The Whirl of the Town? - 1897

Caroline Siedle designed quite a few costumes in simple black & white. The graphic quality of these outfits would have had a striking appearance on stage, as a contrast to other more colorful elements. 

This particular costume design by Mrs. Siedle bears no useful information for placing it within a show, but as it was acquired together with the two Whirl of the Town designs previously shown, I have classed it with that production. I haven't been able to locate any contemporary information to make it definite that this is the case, but I'll keep looking. I may find it was intended for something else altogether!

One of the reasons I consider it might be for this show is this postcard of Madge Lessing wearing a costume of very similar appearance. The caption on the card reads: 

"Mother Goose" 
Madge Lessing as Jill

Lessing did appear as Jill in a production of Mother Goose in London, but I can find no record of Siedle designing for that show. That particular production took place in 1902; but although this photo is labeled as Mother Goose it isn’t positive proof that the photo was taken from that show. It’s not uncommon to find earlier publicity photos of stars being used to promote their latest endeavor. This particular photo could easily be from The Whirl of the Town.

In spite of the lack of identifying features, there is a great deal of information on the back of the design. This is sometimes the case, with instructions concerning materials and construction of the costume:

 

The jacket is of black satin with white satin reverse & edged with swansdown. High flaring (illegible) collar.
Buttons tapering in at waist are of rhinestone. Strip to sling muff on is black velvet ribbon, backed with white satin showing edge on each side of black. 

Rhinestone buckle to regulate length. White satin ruffle at each end of muff & an owl on top.

The skirt is of transparent goods machine pleated.
Up the pleats are sewn silver hanging spangles, suspended with a few silver small beads.

The tights have flesh tops, woven to represent black stockings and flesh above.
Black silk fitted trunks. Show as much flesh as is possible. Skirt is open both sides.
Garter of satin & stone buckle

Outside of umbrella applique represents an owl on a branch with moon & stars. The stick comes out at top of owl’s beak. Edge umbrella cover with swansdown & ball of same at points.

Hat black satin outside. White inside edged in down. A good white plume. Bow knot of stones.

 

Siedle has done a faint sketch showing the design of an owl on a branch with moon & stars, which was the design intended for the umbrellas. There's also an explanatory sketch for the tights, showing how the effect of bare skin would be achieved.   

 

A final note, written sideways on the right of the drawing reads:

8 clowns
White & orange

 

 Perhaps these were to be a backup up chorus for this costume! 

The Whirl of the Town/Otero - 1897

Madge Lessing made a hit in The Whirl of the Town, but another actress also scored a success. Gertrude Zella had a turn in which she performed a parody of La Belle Otero, a popular Spanish style dancer of the day. 

 Otero was known as much for the excess of diamonds and jewelry worn on her costume as she was for her performance. The dancer had been touring the country and performing in 1897, so she was a timely choice for lampooning. She had detractors as well as admirers, as can be seen in these selections from a bit of writing in the Los Angeles Herald, February 7th 1897 - 

...There stood Otero. There were no diamonds on her face. Her nose was clear. So were her lips. Every other portion of her entity blazed. The display was not vulgar; it was ludicrous. There isn't a window in Union Square that could compare for a moment with Otero's bediamoned bust....

...Her bodice was decollete, but she could have gone out in in a blizzard without catching cold, thanks to the huge diamond poultice that covered her chest. It was a mighty and colossal affair... 

...Alas! Poor Otero! She sang a couple of songs in a harsh, shrill voice that caused my friend Huneker to wish himself back at "Siegfried" or "Tristan". These songs called for coyness, chic and "spice". Otero's interpretation is by elephantine methods...

...After this Otero tried to be saucy and lifted up her dress a la Cissy Fitzgerald, to show a misty wealth of yellow chiffon. She did it all so awkwardly, so coldly, so brazenly, that you asked yourself how it was that so strikingly handsome a woman could be so bereft of all grace. 

Admittedly, other reviewers were high in their praise for the dancer, who starred at the Folies Bergere in Paris and was notorious for her many royal lovers. 

