Monthly Archives: February 2012

Talented and Promising Artist

” Lizzie May Ulmer certainly is one of the most talented and promising artists on the American Stage”

– Boston Express

The New York Dramatic Mirror founded in 1879 was the Bible of the late nineteenth century theater world.

Charismatic editor Harrison Grey Fiske balanced the important professional information relied on by theater professionals with juicy gossipy items for theater buffs as well. Fiske  used the paper to crusade for actors rights and was instrumental in establishing the Actors’ Fund .

Wikipedia describes The Actor’s Fund as a nonprofit umbrella charitable organization that assists American entertainment and performing arts professionals through a broad spectrum of programs, including comprehensive social services, health services, supportive and affordable housing, employment and training services, and skilled nursing and assisted living care.

The Mirror (later its competitor Variety) was a place where actors could post their addresses, current situations, etc.. It was also a  place for them to find their reviews and reviews of  their contemporary’s latest performances. For the 1879-1880 season Lizzie May’s name appears regularly in The Mirror with many good reviews of her play “My Partner” in which she plays the leading female role of Clip:

Lizzie May Ulmer has been playing the leading female part in My Partner on the road to the satisfaction of the press, public and management.


Lizzie May’s growing fame



Late 1876 through 1877 were tumultuous years for young Lizzie May. She had the pressures of a young wife and mother as well as the stresses of  traveling Atlantic Canada and New England with one of William Nannary’s theater companies .

Nannary dominated Atlantic Canadian theatre from 1873 to 1880. He promoted, helped sustain and, where it was lacking, attempted to provide a substantial theatrical presence, at one time paying salaries approaching $4,700 per week while employing over 100 people in various enterprises. 

While not an over night success, Lizzie’s fame was growing. She was  enough of a stand out to have had her portrait painted by the celebrated African-American painter Nelson A. Primus (1842-1916). This painting as seen above is currently on display at the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford,CT.  The label on the back of the painting listed George T. Ulmer as the addressee. Did husband George commission the painting of his beloved Lizzie and if so how on earth could he afford such a luxury? Or had Lizzie somehow captured the attention of Primus himself? Perhaps Primus or a benefactor had spotted Lizzie in a performance? It is fun to speculate.

The Hartford Courant dated January 16,1877 reports;  

“Primus had completed a fine portrait of a little actress in Boston (Lizzie May Ulmer) and that it had received the highest praise from the critics of that city.” The painting of Lizzie May became one of Primus’ best known works.

Then by  1879 William Nannary’s successful run at the box office was slumping, tastes were changing. In July of 1880 he called it quits and emigrated with his family to America settling in San Francisco.

After an exhausting touring season and the terror of being caught up in the Great Fire of St. John, Lizzie and George needed a break. They left Canada returned to their beloved Boston.

Terror On Tour

The Academy of Music in St.John, New Brunswick, Canada was by all accounts a stunning late 19th century theater. Unlike our homogenous, spartan movie theaters of today, theaters of the 19th century were a thing of beauty.

The Academy of Music is the featured building in the photo to the left. While only three stories high, the ornate Italian style facade and the impressive 65 foot high entrance tricked the eye into thinking the building was much larger than its actual dimensions of  190 x 21 . The massive front doors were elaborately carved of solid dark walnut and weighed over 1600 pounds! The ornate interior featured broad low stairs leading to an impressive balcony while above was an even higher gallery for the VIP’s reached by a separate entrance with their own ticket office. The Academy was furnished with 600 opera chairs made of iron and the softest upholstered leather. The total seating capacity of the Academy of Music was 1200 and as patrons looked up at the ceiling they would see that all around the  interior of the theatre ran an elaborately designed cornice. The interior walls were all tinted a soft pink to complement the stage lights. The large stage was 48 by 52 feet,  equipped with four traps and the exquisite scenery was painted by the famed composer and musical director, Gaspard Maeder. When the building was finally completed it had cost the theater company $60,000 to build. Sadly it would only stand for 7 years before disaster struck.

The acting company built a fine reputation for their Shakespearean productions and for attracting some of the biggest names of the day to walk their stage. It was the jewel in St. John’s crown but unfortunately it was not to last. On Tuesday evening June 19th, the favorite actress Louise Pomeroy, an actress with William Nannary’s troupe, played the role of Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to a packed house.

The next evening, June 20,1877, the company was scheduled to perform Shakespeare‘s As You Like It with Louise Pomeroy to perform the lead role of Rosalind. Sadly, that day the most destructive fire to ever to hit Canada raged through the streets of St. John. In less than nine hours, two-fifths or 200 acres of the city were laid to ashes. One thousand six hundred and twelve homes were burned to the ground. The company under the leadership of William Nannary and George Waldron the stage manager all managed to escape with their lives but little else. Among the list of company names…LIZZIE MAY ULMER and GEORGE T.ULMER. This young couple escaped with their lives but all they owned…trunks, clothing, costumes etc… were all lost to the fire.

Donald Collins is a St.John freelance writer who wrote a great piece on the fire and the aftermath. Below is a small except:

The main business centre in what had been one of the most prosperous cities in North America was wiped out. More than 1,600 homes were destroyed, leaving 13,000 people homeless. 
   Eighteen people lost their lives – 12 from burns, four were struck by falling debris and two drowned while trying to save their property in boats. 
   The fire obliterated most public buildings and businesses, including the post office, city hall, customs house, five banks, 14 hotels and 14 churches, as well as theatres and schools. 
   The 1,500 commercial and industrial buildings that were razed included 10 retail grocers, 116 liquor dealers, 93 commission merchants, 80 law offices, 55 boarding houses, 55 shoemakers, 36 tailors, 32 flour dealers, 29 insurance agents, 29 clothing stores and 22 dry goods establishments. 
   Damage was estimated at $27 million in 1877 dollars, of which only $6.5 million was recovered from insurance. 

In 1877 Lizzie May and George were acting with William Nannary’s company. Was this also the time that Lizzie purchased the trunk that started it all? It would make sense that after losing everything, she would have purchased a new traveling trunk. Perhaps the trunk that started this blog is the trunk that she purchased from Likly, McDonald and Rockett  makers of some of the finest trunks of the day?

Next Up: Carry on?