The Players Send Greetings to Spirits of Tudor Hall in Honor of Edwin Booth's 175th Birthday

THE PLAYERS
November 13, 2008

Dinah Faber for Spirits of Tudor Hall

Dear Dinah:

How wonderful that this day, the 175th anniversary of the birth of Edwin Booth, will be celebrated at the same moment at Tudor Hall where he was born and at The Players, where he died on June 7, 1893.

How lucky, also, for all lovers of the American Theatre and American history that both Tudor Hall and The Players still stand and flourish despite many years of severe challenges to Mr. Booth’s first and final homes.

The most important thing, however, is that it is the spirit and legacy and greatness of Mr. Booth that flourishes and motivates us to this day to continue to work for the restoration and maintenance of these physical monuments and also for the fellowship and scholarship that he tirelessly promoted.

It is certainly not for nothing that generations of actors have flocked to Gramercy Park to pay homage to Mr. Booth’s bedroom and to wander through our halls where many of the great ones of our profession have trod and are now commemorated on our walls. We commemorate them too with the array of play readings, lectures, musical programs and other events that fulfill Edwin Booth’s mission of celebrating the American theatre.

And how many have made their way to Bel Air to pay homage to the birthplace of this great figure? It is very exciting to all of us here to know that Tudor Hall still stands and that plans are underway to create programs that will carry out Mr. Booth’s mission there.

And so, we at The Players lift a glass to Tudor Hall and to Edwin Booth! Happy birthday!

Sincerely,

John Martello
Executive Director
The Players