 This drawing by Caroline Siedle is labelled “Miss Zella as Otero”, and shows a gaudy dress in bright yellow and orange. Glitter has been used to represent the many spangles and rhinestones that would be used in the costume. The dress is designed to replicate the outfit worn by the dancer when performing at that time. There’s no additional information on the back of the drawing.

The pose chosen by the artist is quite similar to this photo postcard, showing the dancer in a typical skirt-raising stance. The striking necklace that nearly doubles as a breastplate on the costume design reproduces the one worn by Otero. It's easy to imagine that Siedle might have had this image at hand when designing this particular costume. It appears correct in its essentials, down to the "misty wealth of yellow chiffon" under the skirt!

Miss Zella’s performance certainly captured praise from this reviewer in the New York Journal, May 26th, 1897. After describing some business performed in the show by actor Dan Daly, he provides a description of her turn as the Spanish dancer -  

...It is while Daly is still in that upper box that one of the most effective novelties of the piece is introduced. The scene is the Metropolitan Music Hall stage and "Otero comes forth to "dance with her voice and sing with her feet". Daly is no longer blase. He is enraptured. But Otero (she is Gertrude Zella, and she is not to be despised, I can assure you) sings at a callow youth in an aisle seat in the front row. She beguiles him with many a languorous gesture; she makes melting eyes at him, and calls him "bebe". The callow youth shuffles about in his seat. Daly glares at him, and he turns red and tries to appear unconscious. The more unconscious he appears the more utterly he fails and the more the audience is enraptured. And not until at the climax of Miss Zella's endearing invitations does he get up and leave the theatre in deep indignation, and not until then does the audience realize that Daly in his box is not the only actor in the audience.

The Whirl of the Town - 1897

The Whirl of the Town was presented at the Casino Theatre in New York in May of 1897, the fourth production of its kind at that venue. Entertainment in the form of a musical show/revue, satirizing the hit shows of the past season with a slim plot but plenty of variety, had proven to be popular; and Caroline Siedle designed costumes for many of the offerings at the Casino. For this show, the concept was built around the idea of a mermaid who enters into the bustle of New York City and Coney Island. It enjoyed a very successful summer run at the theater.

Here’s Madge Lessing’s description of her role in The Whirl of the Town, from the Sept. 11, 1901 issue of The Sketch, prior to the show opening in England at the Century Theater:

“I’m ‘Dimples’. For a few minutes you’ll see me in this dress as a mermaid. I’ve been stolen out of a tank in the New York Aquarium by a kleptomaniac, who takes me right into the whirl of the town, and I dance and sing and wear lovely dresses and go everywhere. It is such a life, such a round of gaiety; but, somehow, after a while I pine for the sea. At length an opportunity occurs, and I race down to the beach and I dash through a great breaker and I disappear, as I must now,” she laughingly remarked as she obeyed the call-boy’s summons.

Unfortunately the show was not a hit for London audiences.

Madge Lessing was born in England in 1873, but came to the US around 1890, and had a successful stage career. She was featured in several shows at the Casino, before returning to London in 1900 and continuing as a popular stage star in the UK and Europe. She can be seen on countless postcards of the period. She married and retired from the stage in 1920. 

This design by Siedle is for a brilliant red bathing costume, modest by today’s standards but typically saucy for the theater at that time. A red costume will always stand out on stage, and this would certainly make an impression! The drawing is labeled “Dimples in bathing dress Act 3”, with “this color” written at the top. Also at the top, written in blue pencil in an unknown hand, is “handle with care (to be returned)”.

On the rear of the board is Miss Lessing’s name, along with a rather urgent note scrawled in the same blue pencil:

 Head to be drawn

on from photo
Madge Lessing
to be returned
to Simpson
Crawford & 
Simpson

 at once 

Simpson, Crawford & Simpson was a luxury department store on Sixth Avenue in New York City. As to why this drawing was to be returned there, large stores often had entire dressmaking workrooms that were sometimes put to use for costuming during a busy theatrical season. It’s possible that some of the costumes for the show were being created at this location. The instruction that the head was to be drawn on from a photo might indicate that the image was to be used in advertising of some sort; the drawing was temporarily needed for that purpose and lent with strict instructions for its return. This is all supposition on my part, but certainly not impossible. In fact, the newspaper engraving on the right might be the very kind of thing it was needed for - used as a reference for drawing costume details.

