Wood’s Minstrels

Event Information

Venue(s):
Wood's Minstrel Hall

Proprietor / Lessee:
Henry Wood [minstrel]
East 14th St at the corner of Irving Place Academy of Music

Manager / Director:
Henry Wood [minstrel]

Price: $.25

Event Type:
Minstrel

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
23 July 2014

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

07 Dec 1863, 7:30 PM
08 Dec 1863, 7:30 PM
09 Dec 1863, 7:30 PM
10 Dec 1863, 7:30 PM
11 Dec 1863, 7:30 PM
12 Dec 1863, 2:30 PM
12 Dec 1863, 7:30 PM

Program Details

Cool White, stage manager

Performers and/or Works Performed

1)
LIST OF PERFORMER(S)/ORGANIZATION(S)
Participants:  M. Lewis [minstrel];  Charley [minstrel] Fox;  Frank Brower;  Cool White [minstrel];  Charles Henry [minstrel tenor];  David S. Wambold;  A. J. Talbot;  P. B. Isaacs
2)
Camille, [burlesque]
aka African Camille
Participants:  Charley [minstrel] Fox (role: Arnaud);  Frank Brower (role: Camille)
3)
Challenge dance
4)
Four crows, The
5)
"Rebel privateer, The"
6)
Grecian statues
aka Grecian statue
7)
Let her go

Citations

1)
Advertisement: New York Herald, 06 December 1863.
 “Grand Matinee on Saturday.”
2)
Announcement: New York Post, 07 December 1863, 3.
In “Diary of Amusements—Monday, December 7.  Negro melodies.”
3)
Advertisement: New York Clipper, 12 December 1863, 278.
Mentions SAT matinee.  “Third week of the new and laughable burlesque. . . . The best burlesque ever produced.”
4)
Review: New York Clipper, 19 December 1863, 283.

Good description of most of the company, with some useful biographical information on Frank Brower. 

“At Wood’s Minstrels the attendance continues good, and there is no reason why this beautiful temple dedicated to minstrelsy should not be filled to repletion on every occasion that this fine company of black birds appear, embracing as it does some of the most finished musicians, the sweetest ballad singers, clever end men, and as good a quartette as there is in the business.  Prominent in the list stands the name of Cool White, who has been identified as one of the brightest stars in the ‘biz’ for the past twenty years.  As interlocutor, he has no superior—gentlemanly in style and delivery, and never offending the most fastidious.  He is one of the most useful men in the profession, for aside from his great abilities as a middle man and stage manager, he becomes a valuable adjunct in the quartette of ‘funny business.’  Frank Brower comes next in the rank and file.  Uncle Frank was one of the first burnt corkers, he being one of the originators of the original Virginia Minstrels in 1843.  In his particular line of business, Frank need not take a back seat with any of ‘em.  Fox and Talbott, the end men, speak for themselves.  They’re good.  The brothers Isaacs next claim our attention.  As musicians, they are very clever, particularly P.B. Isaacs, who is one of the best violinists at present in the business.  His solos are really superb, and his imitations of animals and birds cannot easily be surpassed.  The quartette is one of the best we ever heard, each party being a thorough artist, and their voices blend together in exquisite harmony.  Search the profession through, and it would be a very difficult thing indeed to find two more pleasing ballad singers than Messrs. Wambold and Henry; and in several old and familiar ballads, Wambold stands alone for sweetness and depth of feeling, moving as he frequently does many of the audience to tears.  M. Lewis is the wench dancer; he takes rank with the best in that line.  He is a careful dresser, and always looks well when made up.”