The first American play to be used as a full evening's bill was "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Before the stage version of Mrs. Stowe's famous book made its appearance every play, whatever its character, was preceded by a curtain-raiser or followed by an afterpiece, and often both were used.

  The stage career of "Uncle Tom" began seventy-five years ago. Since that time there probably have been few days—possibly not even one—on which the play has not been presented somewhere in the world, and there have been long periods in which numerous companies have played it simultaneously in several countries and not infrequently from two to five such companies have been rivals in a single city. Companies playing in tents, on steamboats and in many other places converted into theaters for the occasions, have succeeded in the summer months when almost every other kind of play has been withdrawn.—[Kansas City Star.