Buffalo Theater Research
Buffalo Theater Research:SELECTED SOURCES IN THE GROSVENOR ROOMThe Playgoer Theatre Magazine (playbill of the Erlanger Theatre). August 31, 1943Key* Oversized BookBuffalo Buffalo CollectionBufS Located in Closed Stacks, ask for retrievalGRO Grosvenor CollectionNON-FICT Non-FictionMEDIA Located in the Media Room*RBR Rare Book Room, appt. neededRef. Reference book, may not be borrowedStacks Located in Closed Stacks, ask for retrievalGrosvenor RoomBuffalo and Erie County Public Library1 Lafayette SquareBuffalo, NY 14203(716) 858-8900www.buffalolib.orgOctober 2017
Table of ContentsIntroduction. 2Indexes & Starting Points . 3Books about Buffalo Theaters & Theater History . 4City Directories . 5Newspapers . 5Photographs . 5Journals & Periodicals (historic) . 6Playbills & Programs, 1850s-present . 6Scrapbooks . 10Selected Websites. 12Vertical Files . 12Videos/ Media Room . 12Additional search sources . 13Where Else Can I Research Buffalo Theatres? . 13IntroductionThe Grosvenor Room of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library has a number of resources tohelp you research theaters and theatre history in Buffalo.While no published book covers all of Buffalo’s illustrious theater history, we are lucky to have acopy of compiled history created by a local researcher. This source lists brief historicalinformation on many theatres, such as known addresses, dates of operation, and relatednewspaper article citations. It is an excellent starting point for theater research:Sandhu, Ranjit. Buffalo Theatres prior to 1930: An ever-growing index of references.[Tonawanda, NY. 2002.] Available at the Grosvenor Room reference desk.*For architecture research on theater buildings, see the separate guide: Buffalo ArchitectureResearch: Selected Sources in the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library*Please note:Items in the RBR (Rare Book Room) must be viewed by appointment. Please call 716-858-8900or see a Grosvenor Room Librarian.2
Indexes & Starting PointsResourceTime periodLocationSandhu, Ranjit. Buffalo Theatres prior to 1930: Anever-growing index of references.An extensive compilation of references on localtheaters, including general history, saloons, concerthalls, burlesque, vaudeville, and cinemas. Look upvenue by name or address. Sources for generalBuffalo theater history are listed in the preface. A keyresource for researchers.1815-1930Local History File: A card index for Buffalonewspapers, magazines, and some books.Locate citations for articles about theaters and theaterowners. Look under the subject heading of Theatersand the owner’s name.Primarily 1930s tothe 1980s, withsome earlier andlater entries.Famous Speakers and Visitors File:Card index. Search by name of actor. Includes nameand date of production, and theater. Articles fromnewspapers are also referenced.Mid 1800’s throughthe 1960’s,some1970's.Grosvenor Roomcard files.Vertical Files on TheatersVertical Files contain newspaper clippings andperiodical articles, pamphlets, and miscellaneousmaterial.Primarily 1970present. Someearlier items.Grosvenor Room.See a librarian.Theatre Program Card Index.Indexed by title of play. Programs are in the librarycollection; see the Playbills & Programs section.c. 1890s-1950sClosed Stacks. Seea librarianErlanger Theatre IndexIndexed by performer name and title of play.1927-1956Closed Stacks.See a librarian.3Grosvenor RoomReference Desk.See a librarian foraccess.Grosvenor Room.For later newspaperarticles, see theNewspapers section forthe Buffalo News, 1989present.
