Meet the Tintypes Characters
by Anna Joaquin (BA '18), Assistant Director and Dramaturg for Tintypes (2017)
We made it, folks! With four shows in the books, our Underground Laboratory Theatre is brimming with the spirit of Tintypes. Our production warms an intimate cabaret atmosphere with stunning technical elements and the voices of five characters: Charlie, TR, Susannah, Anna, and Emma. While the characters take on a variety of identities throughout the show, they are chiefly inspired by historical figures of the late 1800s / early 1900s. Read more about them below!
CHARLIE CHAPLIN was an actor, comic, and composer who found fame in the silent film industry. Chaplin grew up poor and without parents for much of his rough childhood, but found enjoyment in performing at a young age. After immigrating to the United States from England at nineteen, he became a worldwide icon with his “Tramp” screen persona.
Charlie, played by Brian Warner. Photo by Joe Mazza.
TEDDY ROOSEVELT famously led the Rough Riders during the Spanish–American War, after which he was elected governor of New York in 1898. He served as Vice President under William McKinley in 1901, then became the 26th President upon McKinley’s assassination. Roosevelt was known for his conservation efforts, trust-busting, and hot temper.
TR, played by Jimmy Mann. Photo by Joe Mazza.
BERT WILLIAMS was a recording artist, comedian, and vaudevillian. An immigrant from the Bahamas, he was the first black American to have a lead role on Broadway. W.C. Fields described him as “the funniest man I ever saw–-and the saddest man I ever knew."
Susannah, played by Daryn Robinson. Photo by Joe Mazza.
ANNA HELD was a singer and Follies star born in Poland to a German-Jewish father and a French-Jewish mother. Held grew up in France after anti-semitism forced her family to move to Paris. There she pursued performing and received high praise for her talent and flirtatious stage presence. After capturing Florenz Ziegfeld’s attention in London, she moved with him to New York.
Anna, played by Ana Dragovich. Photo by Joe Mazza.
EMMA GOLDMAN was an activist, writer, and lecturer. Born in the Russian Empire to a Jewish family, she immigrated to the United States at sixteen. Goldman was a renowned anarchist and advocate for workers’ rights, women’s equality, and free speech. She was also an accessory in the attempted assassination of steel magnate Henry Clay Frick and was later questioned for potential involvement in the assassination of William McKinley.
Emma, played by Sophie Hamm. Photo by Joe Mazza.
