Tony Pastor’s Opera House

“The amusing and delightfully varied performances which fill the bill at the above popular place of entertainment were witnessed last evening by a large and highly appreciative audience.  Prominent amid the dazzling galaxy of stars which shone upon the assembled elite of the neighborhood on this occasion beamed the mirth-provoking Tony, the side-splitting Johnny Thompson, the silvery-voiced Miss [Schiler?] and the nimble-footed Miss Smith.  Professor Libby, to whom fond parents or guardians prophetically gave as a Christian name that of the mighty pagan Hercules, performed a variety of astounding ‘cannon ball feats,’ and was followed by Mr. Ashton and his sons Frank and Willie, who cut a variety of unique capers entitled ‘Gems of the Gymnasium.’  Miss Alice Somers displayed considerable grace and agility in her famous Excelsior Clog Hornpipe, and Señorita Sagrino proved her right to the proud title of ‘the greatest female gymnist’ [sic] by the extraordinary skill and confidence with which she executed her daring aerial feats and the brilliant manner in which she performed a stirring drum solo (which, by the way, was composed for the occasion) on the high and giddy footing of a trapeze rope.  The performance concluded with an ‘entirely new’ and decidedly ‘peculiar’ drama, entitled ‘Amateurs and Actors.’”

“Tony Pastor continues to do, to the size of his house, as big a business as any place in the city. On Saturday evening, 13^th inst., the hall was so densely crowded that it was impossible for a late comer to obtain a sight of the stage. Alice Seidler, having caught the blond fever, appeared in a light wig, which did not add to her appearance.”