• The Drama of History in Francophone New Orleans

    Author(s):
    Juliane Braun (see profile)
    Date:
    2015
    Group(s):
    GS Drama and Performance, LLC 19th-Century American, LLC Early American
    Subject(s):
    Louisiana, Theater, History
    Item Type:
    Article
    Tag(s):
    Multiethnic literature, French Creole, Theatre and history
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/zg97-4h77
    Abstract:
    On January 1, 1824, the English-speaking population of New Orleans celebrated the grand opening of the American Theatre, lauding the advent of “Bards our own” and the rise of “our Drama” in the Crescent City (qtd. in Smither 41). For the city’s francophone residents, this event marked a new stage in the ongoing battle for cultural survival. Until the opening of the American Theatre, French drama and opera had dominated the city. Beginning in 1792, when Louisiana was still under Spanish rule, French theatricals were regularly performed at the Théâtre de la Rue St. Pierre, the Théâtre St. Philippe, and the Théâtre d’Orléans. After the Louisiana Purchase, more and more Anglo-Americans settled permanently in New Orleans and began to compete with the city’s established French-speaking population for political, economic, and cultural sway. The growing influence of the anglophone newcomers alarmed the francophone residents, who feared for the continued existence of their community. Over time, the tensions between the two populations turned into open hostility and came, according to historian Joseph Tregle, “perilously close to armed violence” (153). In 1836, the city of New Orleans was formally divided along ethnic lines to prevent such an escalation. This article examines how the anglophone and francophone struggles for political influence and cultural sovereignty in New Orleans were transported into the local playhouses.
    Metadata:
    xml
    Published as:
    Journal article     Show details
    Pub. DOI:
    DOI: 10.1353/eal.2015.0078
    Publisher:
    Project Muse
    Pub. Date:
    2015-11-22
    Journal:
    Early American Literature
    Volume:
    50
    Issue:
    3
    Page Range:
    763 - 795
    ISSN:
    1534-147X
    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    5 years ago
    License:
    All Rights Reserved
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