James Hewlett (fl. 1821 â€" 1839) was an African-American actor. He
was principal actor in and co-creator of William Alexander Brown's
African Grove Theatre in New York City.Hewlett started performing as a
vocalist and as an actor described as "Shakespeare's proud
Representative" in the African Grove when it was just an exhibition
held in Brown's tea garden. Hewlett is best known for starring in
African Grove's performance of Richard III. After the closure of the
theatre, he began to tour performing excerpts from plays; historian
Shane White suggests that Hewlett may have been "the best-known black
New Yorker" around 1831. He also visited the United Kingdom and
apparently performed in Liverpool, although documentary evidence of
this is limited. His career seems to have entered into a decline by
and after 1834, when he was imprisoned for larceny. He is reported to
have died around 1849.George Thompson, who has researched the history
of the theatre, concluded that Hewlett was a tailor and may have been
an emigrant from the West Indies.
was principal actor in and co-creator of William Alexander Brown's
African Grove Theatre in New York City.Hewlett started performing as a
vocalist and as an actor described as "Shakespeare's proud
Representative" in the African Grove when it was just an exhibition
held in Brown's tea garden. Hewlett is best known for starring in
African Grove's performance of Richard III. After the closure of the
theatre, he began to tour performing excerpts from plays; historian
Shane White suggests that Hewlett may have been "the best-known black
New Yorker" around 1831. He also visited the United Kingdom and
apparently performed in Liverpool, although documentary evidence of
this is limited. His career seems to have entered into a decline by
and after 1834, when he was imprisoned for larceny. He is reported to
have died around 1849.George Thompson, who has researched the history
of the theatre, concluded that Hewlett was a tailor and may have been
an emigrant from the West Indies.
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