Miss Lessing is shown wearing this costume in this unidentified newspaper photo of several characters from the show. It’s always gratifying to find photographic evidence of an outfit!

 

 

Cymbeline - 1897

Identifying the production a specific costume was designed for can be challenging, and open to conjecture. Some are clearly marked and easily recognizable, while others require more deduction and study of the few clues they present. 

In general, on Caroline Siedle’s designs the character name is written on the front lower left corner of the drawing and the actor’s name is on the back; but this certainly is not always the case. As the name of the show does not tend to be listed, it can be difficult or impossible to place an anonymous character into a production. Even when there are identifying notes it can be hard to be certain.

I had no idea what show this drawing was intended for, although in this case there were two identifiers - the lower front corner is labeled “Queen”, and on the rear is the name “Mrs. Barry”. The costume itself is a regal garment in turquoise and white, with Celtic designs and elaborately detailed accessories. Highlights in silver paint add additional sparkle to the piece.

After some digging and searching, I found several references to an 1897 production of Cymbeline, by William Shakespeare. The role of the Queen was played by Mrs. Thomas Barry, so it feels quite possible that this design was created for this show; Siedle is best known for her multitude of designs for early musical theater, but she did create costumes for plays and other forms of stage entertainment. 

I came across a newspaper advertisement, shown above, that lists the various artists responsible for this production of Cymbeline and there is no mention of Caroline Siedle; but Edward Siedle (mispelled Seidle) is listed as Property Manager, so it seems very possible that Caroline could have easily been involved as well.

The costumes are listed as being by Dazian, but this in itself can be misleading. Dazian was a theatrical supplier that prided themselves on offering anything one could need for a stage production. The shop sold materials and fabrics of all kinds and could provide costumes created from their own collection of designs; but they also built wardrobes drawn up by other designers. It’s a classic example of how designers could be overshadowed by the firms that manufactured their costumes. This wouldn’t always be the case; two years later a February, 1899, publicity article in The St. Paul Globe extolled the touring production of The Jolly Musketeer, starring Jefferson De Angelis. It specifically states “…Dazian, the famous costumer of New York City, made all of the dazzling costumes, from sketches made by Mrs. Caroline F. Siedle.”

I believe it's possible that the costumes for Cymbeline were built by Dazian, but designed by Siedle. Dazian is still in business today serving the theater community, and the 1880's catalog pictured above can be viewed in full at The Costumer's Manifesto. 

Margaret Mather was a well known dramatic actress who retired from the stage in 1892 when she married Gustav Pabst, son of the wealthy Milwaukee brewing family. They divorced in 1895 after she horsewhipped him in a Milwaukee street, and she returned to the stage. Though well known, particularly for playing Juliet in the 1880’s, her acting merits were debated by critics who had strong opinions concerning her talent. Cymbeline was her 1897 return to the stage as Imogen, in a sumptuous production of the late Shakespeare play. The show played on Broadway and toured, but received a mixed critical response.

While performing her role in West Virginia in 1898, Margaret Mather collapsed on stage, dying later that evening without regaining consciousness. The cause of death was Brights disease, a kidney ailment, thought to have been brought on through excessive use of patent weight reducing medications.

Incidentally, Mrs. Barry did receive good reviews in her role of the Queen, a rather treacherous character. The serpent bracelets featured in Siedle's design give a hint of this trait!

In Gay New York - 1896

 In Gay New York was the third annual revue presented at the Casino Theatre in New York City, preceded by The Passing Show and The Merry World. This kind of show became a staple of the Casino in the summer months, elaborate productions that presented a satiric view of current trends and topics, filled with pretty girls and catchy music. Caroline Siedle did her part by providing colorful and eye-catching costumes for the performers, and her work received praise in the newspaper reviews, though often in an anonymous fashion, with references to striking costumes.

