Fall Lecture: How an 1849 Performance of Macbeth Sparked New York's Shakespeare Riots

Name: Fall Lecture: How an 1849 Performance of Macbeth Sparked New York's Shakespeare Riots
Start: 2024-10-23T12:00:00-04:00
Location: 312 S Division St, Ann Arbor, MI, United States, Michigan 48104

Schedule

Wed Oct 23 2024 at 12:00 pm

UTC-04:00

Location

312 S Division St, Ann Arbor, MI, United States, Michigan 48104 | Ann Arbor, MI

In 1849, the Bowery Boys, armed with brickbats, rioted against the aristocrats of Astor Place over a grudge between their favorite Shakespearean actors, leading to the militia firing on the crowd. The smoke finally settled after thirty-six hours of destruction, injury, and death. The apparent cause of the riot was the passion the people had for their actor’s presentation of Macbeth; however, underlying this long-simmering rivalry lurks a class and political struggle that America still grapples with. Join theater historian Kevin Peshick as we examine what led to the Shakespeare Riots, and the consequences that still reverberate today.
Admission is free (donations appreciated).