Vaudeville

Vaudeville was a dominant theatrical genre of variety entertainment.

It served as the heart of American show business for several decades. This style of performance was immensely popular in the United States and Canada. It also reached audiences in South America, Australia, and Europe. A performer in this medium is known as a vaudevillian.

Unlike a traditional play, vaudeville consisted of many separate, unrelated acts. These acts were grouped together on a single performance bill.

Each performance followed a specific, strategic sequence to manage the audience.

A typical bill began with a "dumb" act. This was a quiet performance that allowed patrons to find their seats. Managers then placed strong, engaging acts in the second position. Another powerful act was placed in the penultimate, or second-to-last, position. The weakest act was often scheduled for the very end. This specific order helped clear the house of remaining spectators.

The variety of acts offered something for every type of spectator.

Highbrow acts included opera vocalists, classical musicians, and refined instrumentalists. Lowbrow or popular acts featured acrobats, jugglers, and even trained animals like mules.

Comedians, magicians like Harry Houdini, and ventriloquists provided laughter. Other performers included mimes, strongmen, and athletes. Some shows even included scenes from plays or early films. This mix allowed diverse social classes to share the same space.

Vaudeville evolved from several different sources of American entertainment.

It drew from the concert saloon, minstrelsy, and dime museums. It also incorporated elements from traveling medicine shows and Wild West shows. In the 1840s, minstrel shows became a massive part of American mass culture. These early variety forms were often less regulated than later versions. Vaudeville eventually institutionalized these itinerant amusements into a stable system centered in urban hubs.

In the mid-1860s, impresario Tony Pastor transformed the industry.

He recognized the spending power of the middle class. Pastor created "Polite Vaudeville" to attract women and families. He opened his first Opera House on the Bowery in 1865. To ensure a respectable atmosphere, he barred the sale of liquor. He also removed bawdy or rude material from his programs. Pastor even offered gifts like coal and hams to his attendees.

Business leaders like B. F. Keith and E. F. Albee expanded the industry.

Keith built an empire of theaters starting in Boston. He and Albee created large circuits of allied vaudeville houses. These circuits replaced the chaotic single-theater booking system with organized national tours. Tours could last from a few weeks to two full years. Keith maintained strict discipline through heavy censorship. Performers who used suggestive language faced being canceled or receiving a "black mark."

Performers moved through three distinct economic levels of the industry.

The "small time" involved lower-paying contracts in rougher, converted theaters. The "medium time" offered moderate wages in purpose-built theaters. The "big time" was the highest level of success. It featured large, urban theaters patronized by the upper-middle class. Stars in the big time could earn several thousand dollars per week. The ultimate goal was performing at the Palace Theatre in New York City.

This venue was considered the apotheosis of a vaudeville career.