Daly's Theatre was a

Broadway theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences#-re, -er, American and British English spelling differences), many of the List of ...

at 1221 Broadway and 30th Street. It was built in 1867 and opened that year as Banvard's Museum but changed its name the following year to Wood's Museum and Metropolitan. In 1876 it became the Broadway Theatre, and finally was named Daly's Theatre in 1879 when it was acquired by

Augustin Daly John Augustin Daly (July 20, 1838 – June 7, 1899) was one of the most influential men in American theatre during his lifetime. Drama critic, theatre manager, playwright, and adapter, he became the first recognized stage director in America. He ...

. After 1899, it was operated by the

Shubert family The Shubert family was responsible for the establishment of Broadway theatre, Broadway theaters in New York City's Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District, as the hub of the theatre industry in the United States. Through the The Shubert Org ...

. The building was demolished in 1920, after serving as a

burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

theatre and cinema.

History

The theatre was built by John Banvard, who opened it in 1867 as a museum-theatre. Banvard sold the building the following year, and it was renamed for the new owner, Wood, who mounted musical

Victorian burlesque Victorian burlesque, sometimes known as travesty or extravaganza, is a genre of theatrical entertainment that was popular in Victorian England and in the New York theatre of the mid-19th century. It is a form of parody in which a well-known oper ...

and other productions of light musical comedy. Banvard regained control of the theatre in 1876 and renamed it the Broadway Theatre.

acquired the building in 1879 and renamed it for himself. There, he operated one of the last stock companies in New York City, presenting

Edwardian musical comedy Edwardian musical comedy is a genre of British musical theatre that thrived from 1892 into the 1920s, extending beyond the reign of King Edward VII in both directions. It began to dominate the English musical stage, and even the American musical ...

and other works. Daly died in 1899 and, for a time, the theatre was operated by the

. After 1912 it was operated as a

burlesque A burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects.

house."Daly's Theatre"
Internet Broadway Database, accessed November 29, 2018 For the last few years before it was demolished in 1920, it was used as a cinema. The theatre's longest-running show was "'Twixt Axe and Crown", by

Tom Taylor Tom Taylor (19 October 1817 – 12 July 1880) was an English dramatist, critic, biographer, public servant, and editor of Punch (magazine), ''Punch'' magazine. Taylor had a brief academic career, holding the professorship of English literatu ...

, which opened in 1870.

Dion Boucicault Dionysius Lardner "Dion" Boucicault (né Boursiquot; 26 December 1820 – 18 September 1890) was an Irish actor and playwright famed for his melodramas. By the later part of the 19th century, Boucicault had become known on both sides of the ...

's last play, ''A Tale of a Coat,'' opened at Daly's on August 14, 1890.

Selected productions

* 1868–1869: '' Ixion; or, The Man at the Wheel'', a

by F. C. Burnand, with music by Michael Connolly, performed by

Lydia Thompson Lydia Thompson (born Eliza Thompson; 19 February 1838 – 17 November 1908), was an English dancer, comedian, actor and theatrical producer. From 1852, as a teenager, she danced and performed in pantomimes, in the UK and then in Europe and so ...

's troupe * 1870–188?: "'Twixt Axe and Crown", a play by

* 1877: '' La Marjolaine'', an

opéra bouffe ''Opéra bouffe'' (, plural: ''opéras bouffes'') is a genre of mid- to late 19th-century French operetta, closely associated with Jacques Offenbach, who produced many of them at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens, inspiring the genre's name. It ...

Charles Lecocq Alexandre Charles Lecocq (; 3 June 183224 October 1918) was a French composer, known for his opérettes and opéra comique, opéras comiques. He became the most prominent successor to Jacques Offenbach in this sphere, and enjoyed considerable su ...

* 1879: ''

H.M.S. Pinafore ''H.M.S. Pinafore; or, The Lass That Loved a Sailor'' is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and a libretto by W. S. Gilbert. It opened at the Opera Comique in London on 25 May 1878, and ran for 571 performances, w ...

'', a comic opera by

Gilbert and Sullivan Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the dramatist W. S. Gilbert (1836–1911) and the composer Arthur Sullivan (1842–1900) and to the works they jointly created. The two men collaborated on fourteen com ...

(unauthorized production with

John Philip Sousa John Philip Sousa ( , ; November 6, 1854 – March 6, 1932) was an American composer and conductor of the late Romantic music, Romantic era known primarily for American military March (music), marches. He is known as "The March King" or th ...

's orchestrations produced by Gorman's Philadelphia Church Choir Company) * 1880: ''The Royal Middy'', an English adaptation of '' Der Seekadet'', a German comic opera by Richard Genée (music) and Friedrich Zell (text). Edward Mollenhauer adapted the music and Frederick James Williams (1829–1900) adapted the text.Salvi, Dario (ed)
''Richard Genée's 'The Royal Middy' ('Der Seekadett')''
Cambridge Scholars Publishing (2017) * 1896–1897: '' The Geisha'', an

Edwardian Musical Comedy Edwardian musical comedy is a genre of British musical theatre that thrived from 1892 into the 1920s, extending beyond the reign of King Edward VII in both directions. It began to dominate the English musical stage, and even the American musical ...

