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Article: Lewis Hallam Sr. and Jr
- Article from:
- Encyclopedia of World Biography
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Lewis Hallam Sr. and Jr.
Lewis Hallam, Sr. (ca. 1705-1755), and Lewis Hallam, Jr. (1740-1808), actors and theatrical managers, were members of America's first important theatrical family.
The elder Lewis Hallam was a moderately successful London actor when he decided to lead an acting company to the New World. Their production of
The Merchant of Venice
in Williamsburg, Va., in 1752 marks the beginning of truly professional theater in America. But strong opposition to stage plays existed, especially among the Puritans and Quakers, who considered drama irreligious. Hallam had difficulty getting licenses in New York and Philadelphia; he did not even try in Boston. He argued that his ...