Tony Pastor’s Opera House: Tony Pastor Benefit

Event Information

Venue(s):
Tony Pastor's Opera House

Event Type:
Variety / Vaudeville

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
14 December 2019

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

26 Jun 1869, 2:30 PM
26 Jun 1869, 8:00 PM

Program Details

Final performances of the season; to benefit Tony Pastor. (Unclear if both performances on this day were Pastor benefits or only that in the evening.) Unsworth, Joseph Emmett, Hogan & Hughes, and Dave Reed appeared only at the afternoon performance, and courtesy of Dan Bryant; Charley White, J.M. Ward, Billy Emmett, and Frank Wood appeared only at the evening performance. It is unclear if the other participants appeared at both performances, although Benson and Somers’s clog dance competition was definitely held at least in the evening; it is likewise unclear if Tony Pastor performed. Citations boast more than “fifty volunteers” will participate in the benefit, but, again, it is unclear if this means fifty volunteers at each performance, or fifty across both performances.

Performers and/or Works Performed

1)
LIST OF PERFORMER(S)/ORGANIZATION(S)
Participants:  Tony Pastor’s Company;  R. A. [baritone] Brennan;  Dave [minstrel] Reed;  Jennie Benson;  Billy [Ethiopian comedian] Emmett;  John P. Hogan [minstrel];  Ruey Hughes;  Frank [Ethiopian comedian] Wood;  James Unsworth;  Joseph Kline Emmet;  Alice [clog dancer] Somers;  Tony Pastor;  Mrs. R. A. [serio-comic] Brennan;  Charley White
2)
"Sally, come up"
aka Sally come up
3)
Bone solo
aka bones solo
Participants:  Dave [minstrel] Reed
4)
Clog dance
aka Clog reel
Participants:  Alice [clog dancer] Somers;  Jennie Benson

Citations

1)
Announcement: New York Herald, 20 June 1869, 7.

"The season at Tony Pastor’s closes next Saturday night, on which occasion Tony will have a benefit. Charley White will assume a colored visage once more for the occasion, and a host of other volunteers have offered their services, so that a prosperous season is likely to have a lively ending.”

2)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 20 June 1869, 11.

Two ads on the same page. One for the week’s performaces (“double company in a farewell bill”); one specifically for Pastor benefit on Saturday.

3)
Announcement: New York Herald, 21 June 1869, 5.

No mention of music.

4)
Announcement: New York Herald, 24 June 1869, 5.

“The season closes at Tony Pastor’s Opera House on Saturday evening next in a perfect blaze of splendor. Manager Pastor takes his annual benefit upon that particular evening, when he will be assisted by a brilliant host of fifty volunteers. Manager White, the greatest black comedian on the boards, will besmear his face once more with burnt cork upon this festive occasion in honor of the popular pastor, whose parishoners will muster in full force at his temple of Momus to bid him an affectionate adieu previous to his departure for the great ‘Hub.’”

5)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 25 June 1869, 12.
6)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 26 June 1869, 12.
7)
Review: New York Herald, 27 June 1869, 3.

“Tony Pastor’s Opera house closed last night for the season in a blaze of splendor. The popular Tony took a monster benefit, at which himself and Messrs. Charley White, Dan Bryant, Joe Emmett, and a ‘host of other talen’t assisted. The Theatre Comique, bosotn, will receive the company from Tony Pastor’s to-morrow evening…During the absence of the company from this city their hall will be remodeled and redecorated.”