Blackfriars
Box Office:
248 East Avenue
Rochester, NY
14604
(585) 454-1260 |
A little Early History
Why do we call ourselves Blackfriars?
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or images below to view production photos.
A Little Early History
Founded in 1950 as the Catholic Theatre of Rochester. It was formed by a small group of
actors as an alternative to the conventional community theatre then available. From 1950
to early 1954, productions consisted primarily of traveling shows performed at various
parish organizations throughout the Rochester diocese and conventions of the Catholic
Theatre Conference.
During our first twelve years of productions, we became a sort of Off-Broadway theatre
in Rochester. In an effort to broaden the group's appeal it was decided to change our
name. In 1962 the group was rechristened Blackfriars, after the indoor theatre co-owned by
William Shakespeare during the reign of King James I.
After 25 years of performing in Xerox Auditorium, we moved into the School of the Arts
at 45 Prince Street, in downtown Rochester, completing three seasons as the
Theatre-in-Residence.
In the summer of 1997, Blackfriars Theatre completed the renovation of a historic
theatre in the East End Cultural District of Rochester, New York. This theatre, which was
used as our rehearsal space for over 20 years prior, has become the permanent performance
space and home for Blackfriars Theatre. The address is 28 Lawn Street, Rochester, New York
14607. (Map)
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Why do we call ourselves Blackfriars?
After several years as Catholic Theatre of Rochester a decision was made to change the
name to broaden the group's appeal, while maintaining its original purpose. The name,
Blackfriars, long associated with theatre and the Church, seemed to be a logical choice
and permission was sought from the Blackfriars Theatre in London to use the appellation.
Theatre groups have been using the name Blackfriars since the early 1500's. The original
Blackfriars group performed in a part of the monastery occupied by Dominican priests --
who were themselves called Black Friars.
When the monasteries were dissolved in the late 1500's, the property was deeded to a
subject of King Henry VIII, who presented plays on a regular basis in the refectory of the
old monastery. The theatre group kept the name Blackfriars. The original and succeeding
Blackfriars theatres were the most widely attended theatres in London. Blackfriars became
the name of two successive London theatres, both housed in the same building of the old
Black Friars monastery between Ludgate Hill and the Thames. The building was first leased
as a theatre (1576) by Sir William More to the Master of The Children of Windsor Chapel
for the public performance of plays before production at Court, and was used by them until
1584. The second Blackfriars Theatre was housed in the same building after James
Burbage's purchase (1596) of the property from More. After Burbage's death (1597) the
property became his son Richard's, who leased it (1600) to Henry Evans and Nathaniel Giles
for performances by the Children of the Chapel. Evans gave up his lease in 1608, and
Burbage formed a company of owners consisting of himself, his brother Cuthbert, four of
the King's Men (Shakespeare, Heminge, Condell, and Sly), and Thomas Evans. In 1609 the
King's Men moved into their new theatre, which became the center of The War of the
Theatres. The War of the Theatres was a feud involving several Elizabethan playwrights.
Beaumont and Fletcher's plays and Shakespeare's last plays date from this time.
A personal quarrel between Ben Johnson on the one hand, and John Marston and Thomas Dekker
on the other, was carried into the theatres when Jonson wrote Cynthia's Revels for the
Children of the Revels at the Blackfriars Theatre. A little later he attacked Marston (who
had apparently
answered him with a play of unknown name produced by Paul's boys) in the Poetaster. Thomas
Dekker then attacked Jonson in Satiromastix, played by the Chamberlain's Men. The war of
satire was popular with the public for two or three years, but quickly died out. It is
referred to in Hamlet by the Player King.
The Blackfriars were the first theatre group to allow women to appear on stage ( in 1629),
to the great scandal of the population, and were also the first to mount Shakespeare's
plays at the original Globe Theatre.
Blackfriars remained in operation as a theatre until 1642, when all the theatres were
closed. The building was dismantled in 1655. The site of the original Blackfriars theatre
is now occupied by the London Times.
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To contact Blackfriars Theatre, send email to: mail@blackfriars.org
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