The Chesapeake Bay Floating Theatre (CBFT) was organized to return the James Adams Floating Theatre to serving Mid-Atlantic coastal communities. CBFT is working to build and operate a replica of the original James Adams Floating Theatre. Using donations generously provided by private donors we will construct a Show Boat, as accurately as possible, to the James Adams of the early 1900's. CBFT will take performances from town to town around the mid-Atlantic region, to many of the same ports where the original James Adams played.
Once built the James Adams II will operate as both a performance space and a museum. The Show Boat will house exhibits on subjects such as:
- the Original Show Boat
- the cast and crew
- Edna Ferber and her novel Show Boat
- Jerome Kern and Hamerstein II stage show of Show Boat
- Show Boat movies (1929, 1936, 1951)
- Repertory theatre, Vaudeville and Melodrama
- as well as other related topics.
The James Adams II will also present more contemporary light comedies and musicals. We will perform from a repertoire of 3 - 5 different productions. We intend to present a different show each night like the original floating theatre.
CBFT will be searching for a steel sea service barge 35 - 50 feet in width and 130 - 150 feet in length. We hope to find a donor for this barge. If a donor can not be found we will purchase an appropriate barge as funds allow. We anticipate that such a barge will cost $250,000 or more.
