Lizzie Evans

Lizzie Evans was an entertainer in vaudeville and musical theatre in New York City and Chicago, Illinois from the 1880s into the 20th century. A newspaper article described her as "a bright little person of the Lotta Crabtree physique and school, but with less naturalness and more nasal twang."Tony Pastor's Theatre", New York Times, May 20, 1884, pg. 4.]

Vaudeville and Theater Actress

In August 1881 she gave an impersonation of "Clip" at the reopening of the Standard Theatre, ["Amusements", New York Times, August 22, 1881, pg. 5.] 6th Avenue between 32nd Street and 33rd Street, Manhattan (New York). [ [http://home.comcast.net/~m.chitty/newyorkmap.htm EJ Phillips' Manhattan, Standard Theatre.] Retrieved on 12-24-07.] Evans was part of a show at Tony Pastor's Theatre, East 14th Street (Manhattan) between Irving Place and Third Avenue (Manhattan).

In January 1890 Evans appeared at the Haymarket Theatre, 722-24 West Madison Street (Chicago), [ [http://cinematreasures.org/theater/11991/ Cinema Treasures, Haymarket Theatre.] Retrieved on 12-24-07.] Chicago."The Chicago Playhouse", New York Times, January 28,1890, pg. 9.] She had a role in "The Buckeye" at the Windsor Theatre, 1225 North Clark Street, [ [http://cinematreasures.org/theater/4073/ Cinema Treasures, Windsor Theatre.] Retrieved on 12-24-07.] Chicago, in April 1890."The Chicago Playhouses", New York Times, April 14, 1890, p.4.] The following November she was again at the Haymarket, beginning a new rendition of "Fogg's Ferry". ["Chicago Playhouses", New York Times, November 30, 1890, pg. 13.] In May 1891 she was featured in the same play at Havlin's Theatre,"The Chicago Playhouses", New York Times, May 17, 1891, pg. 13.] 1838 SouthWabash Avenue, [ [http://cinematreasures.org/theater/21235/ Cinema Treasures, Wabash Theatre.] Retrieved on 12-24-07.] Chicago.

Evans replaced Annie Lewis in the role of "Cinders" in "A Nutmeg Match" in March 1893. It was staged at the 14th Street (Manhattan) Theatre,"Theatrical Gossip", New York Times, March 3, 1893, pg. 8.] 344 East 14th Street. [ [http://www.theatermania.com/content/theater.cfm?intTheaterID=2777 TheaterMania 14th Street Theater.] Retrieved on 12-24-07.] She was leading her own theatrical troupe when "A Romance of Coon Hollow" was presented before an audience at the Grand Opera House,"Notes of the Stage", New York Times, April 19, 1896, pg. 10.] 23rd Street (8th Avenue), Manhattan (New York), [ [http://www.ibdb.com/venue.aspx?id=1549 IBDB Grand Opera House.] Retrieved on 12-24-07.] in April 1896. Set in the mountains of Tennessee,two quartets and twelve African American plantation singers embellished the performance. ["Notes of the Stage", New York Times,April 21, 1896, pg. 5.]

Proctor's Pleasure Palace, East 58th Street between Lexington Avenue (Manhattan) and Third Avenue (Manhattan), ["Proctor's Pleasure Palace", New York Times, Wednesday, September 1, 1895, pg. 11.] hosted a production of "The Man Up Stairs" by Augustus Thomas in January 1897. Evans was in the cast with Lucille Lee, William Ranous, and Maggie Fielding. ["Notes Of The Week", New York Times, January 10, 1897, pg. 11.] In July 1897 she was in a show with Phyllis Rankin and George Thatcher at Keith's New Union Square (Manhattan) Theatre, ["Display Ad--No Title", New York Times, July 18, 1897, pg. 8.] 50 East 14th Street (Manhattan). [ [http://cinematreasures.org/theater/12399/ Cinema Treasures, Union Square Theatre.] Retrieved 12-24-07.] Evans returned to the Pleasure Palace in "A Strange Catastrophe"with Harry Mills in August. ["Theatres", New York Times, August 22, 1897, pg. 8.]

She performed in a comedy entitled "A Gay Deceiver" at the Harlem Opera House, 211 West 125th Street, [ [http://cinematreasures.org/theater/533/ Cinema Treasures, Harlem Opera House.] Retrieved on 12-24-07.] in February 1898."This Week's New Bills", February 20, 1898, pg. 5.] In December 1899 Mills joined Evans in the comedietta, "Two Girls and One Man", at Proctor's Theatre. ["Notes Of The Week", New York Times, December 3, 1899,pg. 18.]

She performed a sketch with Mills at the Union Square Theatre in July 1902. ["Vaudeville and Concerts", New York Times, July 27, 1902, pg. 10.] In June 1903 Evans was part of a bill at Hurtig & Seamon's ["Display Ad 9--No Title", New York Times, June 2, 1903, pg. 10.] (Apollo Theater), West 125th Street, Harlem. [ [http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:-3gkbg1VpIQJ:www.newyork-visit.com/New-York-Apollo-Theater.html+hurtig+%26+seamon%27s+new+york+city&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us NewYorkvisit.com Apollo Theatre.] Retrieved on 12-24-07.] The travelling troupe was directed by Florenz Ziegfeld and William A. Brady. ["Harlem Opera House", New York Times,February 22, 1898, pg. 6.]

She played a "comic servant" who bore the worst part of the comic relief in a production of "Two Little Sailor Boys" at the Academy of Music (Manhattan), in May1904. Described as English melodrama, Evans depicted "Lucy Wilson" in the play. ["Two Little Sailor Boys", New York Times, May 4, 1904, pg. 5.]

In September 1906 she appeared at the Metropolis Theatre, 142nd Street and 3rd Avenue and Alexander Avenue, ["The Real Estate Field", New York Times, Friday, October 3, 1913, pg. 17.] in a presentation of "When Knighthood Was In Flower". The show had enjoyed success in a previous staging at the Criterion Theatre,"Display Ad 12--No Title", New York Times, September 16, 1906, pg. SM9.] 1514 Broadway (Manhattan). [ [http://cinematreasures.org/theater/528/ Cinema Treasures, Criterion Theatre.] Retrieved on 12-24-07.]

References

External links

* [http://www.neiu.edu/~rghiggin/ephem/Evans,Lizzie.jpgLizzie Evans Photo] from the early 20th century