11 May 2007

A tragic oversight

The always nifty Sam Waterston is hosting a series for the Folger Shakespeare Library to commemorate its 75th anniversary. I listened intently to the first episode (of three) in which we worked our way forward through American history and the history of the performance of Shakespeare in America sort of casually waiting for a mention of Edwin Booth. There was none.

And while there is a spiffy picture of the lovely and talented Mr. Waterston on the series website, that doesn't make up for omitting any reference to possibly the greatest American Shakespearean actor of the 19th century. And the founder and primary funder of The Players.

Sarah Vowell and I are understandably disappointed.

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