Budworth’s Minstrels

Event Information

Venue(s):
Fifth Avenue Opera House

Price: $.35; $.50; $.75

Event Type:
Minstrel

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
27 August 2018

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

15 Oct 1866, 8:00 PM
16 Oct 1866, 8:00 PM
17 Oct 1866, 8:00 PM
18 Oct 1866, 8:00 PM
19 Oct 1866, 8:00 PM
20 Oct 1866, 2:30 PM
20 Oct 1866, 8:00 PM

Performers and/or Works Performed

2)
aka Barbary Allen; Barb'ry Allen; Barbara Ellen
6)
aka Echoes from Vaterland
8)
aka Imitations of famous actors; Imitations of popular actors; Limitations of great actors; Parlor theatricals
9)
aka Favorite ballads ; Ballads and warblings; Beautiful ballads
10)
aka Clog reel

Citations

1)
Announcement: New York Herald, 15 October 1866, 4.

“Manager Budworth, in a very laudable and spirited endeavor to please his patrons fully, comes out with a programme worthy of his elegant establishment, the new Fifth Avenue Opera House. This evening will be revived the laughable ‘naughty gal’ burlesque, called the Capture of Fort Fisher. Mr. J. H. Budworth will be out in his imitations of popular actors, and the rest of the company will appear in comical, tragical [sic], sentimental and terpsichorean acts, given with a will and the full exercise of their talent. The management has in active rehearsal for next week an original black extravaganza, taken from ‘ye old legends of ye dark ages,’ entitled George and the Dragon, or the Maid and the Monster.”

2)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 15 October 1866, 7.
3)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 15 October 1866, 7.
4)
Announcement: New York Clipper, 20 October 1866, 222.
5)
Advertisement: New York Clipper, 20 October 1866, 224.
6)
Review: New York Clipper, 27 October 1866, 230.

“Budworth’s Minstrels are now an established fact in the

fashionable part of the metropolis, the house being first class and well filled, both in the evenings and at the matinees. J. H. Budworth’s ‘Song of All Nations,’ ‘Echoes from Fatherland’ and ‘Imitations of Actors,’ are so truthful and amusing that he is a show in himself, taking the audience by storm. On the night we were present he imitated Edwin Forrest, Barney Williams, F. L. Davenport, Harry Pearson and Glenny to such perfection that we doubt if, with the eyes shut, a person could tell whether or not the great originals were not there in propria persona. W. S. Budworth is rather ‘too demonstrative,’ however, and to better adapt himself to the audience should tone down his songs a little—then he would be sans reproach. C. Henry’s ballads, like good wine, ‘need no bush,’ while Hughes and Hogan, in their Irish and clog dancing, show themselves masters of the situation—the former is also very funny in whatever he has to do.”