When the Beggars Sang in the Colonies (1770)

In June 1770, Williamsburg, Virginia witnessed the first full colonial performance of The Beggar’s Opera. Mounted by the American Company, this wasn’t just another night of entertainment, it was a cultural milestone. Among those in attendance was George Washington himself, a sign that theatre had arrived as a respected social institution in the colonies. John Gay’s The Beggar’s Opera had already revolutionized London theatre four decades earlier by fusing spoken drama, satire, and familiar street tunes into a “ballad opera.” It mocked corruption among both thieves and politicians. Its popularity spread through broadsides, the cheap printed song sheets and pamphlets that made its verses hum through taverns and marketplaces.

Original Beggar's Opera Playbill (1770)

When it reached the colonies, the show carried more than witty lyrics and catchy melodies. It carried an idea: that popular song and satire could shape public thought. The Williamsburg performance linked print and performance, marking the first time American audiences experienced what we now call musical theatre. It was a defining moment; when art, politics, and popular culture met on the same stage. From those printed broadsides to Broadway marquees, the lineage is clear: The Beggar’s Opera taught us that music and story together could hold a mirror to society. In 1770, that mirror was first raised in America and we’ve been singing ever since.