A new article from the esteemed Ransom Center in Texas allows us to recall one of the deadliest nights in theatre history.
In the 1980s, the Harry Ransom Center received a fascinating and unique historical artefact. John and Vera Hills had donated a scrapbook of theirs which featured an extraordinary unpublished account of their survival of the Knickerbocker Theatre roof collapse in Washington, D.C. on January 28, 1922.
A fascinating article by graduate assistant Hannah Neuhauser explores this scrapbook and its astonishing first-hand testimony.
Yiddish theatre is a fascinating and under-celebrated cultural tradition. Dating from the late 19th century, Yiddish theatre spread around the world as a by-product of mass global migration from Europe, helping displaced groups continue to feel connections with the homelands they had fled.
Into the twentieth century, Yiddish theatre could be found in many of the world’s capital cities, providing traditionally-based fare for their audiences.
Yiddish theatre productions often revolved around the central themes of identity, immigration, poverty, integration and deep cultural ties to tradition. Yiddish theatre was embracing of other works, often performing Yiddish versions of plays from Shakespeare and other notable important playwrights. It also embraced a wide range of styles – musical comedy, revue, operetta, drama and melodrama, also embracing new and traditional playwrights’ works.
Yiddish theatre, its exponents and expressions, were devastated by the impact of World War Two and the Holocaust , after which its influence waned, although still practiced by a few loyal defenders of the tradition.
I recently came across this engaging 35 minute documentary which was produced in 1987 and tells the story of the movement in London through some of its exponents.
Interestingly, actress Anna Tzelniker who features in this film is the daughter of well-known actor Meier Tzelniker who had a long and successful career in the UK in Yiddish theatre as well as films and non-Yiddish theatre. He was the co-founder of the UK’s Jewish National Theatre with Fanny Waxman, a well-known Yiddish actress, in 1936.
I am very grateful to the Tower Hamlets Local History Library and Archives for posting this video on their YouTube channel so that it can be more widely appreciated.
Documentary Copyright: The London Museum of Jewish Life, 1987. Reproduced with permission of Jewish Museum London.
EXTRA: Here’s an extract from a US PBS series on Jewish Americans which talks about Yiddish theatre in America Thanks to YouTube poster Leora Hatchwell for posting this:
On Friday, June 17th at 6:00 pm BST, the Baltimore Architecture Foundation present REVIVING THE ROYAL THEATRE, a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the opening of this legendary now-lost theatre, its history and legacy.
This event comprises a talk about the theatre and the work being done to revive this historic community through the insights of three guest speakers.
Photojournalist Amy Davis will present vintage images of the Royal Theater and few of the other opulent movie palaces in its day looking through a social, cultural and architectural prism to understand Baltimore’s history. The Royal Theater, located at 1329 Pennsylvania Avenue in Baltimore, first opened in February 1922 as the black-owned Douglass Theatre before changing its name in 1925 to The Royal. It became the most famous theater along West Baltimore City’s Pennsylvania Avenue, one of a circuit of five such theaters for black entertainment in big cities, which hosted some of the world’s greatest musical acts and entertainers, before it was demolished in 1971.
James Hamlin, president and founder of The Royal Theater & Community Heritage Corporation, will share some of what is being done to preserve, promote, and recreate the greatness of the African American Historic West Baltimore Community and Historic Pennsylvania Avenue. In his words: “2-1-2-1-7 on Pennsylvania Avenue and the surrounding community were the epicenters of the African-American [life] in Baltimore. This is a community where Cab Calloway walked. This is where Billie Holiday landed. This is where Thurgood Marshall grew up. This is where every entertainer that you can think of has walked up and down The Avenue and entertained at The Royal Theatre.” Hamlin is also owner of The Avenue Bakery, a community hub and revival pioneer in the area.
Architect Kathleen Sherrill, AIA will highlight her work along the Pennsylvania Avenue corridor, Maryland’s only designated Black Arts and Entertainment District. She firmly believes that architects should challenge themselves to play a key role in improving and supporting Baltimore’s underserved neighborhoods, guiding communities to invest in themselves and the next generation through ownership
This special programme is hosted in partnership with the Maryland Center for History and Culture, who are currently hosting the exhibit “Flickering Treasures” which runs through to September 2023.
This free event (donations requested if you feel able to contribute) lasts approximately one hour.
Tickets are donation based. We encourage you to give what you can to support BAF and Baltimore Heritage. Your support helps us make up for lost tour and program revenue from COVID-19 and create more virtual programs like this.
You may also be interested to note that the Baltimore Architecture Foundation (BAF) and Baltimore Heritage present the Virtual Histories Series: 30 minute live presentations and virtual tours focusing on Baltimore architecture, preservation and history, hosted twice a month on Fridays at 1:00 pm EST / 6.00pm BST.
On Thursday, Jun 2nd from 10:30 pm– 12:00midnight BST, the New York Adventure Club present The Origins of Broadway: Rise of New York’s Early Theater Scene in an online presentation.
(Before you dismiss this one out of hand due to its timing, it’s worth noting that if you can’t make the live broadcast, or simply miss it, your ticket allows you access to the event recording for a week afterwards.)
While Broadway is widely considered one of the top theatrical destinations in the world, have you ever wondered what came before it? And why, and how, New York City became the theater capital of America? This is the story of New York’s earliest theaters and how they transformed a city once fixated on only business and trade into one dedicated to culture and the arts.
Join New York Adventure Club as they explore the evolution of New York’s theater industry through the mid 1800s, and the actors, production managers, and playwrights who helped pave the way for modern-day Broadway to grow.
New York theater-maker Ralph Lewis is the presenter for this discussion which will include:
– An overview of NYC’s very first theaters, including surprising details on the plays, playwrights, managers, and actors who worked there – A look at how New York’s early theaters compared to those in other cities, and how competition, politics, and touring companies shaped America’s theatrical landscape for centuries to come – The reasons why so few theaters succeeded, and the importance of their building’s design to that success – Historic maps showcasing the theatrical locations from Broadway to The Bowery, along with photos of the sites today – A listen to what critics of the day had to say about these performances, including over-the-top anecdotes, scathing reviews, and lots of gossip – Excerpts from the rare 1851 book, Before and Behind the Curtain by William Knight Northall, which inspired this presentation
After the presentation, there’ll be time for a Q&A with Ralph so your questions are welcomed.
Tickets are $10 (approximately £7) and you can book them here
“The Show Must Go On! American Theater in the Great Depression” is the title of an engrossing new online exhibition curated by the Digital Public Library of America which is now available.
The Great Depression of the 1930s had an enormous impact on theatre across the United States. Productions decreased dramatically, audiences shrank, and talented writers, performers, and directors fled the industry to find work in Hollywood. But despite adversity, the show went on. The public construction projects of the Works Progress Administration (WPA- a key part of President Roosevelt’s New Deal recovery programme) built new theatres in cities across America. The Federal Theatre Project was established to fund theatre and performances across the country providing work to unemployed artists. This influx of new artists had transformed the industry, opening theatre to new voices, themes, and audiences. This exhibition explores these Depression-era changes and their impact on American theatre.
The exhibition is helpfully structured in sections entitled Theater before the crash, The Federal Theatre, Project, The Plays, Impact on African American Theatre, and Legacy.
This excellent exhibition was created as part of the DPLA’s Digital Curation Program by the following students as part of Professor Anthony Cocciolo’s course “Projects in Digital Archives” in the School of Information and Library Science at Pratt Institute: Kathleen Dowling, Laura Marte Piccini, and Matthew Schofield.
