Traveling actress and manager in the nineteenth century: The western career of Nellie Boyd, 1879-1888

Abstract

This study examines the activity of the Nellie Boyd Dramatic Company between 1879 and 1888. Actress-manager Nellie Boyd formed the company around 1876 and from 1879 onward she decided to perform exclusively in the western U.S., pioneering several southwestern territories. This thesis discusses the Boyd company's impact on the life of particular western towns; the organization of the company, its repertoire and the possible significance of Boyd's choice of roles; and the critical reception accorded to Boyd and her company. The study of Boyd's career in the West offers insights into the significance of traveling companies on the cultural and social development of growing communities. It illustrates the activity of independent traveling companies parallel to the rise of the combination managerial system. It also reveals the story of a woman leading a successful show-business enterprise and enhancing her personal and professional reputation in the nineteenth-century western scene.