Bryants’ Minstrels
Event Information
Venue(s):
Bryants’ Minstrel Hall (E. 14th St.)
Price: $.75 orchestra; $.50 parquet; $.25 gallery
Event Type:
Minstrel
Record Information
Status:
Published
Last Updated:
9 August 2020
Performance Date(s) and Time(s)
13 Sep 1869, Evening14 Sep 1869, Evening
15 Sep 1869, Evening
16 Sep 1869, Evening
17 Sep 1869, Evening
18 Sep 1869, Evening
Program Details
Performers and/or Works Performed
Citations
“The Bryants having about competed their summer travelling season will reopen their establishment in Fourteenth street on Monday, September 13. In addition to their old company they have secured the services of several new singers and dancers, among them Joseph Brandell, tenor; William Dwyer, tenor, [sic] and James G. Russell, baritone. Unsworth and Eugene and Dave Reed also rejoin the troupe.”
"Bryants’ Minstrels re-open at their hall in Fourteenth street on the 13th inst. They are at present traveling through this State, meeting with crowded houses.”
“Bryants’ minstrels, rejuvenated and invigorated by the success of their recent tour, will reopen for the season at their hall in the Tammany wigwam this evening, with all the old favorite and many new candidates for metropolitan honors.”
“Bryant’s [sic] Minstrels.—This excellent band of very dark complexioned artists reopened the season at Tammany last night, with a largely increased company and a full programme. They are Indians of a more sooty shade, but a little more harmonious, just now than the aborigines of Tammany. However, it must be said that, while the color is a burnt cork fraud, the harmony is genuine. Any one who wants to enjoy fun in its most unmitigated form must got to the new musical ‘coal hole’ of Tammany.”
“…The hall was very crowded, and throughout the week business was most excellent. The company secured for the season is one of the best the Bryants have had for some time; the instrumental and vocal party both being very good and large. The first part is composed of sixteen performers… The instrumental music consists of clarionet, flute, three violins, cornet and double bass. In the first part there were four sentimental and two comic songs, the overture, opening chorus and the finale, and in the olio three single acts, three Ethiopian sketches, two double acts and the after piece. In the first part J. G. Russell, baritone, and J. Brandisi, tenor, made their bow in this city; the former in the song ‘Read Me a Letter from Home,’ and the latter in ‘Softly, Love, the Stars are Beaming.’ Mr. Russell has a voice of great power; many artists are overwhelmed by the orchestra, but not so with him, for he imparts a grace and melody to the high notes which has all the fascination of the sweetest tenor. Mr. Brandisi, at times, sings with some feeling and much force, though not always with precision. This gentleman has been laboring for several weeks under rather a severe attack of sickness, and he has not fully recovered, his throat having been affected. In a few weeks he will probably be himself once more. Monroe Dempster received an encore for his singing of ‘When We Were Young, Darling.’ In the olio Eugene came in for a hearty welcome in his specialty of burlesque singing, and received an encore. Delehanty and Hengler did their song and dance of ‘Walking in the Starlight,’ ‘Shut Fly, Don’t Bother Me,’ and others, and were encored eight times. Unsworth did the same stump speech he has been doing ever since he returned to this country, also the same banjo solo and song, with scarcely any change. Taken on the whole, the entertainment now given by the Bryants’ [sic] is one of the best they have presented in a long time, and they are well worth a visit.”