{"product_id":"fire-witch-melanie-gall-9781493098309","title":"Fire Witch: Kate Claxton and the 1876 Brooklyn Theatre Inferno","description":"New York's past holds millions of forgotten stories, but few are as fascinating as the tale of Kate Claxton, the \"Fire Witch.\" A central figure of American theater in New York's Gilded Age, she spent her life challenging conventions and flouting expectations. Kate was one of the most famous actors in America, and for over three decades and more than five thousand performances she held theatergoers in her thrall through her portrayal of a single dramatic role: Louise, the sixteen-year-old blind heroine of the French melodrama \u003ci\u003eThe Two Orphans\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eDespite her supernatural nickname, Kate was no witch. But after the tragic events of December 5, 1876, when she stood onstage amid the panic and flames as the Brooklyn Theatre burned around her, Kate became inseparably connected with the disaster. This inferno, along with multiple subsequent blazes that occurred in hotels and theaters where Kate was present, branded her as \"Fire Witch\" and \"Fire Fiend,\" labels that followed her for the rest of her days. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eOver a hundred and fifty years later, Kate's life--and the fire that destroyed Brooklyn's most opulent playhouse--have been almost completely forgotten. But the inferno is an integral part of New York's history, and its heroine was a singular woman whose strength and determination carried her through tragedy and scandal to shine as one of the brightest stars of the late nineteenth century.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Melanie Gall\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1493098306\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781493098309\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Lyons Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 10\/06\/2026\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 272\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.02lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 07\/01\/2026 pg. 59","brand":"Melanie Gall","offers":[{"title":"Hardcover","offer_id":48871419412735,"sku":"9781493098309","price":32.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/fire-witch-melanie-gall-9781493098309","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}