ANNALS OF THE BROOKLYN STAGE (1898-1908): AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 1903

This blog is dedicated to preserving a curated record of theatre-related images drawn from the digitized pages of the four chief Brooklyn newspapers and one weekly magazine of 1898-1908. The sources, as they were called during these years: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn Citizen, Brooklyn Standard Union, and Brooklyn Daily Times. At first, only Brooklyn Life provided photos, but as time passed the newspapers, beginning with the Citizen, abandoned their photo-based etchings and line drawings for photos. Each entry is devoted to one or two months during the decade. A list of the month’s offerings precedes the illustrations, most of which are identified within the original image. The performers include not only leading players but lesser ones, most of whose names are entirely forgotten today. Many depict burlesque and vaudeville acts who are often listed on the ads that begin each weekly group of images. The production lists designate titles of shows at the legitimate theatres only; burlesque and vaudeville theatres are listed only by name to show that they were active. If a theatre is missing it was either permanently or temporarily closed.

It is hoped that this blog will be a useful adjunct to a two-volume book I’m preparing for publication, ACROSS THE RIVER FROM BROADWAY: ANNALS OF THE BROOKLYN STAGE (1898-1908); Vol. I (1898-1903), Vol. II (1903-1908).

Samuel L. Leiter

Author: BROOKLYN TAKES THE STAGE: NINETEENTH-CENTURY THEATER IN THE CITY OF CHURCHES (McFarland: 2024).

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 1903

August 24-29: Bijou: (Spooner Stock Company) Nancy and Co.; Columbia: (Wells-Dunne-Harlan Musical Comedy Company) By the Sad Sea Waves; Gotham: The Little Church Around the Corner (opened Saturday, August 29); Grand Opera House: Under Two Flags, with Jane Kenmark (opened Saturday, August 29); Novelty: The Minister’s Daughter (opened Saturday, August 29); Vaudeville/burlesque: Star, Gayety, Unique, Watson’s; August 31-September 5: Bijou: (Spooner Stock Company) The Fatal Card; Columbia: (Wells-Dunne-Harlan Musical Comedy Company) By the Sad Sea Waves; Folly: For Her Children’s Sake; Gotham: The Little Church Around the Corner; Grand Opera House: Under Two Flags, with Jane Kenmark; Novelty: The Minister’s Daughter; Park: The Winning Hand, with Noah Beery; Payton’s Lee Avenue: (Payton Stock Company) Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines; Phillips’ Lyceum: (Lyceum Stock Company) Hearts of the Blue Ridge; Vaudeville/burlesque: Hyde & Behman’s, Star, Gayety, Unique, Orpheum, Watson’s; September 7-13: Bijou: (Spooner Stock Company) The Masked Ball; Columbia: (Wells-Dunne-Harlan Musical Comedy Company) Lost, Strayed or Stolen; Folly: Under Two Flags; Gotham: The Night Before Christmas; Grand Opera House: David Harum; Montauk: The Wizard of Oz, with David C. Montgomery and Fred Stone; Novelty: Why Women Sin; Park: A Working Girl’s Wrongs; Payton’s Lee Avenue: The Sporting Duchess; Phillips’ Lyceum: (Lyceum Stock Company) The Counterfeiters; Vaudeville/burlesque: Hyde & Behman’s, Star, Gayety, Unique, Orpheum, Watson’s; September 14-19: Bijou: (Spooner Stock Company) The Dancer and the King; Columbia: (Wells-Dunne-Harlan Musical Comedy Company) A Trip to Chinatown; Folly: David Harum; Gotham: The Limited Mail; Grand Opera House: A Son of Rest, with Nat Wills; Montauk: “Over a Welsh Rarebit,” Facing the Music, with Henry E. Dixey; Novelty: The Little Church Around the Corner; Park: The King of Detectives; Payton’s Lee Avenue: (Payton’s Stock Company) More Than Queen; Phillips’ Lyceum: (Lyceum Stock Company) Gypsy Jack; Vaudeville/burlesque: Hyde & Behman’s, Star, Gayety, Unique, Orpheum, Watson’s; September 21-26: Amphion: A Fool and His Money; Bijou: (Spooner Stock Company) Led Astray; Columbia: (Wells-Dunne-Harlan Musical Comedy Company) The Man from Mexico; Folly: A Son of Rest, with Nat Wills; Gotham: The King of Detectives; Grand Opera House: The Fatal Wedding; Montauk: Pretty Peggy, with Grace George; Novelty: M’liss, with Nellie McHenry; Park: No Wedding Bells for Her; Payton’s Lee Avenue: (Payton Stock Company) A Celebrated Case; Phillips’ Lyceum: (Lyceum Stock Company) Black Eagle; or, The Firm of Girdlestone and Co.; Vaudeville/burlesque: Hyde & Behman’s, Star, Gayety, Unique, Orpheum, Watson’s; September 28-October 3: Amphion: “Over a Welsh Rarebit,” Facing the Music, with Henry E. Dixey; Bijou: (Spooner Stock Company) D’Arcy of the Guards; Columbia: (Wells-Dunne-Harlan Musical Comedy Company) A Black Sheep; Folly: The Fatal Wedding; Gotham: Only a Shop Girl; Grand Opera House: The Heart of Maryland; Montauk: Du Barry, with Mrs. Leslie Carter; Novelty: The Great White Diamond; Park: A Ragged Hero; Payton’s Lee Avenue: (Payton Stock Company) A Poor Relation, “Pudd’nhead Wilson”; Phillips’ Lyceum: (Lyceum Stock Company) Just Before Dawn; Vaudeville/burlesque: Hyde & Behman’s, Star, Gayety, Unique, Orpheum, Watson’s