs. Colonial America’s first theater was built in … Continue reading The Thriving Theatre of Colonial America
William Shakespeare
Photos: “Much Ado About Nothing” at Kenmore’s Shakespeare on the Lawn
Shakespeare on the Lawn at Historic Kenmore returns this coming weekend with two more performances of Much Ado About Nothing. Catch one of the final shows at 7:00 p.m. either on Saturday, June 17 or on Sunday, June 18. Arrive early to tour the mansion and view the refurnishing. Bring folding chairs or a blanket and a picnic. … Continue reading Photos: “Much Ado About Nothing” at Kenmore’s Shakespeare on the Lawn
Photos: “The Taming of the Shrew” at Kenmore’s Shakespeare by Candlelight
This past weekend was Shakespeare by Candlelight at Historic Kenmore! William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew was presented in eighteenth-century style on the Lawn at Kenmore on Friday and Saturday nights and, because of a thunderstorm, indoors on Sunday night. Enjoy this collection of photographs from the Saturday and Sunday performances. Learn more about The … Continue reading Photos: “The Taming of the Shrew” at Kenmore’s Shakespeare by Candlelight
Shakespeare’s Comedies in Colonial America
When we look at the history of Shakespeare in America the preference for his classic tragedies is obvious. Romeo and Juliet and Richard III are two of the three most-performed plays of the 18th century (George Farquhar’s The Beaux Stratagem rounded out this top three). While this ranking is based on surviving records of theatrical … Continue reading Shakespeare’s Comedies in Colonial America
Photos: “Hamlet” at Kenmore’s Shakespeare on the Lawn
Shakespeare on the Lawn at Historic Kenmore returns this weekend with two more performances of Hamlet. Catch the one of the final shows at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 18 or Sunday, June 19. Arrive early to tour the mansion and view the refurnishing. Bring folding chairs or a blanket and a picnic! Thank you to sponsor Lewis Insurance … Continue reading Photos: “Hamlet” at Kenmore’s Shakespeare on the Lawn
To See or Not to See? Portraying Hamlet in the 18th Century
Editor's Note: At the annual Shakespeare on the Lawn performances this June, Historic Kenmore will present Hamlet. The following blog post looks at the actors who played the most famous of Shakespeare's roles during the 18th century. Details about attending the performances at Kenmore can be found at the end of this entry. Since the time when Richard Burbage … Continue reading To See or Not to See? Portraying Hamlet in the 18th Century
Shakespeare Day in Virginia!
Governor Terry McAuliffe has proclaimed today - Saturday, April 23, 2016 - as Shakespeare Day in Virginia! While we're planning and preparing Shakespeare on the Lawn in June, our first-ever Shakespeare Camp in July, and Shakespeare by Candlelight in August as Historic Kenmore's contributions to this year's many commemorations across the Commonwealth, we want to take a moment on this … Continue reading Shakespeare Day in Virginia!
Photos: Shakespeare’s “Cymbeline” by Candlelight
The Rude Mechanicals presented candlelight performances of William Shakespeare's Cymbeline this past weekend at Historic Kenmore.
Nancy Hallam: America’s First Celebrity Actress
Virginia celebrates a proud theatrical history. It boasts the first recorded performance of a play in all the colonies. It also claims the first permanent playhouse and the first evening of professional theatre. That first evening was in September of 1752 and was presented by Lewis Hallam’s London Company of Comedians. What set this company … Continue reading Nancy Hallam: America’s First Celebrity Actress
‘King Lear’ in Washington’s Day – Part 2
King Lear is known far and wide as William Shakespeare’s finest tragedy but it has not always been the preferred version of the story. In part one, we saw how Shakespeare popularized the old story of King Lear by crafting a story aimed directly at Elizabethan audiences experiencing great political upheaval. In part two, we … Continue reading ‘King Lear’ in Washington’s Day – Part 2
Lives & Legacies 