By Jody Drake and Michael Wurtz 

Vaudeville is as old as humanity, and in one form or another will endure as long as people seek laughter, good tunes, mystification and surprise. Often presented at the Elks Theater, it was a boost to the spirit and a temporary escape from fear, anxiety and pain. Prescott, like America, lost a rich mine of humor as vaudeville went from two-a-day to one daily showing, down to a weekly, and lastly, to a rare event presented by a local civic organization. 

In May of 1924 the Rotary Club of Prescott, in an effort to "swell the money for the childrens' play ground," sponsored the Rotary Vaudeville Show at the Elks Theater. The advertisements read, "Tonight, Two Shows Nightly, 7:00 and 9:00, Prices-- 30c, 40c and 55c Tax included, Prescott Rotarians Presents (sic) SPECIAL VAUDEVILLE ATTRACTION, seven acts." Judging from the newspaper coverage at the time it seemed that Prescott had been whipped into a frenzy. The Prescott Courier wrote, "With a vaudeville program consisting of seven or more vaudeville turns in addtion to a regular picture program, Prescott theater-goers have a treat in store for them at the Elks theater tonight, and every public-spirited citizen as well as those who seek entertainment should attend." The Prescott Journal Miner, the more prestigiois and colorful of daily papers, headlines shouted "COOLIDGE VETO CAN WAIT WHILE ROTARY PUTS ON VAUDEVILLE."

The article read, "Coolidge vetos the bonus. He also did likewise to the Bursum bill. And we gonna veto him sometime in November-- that boy gonna go house hunting sometime long 'bout furst of March, 1925. In the meantime and while we's waitin git in the line fur your tickets to the Rotary vaudeville this Saturday night." The Prescott Courier also added, "All the women in Prescott who have bobbed hair already have reserved their seats for the big Rotary show,... and those who still have long hair have formed in line at the various beauty parlors to be shorn of that encumbrance on order that they may be admitted to the theater. No sacrifice, they say, is too great in order to have a chance to see the Rotes and the Rotary-Ann do their stuff." 

Although in its time of decline, Prescott still wanted vaudeville. Vaudeville probably started with the first single or solo performer who sucessfully entertained an audience, either for pay or just because they enjoyed making people laugh or cry. The entertainer may have been a dancer, musician, juggler, acrobat, magician, or a street corner mimic. Each may have acted out a skit from a Greek or Egyptian rite, or simply amused their audience with antics poking fun at issues of the day. The term vaudeville seems to have many potential roots. Oliver Basselin's chanson du Vau or du "Val de Vire" was a well known drinking song. The parade voix de ville or "songs for the city streets", may claim origin. And Norman workmen in the french "valley of Vire" used to compose satiric couplets about their English invaders. At any rate vaudeville was started, and flourished as early as the late 18th century. 

There is one instance of a Parisian vaudeville troupe resorting to semi-historical acts after finding themselves in trouble for too many topical allusions. But in 1924 Prescott the scene was quite different. Both newspapers raved about the Saturday evening performances. Both shows were "packed to the doors", said the Prescott Courier. "It is seldom indeed that vaudeville can put across by local talent with all the finish of the professional troupe, but those who attended saw something that was the real thing and would receive favorable comment on the legitimate stage." 

For those of you not lucky enough to have shared this experience in 1924, or those of you who would like to again,or experience something new to you, the Sharlot Hall Museum and the Blue Rose Players are proud to present, straight from the Library of Congress, an old time vaudeville show entitled, "It's Better Than It Was Before, Even Though You Didn't See It." The show opens August 29, 1997 at 8:15 pm at the Museum's Amphitheater. For more show dates and tickets call the Sharlot Hall Museum at 445-3122 or stop by 415 West Gurley Street, downtown. 

Jody Drake is a member of the Blue Rose Players and a Sharlot Hall Museum volunteer, and Michael Wurtz is the Archivist at the Sharlot Hall Museum.

Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number: (pb148f16i11)
Reuse only by permission.
A play on stage at the Elks Theater, c 1920. The Elks Theater presented a wide variety of entertainment: plays, vaudeville, motion pictures, opera, ballet and even boxing matches.