Forgotten Leading Ladies of the American Theatre

These eight women made remarkable contributions: Laura Keene challenged tradition in 1858 by heading her own dramatic troupe; her career was ruined by Lincoln’s assassination. Mrs. John Drew, a star at 7 who toured until she was 76, was the matriarch of the Barrymore dynasty. Anna Cora Mowatt eloped at 15 with a lawyer more than twice her age, and went on the stage when he lost his fortune. She wrote a play, Fashion, that is still performed 140 years later. Five other women also have fascinating stories of courage and talent: Susanna Haswell Rowson, Sophia Turner, Charlotte Cushman, Fanny Kemble and Minnie Madern Fiske.

The late Mary M. Turner was an associate professor and technical design coordinator at Point Park University. A costume designer for more than 300 theatrical productions, she was the founding executive director of the Smyrna Opera House. She lived in Smyrna, Delaware.

Mary M. Turner
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 182
Bibliographic Info: 9 photos, appendix, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2014 [1990]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-9373-9
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments vii
Dramatis Personae xi
Prologue 1

Act One: The Playwrights
Susanna Haswell Rowson 5
Anna Cora Mowatt 19

Act Two: The Actresses
Sophia Turner 38
Charlotte Cushman 51

Act Three: The Managers
Laura Keene 72
Mrs. John Drew 86

Act Four: The Activists
Fanny Kemble 103
Minnie Madern Fiske 118

Epilogue 137
Appendix: “Mrs. Fiske Prepares the Actor” 139
Notes 141
Bibliography 157
Index 167

• “Straightforward…well documented…well told”—Choice
• “Style of the writing here should invite browsers to read further”—WLW Journal
• “Turner has succeeded in accurately investigating the lives of three native born or ‘adopted’ American actresses and writers whose theatrical work has often been untended by modern scholars…. Well-documented and contains an excellent bibliography. Painstaking detective work is what will make this book appreciated by scholars”—LSU-ECCB.