Browse Items (24 total)

This is the earliest dated program in our collection. The location of the performance is unknown, but was likely an early Buffalo playhouse. Amelia Holman Gilfert (Mrs. Gilfert) was considered the first star of the American theater.

Lillie Langtry, nicknamed "The Jersey Lily," was a British-American socialite, actress and producer. The author of this play, Edward Bulwer-Lytton, was a British politician and writer. He coined the phrases "the great unwashed," "pursuit of the…

Edwin Booth was one of the biggest stars of 19th-century American stage.  During his career, he was known for his Shakespearian roles, especially his portrayal of Hamlet.  Born into a famous acting family, the Booth name today is more likely…

Stuart Robson was a popular comedic actor who played Buffalo stages many times. The Academy of Music, Buffalo's "Thespian Temple" from 1868 to 1895 was a successful venue that hosted some of the biggest stars of the late 19th century theatre.

Sol Smith Russell was a leading actor known for his comic roles. His performance in A Poor Relation was one of many times he visited Buffalo. The Academy of Music, Buffalo's "Thespian Temple" from 1868 to 1895 was a successful venue that hosted…

Helena Modjeska was an acclaimed Polish-born actress known for her Shakespearean roles. Leading man Maurice Barrymore was the patriarch of the Barrymore acting family, father of John, Lionel and Ethel, and great-grandfather of actress Drew.

Buffalo philanthropist Maria Love and her sister Elizabeth ("Libbie") occasionally starred in amateur theatre productions. Mrs. R. R. Cornell is May Fielding, a Buffalo actress who went on to have a successful Broadway career.

The child actress known as "Corinne" and her mother, Jennie Kimball, starred in this production. H.R. Jacobs of Albany managed theaters in Buffalo and several American cities.

Katharine Hepburn continued appearing on theatrical stages during her long movie career. She appeared in Buffalo a handful of times, including this Shakespearean performance.Hepburn has other local connections--her maternal grandparents lived here,…

One of Katharine Hepburn’s biggest hits was the romantic comedy, The Philadelphia Story.  The movie was based on a screenplay by Phillip Barry, who wrote the play specifically for Hepburn.  When the play opened in Buffalo in October 1940, prominent…