John Durang

Previously we talked about the first Astley style show in America, John Bill Ricketts. Among Ricketts' biggest acts was John Durang, a multi-talented performer who had already made a name for himself as a dancer, actor, director, puppeteer, and musician. Erroneously, or at least poorly cited in many texts as the first "Native American" clown (including by yours truly in a previously post, hence the delay on this one as I wanted to make sure I got it right), Durang was, in fact the first native born American clown.

The son of French immigrants, Durang was born in Lancaster Pennsylvania, growing up in smaller town of York where his family moved shortly after his birth. The family quickly made a name for themselves in the small town, largely due to John's father, Jacob's abilities as a barber-surgeon and businessman as well as his fluency in both French and German, the common language of the town. The Durangs would eventually resettle in Philadelphia after Jacob completed service in the continental army, some time in the late 1770's.

It was in Philadelphia that Durang first took to the stage after seeing a hornpipe playing dancer at a theatrical performance. Durang decided that he could "dance as well as anybody" and sought out professional instruction, eventually convincing the dancer who he'd first seen, one Mr. Russel, to board at his father's house with the intent of convincing Russel to become his teacher. Durang had his first professional performance after running away with a magic lantern show whose disappointing performance he'd previously seen in Philadelphia. Offering to improve the show with his music and dance routines, Durang signed on to join the troupe's tour as they traveled through New Jersey and on to Boston, eventually playing for a successful two months of engagements. 

Once the two month tour was up, Durang finally returned to Philadelphia where he reunited with his relieved family, having left without notice, but could not leave the desire to perform behind. Durang signed on with the Old American Company (this time with his fathers consent), and went on to tour with the group in Pennsylvania and New York, continuing to take instruction from a variety of teachers. It was in New York that Durang studied with a Mr. Hoffmaster, a dwarf who instructed him in the violin and eventually composed the tune "John Durang's Hornpipe." 

Returning to Philadelphia again in 1787, Durang next turned his theatrical talents towards opening his own show, this time with a self built puppet theater which he operated with his siblings and several friends. Durang also performed in and managed several summer theaters, particularly after the legalization of the theatrical performances in 1789, as well as working in several English "pleasure gardens", outdoor theater and dining venues designed to look like "fantasy lands of natural and exotic design." It was here that Durang added acrobatics and rope walking to his repertoire.   

The skills learned for the pleasure garden performances would eventually go on to serve Durang well when he signed on with John Bill Ricketts' circus in 1796. By then, he had added horsemanship to his skills and he quickly became a featured performer in Rickett's pantomime performances. Durang traveled with Ricketts' troupe throughout the Eastern seaboard and up into Canada leaving behind a thorough written account of what travel was like during the late 1700's as well as numerous paintings of the local landscape and performances. During this tour, Durang not only worked as a performer, but kept track of Ricketts' finances and worked as a theater technician and engineer for mechanical effects. In his travels through Canada, he also added an "Indian characteristic dance" to his more formal European style dances, dressed in an outfit he claimed to have "purchased from an Indian for rum." 

Durang continued managing much of Ricketts' finances for the circus well after their return to Philadelphia and the show's eventual move to Baltimore. It was Durang who arranged for a small tour after the fire in the Philadelphia amphitheater and Ricketts' urged him to stay on with the show when he left for his ill fated tour of the West Indies. Durang, who had since married and had several children turned down the offer and remained in America, opening his own, short lived circus. 

Durang would go on to have a long career in the traditional theater as well as joining touring shows during the summer. His sons, Charles and Richard (who performed under the name Ferdinand) also became prominent figures in the theater both as performers and behind the scenes. After decades of shaping the early American theater, Durang died in Philadelphia at the age of 54. Today, several monuments stand throughout Lancaster, Pennsylvania including one at the Hole in the Wall Puppet Theater which has a series of puppets based on Durang's life built by artist Robert Brock.

For a much more in depth history of John Durang, his life, and legacy, as well as images of Brock's Durang puppets and recordings of "John Durang's Hornpipe," please visit the York County Heritage Trust website.