This book recounts the personal and professional life of Thomas Souness Hamblin (1800-1853), Shakespearean actor and Bowery Theatre manager.

This, the first biography of the first American musical comedy star, Maggie Mitchell (1836-1918), elucidates her explosive talent, her manifold challenges, and her indomitable perseverance in delighting audiences for forty years. As an icon of respectability in a field often condemned by moralists, she left a legacy of unparalleled achievement.