June 18, 2007

Nevada's Online State News Journal

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[From The History of Nevada, edited by Sam P. Davis, vol. I (1913), pp. 715-720]

Nevada History:

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CHAPTER XXXIV.

THE DRAMA IN NEVADA.

From the earliest times Nevada had a strange attraction for members of the theatrical profession. There was not only a charm in the free style of life and the cordiality with which they were welcomed that made them anxious to visit Washoe, as it was then called, but there was also a lure in the wonderful country itself which induced a number of players to forsake their profession and cast their lot with it. No community ever kept a warmer place in its heart for the poor strollers, and none ever received so affectionate a return. To be "booked for Washoe" was a piece of good fortune that thrilled all with pride and delight.

Nevada was a good theatrical field when its principal towns were scarcely more than camps. Virginia City had a theater in 1860--the old Howard—while its population was little, if any, over 1,000, Topliffe built the big theater on North C Street early in 1862, and Maguire's Opera House, on D Street, was opened in the summer of 1863. But these theaters represented only a part—and at one time a very small part—of the amusement business of the town. Large halls were temporarily converted into show-places, with as many as five legitimate companies and six or seven variety troupes all playing to crowded houses at the same time. And they were not barn-storming companies or inferior plays, either. For years every star and dramatic attraction that came to the Pacific Coast was billed as regularly in Virginia City as in San Francisco, and not infrequently the engagement in the former place was the more profitable one.

Some of these disciples of the drama liked Nevada so well that they deserted the theatrical field to cast their lot with the sage-brush. The first of these was James Stark, who in his palmy days ranked with Murdoch and Davenport as a tragedian. He played an engagement at Topliffe's theater in 1862, and was so impressed by the wonders and the enticing prospects he saw on every hand that he resolved to look the Territory over; and being particularly pleased with the promises of

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Esmeralda County, he put aside his profession, invested in mines there and built a quartz mill at Aurora. Stark was a member of our first constitutional convention. If everything had gone prosperously with him, his name might have been a prominent one in the history of the State, for he was able and ambitious; but his investments and enterprises failed and left him nearly penniless, and worse than that, he was stricken with paralysis, which rendered him helpless for a number of years.

Charles Pope, one of the best all-around actors of his time, was another actor who yielded to the allurements of Nevada. At the expiration of an engagement at Virginia City, in 1864, he quit the stage, with the intention of becoming a resident of the State. After remaining on the Comstock for a while, the glowing reports from the Reese River country drew him to that region. But fortune, as if offended by his recreancy to his profession, seemed to have no favors in store for him anywhere within our borders; and the upshot was that after a year or more of strenuous trial he was forced to don the sock and buskin again and returned East to manage a theater in St. Louis.

Pope's wife, a charming actress, remained in Nevada longer than he did. Through an unfortunate misunderstanding, they had separated in Virginia City, she resuming her maiden name—Virginia Howard. She resided for some time in the State, highly respected and esteemed.

Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Robinson dropped out of the theatrical procession in very early days to become permanent residents of Virginia City, though they continued to make their appearance from time to time upon the local boards. Maggie Daly also left the stage there, married and lived for many years in the shadow of Mt. Davidson.

But of all the deserters from the ranks, the one best known to later Nevadans was Bob Lindsay. He came to Virginia City with the Zavitowsky troupe. He had a dash and heartiness that carried him farther than a great deal more ability might have done. Our free and reckless style of life just suited his nature, and he unhesitatingly cut loose from his calling to take part in it; and, as the most exciting part, he sought the position of gun-fighter in a mining dispute. Luckily he was seriously wounded in the very first engagement. To beguile the tedium of a sick-bed he took up the study of law, and became wedded to it. But for that wound, Bob Lindsay might have turned out a desperate character instead of a peaceable lawyer and a good citizen.

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It is but fair to say that Nevada has compensated the stage for the lights withdrawn from it by contributing more than an equal number in return. The list would be creditable to any community, but it is especially so to a sparsely settled frontier one.

