J. C. Williamson
James Cassius Williamson (26 August 1845 – 6 July 1913) was an American actor and later Australia's foremost impresario, founding the J. C. Williamson's theatrical and production company.Born in Pennsylvania, Williamson moved with his family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. His father died when he was eleven years old. He acted in amateur theatricals and joined a local theatre company as a call-boy at the age of 15, soon taking roles and eventually moving to New York where he played for several years at Wallack's Theatre and then other New York theatres. In 1871, he became the leading comedian at the California Theatre in San Francisco and the next year married comedian and actress Maggie Moore.
The two found success touring in Australia, and then playing in London, the U.S. and elsewhere in a melodrama called ''Struck Oil''. In 1879, Williamson obtained the right to present ''H.M.S. Pinafore'' and then other Gilbert and Sullivan operas in Australia. He soon formed his Royal Comic Opera Company. In 1882, Williamson became the lessee of the Sydney Theatre Royal, and that year he entered into a partnership with Arthur Garner and George Musgrove, expanding to own more theatres such as the Adelaide Theatre Royal in 1886, and bringing famous performers to Australia, such as Sarah Bernhardt, Catherine Bartho and H. B. Irving, and becoming known for spectacular, large-scale productions.
After 1907, Williamson moved his family to Europe and, his old partners having left, he hired capable managers and changed the theatre company's name to J. C. Williamson Ltd. Williamson died in 1913, but he left a strong theatrical empire that became the largest theatrical firm in the world, with extensive film and property holdings. The company continued to produce seasons of Gilbert and Sullivan operas, operetta, musical comedy, straight plays, pantomimes and occasional musical revues, and later grand opera, ballet seasons, and concert tours by visiting celebrity singers and musicians, at the many theatres that it owned or leased throughout Australia and New Zealand. It also toured and presented shows in London and elsewhere. In 1976, the company closed and leased out its name. Provided by Wikipedia
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5by Ondrej Cerny, Camilla Godlee, Romina Tocci, Nancy E Cross, Haoran Shi, James C Williamson, Eric Alix, Paul J Lehner, David W HoldenGet full text
Published 2021-07-01
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7by Richard T. Timms, Sam A. Menzies, Iva A. Tchasovnikarova, Lea C. Christensen, James C. Williamson, Robin Antrobus, Gordon Dougan, Lars Ellgaard, Paul J. LehnerGet full text
Published 2016-06-01
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8by David A. Rhodes, Hung-Chang Chen, James C. Williamson, Alfred Hill, Jack Yuan, Sam Smith, Harriet Rhodes, John Trowsdale, Paul J. Lehner, Thomas Herrmann, Matthias Eberl, Matthias EberlGet full text
Published 2018-04-01
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9by Lior Soday, Martin Potts, Martin Potts, Leah M. Hunter, Benjamin J. Ravenhill, Jack W. Houghton, James C. Williamson, Robin Antrobus, Mark R. Wills, Nicholas J. Matheson, Nicholas J. Matheson, Michael P. WeekesGet full text
Published 2021-02-01
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10by Christopher H. Douse, Iva A. Tchasovnikarova, Richard T. Timms, Anna V. Protasio, Marta Seczynska, Daniil M. Prigozhin, Anna Albecka, Jane Wagstaff, James C. Williamson, Stefan M. V. Freund, Paul J. Lehner, Yorgo ModisGet full text
Published 2020-10-01
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11by Maurizio Mangolini, Frederik Götte, Andrew Moore, Tim Ammon, Madlen Oelsner, Gloria Lutzny-Geier, Ludger Klein-Hitpass, James C. Williamson, Paul J. Lehner, Jan Dürig, Michael Möllmann, Lívia Rásó-Barnett, Katherine Hughes, Antonella Santoro, Simón Méndez-Ferrer, Robert A. J. Oostendorp, Ursula Zimber-Strobl, Christian Peschel, Daniel J. Hodson, Marc Schmidt-Supprian, Ingo RingshausenGet full text
Published 2018-09-01
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12by Luca Peruzzotti-Jametti, Joshua D Bernstock, Cory M Willis, Giulia Manferrari, Rebecca Rogall, Erika Fernandez-Vizarra, James C Williamson, Alice Braga, Aletta van den Bosch, Tommaso Leonardi, Grzegorz Krzak, Ágnes Kittel, Cristiane Benincá, Nunzio Vicario, Sisareuth Tan, Carlos Bastos, Iacopo Bicci, Nunzio Iraci, Jayden A Smith, Ben Peacock, Karin H Muller, Paul J Lehner, Edit Iren Buzas, Nuno Faria, Massimo Zeviani, Christian Frezza, Alain Brisson, Nicholas J Matheson, Carlo Viscomi, Stefano PluchinoGet full text
Published 2021-04-01
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