Sheridan, Richard Brinsley

Sheridan, Richard Brinsley (1751–1816), playwright. He was the earliest English playwright whose works were presented in America while they were still new to the London stage and that have retained their popularity ever since. The initial representations of his most enduring works, The Rivals and The School for Scandal, were given here during the Revolutionary War by British soldiers and their friends in 1778 and 1782 respectively. Professional productions followed shortly thereafter. Throughout the 19th century the plays remained special favorites with the great ensemble houses such as Wallack's and Daly's in New York, Mrs. Drew's in Philadelphia, and the Boston Museum. Late in the century Mrs. Drew and Joseph Jefferson toured in a famous all‐star company of The Rivals. In the early years of the 20th century major professional revivals, including those headed by Kyrle Bellew and Ada Rehan, were few and far between and short‐lived. Later the Players briefly mounted several all‐star productions. Curiously, important back‐to‐back revivals of The School for Scandal were offered in 1962 and 1963 by the Association of Producing Artists (APA) and an English troupe headed by John Gielgud and Ralph Richardson. The Duenna and The Critic keep a fitful hold on American stages, the latter having a memorable revival by the Old Vic on its 1946 visit. One of Sheridan's most popular works in his lifetime was his adaptation of Kotzebue's Die Spanier in Peru as Pizarro. It was frequently performed in America for many decades, either in Sheridan's actual version or Dunlap's redaction, but has long since faded from view.