In 1729, his wife, Susanna, gave bond on his estate in the 200 pounds. By her will proved in Spotsylvania County in 1746, she gave the plantation whereon she lived to Philip Rootes, Sr., of King & Queen County. She left no children. (William & Mary Quarterly, pages 68,69)

Plaque on fence outside the
outdoor Play Booth Theater
in Williamsburg, Virginia
November 2002

William Livingston (Levingston) is credited with erecting the first theater in America in Williamsburg,Virginia. William was a merchant in New Kent County, Virginia.

There are also notes stating that he "had been managing in New Kent County a peripatetic dancing school, in which the star dancers were Charles Stagg and his wife, Mary". Charles and Mary Stagg were formerly Levingston's indentured servants and they agreed to perform on his stage and to teach their craft to other aspirants to the boards. Another note states that Charles bound himself to join Levingston in a petition for "a Patent or a Lycence from ye Governor of Virga for ye sole Priviledge of acting Comedies, Drolls, or other Kind of Stage Plays within any part of ye sd Colony".

A contract is recorded on November 19, 1716, in which he agreed "to cause to be erected and built at his own proper Costs and Charge in ye City of Wmsburgh one good substentiall House commodious for acting such Plays as shall be thought fitt to be acted there".

Levingston purchased three and one-half acre lots on November 21, 1716, and erected a dwelling house, kitchen and stable. He laid out a bowling alley and built a theater. Archaeologists unearthed the foundation of the first theater and showed that the playhouse was 30 feet wide, 86.5 feet long and at least 2 stories tall - comparable to English provincial theaters of that day.

Governor Alexander Spotswood wrote that he sponsored a performance at Levingston's in honor of King George I's birthday in 1718, the earliest record of a play in the first theater building on Palace Green. In the letter written on June 24, 1718, the governor refers to eight members of the House of Assembly who slighted an invitation to his house to witness a play - "In order to the solemnizing His Majesty's birthday, I gave a public entertainment at my home and all gentlemen that would come were admitted. These eight gentlemen would neither come to my house nor go to the play which was acted on the occasion, but, on the contrary, these eight committeemen of their own in the House of Burgess and invited the mob and plentifully supplied it with liquor to drink the same health as was drunk in the governor's house, taking no more notice of the government than if there had been none in the place". Levingston was a man who played many parts in his time - a dancing master, he briefly leased a room in the Wren Building; a tavern keeper, he ran an ordinary in his house on the three-lot theater site; he also kept a bowling green.

In 1721, Levingston mortgaged the properties to Archibald Blair and by 1727 it appears he was out of business. By the mid 1730s, Dr. George Gilmer, Sr., owned the lots and ran an apothecary shop on the corner.

Charles Stagg died in 1735 in Williamsburg. After his death, Mary Stagg earned a living holding "dancing assemblies". In 1735 and 1736 the students of William and Mary College utilized the theater for amateur productions. It is also believed that a company of professional players acted regularly there. The Virginia Gazette, September 10, 1736, stated "This evening will be performed at the Theatre by the young gentlemen of the College the Tragedy of Cato, and on Monday, Wednesday and Friday will be acted the following comedies by the young Gentlemen and Ladies of the country - the Busybody and The Recruiting Officer and The Beaux Stratagem".