Books about Buffalo Theaters & Theater HistoryGeneralinformationBuffalo F116.A45 v.22Smith, Ardis & Kathy Smith.Adventures in Western New York History: Theatre in early Buffalo.Buffalo: Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society, 1975.GeneralinformationBuffalo PN2277.B8 S7Strong, Eve Elizabeth.Theatre in Buffalo, New YorkThesis (M.A.)--U. of Michigan, 1942.GeneralinformationBuffalo PN1968.U5 A4 1984Stein, Charles WAmerican vaudeville as seen by its contemporariesNew York: Knopf, 1984.For further general theater information, browse the 3 volume scrapbook set Theatres andConvention Halls in Buffalo, recent newspaper & magazine articles cited in the Local History File,the Theatre Vertical Files, and the sources listed in the preface of Sandhu’s Buffalo Theatres priorto 1930.Academyof MusicBuffalo PN2277.B8 H5A Thespian temple: A brief history of the Academy of Music and review of thedramatic events of over fifty years in the city of Buffalo Buffalo: Courier Co., Printers, 1893.Shea’sBuffalo NA6835.B9 S52 1987Gallagher, Gloria Peabody.Shea's Buffalo Theatre: From 1920s movie palace to present day performingarts center.Thesis (M.A.)--University of Maryland, College Park, 1987.Shea’sBuffalo *NA6835 .B9 S5 1994Shea's Buffalo Theatre: Buffalo Performing Arts Center, Buffalo, New YorkElmhurst, Ill: Theatre Historical Society of America, 1994See also Map 39M-18.StudioArenaBuffalo PN2277.B8 S83Studio School of the Theatre1927/1928 – 1947/1948General information pamphlets. Theatre school linked to Studio Arena. Later knownas the Studio Theatre School.StudioArenaBuffalo PN2277.B9 M3McEvoy, Ruth MelvinaA history of the Studio Theatre School of BuffaloThesis (M.A.)--University of Buffalo, 1957.4
City DirectoriesThe Grosvenor Room has Buffalo City Directories in print from 1828 to the present.Directories list individual residents, as well as businesses. Check listings to learn where (and forwhat years) a particular theater was located. See also R. Sandhu’s Buffalo Theatres prior to 1930.Buffalo city directories from 1832 to 1993 are also available on microfilm in the Grosvenor Room.NEW!: Our Buffalo City Directories 1832-1893 are now digitized ollectionsBuffalo directories1861-1960 are also in the Ancestry Library Edition hLook for the "U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989" in the card catalog feature; directories canbe browsed by year or searched.NewspapersCoverageAvailabilityTo find newspaper articles on a theater orperformance, browse newspapers by date onmicrofilm and the Theatre Scrapbooks. Or, use theLocal History File and Buffalo Theatres prior to1930 to locate specific articles. See the Indexes &Starting Points section of this guide.Buffalo newspapers, bulk are1845-present.See this guide for moreinformation on Buffalonewspapers:Buffalo, WNY, and NYState NewspapersFull-text of articles 1989 –present. Search by keywords,narrow by dates. Does notinclude photographs.For use at any library orfrom home with a validBuffalo & Erie CountyPublic Library ontent/researchPhotographsPictures of performers may have been published in programs/playbills, newspaper articles and news“picture pages,” as well as theatre magazines (see Journals & Periodicals listed in this guide).Photographs (original or copies) may be harder to locate. We have a “Performing ArtistsPhotograph Collection” of about 300 photos of musicians and actors, most from 1900 to 1950:https://bepl.ent.sirsi.net/client/en US/default/search/detailnonmodal/ent: 002f 002fSD ILS 002f0 002fSD ILS:1902450/oneFor additional image resources, see our related guide, Buffalo Illustrations, which goes into greaterdetail on finding vintage photographs of Buffalo buildings in books and other publications in ourcollection: ated%207-2014.pdfThe Buffalo History Museum also has an extensive photograph collection that may include someBuffalo theaters. See “Where else can I research Buffalo Theaters?” in this guide.5
Journals & Periodicals (historic)These national theatre journals may provide reviews, commentary on theatre happenings, andadvertisements.Stacks *PN2000.T4Theatre Guild Magazine / The Stagev.6, 1928 – v.16, 1939Stacks *PN2000.T5The Theatre1901-1931Stacks PN2000.T55Theatre Arts Magazine / Theatre Arts Monthly / Theatre Artsv.1, 1916 – v.47, 1963 Jan. 1964Playbills & Programs, 1850s-presentThe Grosvenor Room has an extensive collection of programs from theatrical and music concertvenues in Buffalo and Erie County. The bulk of the collection is 1900-1950.The years listed below may be incomplete; our collection does not include every singleperformance for these years. Recent and newly donated items are added upon receiving,and may not be immediately added to this list.Please see a librarian for access to this collection.See a librarian for assistance with the complementary collection of Music Concert and Danceprograms.Theater/EnsembleYears we have710 Main Theatre2013-2017Academy of MusicSee also Buffalo Amateurs1869-1895 Buffalo theatre cabinets (andundated), 1874-1894 bound in Buff Coll.PN2073.B86Academy Theatre1901-1903, 1905-1906, 1908, 1914Adelphi Theatre1883-1887 oversize boxed &Buffalo PN2073 .B863Adelphia Theatre1887-1888, oversizeAurora Players/Hamlin Park Pavillion (East Aurora)1981-1994Bonstelle Company1921 newslettersBroadway Theatre League of Buffalosee also Lafayette Theatre1959-19616
Buffalo Amateurs See also Academy of Music1884-1886, n.d.Buffalo Driving Park1891Buffalo Ensemble/Entertainment TheatreApprox. 1978-1990Buffalo Entertainment Theatre/Buffalo Theatre Workshopc.1980Buffalo Players See also The PlayhouseUndated membership information,programs1923-1925, 1934Buffalo Theatre?1816Buffalo Theatre Collective1983Buffalo United Artists (BUA)1994, 1995Bunnell’s Museum Theatre1884, 1886-1888, oversizeCasino Theatre1886, oversizeCatholic Theatre Guild Catholic Actors Guild1934, 1936, 1937, 1939Century Theatre1964Church Home League1899, 1904, 1905Concert Hall1895, 1898, 1905Convention Hall1894?, 1903Court Street Theatre1884-1889, 1895, oversizeCriterion Theatre1923Dreary Lane TheatreundatedEagle Street Theatre1844, undatedEast Aurora Opera House1903Erlanger Theatre1927-1956Gaiety Theatre1889, undatedGayety Theatre1920Germania Theater1890, 1893, oversizeGrand Central Theatre1887, 1888, undated -oversizeGrand Island Playhouse1949-1951, 1953 schedule, 1958-1960Holloway Bay Playhouse1948, 1950International Theatre (Niagara Falls)1903Irish Classical1991, 1997-2000, 2004-20177
Jewish Center1937, 1952-1953, 1958, 1962Jewish Repertory Theatre of WNY2005Kavinoky Theatre1982, 1985-1989, 1993, 1994, 1997-19982000, 2002, 2007-2015Lafayette TheatreSee also Broadway Theatre League1904, 1911, 1927, see also oversizeLafayette Square Theatre (movie theater)1930Lake Shore Playhouse (Derby, NY)1947-1949Lancaster Opera Theater House1995, 2012-2015Loew’s Buffalo Theatre1971Lyceum Theatre1894-1906 & oversizeLyric Theatre1906-1912, 1918Majestic Theatre (W. Genesee, legitimate theatre, 1912-1927)1912-1927Majestic Theatre (e. Ferry, movie theatre, 1911-1924)1919Metropolitan Theatre1867, undatedMister Anthony’s Theatre-Restaurant / Dee Jay Playersc. 