Helena Modjeska: US Theatrical Tours

Helana Modjeska made her debut on the American Stage in San Francisco in 1877. Though her first tour took her only to California and Nevada, her emotional presentations of characters as Adrienne Lecouvreur and Camille quickly led to a growing popularlity among the American public.

For her second tour, Modjeska visited twenty cities in nine states, plus Washington DC and Ontario. This first appearance on the East Coast cemented her growing reputation as one of the most accomplished performers of the day.

For her third tour, Modjeska spent eight months visiting forty-nine cities in seventeen states, plus Ontario and Washington DC. She debuted Masks and Faces, East Lynne, and Frou-Frou.

After several years absent from the American stage, Modjeska returned to the US for her fourth tour. She played in forty-two cities in fourteen states, Washington DC, and Ontario and debuted Mary Stuart, As You Like It, Twelfth Night, and Odette.

For her short fifth tour, Modjeska visited California, Utah, and Colorado.

For her sixth tour, Modjeska travelled extensively across the eastern half of the United States, visiting sixty-nine cities in twenty-two states. She debuted Cymbeline, A Doll's House (presented as Thora, this was the first-ever performance of Isben in the United States), and Nadjezda, which would ultimately land her in a legal battle over copyright.

Modjeska's seventh tour took place across six weeks in spring 1884; she visited eight states and Ontario and debuted Othello.

Modjeska's extensive eighth tour spanned fifty-three cities, nineteen US states, and one Canadian province. During this time, she debuted three shows: Prince Zillah, Donna Diana, and Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Modjeska's short ninth tour lasted only six weeks in the summer of 1886 and took place in seven cities in California and Colorado.

Modjeska's tenth tour lasted for eight months and focused mainly in the north half of the US. In this time, she visited thirty-eight cities in sixteen states and Washington DC.

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Map researched and assembled by Taylor D. McCabe