After running in New York these shows would tour the country. An October 26th, 1896, review in the Kansas City Journal, gives special note to one of the ballets in the production:

“The ballet diversions introduced are novel and unique; ... strikingly original and magnificently costumed; ... four shapely young women in black tights and ermine trimmed cloaks, wearing coronets, represent the English peers and a like number of girls, each with a bag of money typify American heiresses.”

The number was called the “Illustrative Dance of English Peers and American Heiresses”; a parody, no doubt, of the phenomenon of British gentry marrying wealthy Americans to shore up their sagging finances. The newspaper drawing on the right, from the March 13th, 1897, Providence News gives a glimpse of this number - and today’s costume!  

There isn’t much useful information written on this design, but it is titled “American Heiresses”. After I discovered the description in the Kansas newspaper review, it became clear that this was used for the four chorus girls representing the wealthy Americans. With the bold red and white striped bodice trimmed in blue, the eagle headdress, star spangled gauze skirt and bags of money, the nationality of these beauties wouldn't be in doubt! Silver glitter has been added to give the effect of the spangles that would have covered the costume. In the upper corner of the drawing Siedle has sketched an additional design for the skirt, one that would show off a bit more leg; there’s no indication on the drawing of which version was chosen for the final costume, but it’s not surprising to see that the newspaper image indicates the shorter skirt was used.

The plot of the show was simple; a newly married couple (Johnny and Sally Brown) from Huckleberry Center, Maine arrive in New York City with $1000, and are taken through the town by a motley crowd of opportunists who relieve them of their money. The theme of outsiders visiting the city was popular, and would be visited again the next year in The Whirl of the Town. This photo, from the collection of the Museum of the City of New York shows a scene from the third act, taking place on Coney Island. 

 For this style of show, change was everything. The production opened at the end of May, and by the end of July a “second edition” was running, with new material and additions to the original. It was important to keep up with the topics and foibles of the day!

Addenda: After posting this I ran across a humorous publicity piece, mentioning the American Heiresses costume, in the St. Paul Globe from March 21, 1897:

While the "In Gay New York" company was playing at Wallack's theater in New York city recently the subject of ballet costumes was touched upon during an incidental conversation in Theodore Moss' private office, says the Chicago Times Herald. The relative weight of of a complete ballet costume as compared with the weight of a feminine outfit for the street was the point in argument, and the veteran Moss, who has had long experience in such matters, gave it as his opinion that the regulation ballet costume would weigh about one-fifth as much as the ordinary street costume. Marc Klaw insisted that there was a much greater difference in their relative weights, and finally a wager of a New Year's spread for the entire company was made - the supper to be served on the stage of Wallack's theater after the performance on Saturday night. Business Manager Wheeler, of the company, was appealed to as arbitrator, and being of a practical turn of mind sent for the wardrobe mistress of the company. One of the Fougere costumes, worn in the dance of the peers and heiresses, was secured. It was hardly fair to choose this particular costume - there's so little of it - but the governor, as Moss is called, agreed to it. The silk tights, the black gauze skirt, the bodice and the tiny slippers were put on a postal scale and marked exactly one pound. Then a complete street costume was secured and weighed, and showed sixteen pounds on the scales.

"It's curious how these 16 to 1 ideas still linger," remarked Klaw.

"Well, they wear fewer clothes in the ballet now than they did in my younger days," remarked Moss, as he sent the order for the supper to a caterer.

The Grand Duchess - 1894

The Grand Duchess, or The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, by Jules Offenbach, is a French operetta that was often presented in the late 19th and early 20th century. In 1894 Lillian Russell starred in a revival of the popular piece, which was costumed by Caroline Siedle. 

Russell was the foremost operetta star in America for many years, and was known for her voice, beauty and stage presence. She was an early supporter of Siedle’s costume work, and starred in various vehicles outfitted by the designer. She appeared regularly at Weber & Field’s Music Hall, as well as the Casino theater; both were frequent clients of Caroline Siedle. In an 1895 interview Siedle is quoted;

"...I'll tell you one thing that always is pleasing: It is to have opera stars follow every item of a design made for them. Miss Russell is such a conscientious person in that way that it is a delight to design for her. In "The Princess Nicotine" she adhered to the sketch, even to the rose she wore. Yes the Princess Nicotine hat, which has been the rage here in New York, was part of the design."

