born April 9, 1757, Glinna, Pol.
died July 23, 1829, Warsaw
Polish actor, director, and playwright.
He joined the Polish National Theatre in Warsaw as an actor in 1778 and later became its director (1783–1814). Considered the father of Polish theatre, he wrote over 80 plays, including numerous comedies adapted from western European writers as well as the popular original play Krakovians and Highlanders (1794). He helped develop theatre companies in Vilna (1785) and Lwów (1794) and toured with the Lwów company, performing in foreign and Polish plays. In 1787 he played Hamlet in his own translation of Shakespeare's play.