Subject: Re: [Puptcrit] Presidential Punch
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2005 22:13:58 -0500
To: puptcrit-driftline.org-AT-lists.driftline.org


Hi Dimitri,

Thanks for the review of the Washingtons trip to the puppit shew. Yes, 
I have been using these details in my intro's on Washington's Birthday 
as well as at some other colonial/revolutionary era venues over the 
years. My McPharlin is well warn from all the times that I've reread it 
over the last 22 years. Love that book! Thanks again and Happy GWB to 
all!

Fred Greenspan
Traditional Puppeteer
http://home.earthlink.net/~greenspan/

On Feb 16, 2005, at 6:52 PM, Dmitri Carter wrote:

> Dear Fred and puppetcritters,
>
> You probably already know about the story of George Washington going 
> to a
> puppet show but for those who don't, George Washington made this entry 
> on
> Nov. 16 1776 in his account book:
>
> By Cost of seeing Wax Work 7/6
> By Ditto Do. Puppit Shew  11/6
>
> Not a whole lot to go from but George, Martha and their two teenagers 
> were
> staying with friends in Williamsburg that day so it is believed that 
> they
> and one of their slaves went to the show.  There is more about this 
> outing
> to a puppet show in numerous books but probably most accessible and 
> puppetry
> oriented would be Paul McPharlin's "The Puppet Theatre in America" 
> published
> 1949 and reissued in '69.  McPharlin analyzes the admission to come to 
> the
> conclusion that there were four tickets together, one in the gallery 
> for
> their slave and a tip to come to the total of 11/6.  Considering the 
> times,
> it is interesting that the Washingtons brought their slave to the 
> show.  I
> wonder if the theatre had segregated seating or if the cheap tickets 
> were
> integrated or was it just an exception for G. Washington?  There are 
> some
> promotional blurbs believed to be about this show also in McPharlin's 
> book.
>
> Also sorry Fred, too far for me to catch your show but break a swasage 
> this
> Saturday and wish George Washington a happy birthday for me.  He must 
> be
> getting fairly old by now.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Dmitri Carter
>
> dmitri-AT-nwpuppet.org
>
> http://www.nwpuppet.org
>
> Northwest Puppet Center
> 9123 - 15th Ave. N.E.
> Seattle, WA 98115
>
> tel:  206 523 2579
> fax:  206 523 8078
>
>
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