Chautauqua Theatre – Drypigment.net

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 1063 – The Redpath Chautauqua’s ‘Pinafore’ Performance, 1920

After a two-week break, I am back to the life and times of Thomas G. Moses. To recap, in 1918 Moses resigned as the president of Sosman & Landis. He initially worked for New York Studios and then left to join Chicago Studios. However, both were short lived, as by the spring of 1920, Moses was back at Sosman & Landis. We he returned to the studio, Moses agreed to only an annual contract. The same spring that Moses returned, Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio was credited with scenery for the Redpath Chautauqua’s production of “H. M. S. Pinafore.”

From the “Morrison Gazette,” 20 May 1920, page 4.

Annual Chautauqua events, or tent shows, were held in cities across the country during the spring and summer, featuring programs with all types of entertainment that ranged from popular Broadway shows and orchestra concerts to magicians and lecturers. During its peak, some 12,000 communities hosted a Chautauqua. The Redpath Chautauqua was massive circuit with hundreds of shows and thousands of entertainers. Although there were many Chautauqua agencies that contracted entertainers and lecturers, one of the most notable was the Redpath agency.

From the “Watchman and Southron,” 24 April 1920, page 3.

The “Newberry Weekly” included a picture of the 1920 Redpath Chautauqua production with the caption, “A feature of the coming Redpath Chautauqua here will be the presentation of a complete production of the famous Gilbert and Sullivan light opera ‘Pinafore,’ with special lighting and scenic effects, the scenery having been built especially for the Redpath production by Sosman & Landis, noted scenic artists of Chicago” (Newberry, South Carolina, May 4, 1920, page 3).

From the “Newberry Weekly,” Newberry, SC, 4 May 1920, page 3.

The “Bedford Daily” reported, “Three seasons ago the Redpath management presented a complete production of ‘The Mikado; which was so enthusiastically received that Chautauqua patrons have ever since been asking for another Gilbert and Sullivan opera”(5 June 1920, page 2). “The Mikado” production had also boasted scenery by Sosman & Landis. In 1917, a company of thirty, selected in part from the Chicago Grand Opera Company, had performed “The Mikado.” For more information about the Redpath Chautauqua Circuit and “The Mikado” tour, see past post 967 (https://drypigment.net2020/04/21/tales-from-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-part-967-the-redpath-chautauquas-mikado-1917/).

By 1920, Sosman & Landis contracts ran the gamut, from tent shows to charity balls. Although Moses returned in April, he and his wife left for a 40-day western vacation that summer. Of his trip, he wrote, “We left for the West August 19^th…Arrived home on September 28^th, having been gone forty days, it was certainly some trip… It took me a few days before I was I the harness again, and working just the same as I did before I left two years ago. Landis and I got out after business within a few days after my arrival and succeeded in landing a few good ones. I started to do some painting but it did not last long, as I had too much other business to do. I found the conditions altogether different from what I supposed them to be – too much overhead. It will be awfully hard to keep up the output to balance it all I was very well pleased to learn that from September 1^st, we made a profit of $12,000.00 before January 1^st. I am afraid we will use it all up before spring.”

He would remain on annual contract. In 1921 wrote, “we had a director’s meeting and it was settled that I remain at $8,000.00 a year.” The monetary equivalent of an $8,000 annual salary in 1920 is approximately $103,000.00 today.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 987 – The Military Entertainment Council, Liberty Tents, Liberty Auditoriums and Liberty Theaters, 1918

In 1918, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Received a nice order from Harrison Company, operating the Redpath Lyceum Bureau for their chatauqua work.” The previous year. Sosman & Landis also delivered scenery for the Redpath Chautauqua Circuit.

In 1918, “Trench and Camp” reported:

“Mr. Marc Klaw was given the task of organizing four companies to play light comedies and four companies of vaudeville stars. ‘Turn to the Right,’ ‘Cheating Cheaters, ‘Here Comes the Bridge,’ ‘Inside the Line’ and other popular plays will be presented in turn at the various cantonments. The professional vaudeville companies will also make the rounds and the theatres will be offered to the men for the production of amateur dramatics or special moving pictures. There will be a small charge of from 15 to 25 cents made for professional entertainments. I addition to these theatres, and at both the National Army and National Guard camps, the Redpath Lyceum furnished entertainment. The general direction of all paid entertainments at the camps is in the hands of Mr. Harry P. Harrison, the president and general manager of the Redpath Lyceum Bureau” (22 Jan. 1918, page 7).

