MANAGER. WRITER. CRITIC.
MANAGER. WRITER. CRITIC.
BORN: July 20, 1838
Plymouth, NC
THE EARLY YEARS
Born to a long line of working class men,
Augustin Daly and his brother, Joseph, were not “born” to love the theater. After the death of their father, the Daly’s picked up and moved to Norfolk, where they found the Avon Theatre. Daly was enraptured with the storytelling of the stage. After one final move to New York, Daly found himself at the heart of the American theatrical scene.
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His first theater found its home in the Daly’s backyard, where he devised performances for his neighbors. In 1856, he met William Burton, who gave him professional critique of his early writing. By his early 20s, never having been keen on acting, Daly decided to pursue journalism full time, and his career as a
drama critic began.
DIED: June 7, 1899
Paris, France
AN EXEMPLARY CAREER
Augustin Daly stumbled into fame for Leah the Foresaken (1862), an adaptation of a German play. His first original work, Under the Gaslight (1867) also served as his debut as a producer. He founded his first company in 1869 while leasing the Fifth Avenue Theatre. Perhaps his best play, Horizon (1871), changed the approach of other writers of realist melodrama.
The creation of the Daly Theatre in 1879 led to his greatest contributions to the art of acting, directing, and stage techniques like lighting and scenery. Daly continued his work in adaptations and management, expanding his Theatre to London in 1893. Exhausted by the strain of keeping up with the ever-evolving theatre, Augustin Daly died while on a trip to
Europe in 1899.
Brockett, Oscar G., and Franklin J. Hildy. History of the Theatre. 10th ed., Pearson Education, Inc., 2008.
Daly, Joseph. The Life of Augustin Daly. Norwood Press, 1917.
Felheim, Marvin. The Theater of Augustin Daly. Harvard University Press, 1956.
THE MAN
"His energy was untiring; his devotion all-absorbing."
- Joseph Daly, brother
Augustin Daly was built very much like his seafaring father; "tall and of powerful physique." With an "adventurous disposition and fearlessness," his brother Joseph furthermore described him as "one of the most physically courageous men [he] ever knew."
Body
Mind
Soul
Daly was always bursting with new ideas. As a theater critic for ten years, he earned a reputation for honesty that led to steady employment with the Sun, Express, Citizen, and Times. He always maintained his position on the Courier, where he got his start. In later life, his workload was unparalleled, often working from 8am to midnight or later every day.
Daly, Joseph. The Life of Augustin Daly. Norwood Press, 1917.
“Compounded of more than the usual amounts of temperament and tyranny... his love of beauty, his extravagance and courage, and his phenomenal ability in picking and training actors resulted in... casts that were uniformly praised for their perfection.”
Sturtevant, Catherine, editor. Man and Wife & Other Plays by Augustin Daly. Princeton University Press, 1942.
Daly, Joseph. The Life of Augustin Daly. Norwood Press, 1917.
AN EMERGING HUB
Daly found himself in a society that dreaded “contamination from too-close association with things theatrical.” His mother held
the same view, never explicitly encouraging his pursuit of professional theater. During this time, theater stalls filled with the less-than-glorious members of society were not seen as suitable company for the family. The life of a traveling actor, too, was not something to aspire to in any respectable family.
The most intelligent circles of New York could regularly enjoy theater, but for the most part, New Yorkers occupied themselves with trying to survive in an overcrowded city. A flood of immigration from Europe in the latter half of the 19th century, combined with an exponentially booming tourist industry, turned New York into the national capital for tourism and entertainment.
Brockett, Oscar G., and Franklin J. Hildy. History of the Theatre. 10th ed., Pearson Education, Inc., 2008.
Daly, Joseph. The Life of Augustin Daly. Norwood Press, 1917.
Rodger, G. (2002). Legislating amusements: Class politics and theater law in new york city. American Music, 20(4), 381-398. Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.dartmouth.idm.oclc.org/docview/215874876?accountid=10422.
​Forced to go everywhere with his brother to protect him, Augustin and Joseph became frequent patrons of three amateur societies: the Murdoch Association, Burton’s Chambers Street Theatre, and the John R. Scott Association. The Wallack and Burton Theatres, in particular, were where Daly learned his craft. Here, he took note of theatrical companies that were maintained in order to present everything from Shakespeare to new plays with scenery and costumes.
LATE 19th
CENTURY
NEW YORK
THEATER
Between 1850-1870, the resident stock company was the standard theatrical organization. This structure, though, came under attack with the introduction of the “long run.” Theater began to move towards longer runs of original work, with older shows in repertory between runs. Companies began traveling with both stars and full companies, creating the “combination system,” which Daly fought against. In this era, theater shifted towards realism and fidelity of spectacle.
Brockett, Oscar G., and Franklin J. Hildy. History of the Theatre. 10th ed., Pearson Education, Inc., 2008
Daly, Joseph. The Life of Augustin Daly. Norwood Press, 1917..
Leah, the Foresaken (1862) –
first adaptation
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Under the Gaslight (1867) –
first original work, sensational drama (realism and melodrama), social commentary
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A Flash of Lightning (1868) –
pure melodrama, water and fire spectacles and special effects
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Horizon (1871) –
western drama, investigates intercultural relations
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Divorce (1871) –
modern society drama
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L’Assommoir (1879) –
melodrama adapted from E. Zola
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The Merchant of Venice (1898) –
last play/adaptation, comedy
notable plays
Sturtevant, Catherine, editor. Man and Wife & Other Plays by Augustin Daly. Princeton University Press, 1942.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Always more attracted to the managerial side of theater, Augustin Daly found himself staging his first plays in 1856 at the only theater in Brooklyn – a third-story playhouse that he could just barely afford. Daly’s tireless work made great strides in the professional theater by popularizing new subject matter, maintaining a permanent troupe in an age of evolving theater, and establishing the role of
the Director.
Daly’s career as a manager saw him innovating the theater subscription, the Wednesday matinee, and a strict discipline to “natural” acting by the whole company, complete with realistic setting, costuming, and music. He had a particular talent for picking young actors and raising them to stardom.
His flexibility lent itself, in large part, to the longevity of his success. Daly became known for his realist plays that possessed a stunning theatricality; either sensational melodramas, frontier drama, or panoramic spectacles. His great sense of humor and well-read mind created many a farce from Shakespearean scenes and old comedies spliced together.
Brockett, Oscar G., and Franklin J. Hildy. History of the Theatre. 10th ed., Pearson Education, Inc., 2008.
Daly, Joseph. The Life of Augustin Daly. Norwood Press, 1917.
Felheim, Marvin. The Theater of Augustin Daly. Harvard University Press, 1956.