The most promising one of all—Emma Wixom, the Austin girl, who, as "Emma Nevada," flashed on the world as a prima donna in the early '80s—unfortunate for the public, prized affection more than fame, and suddenly turned from the triumphs of a shining operatic career to the seclusion of domestic life. Her appearance was meteoric in its briefness as well as its brilliancy, but those who listened to the crystalline purity of her notes will always believe the world lost one of its divinest voices by her retirement.

The Pixley sisters, of Carson City, appeared on the stage while quite young, and Annie developed into a very fine actress. She married Robert Fulford, the actor, and shortly afterward went East.

Lottie and Nellie Gibson, of Gold Hill, were also two pleasing little actresses who made their debut on the local boards. The latter, for some reason one could never understand, became known as the "California Diamond," and was billed under that sobriquet for many years as a popular star, both on this coast and in the East.

Carrie Clark, a Virginia City girl, was another of Nevada's contributions to the stage. She married James Ward, the comedian.

In the latter '70s came George Osborn, who, while running a car at the Ophir mine, made so pronounced a hit in an amateur performance that he became a professional, and was a great favorite in San Francisco during the '80s, playing generally in ,combination with Lew Stockwell. Richard Jose graduated from the forge of a Reno smithy in the latter '905 to become a singer of international reputation. Flora Finlayson, who alternated with Jessie Bartlett Davis in the halcyon days of "The Bostonians," and Madeline Bouton, who met with a tragic death a few years ago in San Francisco, also left their homes in Reno to enter the theatrical profession. Mabel Bouton, her sister, became a raging favorite in New York when she created the part of "Little Christopher." At the time of her death the New York papers published. full-page pictures of her face, which was mentioned as the most beautiful that had graced the American stage for a decade.

Nina Varian, the sister of Charles Varian, the Reno attorney, who was

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Speaker of the Nevada Legislature in 1883, made a memorable hit in "The Danachiffs" at the Baldwin Theater, San Francisco. Mrs. Cora Hall, of Reno, is now singing operatic roles in Italy.

Mollie Raynor was a Virginia City girl who became a popular favorite and Georgie Woodthorp earned her first recognition and Madam Murtha Portius first sang on the Comstock.

In the flush bonanza days, Piper's Opera House played the best stars that could be obtained. John Mackay was a partner in the enterprise. If there was a surplus after the engagement Piper took it, and if there was a deficit Mackay paid it. Under this arrangement Mackay only asked that he be allowed to go on the free list. The public was exceedingly liberal in its patronage. Once on the occasion of a benefit given to John McCullough there was over $22,000 in the box office.

The Opera House was opened in July, 1863. It had the prestige of Tom Maguire's name, and was affiliated with his San Francisco theater in respect of an interchange of stock companies and stars, but Johnny Burns was the principal owner and local manager. From the time of the opening the Enterprise devoted considerable space to it, and the ability and discrimination of its criticisms soon attracted the attention of the public and the theatrical profession alike. If ever a paper tried to be just and do its best in the line of dramatic criticism, it was the Enterprise. Goodman, Mark Twain and Dan de Quille, or, later on, Daggett, Goodman and Dan de Quille, would all attend a first night together, then write their separate impression of the performance and hold a symposium as to which article, or what blend of two or more of them should go into the paper. With such painstaking on the part of four able writers, and the fact that the articles were widely copied by dramatic and other journals abroad, it was no wonder it should come to be believed that the Enterprise could make or unmake anyone's professional reputation, and there was always great anxiety among the members of every newly arrived company to learn what was to be their fate.

In recognition of its influence, the management of the Opera House had given all of its poster and bill printing to the Enterprise and set apart the whole front row of orchestra seats to the right of the aisle—a dozen or more—for the attaches of that paper; and to make sure that no one should occupy them by mistake, a big sign with an immense spread eagle

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and the words, "Reserved for the Enterprise," was stretched clear across their backs.