1970sMusic Hall1883-1884, 1885, 1887, 1890, 1891,1895-1898, & oversizeMusicalFare Theatre Company (previously SummerFare)1995, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2010-2017New Academy Theatre1912New Garden Theatre1909New Phoenix2012Park Theatre1905Paul Robeson Theatre2016The Playhouse (652 Main St)1981-1983The Playhouse (Pearl & Huron) See Buffalo PlayersRendezvous Theatrec.1962Road Less Traveled2010-2015Roadside Theatre (Roadside Players, Athol Springs)1939, 1940St. James Hall1871, 1872, 1874-1880St. Louis Dramatic Circle (at Teck Theatre)1905, 1907, 1909-1910, 1921, 1929Shakespeare in Delaware Park1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990,1995, 1998, 1999, 2009, 20108
Shea’s 710 See 710 TheatreShea’s Theatre (40 Court Street)1905-1928Shea’s Court/Shea’s Court Street1927, 1928, 1935, 1937Shea’s Garden1898-1905Shea’s Vaudeville1909-1923Shea’s Center for the Performing Arts(1976-present, 644 Main Street)1980s-2000sShubert-Teck See Teck1888-1919, undated seating chart inoversizeStar TheatreStudio School of the Theatre /Studio Theatre School/Studio Theatre Players) See also Buffalo PlayersStudio ArenaSee also above1928-19651965-2006 bound PN2277.B8 S84, 19651974, 1990-2008 Buffalo theatre cabinets.2012Subversive Theatre & Brazen Faced VarletsSummerFare See MusicalFareTeck Theatre/Shubert-TeckSee also St. Louis Dramatic Circle1900-1934, various undated.Theatre Guild Repertory Company (at the Buffalo Consistory)1927Theatre of Youth1976 season schedule, 1982, 1985, 1987,2010-2012, 2017Theater School Players See Studio School of the TheatreUjima Theatre Company1998Waxman’s Art Theatre1927West Side Repertory Theatre1970s?Wonderland Musee Theatre1889, 1890, oversizeMiscellaneous - Various venues including churches, clubs,community theatres, schools, and minstrel shows.Miscellaneous – Schools:St. Joseph’s Collegiate InstituteMiscellaneous – Schools: University of Buffalo, [Universityat Buffalo]Baird Music Hall, Center Theatre, Harriman Hall,Pfeifer Theatre, Slee Concert HallSee also Center for the Arts in Music Concert Collection9various1938, 19401960, 1963, 1980-1982, 1984-1985,1988-1989
Where else can I find theater playbills or programs?See also the Scrapbooks section in this guide below, as many contain programs.Microfilm PN2098 .G76 1741cGrosvenor Library collection of late 18th- and early 19th-century English playbills, with a few19th-century American playbills.Microfilm. [Buffalo, N.Y.] : Buffalo & Erie Co. Public Library, 1992. 2 microfilm reelsPlaybills advertising theatrical performances at many theatres in London: the Theatre Royal, Haymarket ; at Englishtheatres outside London; and at American theatres in Boston, New York City, and Buffalo, New York (New Opera House),dated between 1741 and 1862.ScrapbooksNotesGRO scrapbook shelf *PN2277 .B8B8Theater and Convention Halls in Buffalo, v. 1-3Buffalo newspaper clippings and printed ephemera. The Local History File acts as an index to these scrapbooks.Buffalo Stacks PN2073 T5 2 vols.The play [scrapbook of theater and concert programs, mostly from Buffalo theaters, 1924-1926]Includes a few programs from Shea’s, Shubert Teck, Majestic, and The Playhouse theatres.Buffalo Stacks PN2285 .S3[Scrapbook on the theatre]Mostly facsimiles of photographs (perhaps from playbills or other) of actors and actresses performing in the theaters inthe late 1800s and early 1900s; also includes newspaper articles about Helena Modjeska and her connections to Buffalo.Contains an index to actors and actresses and an index to plays.Buffalo Stacks PN2073 .B8Buffalo theater programs. 