Dennis Ryan theatre papers

This collection consists of papers relating to the 18th century Irish actor, Dennis Ryan (d. 1786), and his involvement with a theatrical company performing in Baltimore, Maryland and Richmond, Virginia between 1783-1785. The items contained in this small collection include: a payroll account that lists the salaries and name of men at work in the theatre between October 21 and November 10, 1783; a November 6, 1784 letter from Edward McGuire to Dennis Ryan that mentions a bill as well as stating McGuire's belief that Ryan's servants accidently packed the former's boots and saddlebags amongst their own belongings; a handwritten copy of a November 23, 1785 letter from Mr. [Thomas] Heard to Dennis Ryan in which Heard provides details of the company's experiences in Richmond, noting especially that they were suffering from poor attendance and loss of profits; and a handwritten copy of an account that records profits for eleven performances between November 11 and December 19, 1785.