James Hewlett (actor)

For the American architect, scenic designer, and muralist, see James Monroe Hewlett. For the English comic creator, see Jamie Hewlett.

James Hewlett (fl. 1821 – 1849) 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.^[1][2][3][4]

James Hewlett as Richard III in a c. 1821 production

Life

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.^[5] Hewlett is best known for starring in African Grove's performance of Richard III.^[6] 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.^[7] He also visited the United Kingdom and apparently performed in Liverpool, although documentary evidence of this is limited.^[8] 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.^[8]

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.^[9]