Read the excerpt from "the invention of the sewing machine" by grace rogers cooper. isaac singer, whose name is known around the world as a manufacturer of sewing machines, was the eighth child of poor german immigrants. isaac was born on october 27, 1811, in pittstown, new york, but most of his early life was spent in oswego. he worked as a mechanic and cabinetmaker, but acquired an interest in the theater. under the name of isaac merritt, he went to rochester and became an actor. in 1839, during an absence from the theater, he completed his first invention, a mechanical excavator, which he sold for $2000. with the money singer organized a theatrical troupe of his own, which he called "the merritt players." when the group failed in fredericksburg, ohio, singer was stranded for lack of funds. what was an immediate cause of isaac singer’s becoming an actor? acquiring an interest in the theaterselling his first invention for $2000being the eighth child of poor german immigrantsorganizing a theatrical group called "the merritt players"