Mason Opera House playbills, 1912-1918

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Summary

Creators:
Mason Opera House (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Abstract:
This collection consists of a consecutive run of approximately 175 playbills from 1912 through 1918 for dramatic and musical performances held at the Mason Opera House in Los Angeles. During these six years, a number of Broadway musicals were performed at the Mason, featuring noted international figures such as Maude Adams, Isadora Duncan, Minnie Maddern Fiske, Anna Held, Helena Modjeska, and Anna Pavlova. The full-page playbills, which include some folding playbills, are mounted on 171 leaves of a contemporary ledger. The playbills were published for the Mason by the Program Publishing Company of Los Angeles through 1916 and later by the Mason Program Company. They were apparently distributed by the Peters Bill Posting Company of Santa Ana, California. Throughout the ledger are holograph notes in different hands recording accounting information, personal names, and the names of bill posting companies in the Los Angeles area.
Extent:
0.1 Linear Feet (1 oversize folder)
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Mason Opera House Playbills. MS-P40. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of a consecutive run of approximately 175 playbills from 1912 through 1918 for dramatic and musical performances held at the Mason Opera House in Los Angeles. During these six years, a number of Broadway musicals were performed at the Mason, featuring noted international figures such as Maude Adams, Isadora Duncan, Minnie Maddern Fiske, Anna Held, Helena Modjeska, and Anna Pavlova. The full-page playbills, which include some folding playbills, are mounted on 171 leaves of a contemporary ledger. The playbills were published for the Mason by the Program Publishing Company of Los Angeles through 1916 and later by the Mason Program Company. They were apparently distributed by the Peters Bill Posting Company of Santa Ana, California. Throughout the ledger are holograph notes in different hands recording accounting information, personal names, and the names of bill posting companies in the Los Angeles area.

Biographical / historical:

The Mason Opera House, located on the 100 block of South Broadway in Los Angeles, was a popular venue for internationally known drama and opera performers from the 1900s through the 1920s under the management of W.T. Wyatt. It was centered in one of Los Angeles's major entertainment districts on Broadway. The Mason was established some time before or at the turn of the century, along with the Regal, the Belasco, the Princess, the Hippodrome, and other theaters.

Acquisition information:
Acquired, 2000.
Processing information:

Processed by Adrian Turner, 2001.

Access and use

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

Property rights reside with the University of California. Literary rights are retained by the creators of the records and their heirs. For permissions to reproduce or to publish, please contact the Head of Special Collections and Archives.

Preferred citation:

Mason Opera House Playbills. MS-P40. Special Collections and Archives, The UC Irvine Libraries, Irvine, California. Date accessed.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Location of this collection:
Special Collections and Archives
The UCI Libraries, P.O. Box 19557
Irvine, CA 92623-9557, US
Contact:
(949) 824-3947
spcoll@uci.libanswers.com
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