Written by Raymond B. Fosdick, Chairman of the Commission on Training Camp, the article explained, “Just after the war was declared last April, the President and Secretary of War, having these facts keenly in mind, asked me to assume the chairmanship of the newly appointed Commission on Training Camp Activities. The main job of this Commission is to apply the normal things of life to the hundreds of thousands of men in training camps. Besides the chairman, the members of the Commission are Lee F. Hanmer, of the Russell Sage Foundation; Thomas J. Howells, of Pittsburgh; Marc Klaw, the well-known theatrical producer; Joseph Lee, president of the Playground and Recreation Association of America; Malcolm L. McBridge, the former Yale Football star; Dr. John R. Mott, well known as General Secretary of the War Work Council of the Y.M.C.A; Charles P. Neill, of Washington; Col. Palmer E. Pierce, U.S.A., and Dr. Joseph E. Raycroft, director of physical education of Princeton University. It was our task, in the first place, to see that the inside of sixty odd army-training camps furnished real amusement and recreation and social life. In second place, we were to see to it that the towns and cities near by the camps were organized to provide recreation and social life to the soldiers who would flock there when on leave. In short, the Government took the attitude and is holding to it all along: ‘Over a million men are training hard to fight for the Government; the Government will give them, while they train, every possible opportunity for education, amusement and social life.’”

On March 8, 1918, the “Green Bay Press-Gazette” announced, “The work of entertaining the soldiers has been consolidated under the ‘Military Entertainment Council,’ of which James Couzens, of Detroit, is chairman; with Harry P. Harrison of Chicago, as chairman of the executive committee. Under the Council, the Chautauqua tents and Marc Klaw theaters all operate together, giving nightly entertainments. They will hereafter be known as ‘Liberty Tents,’ ‘Liberty auditoriums’ and ‘Liberty theaters’”(Green Bay, Wisconsin, page 13).

From the “Atlanta Constitution,” 11 Jan 1918 page 6.

The attached newspaper clipping shows Camp Gordon’s Liberty Theater. Pictured upper left is Raymond B. Foswick (chairman of the war commission on training camp activities, in charge of all the theaters and director on the ‘off time’ of every sailor and soldier). Pictured upper right are Sam Harris and George Cohan, partners in song-writing, who are working to making the programs of the army circuit a success). In the lower left is E. F. Albee, manager of B. F. Keith’s circuit, who is sending a number of his best acts to the cantonment circuit). In the lower center is Marc Klaw of Klaw and Erlanger bookers, who is arranging the productions for the Liberty theaters, and who is now engaged in training a number of comedy casts). Pictured lower right is Harry P. Harrison, president of the Redpath Chautauqua, who is also giving his time attention and performers to the entertainment of the national army men.”

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 967 – The Redpath Chautauqua’s “Mikado,” 1917

Sosman & Landis delivered scenery for a “Mikado” production that toured the Redpath Chautauqua circuit in 1917. Annual Chautauqua, or tent, events were held in cities across the country during the spring and summer, featuring programs with all types of entertainment that ranged from Broadway shows and orchestra concerts to magicians and lecturers. During its peak some 12,000 communities hosted a Chautauqua. The Redpath Chautauqua was massive circuit with hundreds of shows and thousands of entertainers. Although there were many Chautauqua agencies that contracted entertainers and lecturers, one of the most notable was the Redpath agency. In 1917, one of the Redpath touring shows was the “Mikado.” A company of thirty, selected in part from the Chicago Grand Opera Company, performed in the Gilbert and Sullivan classic that year.

From the “Steuben Republican,” (Angola, Indiana) 4 July 1917, page 4.

From the “Durham Daily News,” (Durham, North Carolina), 8 April 1917, page 17.

The “Critterden Record-Press” reported, “The Redpath Chautauqua special train of six cars, carrying over a hundred of the big Redpath family, left Chicago on Tuesday afternoon, April 10, for Jacksonville, Fla. The arrival in Jacksonville was scheduled for Thursday, April 12^th, the opening day of the Redpath Chautauqua circuit for 1917” (Marion, Kentucky, 14 June 1917, page 9). The season ran until the end of summer, closing the first part of September.

