Hopi Boy

Pioneer Playhouse Of Tombstone

NESTLED among the cactus-studded hills Ed Schieffelin loved so well is a monument to this adventurous ous discoverer of the "strike" that made Tombstone famous.

Hardly a mile away is another monument to a Schieffelin. It is a two-story adobe building which stands today much as it did in 1881 when it was built to house the theatrical activities of the hustling mining camp. Al Schieffelin, brother of Ed and himself a miner of no little ability, realized the need the community had for wholesome entertainment. He answered that need by building Schieffelin Hall. A contemporary Tucson newspaper reported that from top to bottom it was by far the most complete edifice of the kind in the Territory. In fact, it was said to have had a stage larger than that of any other theatre between Denver and San Francisco.

The Bird Cage Theatre is usually considered to represent the dramatic activities of Tombstone. Perhaps this is so because of the glamorous incidents which come to mind at the mere mention of its name.

Prior to the building of the Bird Cage, however, plays were being presented at Schieffelin Hall. And before that there were the amateurs. In reality, it was from this lowly group of drama devotees that both Tombstone theatres sprung.

Shrewd Al Schieffelin realized that here was an opportunity to be of service to the community which he helped to found. It might also be within the realm of reason to believe that he considered the building of a theatre a good financial investment and less fatiguing than swinging a miner's pickaxe. The amateurs, now known as the Tombstone Dramatic Association, at last had a theatre of their own.

Although Schieffelin Hall was ready for occupancy on June 16, 1881, the first performance was not given until September 15. Members of the Territorial Legislature had returned and some of them had been conscripted for the first presentation, that of Tom Taylor's sensational five act drama, "The Ticketof-Leave-Man." The proceeds of the play went for the purchase of a fire alarm bell for the Rescue Hook and Ladder Company. It is evident that Al Schieffelin both directly and indirectly built for his community.

Because of the fact that it tells of the first performance in the theater, the following article taken from the Tombstone Daily Nugget is of interest: The performance given last evening by the Tombstone Dramatic Association at Schieffelin Hall was in many respects far above that usually given by amateurs . . .

Mrs. Hutchinson did very well in her character songs, winning much applause. Carrie Gregory played "Sam Willoughby" in an artistic manner, and Mrs. Burdick, as his

By Claire Eugene Willson Drawings By William Hayes

mother, was also very good, while Miss Brown played the milk and water "May Edwards" in a quiet manner. George E. Magee, considering it was his first appearance on any stage, played "Jim Dalton" remarkably well. W. A. Cuddy was most excellent as "Hawkshaw," the detective and E. C. Suman made a jolly waiter . . .

The work of the amateurs paved the way for the appearance of the first traveling troupe to show at Schieffelin Hall, the Nellie Boyd Dramatic Company, which appeared on December 5, 1881. The presentation was Bronson Howard's drama, "The Banker's Daughter." Miss Boyd was a particular favorite for she had not only the merit of her pro fession but was its pioneer in the Terri tory of Arizona.

The trouper found that Tombstone offered desirable engagements. Situated as a hub on the various cross-country routes, it rapidly became a good show town. Companies which played Denver or El Paso found it expedient to stop over at Tombstone on their way to San Francisco and Los Angeles. Occasionally troupes came out of Mexico to entertain at Tombstone en route to more populous cities in the States. From similar mining camps of Butte, Montana, and Vir ginia City, Nevada, the entertainer scheduled Tombstone on his itinerary. Well did the theatrical managers know ers of western stories to indulge in exaggeration. They would have their readers believe that the very gutters ran with blood in the turbulent town of Tombstone. According to them, six-shooters barked at each other from the saloons and gambling dens along Allen Street. Dramatic excitement lurked in every shadow. Be that as it may, over on the corner of Fourth and Fremont where stands Schief felin Hall there were plenty of Tomb stone's citizens enjoying vicarious dramatic excitement. Rather than shooting it out with their neighbors they chose to watch Liza cross the ice in "Uncle Tom's Cabin" or the Roman father clutch the tonsils of Claudius in "Virginius." Outstanding attractions not already mentioned that played at Tombstone in their shop and "trod the boards" at Schieffelin Hall. This, moreover, was in the face of a possible scalp removing demonstration by renegade Apaches as these intrepid actors rode along through the mesquite. On occasion the Tombstone Dramatic Association returned the com pliment by appearing at Levin's Hall in Tucson. Both the amateurs and the professional companies gave a variety of pro ductions in accordance with the changing tastes of their audiences. These included all types of plays, medicine shows, musical comedies, minstrels, and variety shows. This latter type of production was usually presented at Schieffelin Hall by a company from the Bird Cage Variety That the hard-grubbing miner was an easy spender. Word of the financially successful ap pearances in Arizona cities by companies from the Pacific Coast reached M. B. Leavitt and Al Hayman, lessees and man agers of the Bush Street Theater, San Francisco. They determined that all at tractions under engagement to them should return east over the Southern Pacific railroad, playing at Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Tucson, Tombstone, San ta Fe, Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Trinidad, Denver and Kansas City. Tombstone was privileged, for to play there meant riding in a stage coach from Benson a distance of fifty miles over wild and Indian-infested country. This condition has led too many writ

ers in-

Rarely was Schieffelin Hall empty. Whenever there was a lull in the travel ing show productions the amateurs of the community put on grease paint and substituted their talents. Not only Tomb stone amateurs were active but dramatic zealots from as far away as Tucson and Graham County forsook the range or Theater. This might seem something of an anomaly when it is understood that the more staid Schieffelin Hall pa tron would not allow himself to be seen at the Bird Cage where gambling and drinking were indulged in. In fact the first show of a Bird Cage performance at the Schieffelin was in the nature of a trial as it was given the night before the opening of the variety theater per haps to sound out community interest. The following account of this presenta tion indicates the type of production of that day: A crowded house greeted the Hut chinson Combination Variety troupe on their first appearance at Schief felin Hall last evening.

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