Indeed, the Princess Nicotine hat was a popular fashion for a time, as seen in this 1894 advertisement.

The Grand Duchess was a favorite piece for the actress, who starred in several productions of the operetta over a five year period. According to the New York Evening World, November 15th, 1894, this particular presentation came about due to the failure of The Queen of Brilliants, another Russell vehicle.

The photo on the left, from the New York Public Library, shows Russell's first entrance in the operetta, in a sleigh. In the newspaper interview published in 1895, Siedle is busy painting cherubs on a sleigh for a production of The Grand Duchess. Presumably this was the sleigh!

This design is for the character General Boum, spelled “Boom” by Siedle. The costume is elaborate, and the drawing features gold paint to highlight the various braids and trims. The oversized hat, sash and elaborate boots help to indicate the self-importance of the character. Siedle's signature in this early design is a little different than her familiar style. Her signature seems to have changed somewhere in the 1895/96 period.

Notations on the back of the board indicate that the role was to be played by a Mr. Sanzelle; this is confirmed by a blurb in The World, November 17th, 1894, claiming that Mr Sanzelle had been engaged prior to the opening of the show. But the name has been crossed out and changed to Mostyn. This is explained by the role being played by Hallen Mostyn when the production opened on December 4th. He continued in the role, touring the country with the production.

Further notes show that the character had only this one costume, which was supplemented in the first act with a military coat, muffler and mittens. Also, the epaulets had to be detachable!

Prince Ananias - 1894

This is an early design by Caroline Siedle, from 1894. It’s often tricky to identify what show an individual costume is from, but earlier shows such as this can be even more difficult to pinpoint; Siedle was not as well known and didn’t get mentioned as often in the programs and reviews. Until recently I’d been unable to identify where this costume was used, but it does offer up a clue or two. It can be identified as early due to the appearance of her signature; in later drawings her signature changed into a more stylized form, though it was always initials (C.F.) and the last name. I believe the change in style occurred around 1895, but that isn’t a definite date. 

At the lower left on the front is written “Mr. MacDonald for Music sheets”. This was intriguing; it seemed to indicate that not only was this a costume design, but this drawing was selected for use on the cover of sheet music for the production. It was not unusual for sheet music to feature a costumed character from a show, sometimes as a photo and sometimes as a drawing. But it was unclear if Mr. MacDonald was a character or a performer, and until I knew the name of the show I was drawing a blank.  

 

On the back of the board we find a name, Howard Carroll, but I'd been unable to trace this name to a performer.  There's also Siedle's name along with two addresses for the return of the drawing - the first is the Metropolitan Opera House in the city, the other is her home address in Yonkers.

Siedle did have a workspace at the opera house, where her husband Edward became a prop-man in 1891, as well as a studio space in her home. Many of her designs bear the rubber stamp of the Metropolitan Opera, even if they were not drawn for use in their productions. When mentioned in articles, she was often referred to as “Mrs. Siedle of the Metropolitan Opera”.

I started looking at early shows that Siedle was known to have worked on, and made a search for reviews of Prince Ananias, which was the first Victor Herbert comic opera. This finally gave me my answers. Produced by The Bostonians in 1894/95, an October, 1895 review of the production (then on tour in San Francisco) mentions Mr. W. H. MacDonald appearing in the role of Prince Ananias.  The Bostonians (1883 - 1905) were a well-known traveling comic opera company, and William H. MacDonald was one of the proprietors, as well as a leading player. Victor Herbert wrote a handful of his earliest operettas for the company, and Siedle’s earliest costume work was creating designs for several of their productions; according to an 1895 interview, her first show was The Knickerbockers, produced in 1893 by The Bostonians.

 

 

With the new information in hand, a quick internet search located sheet music featuring the design, proving the connection conclusively. If any further proof were needed, at the Museum of the City of New York I located a photo from the production showing Mr MacDonald in this costume (circled in red)!