I am trying to locate an extant copy of a nineteenth-century
temperance melodrama
variously titled Little Katy or the Hot Corn Girl, Little Katy
or the Hot Corn Girl of New York, or simply Hot Corn.  The play
was adapted from a serialization in the New York Tribune by
Solon Robinson and a subsequent novel published by DeWitt &
Davenport.  Described by Odell as having "created excitement in
New York equal to that of Uncle Tom's Cabin," versions of Hot
Corn were mounted simultaneously at three separate theatres in
the spring of 1854.  The first, Little Katy or the Hot Corn
Girl, was an adaptation by C. W. Taylor.  The production,
mounted at Purdy's National Theatre in New York and featuring
Cordelia Howard (the original Little Eva in Uncle Tom's Cabin,
also at Purdy's National), alternated with Aiken's adaptation
of Harriet Beecher Stowe's classic.  A second version (Hot
Corn), adapted by H. J.  Conway was staged at Barnum's American
Museum; while a third version (adapter unknown) featuring Fanny
Herring as Wild Maggie was presented at the Bowery.

If anyone has happened upon an extant copy of the playtext (any
version), I would greatly appreciate hearing from you.  I can
be contacted at my department address; at 804-924-1447 (FAX);
or at   [log in to unmask]


John W. Frick
Associate Professor
Department of Drama
Culbreth Theatre
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA 22903