Vokes Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Vokes Theater, also known as Beatrice Herford's Vokes Theater, is a 1904 miniature of a London theater in Wayland, Massachusetts
built by and named for Beatrice Herford
. The theater is located on the estate of Herford and her husband, Sidney Hayward
and has been designated as a Massachusetts
Historical Site.
music hall
s that were typical for monologist
's performances and in 1946, Herford donated the theater to the Vokes Players, a local non-profit group.
For the first 30 years or so of the theatre's life, it was not open to the public. Rather, Herford would invite her friends, who included leading actors on the English-speaking stage, singers, New England artists, and others (it was an eclectic mix) to be her guests at her estate in Wayland. In the theatre, performing only for their own amusement, leading lights of the New York and London stages would perform plays as an ensemble. A wall exists showing the signatures of some of those who came to Wayland including Ellen Terry
, George Arliss
, Florence Arliss, Katharine Cornell
; the house archives show that other guests included diva Geraldine Farrar
, and actors Ethel Barrymore
, John Drew
, Norah Bayes, and others.
actress who performed as part of the traveling Vokes Family. From 1937, the Vokes Players have evolved into one of the premier community theater companies in New England, drawing many artists who work professionally in theater elsewhere. The theater is currently known as one of the region's preeminent local theaters.
Wayland, Massachusetts
Wayland is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,994 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on Cochituate, which is part of Wayland, please see the article Cochituate, Massachusetts.-History:...
built by and named for Beatrice Herford
Beatrice Herford
Beatrice Herford was an American actress, diseuse and vaudeville performer born in England.The daughter of a minister, Herford spent her youth moving between England and the United States, following her father's changing jobs. In her twenties, she participated avidly in private theatricals,...
. The theater is located on the estate of Herford and her husband, Sidney Hayward
Sidney Hayward
Sidney Pascoe Hayward MC QC was a British barrister and legal writer.-Life:Hayward was the son of A. E. Hayward, rector of Emley in West Yorkshire...
and has been designated as a Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Historical Site.
About
Herford built the theater as a tribute to the LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
music hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
s that were typical for monologist
Monologist
-Monologist:A monologist is a solo artist who recites or gives dramatic readings from a monologue, soliloquy, poetry or work of literature for the entertainment of an audience...
's performances and in 1946, Herford donated the theater to the Vokes Players, a local non-profit group.
For the first 30 years or so of the theatre's life, it was not open to the public. Rather, Herford would invite her friends, who included leading actors on the English-speaking stage, singers, New England artists, and others (it was an eclectic mix) to be her guests at her estate in Wayland. In the theatre, performing only for their own amusement, leading lights of the New York and London stages would perform plays as an ensemble. A wall exists showing the signatures of some of those who came to Wayland including Ellen Terry
Ellen Terry
Dame Ellen Terry, GBE was an English stage actress who became the leading Shakespearean actress in Britain. Among the members of her famous family is her great nephew, John Gielgud....
, George Arliss
George Arliss
George Arliss was an English actor, author and filmmaker who found success in the United States. He was the first British actor to win an Academy Award.-Life and career:...
, Florence Arliss, Katharine Cornell
Katharine Cornell
Katharine Cornell was an American stage actress, writer, theater owner and producer. She was born to American parents and raised in Buffalo, New York.Cornell is known as the greatest American stage actress of the 20th century...
; the house archives show that other guests included diva Geraldine Farrar
Geraldine Farrar
Geraldine Farrar was an American soprano opera singer and film actress, noted for her beauty, acting ability, and "the intimate timbre of her voice." She had a large following among young women, who were nicknamed "Gerry-flappers".- Early life and opera career :Farrar was born in Melrose,...
, and actors Ethel Barrymore
Ethel Barrymore
Ethel Barrymore was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors.-Early life:Ethel Barrymore was born Ethel Mae Blythe in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the second child of the actors Maurice Barrymore and Georgiana Drew...
, John Drew
John Drew
John Drew was an Irish-American stage actor and theatre manager.-Early life:Born Jonathan Henry Drewland in Dublin, Ireland, to Thomas L. Drew and Louise Kanten, he was the fifth of six children. He lived in Templeogue, a poor Irish village in County Dublin during the 19th century...
, Norah Bayes, and others.
Vokes Players
The name "Vokes Players" came as an honor to Herford and Hayward's friend, Rosina Vokes, a BritishUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
actress who performed as part of the traveling Vokes Family. From 1937, the Vokes Players have evolved into one of the premier community theater companies in New England, drawing many artists who work professionally in theater elsewhere. The theater is currently known as one of the region's preeminent local theaters.