A History of Leadville Theater: Opera Houses, Variety Acts and Burlesque Shows

The Wild Western untamed streets of Colorado paled in comparison with the opera, variety and burlesque that lit up Leadville. Stages that popped up in the Magic City between 1860 and 1935 ranged from makeshift to regal. Theatrical legends Houdini and Oscar Wilde graced the Tabor Opera House while re [...]
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The Wild Western untamed streets of Colorado paled in comparison with the opera, variety and burlesque that lit up Leadville. Stages that popped up in the Magic City between 1860 and 1935 ranged from makeshift to regal. Theatrical legends Houdini and Oscar Wilde graced the Tabor Opera House while revolutionary Susan B. Anthony reached a rough mining audience from a calico cloth-draped bar stage. Thomas Kemp spared no expense on the risque Black Crook at the Grand Central Theater, complete with a glitzy waterfall, trap door and dragons. Follow Leadville historian Gretchen Scanlon through these theatrical glory days, from the glamorous productions and stump speeches to offstage theft and debauchery that kept the drama going even when the curtain fell.