Two Williams or one and the same?

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Permalink Reply by Myss Story on August 17, 2009 at 1:48pm

working on the NY theater connection I found the Madison Square Theater Company was headed by Palmer, who had a repetory cast including Mrs. Agnes Booth. She was the wife of Junius Booth, brother of Edwin Booth the famous actor, as brother to the infamous John Wilkes Booth. So it may be through Mrs. Booth that William got the role as Gildenstern.

Rosencranz and Gildenstern was very minor roles. So minor that a satirical play was written and a movie with Richard Dreyfus tht I saw "Rosencranz and Gildenstern are Dead", trying to account for their presence in the play Hamlet.

Minor or not, it was an opportunity to appear with the "great" actor. So if this William is the same, it provides a working connection to the Booths.

Permalink Reply by Kate Steere on August 17, 2009 at 2:09pm

:) thank you-

I tried to find a good source on the Madison Square Theater Company that would mention William, but if he played bit roles he may not be mentioned outside of the cast lists-

The Stoppard play is one of my favorites! :)

Permalink Reply by Myss Story on August 17, 2009 at 2:11pm

here is a connection between New York and Chicago. From the NY Times July 26, 1886, Wednesday
Page 5, 460 words

CHICAGO, July 25.--Mr. Palmer's Madison-Square company closed its engagement of seven weeks at McVicker's Theatre last evening, and departed for San Francisco, where it is to open next week.

[Mr Palmer was one of the early managers to send his actors on tour to the west] Mr Palmer set up the physical MSCT in New York, and was said to "encourage native acting ability". He kept a number of stage workers and 16 male actors hired on. He liked to keep his actors working so that was part of his reason for sending them on tour.