Broadway to Tokio - 1900

It's always a good feeling to find proof of a hunch when you’re trying to identify what production used a particular costume design. Fortunately this Caroline Siedle drawing provided a fair amount of information to work with, even though no specific show is indicated. The costume itself may not be one of her more exciting designs, but the strong polka dot pattern is lively, and it would be striking onstage; especially repeated seven times!

At the bottom is written "Wives of Mr Jay Mormon in Long Acre Square scene". There's also a notation of "seven" and "green", showing the quantity of costumes and color. On the back "Act 1 scene 2 Pullman car" is written, as well as a note for "Goodyear gloves 6 1/4". Goodyear gloves were an early brand of India rubber gloves, considered hygienic and sturdy.

So the search began, wading through newspaper reviews of shows known to be costumed by Siedle, looking for any connection to these details. And, the 1900 production Broadway to Tokio, at the New York Theatre, fit the bill! 

The show was billed as a "spectacular phantasy". The basic plot concerns the mummy of Cleopatra awakening in her sarcophagus in New York to discover her heart is missing, and traveling across the country and the sea to find it. 

 It was a loosely plotted entertainment that had frequent additions and special features added, and also boasted the most elaborate use of stage electricity to date. Fay Templeton starred as Cleopatra and the show was a hit. Reviews called out the various scenes, including settings in both a Pullman car and Long Acre Square, (better known today as Times Square). After closing in New York the show toured, and there was this note in the July 14th, 1900 Blackfoot News:

"Joe Ott gives an admirable bit of comedy work as Salter Lake, the seven-wived Mormon. His medley, made up of parts of tunes and songs that everybody knows, is a convulsing conceit."

Apparently the name of the character had changed from Jay Mormon, if that ever was the real name. 

So, everything was falling into place. Then the clincher came in a newspaper photo published in The World, January 24th 1900 - very badly reproduced -  showing the wives in this costume!  It's always gratifying to find actual photographic proof of a theory.