The Mormons and the Theatre; or, The History of Theatricals in Utah

by John S. Lindsay

Ferguson never again appeared on the stage but devoted his brilliant talents to his paper, The Mountaineer, and the practice of the law. John T. Caine was now nominally the leading man of the theatre. He had played with stately dignity the parts of "Dionysius" in "Damon and Pythias" and "Pizarro" to Lyne's "Rolla," and before the season was over a number of leading characters in plays such as "Eustace Baudin," "Senor Valiente," "Serious Family," "All That Glitters," etc.

Each of Lyne's characters was played twice or three times, and went far toward filling up the season as the company played but two nights in the week. The Stock Company filled out the season of '62-63 which closed after the April conference, '63. Soon after the opening season of '63 and '64, the Irwins were engaged, and opening on November 4th played the entire season till April 10th, 1864.

When the Irwin engagement began, November 4th, 1863, this put Mr. Selden Irwin in all the leading parts. Early during this engagement Mr. David McKenzie, who had already scored a success in "old man" parts, came strongly to the front in the play of "Evadne" in which he was cast for the part of "Colonno," a character of the "Hotspur" type. He made a distinct and pronounced hit in this character, fairly dividing honors with Irwin, who played "Ludovico," a character of the "Iago" type, and second only to that "great villain," perhaps, in the whole range of the drama. This performance brought McKenzie conspicuously to the front so that he was promoted to the leading position and held it with public approval for a number of years.

A year or so ago a "write up" article in "Munsey" claimed for George B. Waldron the distinction of being the first Gentile actor to play in the Mormon theatre. How far astray from the historical record the writer was can be gleaned from the foregoing facts, and those which are to follow.

Mr. Lyne's first engagement lasted into March, close up to the April Conference, when a season of stock work was resumed with some special attraction in the way of spectacular effects for the conference season. It was the custom during the first regular season to play but two nights a week Tuesdays and Saturdays the other evenings of the week being devoted to the necessary rehearsals, as it was impracticable to get the company together in the daytime for that purpose, as they all had other occupations which demanded their attention. Each play was given twice, this was the rule; it was the exception when a piece ran three nights in succession. It was the custom to put up a new bill each week, so this gave the company about a week to get up in a new play and a new farce; with their daily occupations to attend to as well. Actors today would consider it a task to get up in a new play and a farce each week with nothing else to attend to. It will readily be understood from this statement that the original stock company of the Salt Lake Theatre had no sinecure, or "soft snap," to phrase it in the present vernacular, especially when it is made known that during all this season there was no such thing as salary attached to their positions. They were all working for honor and glory, and to help Brother Brigham pay for the theatre; but there was no grumbling; all went merry as a peal of wedding bells for "the labor we delight in physics pain," and the first regular season of the Salt Lake Theatre closed after the April Conference, 1863, with a good financial showing, much of the indebtedness on the building have been wiped out, and everything in good shape for the ensuing season.

This first long season's work had to a great extent disclosed the respective merits of the various members of the company, so that a number of changes were wrought out, some members gaining promotions in accordance with public voice and approbation.

During the summer of 1863, the interior decorations of the theatre were completed and preparations were made for opening the season of '63 and '64 a little in advance of the October Conference, which always brings the people in even from the remotest settlements, and consequently makes a great harvest for the theatre. The stock company opened up the season without any assistance from the "Gentile" dramatic world no second star had as yet appeared on our dramatic horizon. Some additional interest, however, was lent to the stock company by the accession to its ranks of two new members, who had been selected from an amateur club called the "Thespians," whose performances, given in a little crib, popularly known as "Cromie's Show," so designated because the manager, "Jimmy" Thompson, had acquired the nickname of "Cromie" from an excellent performance he gave of that character in the farce of Betsy Baker.

The new accessions were John S. Lindsay and James M. Hardie, whom the theatre managers had picked from the ranks of the young "Thespians" as being of promise and worthy a place in the big theatre. The company presented a number of comedy dramas; did the usual S. R. O. business during the October Conference and played well on into the month of November, when "The Irwins" were engaged as stock stars for the remainder of the season. This engagement proved to be a wise move on the part of the management, for the strain on the stock company was becoming apparent, and it is questionable whether they could have held the public interest with them throughout the season; so the Irwins were welcomed by both the company and the patrons of the theatre. Selden Irwin (or as he was familiarly called "Sel") was at this time in the very flush of manhood, full of life and ambition, with a plethora of good looks and activity. He was essentially a dashing actor, and pleased the public immensely. Mrs. Irwin was even more of a favorite than "Sel." If not great, she was very versatile, and they gave Salt Lakers a series of plays of very great variety, embracing classic tragedy, comedy and farce. Everything from "Camille" and the "Lady of Lyons" to "That Rascal Pat" and "In and Out of Place." With Mr. and Mrs. Irwin was Harry Rainforth, a boy of sixteen years, a son of Mrs. Irwin by a former marriage, who in after years became a well-known manager, being a partner with Bob Miles in the Grand Opera House at Cincinnati. Harry was quite an actor as a boy, and helped out the cast on several occasions; his most conspicuous effort, however, was Lord Dundreary in "Our American Cousin," which was put up to give "Sel" a chance at "Asa Trenchard." It is not of record that Harry ever became a formidable rival of Sothern's in this part, but on this occasion he filled the role very acceptably.

The Irwins remained as stock stars to the end of the season, which came to a close after the April Conference, 1864. They were well liked by the Utahns, and came back for a short starring engagement the season of '66, after making a tour of Idaho and Montana with a small road company. The Irwin engagement inaugurated the three night performances a week and Saturday matinees. This increased the work of the company to such an extent that they had to neglect to a greater or less degree their regular business, that on which they depended for their living, for it must be understood that there was no compensation attached, beyond the honor of acting in the Salt Lake Theatre. So there began to be some dissatisfaction with this part of the business, and complaints from some that they were neglecting their business for the theatre and ought to be made good, so it was arranged near the end of the season to give two benefit performances one for the gentlemen and the other for the ladies of the company, and then divide the results pro rata among the members of the company. This scheme was carried out and served to conciliate the players and smooth the way to another season's work for the managers.

The writer at this time was probably the youngest member of the company and had attained but little prominence, hence his "divvy" was a very modest one, yet quite acceptable, as it was unexpected. The following autograph letter of Brigham Young's will show the method adopted by the management to carry on the business and make the company contribute liberally to the building of the theatre: