Teaching with Primary Sources — MTSU
PRIMARY SOURCE SET
PERFORMING ARTS: THE STAGE & SCREEN
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The stage and screen has long played a major role in
American society and culture. Just try to imagine a
world without movies and theater. Plays, shows, and
motion pictures have served as an entertainment outlet, a social event with the chance to meet and mingle
with others, and a means of escaping the stress of everyday life.
Although motion pictures and theater are meant to
serve primarily as entertainment, examining the trends
in the performing arts of the stage and screen over the
years reveals reflections of American culture within
different eras. Considered to be racist today, Blackface minstrel shows were one of the most popular
forms of entertainment in America for over 100 years
starting in the 1830s. Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show
dramatized frontier life and played into the stereotypes
of American Indian culture at the peak of its success.
Studying popular films and advertisements for shows
tell a great deal about what Americans have been interested in over the years. Take a look at the movies and
theatrical performances offered in your community.
Do they reflect current trends in American culture?
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
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Performing Arts Encyclopedia
America at Work, America at Leisure: Motion
Pictures from 1894-1915
American Variety Stage: Vaudeville and Popular
Entertainment, 1870-1920
Edison Motion Pictures
Posters: Performing Arts Posters
Origins of American Animation
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The New Deal Stage: Selections from the Federal
Theatre Project, 1935-1939
The Wizard of Oz: An American Fairy Tale
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Music, Theatre, Dance
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Shakespeare in America
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Invention & Motion Pictures
Thurston, master magician all out of a hat.[c. 1910]
SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHERS:
The Library of Congress Web site is a great place to find
primary sources related to the performing arts, from
movie posters to films to photographs to scripts. This particular primary source set explores several categories related to the performing arts:
p. 2
Theater
p. 3
Motion Pictures
p. 4
Circuses, Sideshows & Magicians
p. 5
Famous Performers
(pp. 6-8 are bibliographic citations)
A great place to start is the Performing Arts Encyclopedia,
which allows explorers to both search and browse the
primary source collections and exhibitions relating to various performing arts. Search the Posters: Performing Arts
Posters Collection for examples of advertisements and
posters for movies and shows. How have advertisements
and posters changed over the years? Design a poster for
your favorite movie or play. Have students look at the
play scripts in the New Deal Stage Collection, and choose
a scene to act out or have students participate in a school
variety show. View some of the films on the Library of
Congress Web site. How are they different than films
today? How is American culture reflected within the stage
and screen and vice versa? For additional ideas see the
June 2009 TPS-MTSU Newsletter that explores popular
culture and the performing arts and the May 2010 TPSMTSU Newsletter that explores music.
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THEATER
Macbeth (William Shakespeare), Boston, January
31-March 1, 1939, directed by Eliot Duvey) contains reviews, costume
designs, photographs,
lighting plot, playbills,
etc.
Broadway north from 38th St., New
York City, showing Winter Garden,
Maxine Elliott's, Casino, and Knickerbocker Theatres. [c. 1920]
Wm. H. West's Big Minstrel Jubilee
(formerly of Primrose & West). [ca.
1898]
The Sandow Trocadero Vaudevilles [ca. 1894]
Star Theatre / American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. [1902]
2
Drake's Theatre broadside [1819]
Tivoli Theater, 709-713 Broad
Street, Chattanooga, Hamilton,
TN [n.d.]
MOTION PICTURES
Movie Etiquette Cards [1912; 5
cards]
"Adventures of Tarzan" /
Ritchey Litho. Corp. [1921]
Advertisement for The Wizard of
Oz in Cosmopolitan magazine
[1939]
Roy Roger's hand and footprints, Grauman's Chinese
Theatre, Los Angeles, California [2006]
[Ritz Theatre, Greenville, Alabama]
[2010]
Levi & Cohen, the Irish comedians/ American Mutoscope and Biograph
Company. [1903] Video
The first circus/Dawley Prods.; producer and co-animator, Herbert M.
Dawley; animator, Tony Sarg. Part 2 of 2. [1921]
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Movie theatre, Chicago, Illinois
[1940]
CIRCUSES, SIDESHOWS & MAGICIANS
Japanese acrobats / Thomas A. Edison, Inc. [1904]
Barker at sideshow with performers, state fair, Donaldsonville, Louisiana [1938]
The Barnum & Bailey greatest show on earth, the
world's grandest, largest, best, amusement institution. The Flying Dillons in a series of most marvelous mid-air feats and startling performances [c.
