Springfield Township (part 5 of 5)

By J. L. Phillips. During the winter of 1841-42, Springfield had its regular theatre. In the early part of this season the dining room of W. W. Watson's restaurant on the south side o^f the square, in an old building that stood on the ground now occupied by the building used as a store room by the Smith Brothers was used as a theatre, and in this room a company of performers appeared who were- managed by an actor named Jefferson, the father of Joe Jefferson, the Comedian, whose name of late years has become famous by his excellent portrayal of Rip Van Winkle. In this dining hall, the comedian of to-day, Joe Jefferson, made his first appearance on any stage. He sang songs such as were sung at that time by "Daddy" Rice, the founder of minstrelsy, and among young Jefferson's vocal efforts we mention the following: "The Spider and the Fly," "The Steam Arm," and "The Cork J>eg." After appearing at this ulace quite a while the old theatre on Sixth street, between Monroe and Adams, about where the Reiner building now stands, was opened as a theatre by a company under the management of Hastings & Jefferson.

At this house, young Joe Jefferson acted, and on the boards of this stage many young performers appeared whose names afterwards became famous in the dramatic world. After awhile this building was taken for other uses and the young boys of that day met there many evenings, before it was regularly occupied to "take gas!' and see its effects on others, amusing themselves in this way evening after evening During a performance given at this theatre Henry Ridgely, then a young boy, that had raised the anger of a young man, much larger than himself (a son of Colonel May) and May had given young Henry a slap in the face. Young Ridgely watched for a chance when May was not looking and he ran down the slightly inclined floor and with his head down, struck May from behind between his knees and came near pitching him out of a window which was open near by. This was his revenge for the slap given him by May. This old theatre was afterwards used by John DeCamp as a bowling alley, and has been torn down a number of years.

The next theatre in Springfield was the old Metropolitan Theatre, an old frame building which stood on the ground now occupied by the Western Hotel. This theatre was used as a place of amusement up to the close of the war, and on its stage appeared some of the most prominent people on the stage.

From a local paper published in the fall of 1881, the same writer gave the following reminiscences of the "Amusements of Springfield," covering a period of about twenty-five years:

"It has been a number of years since Springfield has had a place called an opera house, but prior to that she was well supplied with numerous halls, all of which served as places for the traveling showmen to exhibit their different entertainments in and furnish amusement for our people at that time. Among the old halls were Capitol Hall, which was in the third story of the old Bunn's bank building, (now used as an Odd Fellow's hall,) Concert Hall, on the north side of the square, now used as a photograph gallery; Cook's Hall, east side of the square, and Burkhardt's Hall, the last named being used of late years as a hall for dancing, and Metropolitan Hall, located in the old frame building on the ground now occupied by by the Western Hotel. In these old halls, Maggie Mitchell, Siddons, Jennie Hight, Virginia Howard, Laura Keene, Edwin Forest, Edwin Booth, McKean Buchanan, Bob. Meldrum and other stellar attractions made their appearance, while the numerous other traveling attractions filled engagements at some one of the above halls. R. Rudolph, who several years ago was a prominent citizen of Springfield, recognizing the want of a first-class place of amusement, erected on the corner of Sixth and Jefferson streets, what was termed by him an opera house, and was known as Rudolph's Opera House, but which should have been more properly named and called Rudolph's Folly, for it was a great barn of an edifice with no accommodations in it either for the audience or actor. The buildingwas always considered by many of our people unsafe, and it is probably well that it was burned down as it was, for it might have fell and been the means of destroying many lives if it had remained and been used as a place of amusement for any length of time.

