Bryants’ Minstrels

Event Information

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

Event Type:
Minstrel

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
6 February 2022

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

11 Apr 1870, Evening
12 Apr 1870, Evening
13 Apr 1870, Evening
14 Apr 1870, Evening
15 Apr 1870, Evening
16 Apr 1870, Evening

Performers and/or Works Performed

1)

LIST OF PERFORMER(S)/ORGANIZATION(S)

Participants: Bryants' Minstrels; James Unsworth; [minstrel singer] Eugene; Dan Bryant; George W. Howard Griffin; Little [minstrel] Mac; Dave [minstrel] Reed

2)

Hamlet, [burlesque (Griffin)]

aka Hamlet the dainty; Hamlet in black

Text Author: Griffin

Participants: George W. Howard Griffin

3)

Live ingin, The

aka Live injun

4)

"Shoo fly, don't bodder me"

aka Shoo fly don't bother me; Shu fly don't bother me; Shew fly don’t bother me

Composer(s): Howard

Participants: Dan Bryant

5)

Daniel in the Bryant's den

Citations

1)

Advertisement: New York Herald, 10 April 1870, 5.

2)

Announcement: New York Herald, 11 April 1870, 5.

3)

Announcement: New York Sun, 11 April 1870, 2.

Brief.

4)

Announcement: New York Clipper, 16 April 1870, 14.

“‘Shoo Fly’ shows what a little push will do. Although this now popular song and dance was given by Delehanty and Hengler at Bryant’s some time before Daniel and David essayed it, it created no enthusiasm; nevertheless it was exceedingly well done. Daniel saw it in the elements of success, however, so when Delehanty and Hengler closed their engagement, Dan Bryant and Dave Reed adopted the ‘Shoo Fly’ as their own—it was thoroughly advertised in the papers and by pictorial posters, and it at once became the sensation of the day; General Benjamin F. Butler even condescending to introduce it in the U. S. Senate. It is still on at Bryant’s.”