Boucicault, Dion, << BOO sih koh, DY on >> (1820?-1890), was an Irish American playwright, actor, and theater manager. His plays combine melodrama, thrilling spectacle, and lifelike scenes and characters. They also show his keen eye for the commercial value of events of his day. As a manager, Boucicault was credited with starting the movement toward American touring companies in 1860.
Boucicault was born in Dublin, Ireland, probably on Dec. 26, 1820. Beginning with London Assurance (1841), he wrote about 125 plays, many of them adaptations. One of his most successful works was Rip Van Winkle (1865), written with actor Joseph Jefferson. The Colleen Bawn (1860) was the first of his many plays depicting Irish rural scenes and characters. He died on Sept. 18, 1890.
