Catherine Amelia Holman Gilfert (1789–1833) was an American actress and theater manager. She was referred to by contemporary critics as the first star of the American theater. She was the

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...

of the

Charleston Theatre Charleston Theatre, also called Broad Street Theatre, was a theatre in Charleston, South Carolina, between 1794 and 1833. It was the first permanent theatre in Charleston, the first with a permanent staff, and the only theater for much of its dura ...

in 1823–24 and 1824–25.

Career

A native of England, she was born to actor and manager

Joseph George Holman Joseph George Holman (1764–1817) was an English actor, dramatist and actor-manager. Early life Born in August 1764, he was son of John Major Holman of St. Giles's, Middlesex, an ensign and adjutant in the British service, who died when his ...

(1764–1817) and debuted as an actress at the Theatre-Royal,

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist sit ...

, London in 1812. She and her father performed in April 1812 at the Georgian Theatre,

Wisbech Wisbech ( ) is a market town, inland port and civil parish in the Fenland District, Fenland district in Cambridgeshire, England. In 2011 it had a population of 31,573. The town lies in the far north-east of Cambridgeshire, bordering Norfolk and ...

(now the

Angles Theatre The Angles Theatre is a theatre and historic Georgian playhouse in the market town of Wisbech, Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England. It is among the oldest of Britain's theatres. The current premises consists of the original theatre building ...

), managed by

Thomas Shaftoe Robertson Thomas Shaftoe Robertson (1765 – September 1831) was a British actor who became the manager of a circuit of theatres in and around Lincolnshire that he carried on for nearly half a century. He was able to attract well-known London actors to t ...

, as Cora and Rolla in '' Pizzarro'' on 8th, Desdemona and Othello in ''

Othello ''The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice'', often shortened to ''Othello'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare around 1603. Set in Venice and Cyprus, the play depicts the Moorish military commander Othello as he is manipulat ...

'' on 10th, Lady Macbeth and Macbeth in ''

Macbeth ''The Tragedy of Macbeth'', often shortened to ''Macbeth'' (), is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, estimated to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the physically violent and damaging psychological effects of political ambiti ...

'' on 11th, and she played Lady Contest in the Farce of ''The Wedding Day'' the same night (this also being their benefit and last night). The handbills for these performances are among the hundreds of those in the collection of the

Wisbech & Fenland Museum The Wisbech & Fenland Museum, located in the town of Wisbech in the Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England, is one of the oldest purpose-built museums in the United Kingdom. The museum logo is W&F. History Initially a member-based organisation, ...

. Afterwards they left for the United States, where she spent her remaining career. In 1812, she appeared with her father at the Park Theatre in New York City. Three years later she married German born composer and theatre manager Charles Gilfert (1787-1829). In 1822, Charles sold his managerial interest in the

to his wife's trustee, Dr. John Dyott. Gilfert succeeded her husband as manager for 1823-24 and 1824-25.

References

* NL Stephenson :''The Charleston Theatre management of Charles Gilfert, 1817 to 1822'', 1988 {{DEFAULTSORT:Gilfert, Amelia Holman 1789 births 1833 deaths 19th-century American actresses 19th-century American theatre managers American women theatre managers and producers Actor-managers American women in business British emigrants to the United States

Career

See also

References