William Lingard debuted at the theater in 1868.
Pluto, the first Broadway musical to feature music by
David Braham, debuted at the venue in 1869. In 1871, Josh Hart, who had formerly managed the
Howard Athenaeum in Boston, took over and made the renamed Theatre Comique a variety house, vying with
Tony Pastor to secure the best artists and the biggest popular theater audience in New York.
Ned Harrigan and
Tony Hart began a run at the theater in 1872, with Harrigan taking over from Hart as manager in the fall of 1876. Harrigan moved on to a
New Theatre Comique further up Broadway and the old building was demolished in 1881. ==References==