Al Funcoot was an American playwright, and one of its earliest. From 1785 to 1798, he astonished his audiences with his own original stories, as well as plays written and performed by other playwrights before, such as William Shakespeare.
Early Life[]
Al Funcoot was born in New York City, New York, on March 7th, 1757, at a time after America's British colonies fought against their French rivals along with the Natives. During his childhood, Funcoot hungered to enter the theater, whether to write plays, to act in them, or both. His father, Peter Funcoot, as an actor for the globe theater in London before immigrating to the colonies. Throughout his life outside of school, he tutored himself in the arts of acting, dramatics, comedy and tragedy, and writing. As he matured, so did his theatrical knowledge and passion.
During this time, Al decided that women and children should be allowed to share the stage with men. No one else truly believed it, but he never gave up. After he graduated, Funcoot secretly started educated women and young children (boys and girls alike) to read, write, and act. He kept it a secret, thinking that the conservatives would likely punish women for learning reading and writing and for anyone helping them to do it.
Life during the Revolution[]
When the colonies began to fight for their rights and liberties against King George III of England, Funcoot realized he had to get involved. It was so he could learn to experience emotions like a true actor and playwright could. Also, if the colonists won the war, then he could be a playwright that didn't owe his work to the country he came from, but to his homeland and give the colonies a way to experience their own forms of theater.
In 1775, at age 18, Funcoot traveled across the colonies to help in the protests against the British, including Sam Adams and John Hancock's Boston Tea Party that same year. The first time he ever truly saw battle was when he fought with those in the battles of Lexington and Concord when the British invaded.
After George Washington was chosen to be commander-in-chief of the Continental forces, Funcoot was assigned as one of his earliest militia men. It wasn't easy, he, like the rest of Washington's army, had to battle not only the British and their hired German Hessians, but also the cold clutches of winter and the starvation and famine. However, this didn't dampen Funcoot's spirits, but vitalize them as an experience to learn acting (even by studying the behaviors of the other soldiers). His excitement was also jolted by the great battle he experienced at Trenton, New Jersey, on Christmas, 1776.
Playwright and Acting Career[]
After years of turmoil and conflict, the war ended with America claiming her independence and Funcoot left the army to finally achieve his dream of theater. With his child and woman pupils from before the war, along with other acting colleagues he'd met during the war, Funcoot was able to establish America's 1st real theater in 1785. Many of his plays were attended by President George Washington and his family, who were fine fans and supporters of theatrical dramatics.
Plays[]
During his career, Funcoot wrote many plays that were original for his time. The performances were also unique because they were the first to induct women and children alongside men.
The Chronological Carriage (1785) - A man cuts down a large tree and uses the wood to make a carriage for his family. But then, they discover that the tree's age (going back centuries) granted the tree (and therefore the carriage) to travel backward or forward in time. Together, the family experiences history and sees the future of their home.
The Adventurous Family (1788) - Tells the story of a family (a man, wife, daughter, and son) that travels the world (usually by ship) and seeks adventure wherever they go: seeing the world around them, learning new things, meeting other people and cultures, and even battling villains.
Pride & Prejudice (1793) - Mr. Bennet of the Longbourn estate has five daughters, but his property is entailed, meaning that none of the girls can inherit it. His wife has no fortune, so it is imperative that at least one of the girls marry well in order to support the others on his death. Jane Austen's opening line, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife" is a sentence filled with irony and playfulness. The novel revolves around the importance of marrying for love, not simply for money, despite the social pressures to make a good (i.e., wealthy) match. This play helped to lift women out of the rut dug by men who only saw them as mothers and servants.
The World War (1794) - Tells the story of a war caused by Germany and Japan that engulfs the entire world. Through battles, deaths, and defeats and victories on both sides, the war is won by an alliance of America, England, and Russia. This play helped to influence Washington, a former isolationist for America, to understand that America has an obligation to keep the world's peace with other nations.
Treasure Island (1797) - In the mid-1700s, a young boy named Jim Hawkins receives the map to the buried treasure of the pirate, Nathaniel Flint. He becomes a cabin boy aboard a ship on voyage to find the treasure with Dr. Livesy, Squire Trilony, Mr. Samuel Arrow, Captain Abraham Smollett, and his daughter, Rebecca (whom he falls in love with). During the voyage, he befriends a one-legged ship's cook, Long John Silver, who's really a pirate leading a mutiny attempt to get the treasure.
Other Performances[]
One unoriginal performance of Funcoot was when his theater troupe performed William Shakespeare's A Christmas Carol in 1789. Even though everything English (including Christmas) fell out of sorts in America after claiming Independence, Funcoot believed Christmas was still worth celebrating for America, as a time to pay tribute to the Christ child while also celebrating the family and friends in our lives. When Washington and his family saw the play, they agreed (especially since Washington wanted ways to enjoy life with his own family) and chose to make it a legal holiday in itself.
Adaptations[]
Al Funcoot's plays were destined to be retold for generations in many new forms and ways.
Pride & Prejudice[]
Pride and Prejudice (1940)
Pride and Prejudice (2003) - Jane Austen's classic is transplanted to modern-day Utah. While her college roommates search for love, aspiring writer Elizabeth Bennet focuses on her career but constantly finds herself fighting haughty businessman Will Darcy.
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016) - Five sisters in 19th century England must cope with the pressures to marry while protecting themselves from a growing population of zombies.
Treasure Island[]
Treasure Island (1920) - a silent version starring Charles Ogle and Shirley Mason, released by Paramount Pictures and directed by Maurice Tourneur (Lost film).
Treasure Island (1934) - starring Jackie Cooper and Wallace Beery. An MGM production, the first sound film version.
Treasure Island (1950) - starring Bobby Driscoll and Robert Newton. Notable for being the Walt Disney Studios' first completely live action film. The first version in color. A sequel to this version was made (but not by Disney) in 1954, entitled Long John Silver.
Treasure Island (1972) - starring Orson Welles. This adaptation was produced by National General Pictures, directed by John Hough, Andrew White and John Salway.
Muppet Treasure Island (1996) - a film produced by The Jim Henson Company and released by Walt Disney Pictures, starring the Muppets, including Kermit the Frog as Captain Smollett, Miss Piggy as a female Benjamin Gunn, named Benjamina Gunn, Fozzie Bear as Squire Trelawney, Dr. Bunsen Honeydew as Dr. Livesey, and Sam the Eagle as Mr. Samuel Arrow. The Great Gonzo and Rizzo the Rat play themselves, being best friends to Jim Hawkins. The human performers include Tim Curry as Long John Silver, Billy Connolly as Billy Bones, Jennifer Saunders as Mrs. Bluberidge, and newcomer Kevin Bishop as Jim Hawkins.
Treasure Planet (2002) - a version from Walt Disney Animation Studios set in space, with Long John Silver as a cyborg and many of the original characters re-imagined as aliens and robots, except for Jim and his mother, who are human.