1895]
Buffalo Bill's Wild West and congress of rough riders of
the world A congress of American Indians [...] [c. 1899]
Thurston, master magician all out of a hat.[c. 1910]
Bicycle trick riding, no. 2 / Thomas A. Edison, Inc. [1899]
4
FAMOUS PERFORMERS
Fred and Adele Astaire [n.d]
[Lotta Crabtree half-length
portrait, facing right] [c. 1868]
Stone walls and chains do not make a prison --for Houdini [c. 1898]
[William S. Hart, three-quarter length portrait,
seated, facing front, in cowboy outfit] [1918]
Judy Garland as Dorothy wearing
the ruby slippers. [1939]
P. T. Barnum [between 1855
and 1865]
Famous actress urges admittance into U.S. of
20,000 German refugee children… [1939]
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CITATIONS
Teachers: Providing these primary source replicas without source clues may enhance the inquiry experience for students. This list of
citations is supplied for reference purposes to you and your students. We have followed the Chicago Manual of Style format, one of
the formats recommended by the Library of Congress, for each entry below, minus the access date. The access date for each of these
entries is April 6, 2011.
“Advertisement for The Wizard of Oz in Cosmopolitan magazine.” 1939. From Library of Congress, The Wizard of Oz:
An American Fairy Tale. http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/oz/ozsect2.html.
Barnum and Bailey, creator/sponsor. “The Barnum & Bailey greatest show on earth, the world’s grandest, largest,
best, amusement institution. The Flying Dillons in a series of most marvelous mid-air feats and startling performances.” Lithograph. C. 1895. From Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand. http://www.loc.gov/
pictures/item/92504593/.
Bicycle trick riding, no. 2/Thomas A. Edison , Inc. Film. United States: Edison Manufacturing Co., 1899. From Library
of Congress, The American Variety Stage: Vaudeville and Popular Entertainment, 1870-1920. RealMedia, MPEG, Quick
Time. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/varstg:@field(NUMBER+@band(varsmp+0836)).
“[Broadway north from 38th St., New York City, showing Winter Garden, Maxine Elliott’s, Casino, and Knickerbocker Theatres].” c. 1920. From Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand. http://www.loc.gov/
pictures/item/2003689020/.
“Buffalo Bill’s Wild West and congress of rough riders of the world A congress of American Indians[…].” Poster.
Buffalo: Courier Litho. Co., c. 1899. From Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand. http://
www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2001696164/.
Burroughs, Edgar Rice, author. “Adventures of Tarzan.” Print. 1921. From Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items
in High Demand. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2003674112/ .
Cake Walk/American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. Film. United States: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1903. From Library of Congress, The American Variety Stage: Vaudeville and Popular Entertainment, 1870-1920.
RealMedia, MPEG, Quick Time. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/varstg:@field
(NUMBER+@band(varsmp+0367)).
Crissie Sheridan/Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Film. United States: Thomas A. Edison, Inc., 1897. From Library of Congress,
The American Variety Stage: Vaudeville and Popular Entertainment, 1870-1920. RealMedia, MPEG, Quick Time. http://
memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/varstg:@field(NUMBER+@band(varsmp+1143)).
Drake’s Theatre, creator. “Drake’s Theatre Broadside.” Broadside.1819. From Library of Congress, The First American West: The Ohio River Valley, 1750-1820. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/fawbib:@field
(DOCID+@lit(alf0004)).
“Fred and Adele Astaire.” Photograph. From Library of Congress: Bain Collection. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/
item/ggb2006011055/.
Harris & Ewing, photographer. “Famous actress urges admittance into U.S. of 20,000 German refugee children.
Washington, D.C., April 20. Speaking 'as an American mother,' actress Helen Hayes today appealed to a senate
immigration subcommittee to approve legislation to admit 20,000 German refugee children into the United States
during the next two years. She is pictured with Senator Robert F. Wagner, left, of New York, and Rep. Edith
Nourse Rogers, right, of Massachusetts .” Photograph. 1939. From Library of Congress: Harris & Ewing Collection.
http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/hec2009013215/.
Highsmith, Carol M., photographer. “[Ritz Theatre, Greenville, Alabama].” Photograph. 2010. From Library of
Congress: Highsmith (Carol M.) Archive. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2010640921/.
