The Grand Opera House was the name of two theatres located in St. Louis , Missouri on the same property on the south side of Market Street between Broadway and Sixth Streets. The first theatre, originally known as the Varieties Theatre , opened in 1852 and went by several different names, including the Grand Opera House, during its thirty-two year existence. After it was destroyed by fire in November 1884, a second theatre, known from its inauguration as the Grand Opera House, was built on the site of the first theatre and opened just 10 months after the destruction of the first theatre in September 1885. In 1935 the second Grand Opera House was renamed the Grand Theatre when it became part of a chain of a burlesque circuit of theaters. It operated under that name into the early 1960s. In 1963 the theatre was demolished to make room for Busch Memorial Stadium .
17-826: The first Grand Opera House opened as the Varieties Theatre (also known as Field's Varieties ) in May 1852 under the management of Joseph M. Field . It was designed after the Salle Barthélemy; a theatre located on the Rue Neuve-Saint-Nicolas in Paris, France that had opened previously in June 1851. The inaugural performance at the Varieties Theatre occurred on May 10, 1852, with a double bill of Edward W. Shands' You Can't Open and
34-513: A version of " Al Aaraaf " and later declaimed the incident as an attempted hoax. Poe wrote directly to Field enlisting his help in defense against the Boston "Frogpondians". Among his plays was Family Ties , written for Dan Marble for a prize of $ 500. He also wrote a dramatic response to Harriet Beecher Stowe 's 1852 novel Uncle Tom's Cabin which he staged in New Orleans. Field established
51-626: The Grand Opera House in St. Louis in 1852. He died at a hotel in Mobile, Alabama on January 28, 1856, and was buried at Mount Auburn Cemetery , near where his daughter was studying. This article about an American playwright is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Grand Opera House (St. Louis) The Grand Opera House was the name of two theatres located in St. Louis , Missouri on
68-724: The New Orleans Picayune . On, November 6, 1837, Field married actress Eliza Riddle , with whom he had co-starred in several performances. Their daughter, Kate Field , was born in 1838, and went on to become a successful journalist and author. From 1841–1842, he traveled in Europe as an international reporter for the Picayune . Field seemingly attended the Boston Lyceum lecture in October 1845 when Edgar Allan Poe controversially recited
85-406: The Varieties Theatre (also known as Field's Varieties ) in May 1852 under the management of Joseph M. Field . It was designed after the Salle Barthélemy; a theatre located on the Rue Neuve-Saint-Nicolas in Paris, France that had opened previously in June 1851. The inaugural performance at the Varieties Theatre occurred on May 10, 1852, with a double bill of Edward W. Shands' You Can't Open and
102-562: The Philodramatic Society, a dramatic group specializing in German language theatre, from 1856 through 1859. When the theatre was purchased by James Buchanan Eads in 1858 the theatre was renamed the St. Louis Opera House (sometimes known by its German translation St. Louis Opernhaus ). It continued to operate under that name until 1861 when it closed; only to re-open for periodical intervals between 1861 and 1864, once again operating under
119-447: The Philodramatic Society, a dramatic group specializing in German language theatre, from 1856 through 1859. When the theatre was purchased by James Buchanan Eads in 1858 the theatre was renamed the St. Louis Opera House (sometimes known by its German translation St. Louis Opernhaus ). It continued to operate under that name until 1861 when it closed; only to re-open for periodical intervals between 1861 and 1864, once again operating under
136-527: The cities of Chicago, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis. In 1935 the theatre was renamed the Grand Theatre when it became part of a chain of a burlesque circuit of theaters. It operated under that name into the early 1960s, and was demolished in 1963 to make room for Busch Memorial Stadium . 38°37′31″N 90°11′27″W / 38.6253°N 90.1907°W / 38.6253; -90.1907 Joseph M. Field Joseph M. Field (1810 – January 28, 1856)
153-402: The comedy Where There's a Will ; the latter starring Field and his wife, the actress Eliza Riddle Field . Field's tenure as manager lasted only one season, and his last performance as manager and actor at the Varieties Theatre occurred on June 13, 1852. The theatre remained closed until it was taken over by the St. Louis journalist Henry Boernstein who utilized the theatre for performances of
170-400: The comedy Where There's a Will ; the latter starring Field and his wife, the actress Eliza Riddle Field . Field's tenure as manager lasted only one season, and his last performance as manager and actor at the Varieties Theatre occurred on June 13, 1852. The theatre remained closed until it was taken over by the St. Louis journalist Henry Boernstein who utilized the theatre for performances of
187-477: The management of John W. Norton. The theatre was destroyed by fire on November 23, 1884, during Norton's tenure. The second Grand Opera House was built over a ten-month period on the same property as the first theatre. It opened on September 14, 1885, with a production headlined by Nat Goodwin . In 1898 the theatre was purchased by the Tri-State Amusement Company which operated a chain of theatres in
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#1733093846542204-577: The name Varieties Theatre. In 1868 the theatre re-opened under a new name, the Wakefield Theatre . In operated under this name until 1874 when it was sold to Benedict DeBar. It was then renamed the DeBar Opera House , only to be renamed the Grand Opera House three years later when Pierre Chouteau purchased the theatre after DeBar's death in 1877. It operated as the Grand Opera House for
221-423: The name Varieties Theatre. In 1868 the theatre re-opened under a new name, the Wakefield Theatre . In operated under this name until 1874 when it was sold to Benedict DeBar. It was then renamed the DeBar Opera House , only to be renamed the Grand Opera House three years later when Pierre Chouteau purchased the theatre after DeBar's death in 1877. It operated as the Grand Opera House for the next seven years under
238-412: The next seven years under the management of John W. Norton. The theatre was destroyed by fire on November 23, 1884, during Norton's tenure. The second Grand Opera House was built over a ten-month period on the same property as the first theatre. It opened on September 14, 1885, with a production headlined by Nat Goodwin . In 1898 the theatre was purchased by the Tri-State Amusement Company which operated
255-462: The same property on the south side of Market Street between Broadway and Sixth Streets. The first theatre, originally known as the Varieties Theatre , opened in 1852 and went by several different names, including the Grand Opera House, during its thirty-two year existence. After it was destroyed by fire in November 1884, a second theatre, known from its inauguration as the Grand Opera House, was built on
272-475: The site of the first theatre and opened just 10 months after the destruction of the first theatre in September 1885. In 1935 the second Grand Opera House was renamed the Grand Theatre when it became part of a chain of a burlesque circuit of theaters. It operated under that name into the early 1960s. In 1963 the theatre was demolished to make room for Busch Memorial Stadium . The first Grand Opera House opened as
289-577: Was an English-born American actor and dramatist. He was born in London, came to America when very young, and for several years traveled through the country writing plays and acting them without attaining much reputation. In 1852 he assumed the management of a theatre in St. Louis , Missouri , where he was also later principal owner and an editor of the Reveille , a daily newspaper. At the same time he became widely known for his humorous sketches signed "Straws" in
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