Arch Street Theatre

The Arch Street Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was during the 19th century one of the three main Philadelphia theaters for plays; the other two were the Walnut Street Theater and the Chestnut Street Theatre. The Arch Street Theatre opened on 1 October 1828 under the management of William B. Wood. The building's architect was John Haviland.

The building which housed the Arch Street Theatre was located between 6th and 7th Streets at 819 Arch Street. Famous performers, such as Fanny Davenport, Joseph Jefferson, and Charlotte Cushman, played at what was popularly called "The Arch".John Wilkes Booth joined the theatre's stock company in 1857 and played for a full season. He appeared occasionally at the Arch during the 1850s and early 1860s.

In the 1830s Edwin Forrest played many successful roles at the Arch, and several original plays written at his request debuted there.

In 1832 the Arch Street Theatre had an entire company of American actors, which was a first for American theater companies. The managers were William Forrest, William Duffy, and William Jones. The company included James E. Murdoch.

In 1860 the stockholders of the Arch suggested that Louisa Lane Drew should assume the management, and in 1861 the theatre was opened under the name "Mrs. John Drew's Arch Street Theatre".

For the next thirty-one years the theatre-going public was treated to one of the greatest of all American stock companies. After Drew's tenure ended in 1892 the theatre's stature went into a slow decline until the building itself was demolished in 1936.

During the third season under Louisa Lane Drew's management, Lester Wallack, E. L. Davenport, and Edwin Booth acted at the Arch.

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