The Theater in the Victorian Age

[Tom Bogar]

(12-02-2014 09:00 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  Eva: well done!
Another thought: I always wondered if actors were held in such low regard (generally)- that although it may and been shocking that Lincoln was murdered (and it certainly was)- it may have been a "see I told you so" moment that the crime was committed by an actor. Thoughts?

Bill, please know that I am in NO WAY pushing my previous book, but in American Presidents Attend the Theatre, I traced the evolution of the perception of actors by presidents, from the 19th yr old George Washington seeing his first play, up through G. W. Bush, with one theme/thread/current of thought being how the presidents represented (or in some cases challenged) general public beliefs and values about actors and theatre. I ended up writing almost two whole chapters just about Lincoln's theatregoing. If you can pick up a cheap used copy (it's out in hardback and paperback), I think you'd enjoy tracking how actors were perceived in America.

Best,
Tom