Charlotte cushman biography
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Trailblazing the Stage: 10 Facts about Charlotte Cushman
Join us for Britches! A Play for Lady Romeos at Women’s Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center on March 14, 2024. Don’t forget to RSVP by February 16, 2024.
Britches! A Play for Lady Romeos celebrates the actors of WERDCC, a group of performers who are no strangers to playing male Shakespeare roles. Based loosely on the life of Charlotte Cushman, a nineteenth-century American actor famous for playing Shakespeare's Romeo, Britches! tells the story of Charlotte and her sister, Susan Cushman, when they played Romeo and Juliet in 1846. As we celebrate Charlotte’s extraordinary contributions to theater in Britches! A Play for Lady Romeos, here are 10 intriguing facts about this dramatic stage actor:
Shakespearean Sensation: Cushman's illustrious career spanned four decades, during which she fearlessly tackled iconic Shakespearean roles such as Lady Ma
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Charlotte Saunders Cushman
Charlotte Cushman, (b. July 23, 1816, in Boston, MA; d, February 18, 1876, in Boston, MA), considered the greatest actress of her time, was a phenomenal figure in American theater and the first actress born in America to become a star on the American stage. Over a 40-year career she dazzled audiences in both female and male roles. At ceremonies following her final performance in New York City she was honored by many notables, including William Cullen Bryant, who presented her with a wreath of oak leaves.
Cushman began her public career in 1835 as a singer, with a fine contralto voice. Unfortunately she damaged her voice by attempting soprano roles and then turned to acting. Her acting ability had been noted by persons of the theater world and she was persuaded to debut, in New Orleans, in the role of Lady Macbeth, becoming an immediate success. This became one of her most famous roles and the one she delivered at her last performances, i
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Charlotte Cushman
American actress (1816–1876)
Charlotte Saunders Cushman | |
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Cushman in 1859 | |
| Born | (1816-07-23)July 23, 1816 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | February 18, 1876(1876-02-18) (aged 59) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
Charlotte Saunders Cushman (July 23, 1816 – February 18, 1876) was an American stage actress.[1] Her voice was noted for its full contralto register, and she was able to play both male and female parts. She lived intermittently in Rome, in an expatriate colony of prominent artists and sculptors, some of whom became part of her tempestuous private life.
Early life
[edit]She was a descendant in the eighth generation from Pilgrim Robert Cushman, who helped organize the Mayflower voyage and brought the family name to the United States on the Fortune in 1621.[2] Robert Cushman was a leader and a great advocate for emigration to America. He became a preacher in the colonies and was k