, with music by Sidney Jones, book by Owen Hall and lyrics by Harry Greenbank * 1898 and 1900: '' A Runaway Girl'', an Edwardian musical comedy, with music by

Ivan Caryll Félix Marie Henri Tilkin (12 May 1861 – 29 November 1921), better known by his pen name Ivan Caryll, was a Belgian-born composer of operettas and Edwardian musical comedies in the English language, who made his career in London and later N ...

and

Lionel Monckton Lionel John Alexander Monckton (18 December 1861 – 15 February 1924) was an English composer of musical theatre. He became Britain's most popular composer of Edwardian musical comedy in the early years of the 20th century. Life and career E ...

, book by Harry Nicholls and

Seymour Hicks Sir Edward Seymour Hicks (30 January 1871 – 6 April 1949), better known as Seymour Hicks, was a British actor, music hall performer, playwright, actor-manager and producer. He became known, early in his career, for writing, starring in and p ...

and lyrics by Aubrey Hopwood and Harry Greenbank * 1899–1900: ''The Manoeuvres of Jane'', a play by Henry Arthur Jones * 1900: '' The Rose of Persia'', a comic opera with music by

Arthur Sullivan Sir Arthur Seymour Sullivan (13 May 1842 – 22 November 1900) was an English composer. He is best known for 14 comic opera, operatic Gilbert and Sullivan, collaborations with the dramatist W. S. Gilbert, including ''H.M.S. Pinaf ...

and a libretto by Basil Hood * 1900, 1901 and 1902: '' San Toy'', an Edwardian Musical Comedy, with music by Jones, book Edward Morton, lyrics by

Adrian Ross Arthur Reed Ropes (23 December 1859 – 11 September 1933), better known under the pseudonym Adrian Ross, was a prolific English writer of lyrics, contributing songs to more than sixty British musical comedies in the late 19th and early 20th ...

and Harry Greenbank * 1901–1902: '' The Messenger Boy'', an Edwardian Musical Comedy, with music by Caryll and Monckton, book by

Alfred Murray Alfred Murray (4 February 1868 – 27 July 1936) was an Australian cricketer. He played five first-class cricket matches for Victoria cricket team, Victoria between 1897 and 1901. Murray began his cricket career in Bendigo playing for the Bendi ...

and James T. Tanner and lyrics by Ross and Percy Greenbank * 1902: ''

A Country Girl ''A Country Girl, or, Town and Country'' is a musical play in two acts by James T. Tanner, with lyrics by Adrian Ross, additional lyrics by Percy Greenbank, music by Lionel Monckton and additional songs by Paul Rubens (composer), Paul Rubens. Th ...

'', an Edwardian Musical Comedy, with music by Monckton, book by Tanner and lyrics by Ross * 1902–1903: ''

The Billionaire ''The Billionaire'', also known as ''Top Secret: Wai Roon Pan Lan'' (, ), is a 2011 Thai biographical drama film produced by Nadao Bangkok and released by GTH. It was directed by Songyos Sugmakanan, and stars Pachara Chirathivat, Somboonsuk N ...

'', a musical comedy with music by Gustave Kerker and book and lyrics by Harry B. Smith * 1903: '' Three Little Maids'', and Edwardian musical comedy by Paul Rubens * 1905: '' The Duchess of Dantzic'', an Edwardian musical comedy with music by Caryll and book and lyrics by Henry Hamilton * 1905: '' The Catch of the Season'', an Edwardian musical comedy with music by Evelyn Baker and

Herbert Haines Herbert Edgar Haines (1880-1923) was a British composer of Musical theatre, musicals and songs, including some pieces for silent films, in the early years of the 20th century. Haines's musicals, most by Ben Dauphinais, with lyrics by Charles H. ...

, book by Cosmo Hamilton and Hicks and lyrics by Charles H. Taylor * 1907: '' The Lancers'', musical * 1909: ''The Climax'', a play by Edward Locke * 1909–1910: '' The Belle of Brittany'', an Edwardian musical comedy with music by

Howard Talbot Howard Munkittrick, better known as Howard Talbot (9 March 1865 – 12 September 1928), was an American-born, English-raised composer and conductor of Irish descent. He was best known for writing the music to several hit Edwardian musical comedi ...

and Marie Horne, book by

Leedham Bantock Leedham Bantock (born Ernest Leedham Sutherland Bantock; 18 May 1870 – 16 October 1928) was a British singer, Edwardian musical comedy actor, early film director, dramatist and screenwriter. In 1912 he became the first actor to portray Sa ...

and P. J. Barrow and lyrics by Percy Greenbank * 1912: '' Monsieur Beaucaire'', a play by

Booth Tarkington Newton Booth Tarkington (July 29, 1869 – May 19, 1946) was an American novelist and dramatist best known for his novels ''The Magnificent Ambersons'' (1918) and ''Alice Adams (novel), Alice Adams'' (1921). He is one of only four novelists to w ...

and Evelyn Greenleaf Sutherland

References

External links

Photo of the theatre
{{Authority control Former Broadway theatres Cinemas and movie theaters in Manhattan Former cinemas and movie theaters in New York City Former theatres in Manhattan Demolished theatres in New York City Demolished buildings and structures in Manhattan Buildings and structures demolished in 1920 1867 establishments in New York (state) 1920 disestablishments in New York (state)