On June 12, 1917, the “Owensboro Messenger” reported, “The Redpath chautauquas have been doubly fortunate in securing two eminent artists for their production of ‘The Mikado’ here Chautauqua Week” (Owensboro, Kentucky, page 7). The show featured the talents of Ed Andrews as Ko-Ko and Arthur Aldridge as Nanki-Pooh. The “Steuben Republican” reported, “The orchestra is under the dynamic direction of Miss May Valentine, a band and orchestra leader who is rapidly gaining wide recognition” (Angola, Indiana, 4 July 1917, page 4). The article also noted, “Mr. Arthur Aldridge is, like Mr. Andrews, one of the great interpreters of his role, Nanki-Pooh. In the recent revival of the Gilbert and Sullivan Opera he scored tremendous success with De Wolfe Hopper. He has appeared recently in the mammoth New York Hippodrome productions and is now recognized s New York’s leading light opera tenor. Indeed, some critics have been so kind as to claim that he has few equals among the world famous grand opera tenors” (Angola, Indiana, 4 July 1917, page 2).

May Valentine was the conductor of “The Mikado.” From the “Advocate Messenger” (Danville, KY, 25 May 1917, page 7.

Newspapers across the country noted that Andrews was the best Ko-Ko of his generation, having performed the part more than 1200 times to date. The “Knoxville Sentinel” reported, “He is a small dark man, swarthy of skin with a beak like an eagle. He possesses a thunderous bass voice all out of proportion in volume to his small body. He sings the part with zest and a delightful enthusiasm” (May 24, 1917, page 5). Of the scenery, the articled added, “Beautiful and unique effects have been secured in the scenery built especially for the Redpath chautauquas by Sosman & Landis, of Chicago. These scenic artists have just completed the effects for a spectacular Madison Square Garden production.” “The Nashville Banner” reported, “At first it was thought that it would be practically impossible to give ‘The Mikado’ an adequate setting on the Chautauqua stage, but all difficulties were overcome and most gratifying results have been obtained” (Nashville, TN, 2 July 1917, page 28).

From the” Times-Herald,” (Port Huron, Michigan) July 31, 1917, page 2.

The University of Iowa Libraries holds a massive Redpath Chautauqua Collection, contained in 1,132 boxes. The cite gives a brief history for the circuit:

“Circuit or ‘tent’ Chautauqua had its beginning in the lyceum movement, which started in Massachusetts as early as 1826, and in the Chautauqua assemblies held at Lake Chautauqua, New York, beginning in 1874. The purpose of the lyceum movement was self-improvement through lectures and discussions on literary, scientific, and moral topics. After the Civil War, commercial lyceum bureaus were founded; among them was the Redpath Lyceum Bureau of James C. Redpath in 1868. In 1901, Keith Vawter purchased a one-third interest in the Redpath Lyceum Bureau and became the Redpath booking agent in Chicago, later moving his headquarters and operations to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In the summer of 1904, Vawter launched the first Chautauqua circuit with the assistance of Charles Horner. The Redpath Lyceum Bureau had offices in other American cities, including White Plains, New York; Columbus, Ohio; Chicago; and Kansas City, Missouri. Vawter’s territory was roughly Iowa, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Nebraska, and Missouri. Another Iowan and former Vawter employee, Harry P. Harrison, ran the Chicago office. Under the name “Redpath-Chicago,” Harrison launched a major Chautauqua circuit in 1912. His territory was Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the Gulf States. In 1912, Horner established in Kansas City the “Redpath-Horner Chautauquas.” His territory was Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, and South Dakota. Circuit or tent Chautauqua began to expand and became an even greater influence about 1913, but World War I interrupted the circuits somewhat. In the years after the War (1920-1924), Chautauqua reached its peak of attendance. In 1920 there were twenty-one companies operating ninety-three circuits in the United States and Canada. The Great Depression brought an end to the circuits. The final circuit folded its tents in 1932 and the splendor of tent Chautauqua was over.” Here is a link to this remarkable collection, http://sdrc.lib.uiowa.edu/traveling-culture/inventory/msc150.html

The publicity brochures in this collection have been digitized and are available online at http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/tc/index.php Additionally, there are over seven hundred photographs and postcards in the Chautauqua Collection with subjects ranging from tents and parades to audiences and performers, cities, and other scenery. These have been digitized and are available online at http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/tc/index.php

To be continued…