Democracies of Glee: Boston's First Professional Theatres, 1794-98

In 1793, in the face of strong legal and public opposition, the first public theater in Boston opened on Federal Street. Heather S. Nathans, Professor of Theatre at the University of Maryland’s School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies, will describe the battle over the Federal Street Theatre using the letters and publications of supporters and opponents of the theater, together with playbills from early performances.