How widespread were Toy Theatre practices?
Toy Theatre flourished in England, Germany, and Austria and was also popular in France, Denmark, Austria, and Spain. The earliest records of Toy Theatre in America date from the 1870’s. A New York publisher, Scott and Co., printed sheets and plays called the American Boys’ Theatre which gave full directions for building and working each character and set piece. Two newspapers also regularly published character sheets and stage fronts: the Baltimore Sunday Herald and the Boston Sunday Globe. Who performs Toy Theatre? Originally, families – including children and adults – performed Toy Theatre in their living rooms as domestic entertainment. Authors Charles Dickens and Lewis Carroll, stage designer Edward Gordon Craig, and filmmaker Orson Welles collected and worked with toy theatres. In the current revival of the art form, professional artists present their work in theatres and festivals in the United States and abroad.