1900-1906Cast lists clipped from programs (theatre unidentified) and images of performers clipped from playbills and theatremagazines. Includes an index to performers and plays. Compiled by Harriet A. Beach.Buffalo Stacks PN2073 .B82 v. 1 & 2Programs from Buffalo Theaters, 1904-1927 (2 Vols)Cast lists clipped from programs, mostly from the Majestic, Star, and Teck Theatres. Images of performers clipped fromplaybills and theatre magazines. No index.Buffalo Stacks PN2073 .B83Theater and concert programs, mainly in Buffalo. [1905-1934] (2 Vols)Cast lists and programs from a variety of Buffalo venues including the Star, Teck, Convention Hall, and Elmwood MusicHall. Includes many music concerts and recitals, including the Guido Chorus and symphonies. No index.Buffalo Stacks PN2073. B865Buffalo Theatre Programmes 1886-1895Music and theatre performances, programs and clipped cast sections, primarily from Academy of Music and Star Theatreproductions. Index in front.10
ScrapbooksNotesBuffalo Stacks PN2073 .B88Fiscus, Julius C., compilerProgramme[s] from The Star Theatre of Buffalo, N.Y. of the season 1892-3 and 1893-4.[Buffalo, N.Y.: s.n., 1894]Bound programs from the Star Theatre with pasted newspaper articles, reviews, and clipped images of performers.Buffalo Stacks PN2073 .B9, v. 2, 3 & 4Barnes, Mabel E. [compiler]Program Book, Volume II, June 1895 to June 1906. Also pictures of famous actors,musicians, and speakers.A mix of theatre, music and other events, including those held at local high schools, churches, andsocial clubs Not all Buffalo, some in New York City. WAS COMPILER A MUSIC TEACHER?Buffalo Stacks PN2073 .C7 Vol.1-4 Rare Book Room appointment needed[Theater performance advertisements, Buffalo, N.Y., 1877-1903][Buffalo, N.Y. : s.n., 1903]Four slim scrapbooks of advertising and casts lists for performances by Chauncey Olcott, Edwin Booth, FannyDavenport, Ethel Barrymore, Ellen Terry, Helena Modjeska, Richard Mansfield, Marie Dressler, Julia Marlowe, JohnPhilip Sousa, and many other artists at many different theatres, mainly at the Academy of Music, the Grand OperaHouse, St. James Hall, the Court Street Theatre, and the Star Theatre. Compiled by Thurston Family.Buffalo Stacks PN2073 .S24Lawrence, Vincent or Vincent, Lawrence? [donor, compiler][Scrapbook of concert and theater programs covering the years 1898 to 1900]Newspaper clippings, theatre cast lists, venue not always indicated. Music concerts and theatre productions held atvenues including 20th Century Club and the Star theatre.Buffalo Stacks PN2073 .S26[Scrapbook of theater programs covering the period from 1880 to 1905]Mostly clippings of lipped cast lists from programs-- Academy of Music, Lyceum, Liederkranz Hall,Star Theatres. May not all be Buffalo, at least one ChicagoBuffalo Stacks PN2073 .T45Juergens, G.M.Theatre record and scrap book. Buffalo, N.Y.; 1890-1922.Newspaper clippings and theater programs; 1890 to 1922. Mostly Star and Teck Theaters in Buffalo, theaters inNew York City, singing societies and light opera companies. Contains a partial program from a performance by AnnaPavlova in 1921, a libretto from the operatic burlesque "Orpheus and Eurydice" at the Star Theater in 1897, and a concertbook for "Concert des Wiener Akademischen Gesangsverein" by the Buffalo Orpheus in 1910. No index.Buffalo Stacks PN2073 .T5[Theatrical scrap album, containing clippings from the New York Clipper and Buffalonewspapers, Oct. 1875 to October, 1876, and a number of original Buffalo play-bills]Mostly newspaper clippings.RBR WNYO 1920.L68 Rare Book Room appointment needed[Louise Michael scrapbook].Autographs, photographs, and letters from celebrities of the 1920s through 1940s, including Geraldine Farrar, SergeRachmaninoff, Katherine Cornell, Ernestine Schumann-Heink, Jack Dempsey, Fritz Kreisler. Also included are theaterprograms, mementos, and menus.11
