Actor's Equity Association, SAG, AFTRA
 

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:
As our Expedition to New York seems likely to be attended with a very fatal Consequence, and our selves haply censur'd for undertaking it, without Assurance of Success; we beg leave, humbly to lay a true State of our Case before the worthy Inhabitants of this City; if possible, endeavour to remove those great Obstacles which at present lie before us, and give very sufficient Reasons for our Appearance in this part of the World, where we all had the most sanguine Hope of meeting a very different Reception; little imagining, that in a City, to all Appearance so polite as this, the Muses would be banished, the Works of the immortal Shakespear, and others the greatest Geniuses England ever produc'd, deny'd Admittance among them, and the instructive and elegant Entertainment of the Stage utterly protested against: When, without Boasting, we may venture to affirm, That we are capable of supporting its Dignity with proper Decorum and Regularity.
In the Infancy of this Scheme, it was proposed to Mr. William Hallam, now of London, to collect a Company of Comedians, and send them to New York, and other Colonies in America. Accordingly he assented, and was at a vast expense to procure Scenes, Cloathes, People, &c. &c. And in October 1750, sent over to this Place, Mr. Robert Upton, in order to obtain Permission to perform, erect a Building, and settle every Thing against our Arrival; for which Service, Mr. Hallam advanc'd no inconsiderable Sum. But Mr. Upton on his Arrival found here that Sett of Pretenders, with whom he joined, and unhappily for us, quite neglected the Business he was sent about from England; for we never heard from him after.
Being thus deceived by him the Company was at a Stand, 'till April 1752, when by the Persuasion of several gentlemen in London, and Virginia Captains, we set sail on Board of Mr. William Lee, and arrived after a very expensive and tiresome Voyage, at York River, on the 28th of June following: Where we obtained Leave of his Excellency the Governor, and performed with universal Applause, and met with the greatest Encouragement; for which we are bound by the strongest Obligations, to acknowledge the many and repeated Instance of their Spirit and Generosity. We were there eleven Months before we thought of removing; and then asking Advice, we were again persuaded to come to New York, by several Gentlemen, &c., whose Names we can mention, but do not think proper to publish: They told us, that we should not fail of a genteel and favourable Reception; that the Inhabitants were generous and polite, naturally fond of Diversions rational, particularly those of the Theatre: Nay, they even told us, there was a fine Play-house Building, and that we were really expected. This was Encouragement sufficient for us, as we thought, and we came firmly assured of Success; but how far our Expectations were answered, we shall leave to the Candid to determine, and only beg leave to add, That as we are People of no Estates, it cannot be supposed that we have a Fund sufficient to bear up against such unexpected Repulses. A Journey by Sea and Land Five Hundred Miles, is not undertaken without Money. Therefore, if the worthy Magistrates would consider this in our Favour, that it must rather turn out a publick Advantage and Pleasure, than a private Injury, They would, we make no Doubt, grant Permission, and give an Opportunity to convince them we were not cast in the same Mould with our Theatrical Predecessors; or that in private Life or publick Occupation, we have Affinity to them.

A new theatre was erected in Williamsburg in 1760 by David Douglass for the remainder of the so-called London company.

 

UNDER CONSTRUCTION, COME BACK SOON

Lewis Hallam, Jr.