William Theodore Peters (1862â€"1904, Paris) was an American poet and
actor. Associated with 1890s decadence, he was a friend of Ernest
Dowson, who dedicated a poem to him, "To William Theodore Peters on
His Renaissance Cloak". In October 1892, he commissioned Dowson to
write the play that would ultimately become the Pierrot of the Minute,
for him to act in. Peters also authored an epilogue to the play,
spoken by the character of Pierrot. This was included in Peters' book
of verse, Posies Out of Rings and Other Conceits, a "quaint little
salmon pink volume", which was published by John Lane and the Bodley
Head in 1896. Peters also wrote a children's book, 'The Children of
the Week', illustrated by Clinton Peters, published in 1886 by Dodd,
Mead, & Co. Peters' only other book was 1894's the Tournament of Love,
published by Brentano's, with drawings by Alfred Garth Jones. Later,
music was composed for the piece by Noel Johnson. The work was
performed at the Théâtre d'Application, 18 rue St. Lazare, on May 8,
1894, with Peters playing the part of the troubadour Betrand de Roaix.
He was a frequent guest of the Rhymers' Club. Peters died of
starvation in Paris. Peters died in poverty at the age of 41 or 42 in
Paris.
actor. Associated with 1890s decadence, he was a friend of Ernest
Dowson, who dedicated a poem to him, "To William Theodore Peters on
His Renaissance Cloak". In October 1892, he commissioned Dowson to
write the play that would ultimately become the Pierrot of the Minute,
for him to act in. Peters also authored an epilogue to the play,
spoken by the character of Pierrot. This was included in Peters' book
of verse, Posies Out of Rings and Other Conceits, a "quaint little
salmon pink volume", which was published by John Lane and the Bodley
Head in 1896. Peters also wrote a children's book, 'The Children of
the Week', illustrated by Clinton Peters, published in 1886 by Dodd,
Mead, & Co. Peters' only other book was 1894's the Tournament of Love,
published by Brentano's, with drawings by Alfred Garth Jones. Later,
music was composed for the piece by Noel Johnson. The work was
performed at the Théâtre d'Application, 18 rue St. Lazare, on May 8,
1894, with Peters playing the part of the troubadour Betrand de Roaix.
He was a frequent guest of the Rhymers' Club. Peters died of
starvation in Paris. Peters died in poverty at the age of 41 or 42 in
Paris.
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