David Douglass (1720-1786), was a British-American stage actor and theatre manager. He was the managing director of the

Old American Company The Old American Company was an American theatre company. It was the first fully professional theatre company to perform in North America. It also played a vital role in the theatre history of Jamaica. It was founded in 1752 and disbanded in 1805. ...

between 1758 and 1779. David Douglass was a member of the British Theatre Company of John Moody, which became the first permanent theater company in Jamaica when they came to Kingston in 1746; they were given their first permanent playhouse in 'New Theatre' or King's Store on Harbour Street seven years later. Douglass became the manager of the company in 1749. He married

Sarah Hallam Douglass Sarah Hallam Douglass (d. Philadelphia, 1773) was an English-born American stage actress and theatre director. She was married to Lewis Hallam, with whom she travelled to America to perform in his company in 1752. This was the first permanent the ...

, the director of the

, and took over as manager with his stepson

Lewis Hallam Jr. Lewis Hallam Jr. ( – November 1, 1808) was an England-born American actor and theater manager, son of Lewis Hallam, one of the pioneers of Theater in the United States, and Sarah Hallam Douglass. He was the leading actor of the Old American Co ...

as co-manager. He accompanied the Company when they returned to the

Thirteen Colonies The Thirteen Colonies, also known as the Thirteen British Colonies, the Thirteen American Colonies, or later as the United Colonies, were a group of Kingdom of Great Britain, British Colony, colonies on the Atlantic coast of North America. Fo ...

from Jamaica. Douglass had his limitations:

Alexander Graydon Alexander Graydon Jr. (1752–1818) was an author and officer in the American Revolution. He was commissioned captain on January 5, 1776 and commanded a company of men in the Battle of Long Island and in the Battle of Harlem Heights. He was taken ...

described him as "rather a decent than shining actor". However, he was a capable manager and he gave North America its first

Falstaff Sir John Falstaff is a fictional character who appears in three plays by William Shakespeare and is eulogised in a fourth. His significance as a fully developed character is primarily formed in the plays '' Henry IV, Part 1'' and '' Part 2'', w ...

and

King John King John may refer to: Rulers * John, King of England (1166–1216) * John I of Jerusalem (c. 1170–1237) * John Balliol, King of Scotland (c. 1249–1314) * John I of France (15–20 November 1316) * John II of France (1319–1364) * John I o ...

. In 1774, the Old American Company returned to Jamaica. When they returned to Jamaica, the old building, having been in disuse for many years, was no longer regarded sufficient. The Old American Company under Douglass successfully asked the colonial government for a new theater building, and the

Kingston Theatre Kingston Theatre, was a theatre in Kingston, Jamaica between 1775 and 1838. It was a major cultural center of the island during its duration and had a good reputation also outside of the island, giving Jamaica a name of cultural sophistication, a ...

was inaugurated on the Parade area in 1775. They had great success in Jamaica. David Douglass served in the office of 'Master of the Revels', responsible of the representational festivities of the Governor, in 1779–80.Errol Hill,
The Jamaican Stage, 1655–1900: Profile of a Colonial Theatre
' David Douglass remained in Jamaica when the Company returned to the United States in 1785.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Douglass, David 1720 births 1786 deaths 18th-century Jamaican people 18th-century American male actors American male stage actors American theatre managers and producers 18th-century theatre managers Jamaican male stage actors