''The Moth and the Flame'' is a

play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...

in three acts by

Clyde Fitch William Clyde Fitch (May 2, 1865 – September 4, 1909) was an American dramatist, the most popular writer for the Broadway stage of his time (). Biography Born in Elmira, New York and educated at Holderness School and Amherst College (clas ...

. It was adapted into a 1915 silent film of the same name.

History

''The Moth and the Flame'' began its life on the stage with Fitch's earlier one act play ''The Harvest'' which was given its premiere performance by the Theatre of Arts and Letters company at the

Fifth Avenue Theatre The Fifth Avenue Theatre was a Broadway theatre in Manhattan, New York City, United States, at 31 West 28th Street and Broadway (1185 Broadway). It was demolished in 1939. Built in 1868, it was managed by Augustin Daly in the mid-1870s. In ...

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

on January 26, 1893. This play told the story of a bride who discovers during her wedding ceremony that her husband-to-be has fathered a child out of wedlock with another woman. It became the second act of ''The Moth and the Flame''; and this three act play premiered on

at Steele MacKaye's Lyceum Theatre on April 11, 1898. The premiere production was directed by

Daniel Frohman Daniel Frohman (August 22, 1851 – December 26, 1940) was an American theatrical producer and manager, and an early film producer. Biography Frohman was born to a Jewish family in Sandusky, Ohio. His parents were Henry (1826–1899) and Ba ...

and performed by the Herbert Kelcey—

Effie Shannon Effie Shannon (May 13, 1867 – July 24, 1954) was an American stage and silent screen actress. Biography Shannon had a 60-year career as starring performer and later character actress. She began as a child actor appearing with John Edward Mc ...

Theatre Company with Shannon in the role of Marion Wolton and Kelcey as Fletcher; roles which these actors had portrayed earlier in ''The Harvest''. ''The Moth and the Flame'' received mixed reviews from critics, but was a popular and financial success. The Kelecey and Shannon Theatre Company toured the play nationally for many years.Dearinger, p. 176-178 The play was published in Montrose Jonas Moses's Representative Plays by American Dramatists, Volume 3 (1918) and was later digitized by

Project Gutenberg Project Gutenberg (PG) is a volunteer effort to digitize and archive cultural works, as well as to "encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks." It was founded in 1971 by American writer Michael S. Hart and is the oldest digital li ...

References

Citations

Bibliography

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External links

The Moth and the Flame
at

* Broadway plays 1898 plays Plays by Clyde Fitch {{play-stub