THE HISTORY OF VAUDEVILLE!

So, your teachers have told you you’re going to a Vaudeville show. But what

exactly is “Vaudeville”? And what does it take to put on a show? And when is the

bell going to ring so I don’t have to think about this anymore? Wait, and does

Vaudeville even exist anymore?

The truth is, the influences of Vaudeville are all around you. Most modern-

day comedy you see in movies, television and of course, live on stage, has its roots

in Vaudeville. Have you ever heard of “I Love Lucy?” or better yet, “The

Simpsons?” The people who created those shows definitely knew Vaudeville.

Why should you care? That’s easy. Vaudeville is one of only a few uniquely

American art forms. A lot of our other creative accomplishments were borrowed

from other countries, cultures and religions (they were around first, what can we

say?). But Vaudeville was born in America, kept many of our towns alive after the

gold rush/saloon years, and managed to stay alive for over 100 years!

Now, to get started, here are a few Fun Facts about Vaudeville. Pay attention--

teachers have a way of quizzing their students on these things.

1. No one knows what “Vaudeville” means! Some historians think it comes from

“Voix de Ville” (“Voice of the city”) or “Val de Vire” (Valley of the River

Vire). Still others believe the name was created by venue owners to make the

shows, which were known as “variety,” sound more sophisticated and exotic.

2. The first “Vaudeville” acts were created to clean up the Wild West saloons and

make mining and frontier towns seem more “family-friendly”.

3. Vaudeville shows were also known as “variety” and featured a number of

different acts throughout the night. in a single evening, an audience member

could expect to see an animal act, a juggling act, a tap dancer, a sword

swallower, a contortionist and definitely some clowns.

4. Vaudeville preceded Talking Motion Pictures and Television.

5. At its peak, Vaudeville was the largest entertainment market around. Lavish,

huge auditoriums were built specifically for Vaudeville, and entrepreneurs

created circuits of theatres in all the major cities. The most well-known of these

circuits were The Orpheum, The Paramount and the Pantages.

THE HISTORY OF VAUDEVILLE!

EXPLORING VAUDEVILLE

This section may require you to do some research. If you don’t know a word or a

concept, look it up!

5) Vaudeville employed a mixture of several different styles of entertainment, match the act

with its definition below:

Melodrama Horse-riders

Contortionist Musician or singer

Slapstick Fancy word for magician

Burlesque A person who can throw their voice

Minstrels A play acted with a lot of exaggeration

Acrobatics Provocative stage show

Equestrians Physical comedy

Ventriloquists A person able to twist into unusual positions

Prestidigitators Skilled gymnastics

In addition to singers, dancers, and comedians, Vaudeville was known for its

unusual novelty acts and circus-styled performances. The circus had a rich history

in America as well, and it was only natural that some of the circus acts would spill

over into Vaudeville.

Which of the following are examples of real circuses throughout history?

a) Circus Maximus in ancient Rome, featuring chariot races and 150,000 spectators.

b) John Bill Rickett’s Philadelphia Circus, attended by George Washington in

1793

THE HISTORY OF VAUDEVILLE!

c) P.T. Barnum’s “Greatest Show on Earth”

d) Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Circus in 1913

e) all of the above

By the time that talking motion pictures became popular in the 1930s, America

was in a Depression. Although Vaudeville offered an affordable form of live

entertainment, it was no competition for the low cost of a movie. Many of the

Vaudeville theatres were turned into movie houses, and soon Vaudeville itself had

become a novelty.

ESSAY or DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

How do new technologies like the internet, the iPod, and the latest software affect

the business of entertainment now? Are there any forms of entertainment or

information that may be threatened by new technology?

THE HISTORY OF VAUDEVILLE!

Will Rogers, George Burns, Lucille Ball and the 3 Stooges all started in Vaudeville

before going into movies. Name one reason a Vaudevillian would choose to go

into movies, and one reason they may prefer to stay on the live stage?