Fanny Seward's Description of Ford's Theater

[Linda Anderson]

Fanny visited Ford's Theater on Saturday, Oct. 10, 1863 with the Seward family's good friend, the famous actress Charlotte Cushman, and Anna, Fred Seward's wife. The following excerpt is from Sensitivity and Civil War: The Selected Diaries and Papers, 1858-1866, of Frances Adeline (Fanny) Seward by Patricia Carley Johnson. I have not left anything out of the excerpt except for some words that Fanny crossed out; the ellipses are Ms. Johnson's. The information in the brackets is from Ms. Johnson's footnotes. The full diary entry of Fanny's visit can be found in the Seward Papers.

"After luncheon Miss Cushman went to look at Ford's new theater - (eleventh St.) and Anna and I accompanied her. We walked...At the public doorway of the theater we met a young man who was, I think, a brother of the manager [Probably John Ford's brother Harry] - he conducted us in. When we stood inside the body of the theater Mr. Ford, manager came up from the other part, & while he talked aside with Miss Cushman, Anna & I made ourselves at home by sitting down in the outer row of the parquette [sic]. Instead of long, cushioned seats the house is furnished with chairs. It is a very pretty theater, tasteful and conventient [sic] in its arrangements. It was well lighted by windows all around, and the back scenes or "flats" of the stage being removed, a doorway opening on an alley [It was through this door that Booth made his well-planned exit on Good Friday night, 1865.], occupied by a carpenter's shop let in additional light as the curtain was up. Presently the manager, wishing Miss Cushman to see the accommodations of the house took us up to the parquette [sic] circle, and then to the gallery above. Around the walls of the latter were placards with very large letters with various hints etc. calculated to promote order. The parquette [sic] circle was very nice. The arrangements for leaving the theater were admirably made to save ladies from the discomforts of the crowd. Going by a door-way back of the lower boxes, we reached the stage...Story upon story over our heads rose complicated pulley work - all connected with stage machinery. We now passed to the right of the stage (facing the house) just at the side, removed from the sight of the audience, was the prompters box - Beside it was posted a sheet of paper on which were written directions to the carpenters as to what scenery was required in each scene -the arrangement was too technical for an outsiders understanding....The first room on the left was the 'green room' - here the actors are expected to be in readiness when the call boy is sent, about a page and a half before their cues, to notify them. This green room was not very large - '...I believe green room does not refer to color - I saw nothing green - .... Opposite the green room door was one opening into a 'star dressing room,' a pretty little room conveniently furnished with bureau, wash-stand & penstalks [sic] [Probably a misspelling of the word penstock. Although rarely seen today the term was in use in the nineteenth century. It is defined as 'one of various tubes, pipes, or open troughs used for the conveyance of water.'], chairs, sofa, carpet & lights. Next to the chamber was another of the same sort. When completed there are to be four stories of dressing rooms. We went back to the stage...."