Bryants’ Minstrels

Event Information

Venue(s):
Bryants’ Minstrel Hall (E. 14th St.)

Event Type:
Minstrel

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
26 April 2019

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

22 Mar 1869, Evening
23 Mar 1869, Evening
24 Mar 1869, Evening
25 Mar 1869, Evening
26 Mar 1869, Evening
27 Mar 1869, Evening

Program Details

As described in the New York Clipper review, Nelse Seymour did not perform after 03/26, owing to an injury sustained at the Spencer Surprise party. (For more on the party, see event entry of 03/25/69: Theatre Comique.)

Performers and/or Works Performed

1)
LIST OF PERFORMER(S)/ORGANIZATION(S)
Participants:  Bryants' Minstrels;  James Unsworth;  [minstrel singer] Eugene;  Dan Bryant;  Nelse Seymour
2)
Inauguration ball, The
3)
Scenes at Phalon's
aka Scenes at Phalons
4)
Gendarmes, The
aka Two gendarmes, The; Ebony blondes; Britain’s blondes by Africa’s Blacks; Gens d'armes
5)
Night school

Citations

1)
Announcement: New-York Times, 21 March 1869, 5.
2)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 22 March 1869, 12.
3)
Advertisement: New-York Times, 22 March 1869, 7.
4)
Announcement: New-York Daily Tribune, 22 March 1869, 5.

“‘Night School’ is announced at Bryant’s [sic]. Brougham’s burletta of ‘Orpheus’ is to be presented by these minstrels before the close of the season.”

5)
Review: New York Clipper, 03 April 1869, 414.

“Nelse Seymour, while attempting to do the leap, like Harlequin in the pantomime, met with quite an accident at the Spencer Surprise party on March 25th. It appears that Johnny Mack, Nelse Seymour and James Maffitt bantered each other to make the run of the lobby of the theatre and leap through the small window in the rear end of the box office. Johnny Mack successfully accomplished it, landing himself sprawling on the box office floor. Nelse’s turn came next, and although he went through, his head struck against the window sill, tearing the scalp and causing an ugly and painful wound, so much so that he was unable to perform the following night. Maffitt did not make the attempt after this. The window is too small for feats of this kind. On Saturday, the 27th, Mr. Seymour continued confined to his bed, and the wound is more serious than at first supposed.”