Is there anywhere in the world where vaudeville acts are sill performed, that is, in order to preserve the artform of vaudeville?
Well, it depends what you mean. “Vaudeville,” (aka Music Hall or Variety) was simply a collection of acts: singers, comics, jugglers, animal acts, short scenes from plays, etc. So all of those things are indeed still being performed, but not so much all on one bill at your local Palace or Hippodrome. The closest thing in our lifetime was The Ed Sullivan Show.
The closest thing in my lifetime is Monty Python, Kids in the Hall, and albinoblacksheep.com .
But the old sketches seem to be gone. Anyone got a good archive?
Niagra Falls?!
The Muppet Show was pretty much vaudeville and pretty much represented itself in the format.
The Library of Congress has an online archive of Vaudeville playbills, playscripts, and sound recordings: Variety Stage: Vaudeville and Popular Entertainment, 1870-1920
Slowly I turned . . .
In Kansas City, we have the Martin City Melodrama and Vaudewille Company . It’s a theater that does a short melodrama play, then a second act of songs and short skits. They have acting classes for kids, too. I’ve taken several, it’s a lot of fun.
Look into some of your local smaller theater companies and venues. Occasionally such places will gather their regular performers and some new ones for variety shows.
Step by step…
Inch by inch . . .
Susquehana Hat Company…
As I understand it, the Standard Vaudeville Format ™ was a show of multiple acts: starting with one mediocre act progressing with another somewat more interesting, until the second-to-last act which was the real zinger…the one everybody was waiting for. Finally, the show wraps up with a truly god-awful act designed to compel the audience to get up and walk out…giving the theater a headstart to ushering in a new audience…and the show starts at the beginning again.
Yep, pretty much as it has been represented to me. although it should be noted that the headliner was not necessarily any good, just as you represented what everyone whanted to see. It could be good or it could be a noted athlete reading his poetry or a famous criminal reinacting or even telling about his/her crime. This last was quite common. The final scene in Chicago is a reference to this.
THE SUSQUEHANA HAT COMPANY! THE SUSQUEHANA HAT COMPANY! I’LL SHOW YOU WHAT I THINK OF THE SUSQUEHANA HAT COMPANY!