1933 Eaton Pictorial Map of New England and Summer Broadway Theaters

This is a 1933 Frank Eaton pictorial map of New England highlighting the region's playhouses. Black stars mark towns where playhouses host summer Broadway troupes, including Stockbridge (Berkshire Players), Dennis (The Cape Playhouse), Provincetown (Wharf Theatre), and Peterborough (Mariarden Stage). Interesting facts accompany some of these places, such as Hyde Park (home of Franklin D. Roosevelt - then President of the United States). Pictorial vignettes continue the map's charm and very from the comedic ('More Moose Than Actors This Way' in Maine) to informative ('Beware of Deer on the Roads' or 'Don't Hesitate to Ask Directions'). Dotted lines mark highways, old post roads, and even 'presumed' locations of Native American trails. An inset along the left border details the coast of New Jersey from Sandy Hook to Cape May, with illustrations of Atlantic City. A second inset in the lower right depicts from Pennsylvania to Delaware along the Delaware River and highlights Moylan and Arden.

Summer Theater

In the American Theater world, Summer Theater (also known as Summer Stock Theater) features a stock cast that takes up residence in various 'resort' cities. They use stock scenery and perform either the previous season's hit Broadway shows or new shows being tested for Broadway. Broadway, film, and television stars regularly performed with the stock cast, and an elite social scene developed around the theaters.

Publication History and Census

This map was created by Frank Easton and published in the July 1933 issue of Stage Magazine. This is the only known cataloged example of the separate map. Surviving copies of Stage are also rare.