Louisa Lane Drew

Biography

Louisa Lane Drew began acting as a child in England and, after coming to America, built a reputation as a leading lady before taking on the management of the family theatres, including the famed Arch Street and Drew's, where she directed repertory and kept the stage tradition vibrant.

As a mentor she welcomed aspiring performers, insisted on high standards, and treated her company like a family, helping to professionalize American theatre and inspiring later generations of actors; she now rests at Mount Vernon Cemetery among the friends of the profession.