From  1841  to  1848  Detroit  was  without  a  regular  theatre,  but  in  the
latter  year  Parker  &  Ellis  came  from  Syracuse  to  Detroit  and  built  the
National  Theatre,  on  Jefferson  avenue,  opposite  the  Biddle  House.  In
In  1851  James  Sherlock  got  possession  of  the  building,  and  was  suc-
ceeded as  manager  by  his  son,  Edward  T.  Sherlock.  Shortly  after-
ward the  building  was  named  the  Metropolitan  Theatre.  Amasa  Mc-
Farland,  a  noted  actor  and  manager,  leased  the  theatre  for  long
engagements  nearly  every  year  in  the  '50's.  Among  the  stars  who
appeared  on  the  boards  of  the  Metropolitan  were  John  Wilkes  Booth,
Edwin  Booth,  Lawrence  Barrett,  Jenny  Lind,  Olive  Logan,  Celia  Lo-
gan, Eliza  Logan,  W.  S.  Forrest,  J.  P.  Adams,  J.  W.  Wallack,  Char-
lotte Cushman,  Barney  Williams  and  wife,  and  Julia  Dean.  It  is  said
that  Kitty  Blanchard  (Mrs.  McKee  Rankin)  made  her  first  appear-
ance there.  Lawrence  Barrett  vvas  property  man  in  this  theatre  and
afterward  graduated  into  a  star.  His  first  appearance  was  in  this
theatre  in  the  beginning  of  the  season  of  1853-54,  when  he  played  the
humble  part  of  "  Murad  "  in  the  "French  Spy."  During  an  engage-
ment of  Peter  Richings  and  his  famous  daughter,  Caroline,  the  play  of
"  Old  Heads  and  Young  Hearts"  was  presented.  The  actor  who  was
to  impersonate  "  Littleton  Coke"  was  suddenly  called  away,  and  Manager
Sherlock  was  at  his  wits'  end.  At  this  juncture  young  Barrett  spoke
up,  "  I  can  do  it;  I  know  every  line,"  From  this  time  he  played  more
or  less  in  minor  parts  in  tragedy  and  comedy,  until  finally  about  twelve
months  afterward  he  played   "  Romeo  "  to  Julia  Dean's  "  Juliet."

Sherlock  left  the  theatrical  business  early  in  1861  and  went  to  the
front  as  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Fifth  Michigan  Infantry,  and  was
killed  at  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville.  McFarland  continued  as  man-
ager until  later  in  the  year,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  John  A.  Ellsler,
of  Pittsburg  and  Cleveland.    McFarland  was  again  manager  for  a  short

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time,  and  was  followed  by  Yankee  Robinson  and   Mrs.  H.  A.  Perry.