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Highsmith, Carol M., photographer. “Roy Roger’s hand and footprints, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles,
California.” Photograph. 2006. From Library of Congress: Highsmith (Carol M.) Archive. http://www.loc.gov/
pictures/item/2010630041/.
Historic American Building Survey, creator. Tivoli Theatre, 709-713 Broad Street, Chattanooga, Hamilton, TN.”
Photograph. From Library of Congress: Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic
American Landscapes Survey. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/TN0076/.
J. Gurney & Son, photographer. “[Lotta Crabtree half-length portrait, facing right].” c. 1898. From Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2005690002/.
Japanese acrobats/Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Film. United States: Edison Manufacturing Co., 1904. From Library of Congress, The American Variety Stage: Vaudeville and Popular Entertainment, 1870-1920. RealMedia, MPEG, Quick Time.
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/varstg:@field(NUMBER+@band(varsmp+1658)).
“Judy Garland as Dorothy wearing the ruby slippers.” Photograph. Hollywood: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1939.
From Library of Congress: The Wizard of Oze: An American Fairy Tale. http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/oz/
ozsect2.html.
Lasky corporation, creator. “Stone walls and chains do not make a prison— for Houdini.” Photograph. c. 1898.
From Library of Congress: Posters: Performing Arts Posters. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/var1994001597/PP/.
Lee, Russell, photographer. “Barker at sideshow with performance, state fair, Donaldsonville, Louisiana.” Photograph. 1938. From Library of Congress: Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information Black– and– White Negatives. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/fsa1997024209/PP/.
Levi & Cohen, the Irish comedians/American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. Film. United States, American Mutoscope
and Biograph Company, 1903. From Library of Congress, The American Variety Stage: Vaudeville and Popular Entertainment, 1870-1920. . Real Media, MPEG, Quick Time. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/
varstg:@field(NUMBER+@band(varsmp+0711)).
Macbeth (William Shakespeare), Boston, January 31-March 1, 1939, directed by Eliot Duvey). Production materials. 1939.
From Library of Congress, The New Deal Stage: Selection from the Federal Theatre Project, 1935-1939. http://
memory.loc.gov/ammem/fedtp/ftmb6.html.
“Movie Etiquette Cards.” Print. 1912. From Library of Congress: American Treasure of the Library of Congress, Reason.
http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trr068.html.
“P.T. Barnum.” Photograph. Between 1855 and 1865. From Library of Congress: Brady-Handy Collection. http://
www.loc.gov/pictures/item/brh2003003573/PP/.
Star Theater. Film. United States: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1902. From Library of Congress,
Early Motion Pictures, 1897-1920. Real Media, MPEG, Quick Time. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?
ammem/papr:@field(NUMBER+@band(lcmp002+m2b01464)).
Star Theater. Film. United States: American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1902. From Library of Congress,
Early Motion Pictures, 1897-1920. Real Media, MPEG, Quick Time. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?
ammem/papr:@field(NUMBER+@band(lcmp002+m2b01464)).
Strobridge & Co. Lith., creator. “Wm. H. West’s Big Minstrel Jubilee (formally of Primrose & West).” Lithograph.
c. 1898. From Library of Congress: Posters: Performing Arts Posters. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/
var1994001740/PP/.
Vachon, John., photographer. “Movie Theatre, Chicago, Illinois.” 1940. From Library of Congress: Farm Security
Administration/Office of War Information Black –and– White Negatives. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/
fsa1997006697/PP/.
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The first circus/Dawley Prods.; producer and co-animator, Herbert M. Dawley; animator, Tony Sarg. Film. United States:
[Dawley Prods. ?, 1921]. From the Library of Congress, Origins of American Animation. RealMedia, MPEG, Quick
Time. http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/papr:@filreq(@field(NUMBER+@band
(animp+4084s2))+@field(COLLID+animat))
“The Sandow Trocadero Vaudevilles.” Poster. Cincinnati, New York: Strobridge Lith. Co., c. 1894. From Library
of Congress: Posters: Performing Arts Posters. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/var1993000225/PP/.
“Thurston, master magician all out of a hat.” Lithograph. c. 1910. From Library of Congress: Posters: Performing Arts
Posters. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/var1994001649/PP/.
“[William S. Hart, three-quarter length portrait, seated, facing front, in cowboy outfit.]” Photograph. c. 1918.
From Library of Congress: Miscellaneous Items in High Demand. http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/91738537/.
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