Everything went on harmoniously between the Opera House and the Enterprise until the engagement of Adah Isaachs Menken, in March, 1864. It would be difficult to convey an exact idea of Menken's position in the theatrical world at that time. She was classed only as a "shape" actress, but she created a furore wherever she appeared. The truth is that, except for her grace, she was no actress at all; but she possessed the most winning face, the divinest form and the greatest soul of any woman that ever trod the stage. The Enterprise critics met and as a result of their conference decided to vivisect the Menken, but after seeing her, returned to their office and wrote rapturous things about her. Joseph Goodman wrote most of the commendatory notices of her which so excited the jealousy of the rest of the company that they introduced several "gags" at the editor's expense. The Menken at once demanded that the manager make a public apology to Goodman, which he declined to do and as a result The Menken refused to play "Mazeppa" that night and the large audience had to be dismissed. She relented on the following night and Mark Twain's notice of the play was copied all over the United States. At the conclusion of her engagement the Opera House turned on the Enterprise to punish it. It withdrew its printing and advertising and suspended the free list for everybody connected with the paper. It was just what the critics were always aching for, the chance for a good open fight. And they engineered it well and made it very hot and uncomfortable for the Opera House. If a good show came, they wouldn't mention it, and no one would ever have known from the Enterprise that there was such a place of amusement in town; but if a vulnerable one made its appearance, Goodman or Mark or Dan would pay his dollar for admission and then take a hundred dollars' worth of fun or satisfaction out of the hides of the poor actors and actresses.

Mark Twain went away a little while afterward, but Daggett came on the paper about the same time. Above all other pleasures in the world, I think Daggett reveled most in keen and bitter writing, and he threw himself with zest into the Opera House fight. Some of his onslaughts were classic in the purity of their abuse.

The situation soon grew to be a terror to the theatrical profession, and instead of the eagerness with which they had formerly sought engagements

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in Virginia City, companies came with reluctance or refused to come at all. Pauncefort, an excellent but very eccentric actor, was ridiculed so that he threw up his engagement. Walter Montgomery, an English tragedian of high repute, who was booked for two weeks, after reading the Enterprise's criticism of his Hamlet, the second day, boarded the stage and left in disgust, saying he had enough of Virginia City. Emily Thorne, a very beautiful actress, opened an engagement in "Mazeppa," and received such a notice from the Enterprise that she refused to appear again, and the theater was finally closed.

Johnny Burns, who was the worst sufferer, had meanwhile been making overtures for a reconciliation, but he was informed that in loyalty to the memory of the loyal Menken there could be none without an apology, a restitution of the former patronage and the dismissal of Stage Manager Graves. They were harsh terms, but under the stress to which the Opera House had been driven by its foolish action, they were complied with.

Some of the greatest stars of the profession visited the Comstock after this: Helena Modjeska, Edwin Booth, Lawrence Barrett, Amiee with her French Opera Company, Sheridan, Ada Cavendish, Rose Etynge, Mrs. Drew, McKee Rankin, Caroline Richings Barnard with her English Opera Company, Richard Mansfield, Nance O'Neil, Nellie Holbrook, Jennie Lee, Barton Hill, The Majoronies, Winetta Montague, The Worrell Sisters, Robsen and Crane, James McNeil, Frank Mayo, Tom Keen and scores of others.

Goodman and Daggett wrote "The Psychoscope," a piece of imaginative work that foreshadowed the book by Stevenson, "Jekyll and Hyde." It had a tremendous run on the Comstock, but the prudish San Francisco managers refused to give it recognition unless a certain scene was eliminated. The authors declined to change their work and it was never again produced.

Piper lost his Opera House twice by fire but he rebuilt it and performances are still given there.

The finest theatrical structure in the State is the "Majestic," erected in Reno by the late George Nixon. Not long ago Sarah Bernhardt played there to a packed house, completing the list of notable lights of the drama that have appeared in Nevada.

There is a commodious place of amusement in every leading town in Nevada, and even some of the smaller towns have up to date halls with suitable stages for dramatic production.