Players Club

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The Players Club
(U.S. National Historic Landmark)
Location: 16 Gramercy Park,Manhattan, New York City, New York
Coordinates: 40°44′15.01″N 73°59′13.41″W / 40.7375028, -73.9870583Coordinates: 40°44′15.01″N 73°59′13.41″W / 40.7375028, -73.9870583
Built/Founded: 1844
Architect: Stanford White (1888 renovations)[1]
Architectural style(s): Renaissance
Designated as NHL: December 29, 1962 [2]
Added to NRHP: October 15, 1966[3]
NRHP Reference#: 66000549
Governing body: Private

The Players, which is its proper name, is a social club founded in New York City by the famed 19th century Shakespearean actor Edwin Booth who purchased a magnificent 1847 mansion located at 16 Gramercy Park. During his lifetime, he reserved an upper floor for his home, turning the rest of the building over to the Clubhouse. Its interior and part of its exterior was designed by famed architect Stanford White. Known also as The Players Club, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1962.[2],[4],[5]

In 1989, women were invited to become fully participating members. The Players still maintains its entryway gaslights, among the few remaining examples in New York City.

Contents

[edit] Reasons for founding

On April 14, 1865, Edwin's younger brother John Wilkes, a popular actor, assassinated President Abraham Lincoln, after which the life of his family, and all actors, changed. Understandably, they found themselves despised by the society of the time. Perhaps inspired by London's Garrick Club, Booth established a social club which would bring actors into contact with men of different professions such as industrialists, writers and other creative artists. The building was completely redesigned, furnished, equipped and decorated with Booth's personal possessions. When ready, a series of meetings was held, and a small group of founding fathers turned the place over to newly invited members in a grand ceremony on December 31, 1888. Thus The Players was born. The word "club" does not appear in the club's official name. In the title papers, it is stated that Edwin Booth should retain a furnished apartment for his own use where he could be left undisturbed as he wished. It was in that revered room on the third floor, remaining undisturbed still, that he died at 1 a.m. on a stormy night, June 7, 1893, aged 59.

[edit] Membership

Members of the Players included the local pillars of society of the day, prominent bankers, lawyers and businessmen, as well as those identified with other arts - writers, journalists, sculptors, architects, painters, and so forth. A board of directors was formed, and The Players was launched. Perhaps unknowingly, he helped to create an almost symbiotic relationship between American and English theatre tradition.

Presidents have included Joseph Jefferson,(who succeeded Booth as president after his death), John Drew Jr, Walter Hampden, Howard Lindsay, Dennis King, Alfred Drake, Roland Winters, Jose Ferrer, Robert Lansing, John Bartholomew Tucker pro tem, Michael Allinson and Lynn Redgrave. Members, past and present, include: Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), John Barrymore, Eugene O'Neill, James Cagney, Gregory Peck, Alfred Lunt, Walter Cronkite, Kevin Spacey, Judy Collins, Rue McClanahan, Angela Lansbury, Sidney Poitier, Tony Bennett, Carol Burnett, Dick Cavett, Billy Connolly, Hal Holbrook, Eli Wallach, Robert Vaughn, Ben Gazzara, Christopher Plummer, Budd Schulberg, Ethan Hawke, Jimmy Fallon, Marian Seldes, Peter O'Toole, Rosemary Harris, Sidney Zion and Christian Keiber, the youngest member ever inducted into the club. The current president is Timothy Hutton.

[edit] Club activities

The Players serves as a social club while at the same time remaining steadfast in its duty as a repository of American and British theatre history, memorabilia, and theatrical artifacts. Today, it still holds its famed "Pipe Nights" honoring theatrical notables and maintains a kitchen and wine cellar and a billiard table in its usually busy Grill room. In the Dining Room, filled with portraits of theatre and film notables and rare playbills from the 19th and 20th centuries, a small stage has been built where members and people of the theatre can be honored; staged readings can take place and new works tried out.

The Players also gives the prestigious "Edwin Booth Life Achievement Award" to actors who have had a long, important body of theatre and film work. Past recipieints include: Helen Hayes, Jose Ferrer, Garson Kanin, Christopher Plummer, Jason Robards, Jack Lemmon, and Marian Seldes. In June 2007, Angela Lansbury was the recipient, and Edward Albee is scheduled to receive the award next.

[edit] Current condition

The Players is in the best financial and artistic shape since the 1980s. Its membership has reached nearly 1,000, it is open seven days a week, and serves meals on a daily basis. It is also home to the not-for-profit storytelling group "The Moth," as well as "The Naked Angels Theatre Company," and the very popular "Food for Thought," which presents matinee and evening performances of new and classic plays

[edit] References

  1. ^ NL Writeup
  2. ^ a b The Players Club. National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service (2007-09-11).
  3. ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
  4. ^ ["The Players Club", May 30, 1975, by Richard GreenwoodPDF (360 KiB) National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination]. National Park Service (1975-05-30).
  5. ^ [The Players Club--Accompanying 2 photos, exterior, from 1975.PDF (232 KiB) National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination]. National Park Service (1975-05-30).

[edit] External links

For the most accurate and updated information about The Players please check out its website:

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