Thomas Wignell (1753 – 21 February 1803) was an English-born actor and theatre manager in the colonial United States.

One of the reasons for the plays success was because of Thomas Wignell in the role of Johnathan, the first stage yankee.

He had American pride, twangy speech, terrible sense of fashion, and was ignorant to a lot of things the other characters in the play found important.

Wignell had other roles he was successful in; Darby in O'Keefe's farce The Poor Soldier was another comedic part Thomas became praised for.

After separating from the American Company in 1793, Wignell teamed up with Alexander Reinagle and began to fund the building of a new theatre.

[4] Which under Wignell's and Reinalge's management, Philadelphia became the reigning theatrical capital in the United States for at least a decade.

And with the help of Wignell, and the Chestnut Street Theatre, the city of Philadelphia would remain in competition with New York until at least 1826.

[1][5] In Wignell's later years he stopped acting and devoted his time to managing a number of different theatres.