Selected WebsitesNoteshttp://www.buffaloah.com/Buffalo Architecture and HistoryCheck the table of contents or search for a particular theatre.An extensive, well-illustrated onlineencyclopedia of notable architects,buildings, houses, neighborhoods,and more in the Buffalo area.Vertical FilesThe Vertical Files contain newspa
Buffalo theater history are listed in the preface. A key resource for researchers. 1815-1930 Grosvenor Room Reference Desk. See a librarian for access. Local History File: A card index for Buffalo newspapers, magazines, and some books. Locate citations for articles about theaters and theater
14211 Buffalo 604 1,490.1 14212 Buffalo 249 939.8 14206 Buffalo 202 1,078.2 14201 Buffalo 190 1,058.5 14213 Buffalo 182 868.0 14204 Buffalo 156 739.4 14203 Buffalo 102 421.7 14222 Buffalo 86 310.7 14210 Buffalo 76 587.0 14218 Buffalo 74 815.7 14220 Buffalo 70 624.2 14227 Buffalo 52 433.4 14202 Buffalo 40 217.7 14043 Depew 32 287.1 14224 Buffalo 21 280.1 14075 Hamburg 17 271.0 14127 Orchard .
30 Buffalo head coloring sheets (in teacher’s manual) Flashdrive manual copy (in binder) 2 Buffalo track molds Buffalo scat Arrow Awl Sinew Hair rope Buffalo robe sample, hair on Buffalo hair Buffalo hide sample, hair off 8 Posters Buffalo Drive Hunting Buffalo Camouflaged with Wolf Skins Buffalo Chase in Winter .
New York Buffalo 14210 New York Buffalo 14211 New York Buffalo 14212 New York Buffalo 14215 New York Buffalo 14217 New York Buffalo 14218 New York Buffalo 14222 New York Buffalo 14227 New York Burlington Flats 13315 New York Calcium 13616 New York Canajoharie 13317 New York Canaseraga 14822 New York Candor 13743 New York Cape Vincent 13618 New York Carthage 13619 New York Castleton 12033 New .
Erie County newspapers include: Blasdell Frontier Herald 1956-1966, Buffalo Courier 1888-1926, Buffalo Daily Courier 1847 - 1888, Buffalo Evening Courier & Republic 1862-1884, Buffalo Evening News 1881-1928, Buffalo Express 1866-1874, Buffalo Polish Weekly Review 1929-1930, Buffalo
SUNY Buffalo Law School 511 O'Brian Hall Buffalo, NY 14260 Tel: 716-645-2102 Fax: 716-645-2900 E-mail: baldyctr@buffalo.edu . 2012-2013 AnnualReport Baldy Center for Law & Social Policy . Policy supports interdisciplinary research on law, legal institutions and social policy throughout the University at Buffalo. The Center not only engages .
Panorama of Buffalo, NY, 1909 Key * Oversized book Buffalo In Buffalo Collection in Grosvenor Room Folio On Folio Shelf GRO Grosvenor Room RBR Rare Book Room Grosvenor Room Buffalo and Erie County Public Library 1 Lafayette Square Buffalo, New York
Glen V. Mills Directory Co.'s Business Directory of Buffalo Buffalo, NY: Glen V. Mills Directory Co. We have 1902. Includes reverse directory by street name. Buffalo F129 .B8 A1895 Waite's Business Directory of Buffalo Newburgh, NY: L.P. Waite & Co. We have 1891, 1893, 1894. Has subject index. Buffalo *F129 .B8 B396
Buffalo, N.Y. July 27, 1928 Socony Oil Fire Buffalo River Buffalo, N.Y. November 6, 1928 Business Blocks at the foot of Main St. & the waterfront Foot of Main Street Buffalo, N.Y. April 19, 1929 Weed & Co. warehouse 75 East Swan Street Buffalo, N.Y. May 6, 1931 106th Armory Best & Masten Streets .