" When Rudolph's Opera House was first opened, the manager was George J. Deagle, of St. Louis, who not knowing anything of the people of the city, brought a very poor company (with one or two exceptions) to commence the season. The opening was made before the building was entirely finished, the opening attraction being J. B. Studley in the play of ' Eustache Bandin.' Aside from Mr. Studley and the comedy roles of Edwin Wight and wife, the rest of the company were very poor indeed, and the newspapers being outspoken in their denunciation of the performance, manager Deagle closed the house at the end of the first week - for two weeks - until he could engage a better lot of people. At his opening of the season the second time his company was a much better one, and included among its members, besides Mr. and Mrs. Wight, J. K. Vernon, Frank Rose and Annie Ward. The latter named has been dead for a number of years past. Deagle kept the house open, playing some first-class attractions during the whole season, and the next season R. Rudoph, with J, H. Huntley as business manager, gave another season of amusements to the people ot the city. During these two seasons of a regular theatre in Springfield, many well known celebrities appeared and were well patronized by our people. Among those who filled engagements at this house were Lotta, Laura Keene, who was the stellar attraction playing in the play of ' Our American Cousin' at Ford's Theatre, the night President Lincoln was assassinated, and who alone had the presence of mind to lift and hold up the wounded man's head after the act was committed; Vestvali, Sue Denin, Emelie Melville, Edwin Forrest, MoUie Williams and Felix Vincent, Mrs. Farren and W. E. Sheriden, Estelle Potter, Kate Fisher, and others whose names are now forgotten. Lotta played a three week's engagement while here, and strange as it may seem to many now, her house was large every night of the engagement. Forrest, who played his master-part of ' Richelieu' and appeared in 'Jack Cade,' also, had two of the largest audiences ever assembled in the old house. The writer remembers a little incident connected with Forrest during his stay in this city, which goes to prove that the man's nature was not hard and cold as many newspaper writers of to-day would make people think. The great actor was walking along one of our streets during the day while in Springfield, when, upon passing a stairway near the square, a little toddling child came out on the walk directly in front of the old tragedian. At the sight of the little one a smile lit up the face of Forrest, and stooping down he lifted the babe up in his arms and with it walked up and down the pavement, all the time talking to the little one, and neither looking at or speaking to any one passing by. The mother of the babe who was in the stairway at the time looking on, was the wife of a mechanic in the city. She did not know who the old gentleman was who had her child in his arms, but seemed to enjoy the pleasure the little one's prattle afforded him, and waited until Forrest had tired himself out with the exercise, and placing the child before its mother, walked on his way without even speaking to the mother or letting her know who had been so much taken up with the little one. His heart could not have been so hard, nor was he so void of feeling when a little child's prattle could so thoroughly entertain him as did this little one.

"Susan Denin was probably the most beautiful as well as the most business-like lady artist that ever appeared in the opera house. She would alone go to the printing offices and give her own instructions to the pi'inter who was en- gaged in composing any of her ijrintiiig; telling him just what lines to displaj^ and when her directions were carefully followed out she never complained of any work executed for her. Vestvali, termed 'the magnificent,' failed to keep the whole of her engagement here because of too much wine drinking, which incapacitated her for acting. This talented artiste has been dead several years. Emelie Melville, one of the best lady attractions at this house, was accompanied here by her mother, and while in the city, every Sabbath morning and evening the mother and daughter might have been seen in attendance at one of our churches, plainly dressed, worshiping the Father above with all the devotion of true Christians, which they most certainly bore evidence of being at all times. Edwin Wight, comedian and stage manager of the house for a long term, was a good actor and a pleasant gentleman. Mr. Wight is at present a resident of St. Louis, and during the fail and winter seasons, passes his time in managing a small company of his own, playing in the smaller towns. Mrs. Farren, who, during her stay at the opera house here, made many friends, is still before the public, though well along in years. W. E. Sheridan is at present staring in the legitimate. J. K. Vernon, Avho was leading man at the opera house here, is at present acting in variety houses in the larger cities. Annie Ward is dead; she departed this life several years ago, after having first attained quite a high place in the dramatic world. Her old 'flame,' Frank Rose, was afterwards married to another lady, and they are both acting now in stock companies in the east.

"Before closing this sketch, I wish to make mention of the jolly old leader of the orchestra at this house, Professor Fessenden. The Professor was a capital leader, and as jovial and pleasant a man as one would wish to meet with, and added much to the entertainments of that time by the excellent music he furnished.

"During the seasons of 1868-0, the Stock Company of the Olympic Theater, St. Louis, made frequent visits to this city, appearing here during the engagement of other attractions at the theater in St. Louis. This company was managed by Mr. Frank Evans, the leading man of the company, who at present is manager and leading man for the Bartley Campbell Galley Slave Company. Among the people who were members of the Olympic Company appearing here, we remember Mr. Frank Evans, Mr. J. W. Albaugh, Mary Mitchell, (sister of Maggie) Bob Duncan and Dolly Davenport, both of whom are since dead, W. P. Sheldon, the comedian. Miss Frankie McClellan, who afterwards became Mrs. Dolly Davenport, and Mrs. W. P. Sheldon. It was during one of the engagements of the Olympic Company in this city, that Mr. Frank Evans fir-t played the role of Claude Melnotte, which performance was so highly praised by the local critics at that time.

"As before stated the old Rudolph Opera House was destroyed by fire, and on its site Ja«ob Bunn, Esq., erected a hall which was used as an opera house until the building was purchased by George W. Chatterton and afterwards altered with enlarged additions, and the present new and elegant Opera House built in its place, which the people of Springfield are favored with at present. The new house was opened by a concert of mixed talent, headed by M'll Litta, and since that time many of the best attractions in the country have appeared on its stage."