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An illustration of Bowery Theater, a playhouse in the Bowery neighborhood of New York City. Although it was founded by rich families to compete with the upscale Park Theater, the Bowery saw its most successful period under the populist, pro-American management of Thomas Hamblin in the 1830s and 1840s. By the 1850s, the theater came to cater to immigrant groups such as the Irish, Germans, and Chinese. It burnt down 5 times in 17 years, a fire in 1929 destroying it for good. Although the theater's name changed several times (Thalia Theater, Fay's Bowery Theater, etc.), it was generally referred to as the "Bowery Theater".

Bowery Theater

An illustration of Bowery Theater, a playhouse in the Bowery neighborhood of New York City. Although…