Representative American Plays/The Contrast

by Royall Tyler

For works with similar titles, see The Contrast.

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THE CONTRAST
BY
Royall Tyler

 

THE CONTRAST

The Contrast is the second play written by an American, to be produced in America by a professional company. It is our first comedy, and while its central theme is the contrast between native worth and affectation of foreign manners it is of especial significance as introducing to our stage in the character of "Jonathan" the shrewd, yet uncultivated type of New England farmer which has since become known as the "Stage Yankee." The example of The Contrast in introducing a Yankee character was soon followed. In 1792, The Yorker's Stratagem, or Banana's Wedding, by J. Robinson, was based upon the attempt of the hero "Amant" to win the hand of the heroine by pretending to be a simple Yankee merchant. In 1807 Barker introduced the character of "Nathan Yank" in his comedy, Tears and Smiles. The first Yankee character, however, which permanently held the stage was that of "Jonathan Ploughboy" in Samuel Woodworth's play of The Forest Bose, or American Farmers. It was a kind of opera, originally produced at the Chatham Theatre, New York, October 6, 1825. The characters are all conventional but that of "Jonathan" which had some flavor of reality. This play was produced in London and as far west as California. The character of "Jonathan" was acted at first by Alexander Simpson and later by Henry Placide, G. H. Hill and J. S. Silsbee. The success of The Forest Rose doubtless encouraged others, for we find J. H. Hackett, the actor, first telling Yankee stories in plays of another character and then modifying Colman's Who Wants a Guinea? to introduce the character of "Solomon Swap" and under the title of Jonathan in England producing the play in England with success. Among the other well known Yankee plays were Yankee Land (1834) introducing "Lot Sap Sago" and The Vermont Wool Dealer, (1840), whose hero was called "Deuteronomy Dutiful." Both of these plays were written by C. A. Logan. Joseph S. Jones, a prolific playwright, created the character of "Jedediah Homebred" in The Green Mountain Boy (1833) and "Solon Shingle" in The People's Lawyer (1839). These Yankee plays are most interesting on account of their historical value. As we read them now they seem trivial and conventional and the Yankee characters are introduced into the midst of surroundings with which they have usually little to do. Their farcical character, however, made them definite and their homeliness of expression gave them an appearance of reality which probably won them their popularity. They point forward, of course, to a time when James A. Heme and others produced more significant work in the same field.

The author of The Contrast, Royall Tyler, was born in Boston, July 18, 1757. He graduated from Harvard College and, after studying law, became aide-de-camp to General Benjamin Lincoln during the Revolution and later during Shays's Rebellion. Coming to New York City on a mission connected with Shays's Rebellion, he became interested in the theatre and wrote The Contrast, which was performed at the John Street Theatre, April 16, 1787, by the American Company, under Hallam and Henry. The principal part, that of "Jonathan," was played by Thomas Wignell. It was repeated several times in New York and was played in Baltimore (1787-8), in Philadelphia (1790) and in Boston. It was revived on June 6, 7, and 8, 1912, in connection with a Pageant given at Brattleboro, Vermont.

Tyler wrote a farce, May Day in Town or New York in an Uproar, which was performed at the John Street Theatre on May 18, 1787. He then returned to Boston, where he wrote in 1797, A Georgia Spec or Land in the Moon, which dealt with the rage for speculating in Georgia lands of the Yazoo Purchase. It was first played in Boston and later in New York at the John Street Theatre, December 20, 1797. According to Dunlap's manuscript Diary, A Georgia Spec, which he calls A Good Spec, was repeated February 12, 1798. Major F. W. Childs, of Brattleboro, Vermont, where Royall Tyler lived from 1801 to 1826, states in a recent letter that there exists in manuscript a play of Tyler's called The Duelists, performed at the Federal Street Theatre in Boston in 1797. Tyler also wrote a romance, The Algerine Captive (1797) but devoted himself definitely to the profession of law, becoming Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Vermont in 1807. He died in August, 1826.

Tyler gave the copyright of The Contrast to Thomas Wignell and the latter published it in Philadelphia in 1790, with an introduction in which he states that "it was written by one who never critically studied the rules of the drama, and indeed had seen but few of the exhibitions of the stage; it was undertaken and finished in the course of three weeks." It was reprinted by the Dunlap Society in 1887 with an introduction by Thomas J. McKee. The other plays of Tyler are not now available.

The present edition is based upon a copy of the edition of 1790, which belonged to William B. Wood, the Philadelphia Manager.

Note to Second Edition.

On January 16 and 18, 1917, The Contrast was played under the auspices of the American Drama Committee of the Philadelphia Drama League at the Broad Street Theatre in connection with the celebration of the American Drama Year. The cast was drawn from the "Plays and Players" of Philadelphia, and the production revealed the truly remarkable qualities of the play, which was staged under the direction of Mrs. Otis Skinner.

 

CHARACTERS

	New York	Maryland
Col. Manly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Mr. Henry	Mr. Hallam
Dimple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Mr. Hallam	Mr. Harper
Vanrough . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Mr. Morris	Mr. Morris
Jessamy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Mr. Harper.	Mr. Biddle.
Jonathan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Mr. Wignell	Mr. Wignell
Charlotte . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Mrs. Morris	Mrs. Morris
Maria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Mrs. Harper	Mrs. Harper
Letitia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Mrs. Kenna	Mrs. Williamson
Jenny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	Mrs. Tuke	Miss W. Tuke

Servants

Scene, New York

N. B. The lines marked with inverted commas, “thus” are omitted in the representation.

[For the sake of uniformity in this collection, the portions omitted in the representation are enclosed in brackets of this character < >.]