The season of 1895 began with six weeks of vaudeville programs. Among the acts were Ford and Lewis, burlesque acrobats; Jerome and Alexis, the “Human Frog”; Martin’s Dog Circus; Stack and Milton, horizontal bar act; Harry Sefton, dancing spider; Reto, contortionist; Granjeau and May, wire performers; Coogan, Ben Mowat and Son, club-swingers; and Rand and Tafe, the “greatest break-neck act before the public.” However, when box office receipts dwindled, Mary Elitch abandoned the vaudeville programs and engaged the Dunbar-Pyke Opera Company, a light opera organization which originated in Boston and was touring the West on its way to California. Because of previous commitments, however, the company was able to remain at Elitch for only six weeks. Since other companies were not then available, the managers concluded the season with four weeks of vaudeville, which included Charles Schilling’s minstrels; Damora, acrobat; Sato, juggler; Price Paul, ventriloquist; Charles Goodyear and Al Leach; and Meeker and Mack, comedians. By 1895, the worst of the depression caused by the Silver Panic of 1893 was over. As individuals gradually recovered from the crash, suburban areas began to develop, increasing both the size and population of the Denver area.
Theatre Staff:
- Mary Elitch Long, Proprietor and Manager
- T. D. Long, Business Manager
- Walter Clarke Bellows, Stage Director
Productions:
- Week of June 2: Worth and Marshall, society sketch artists; Ford and Lewis, burlesque acrobats; Aruno, athlete; Derenda, club specialties; Jerome and Alexis, the “Human Frog”; Crandall and Clark, musical comedy act; Kalkasa, equilibrist; the California Trio: Coogan, Rand and Tafe, “greatest break-neck act before the public.”
- Week of June 9: The Sutton Children; Kalkasa; Ford and Lewis; Jerome and Alexis; Aruno; CaliforniabTrio; Crandall and Clark.
- Week of June 16: Reilly and Woods Company: Pat Reilly, comedian; Granjeau and May, wire performers; Stack and Milton, horizontal bar act; Miss Eva Armstrong, soubrette; DeMora, gymnast; Garcia, salatario player; Ben Mowat and son, club-swingers; Bowen and Walters burlesque acrobats.
- Week of June 23: Harry Sefton, “dancing spider”; George D. Melville, Chinese juggler; Mamie Conway, singer; Hodgins and Leith, sketch artists; Miss May Deagle.
- Week of June 30: McDonough Trio, gymnasts; Carroll and Nealy, song and dance team; Martin’s Dog Circus; Reto, contortionist; George D. Melville; Miss Mamie Conway.
- Week of July 7: Eddie Evans, club swinger; Souther Quartette: Kurtz, Juggler: Three Drolls.
- The Dunbar Pyke Opera Company presented six weeks of comic opera:
- Week of July 15: The Tar and the Tartar, by Harry B. Rank Smith and Adam Itzel, Jr. (1891).
- Week of July 22: Amorita.
- Week of July 29: Falka, by François Chassaigne and H.B. Farnie.
- Week of Aug. 5: The Mikado, by W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan.
- Week of Aug. 12: Black Mantles, by George Adams.
- Week of Aug. 19: H.M.S. Pinafore, by W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan.
- Week of Aug. 26: Charles Schilling’s Minstrels, featuring Nelse Hadley, Fred Malcome, Frank Hamond; Trocadero Quartette; Charles Goodyear and Al Leech; Gibson and Mayfield: Kinzo Kanako; Frank Raymond.
- Week of Sept. 2: Jules Levy, cornetist; Demora, acrobat; Sato, juggler; La Rose Brothers; Emma Francis; Gibson and Mayfield; Hadley and Hart.
- Week of Sept. 9: Jules Levy: Meeker and Mack, comedians; Rawson and June, club swingers; Ray Burton, acrobat; Trocadero Quartette; Demora; Sato.
- Week of Sept. 16: Bruno and Nina; Prince Paul, ventriloquist; Launne, contortionist; Lina Crews, soubrette; Rawson and June; La Rose Brothers; Kinzo Kanako.
- One Performance, Oct. 6: Benefit for Schilling and Goodyear.
