C. Foster

Joseph C. Foster (January 31, 1804 – April 9, 1877) was a Scottish-born American stage manager, playwright, and Broadway performer. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, he emigrated to the United States during the 1830s, initially working as a clown with Cooke's Circus and performing in productions such as Mazeppa. He also appeared with circuses in other American cities before transitioning to theatrical work.

Foster's career in American theatre gained momentum around 1840, when William Evans Burton leased the National Theatre in Philadelphia. Foster contributed to the staging of The Naiad Queen there, arranging scenes and special effects for the production, which featured Charlotte Cushman in the title role. The National Theatre also mounted several of Foster's own dramatic works, including two productions in which he himself portrayed Napoleon. In 1841, he moved his activities to the Walnut Street Theatre and subsequently managed additional theatres in both Philadelphia and New York, among them the Chatham Theatre.

His Broadway career spanned from 1846 to 1865, during which he appeared in Sinbad the Sailor and The Enchantress. Beyond his performing credits, Foster continued to work as a creator of theatrical productions in the years following his Broadway appearances. His Seven Dwarfs played the Bowery Theatre in New York in 1869, and in 1870 his Twelve Temptations, drawn from the Walpurgis Night legend and conceived in the tradition of The Black Crook, ran for more than 150 performances at the Grand Opera House. Foster died in New York in April 1877.