Ricketts' Circus in the Capital City, Part Three

John Bill Ricketts completes his 1793 season of shows in Philadelphia - and gets out of town just in time to avoid the Yellow Fever that laid low so many of Philadelphia's citizens that fateful year. But when Ricketts returns, he builds a new Circus and Art Pantheon where the political leadership of the United States can easily find him - right across Sixth street, at the SW corner of Chestnut. However, the theater managers of the New Theatre - across Chestnut to the north, are not pleased with the competition from their new neighbor. We tell the story of the competition between these early American theatrical entrepreneurs.NOTE: The original episode was re-edited and revised in August of 2026.(Image courtesy of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania)Blog post: /blog/episode-5-ricketts-circus-and-art-pantheon/Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AITHpodcastFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aithpodcast/To become a supporter the show, go to: [email protected] contact us, our email is: [email protected] the show"Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia" the BOOK can be ordered from independent bookstores and at all online book retailers now! For a link, go to our website: www.aithpodcast.comOur email address is [email protected] us on social media:Bluesky: @aithpodcast.bsky.socialFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AITHpodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aithpodcast/ Support our work and get BONUS EPISODES on Patreon! GO HERE© Podcast text copyright, Peter Schmitz. All rights reserved.℗ All original voice recordings copyright Peter Schmitz.℗ All original music copyright Christopher Mark Colucci. Used by permission.