THE D'OYLY CARTE OPERA COMPANY

M. F. Donovan as Ralph Rackstraw in H.M.S. Pinafore

M. F. Donovan (1880-81)

M. F. Donovan of St. John's Roman Catholic Church, Philadelphia, appeared as Ralph Rackstraw in Philadelphia and on tour with Gorman's Church Choir Pinafore Company in 1879. In April 1880 he appeared briefly on tour in New England as Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance with D'Oyly Carte's First American Pirates Company, for which he was presumably a chorister and understudy. Donovan later toured the eastern United States with another Carte Pirates Company (September 1880-February 1881). Again he began as chorister and understudy, filling in for Wallace Macrery as Frederic in New Haven in October 1880, and later taking over the pirate apprentice as his own in January or February 1881.

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