Stage Musical Chronology: 1885-1889

Stage Musical Chronology

1885 to 1889

Compiled by John Kenrick

Unless otherwise noted, all shows are book musicals, and all dates are for Broadway openings. Since there was no authorized organization maintaining statistics, some performance totals are approximations.

KEY

Show Title (Genre/City), Opening Date, Theatre, Number of Performances

1885

Nanon (German), 1/2/1885, Thalia, 56 REP
McAllister's Legacy, 1/5/1885, New Park, 80
Over the Garden Wall, 1/5/1885, Tony Pastor's New 14th Street, 32
A Bottle of Ink, 1/2/1885, New York Comedy, 24
Apajune (R), 1/13/1885, Casino, 42
The Kindergarten, 2/2/1885, Third Avenue, 17
The Drum Major's Daughter (1st in English), 2/2/1885, 14th Street, 8
Ixion! (B-R), 2/4/1885, Comedy, 53
The Mascotte (R), 2/9/1885, 14th Street, 16
Three Of A Kind, 3/28/1885, Grand Opera House, 6
Gasparone, 2/21/1885, Standard, 44
Pierette, 3/2/1885, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 16
The Pirates of Penzance (R), 3/9/1885, Casino, 7
Mikado, The (London), 3/14/1885, Savoy, 672
Die Fledermaus (1st English), 3/16/1885, Casino, 42
The Major (R-Revised), 3/16/1885, 14th Street, 40
H.M.S. Pinafore (R), 4/4/1885, Standard, 15
La Jour Et La Nuit (R-French), 4/8/1885, Star, 1 REP
Ixion (R), 4/13/1885, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 60
Les Cloches De Corneville (R-French), 4/14/1885, Star, 2 REP
La Fille Du Tambour-Major (R-French), 4/15/1885, Star, 2 REP
Twins, 4/20/1885, Standard, 14
Cordelia's Aspirations (R), 4/20/1885, 14th Street, 24
Girofle-Girofla (R-French), 4/20/1885, Star, 2 REP
La Petit Mariee (R-French), 4/21/1885, Star, 1 REP
Le Grand Casimir (R-French), 4/22/1885, Star, 2 REP
Polly, 4/27/1885, Casino, 79
Der Feldprediger (German), 5/1/1885, Thalia, 16 REP
The Black Hussar (1st in English), 5/4/1885, Wallack's, 104
Are You Insured?, 5/11/1885, 14th Street, 8
Fra Diavolo (R), 5/18/1885, Fifth Avenue, 10 REP
Fin-Fin The Pretty Brigand, 5/18/1885, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 48
The Bohemian Girl (R), 5/25/1885, Fifth, REP
Around the World in Eighty Days (R), 6/1/1885, Niblo's Garden, 24
A Capital Prize, 6/1/1885, Tony Pastor's New 14th Street, 32
Patience (R), 6/1/11885, New Park, 4
La Mascotte (R), 6/3/11885, New Park, 8
H.M.S. Pinafore (R), 6/8/11885, New Park, 6
The Chimes of Normandy (R), 6/8/11885, New Park, 6
La Belle Helene Burlesque (B), 6/15/1885, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 64
Billee Taylor (R), 6/22/1885, Casino, 7
Nanon (1st in English), 6/29/18985, Casino, 152
Funny Valentines, 7/13/1885, Tony Pastor's New 14th Street, 8
The Mikado, 7/20/1885, Union Square Theatre, 22 (Unauthorized production, closed by court injunction)
Scheming, 7/20, Tony Pastor's New 14th Street, 8
Chatter, 8/17/1885, Wallack's, 28
Clio, 8/17/1885, Niblo's Garden, 32
The Mikado (D'Oyly Carte), 8/19/1885, Fifth Avenue, 250
The Mikado (Rival), 8/24/1885, Standard, 91
Old Lavendar, 8/31/1885, Harrigan's Park, 100
Brother Max, 8/31/1885, Tony Pastor's New 14th Street, 8
Na-Non (B), 8/31/1885, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 72
Die Fledermaus (R), 9/14/1885, Wallack's 14
Shane-Na-Lawn!, 9/21/1885, Miner's, 24
Captain of the Queen's Own, 9/28/1885, Tony Pastor's New 14th Street, 16
M'lle. Nitouche (R-French), 10/1/1885, Wallack's, 5 REP
Lili (French), 10/5/1885, Wallack's, 4 REP
La Femme A Papa (French), 10/6/1885, Wallack's, 7 REP
Evangeline! (R), 10/7/1885, 14th Street, 252
Niniche (French), 10/9/1885, Wallack's, 4 REP
Le Gran Casimir (R-French), 10/15/1885, Wallack's, 2 REP
La Mascotte (R-French), 10/23/1885, Wallack's, 3 REP
Der Zigeunerbaron (Vienna-Gypsy Baron), 10/24/1885, An der Wein, 87
Erminie (London), 11/1/1885, Comedy, 154
Another Mikado (B), 11/2/1885, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 128
Mikado, The (Sydney), 11/15/1885, Theater Royal, 101
Amorita, 11/16/1885, Casino, 91
La Fauvette Du Temple (Paris), 11/17/1885, Folies Dramatiques, 130
The Skating Rink, 11/23/1885, Standard, 39
The Ratcatcher, 11/30/1885, Niblo's Garden, 65
Grip, The, 11/30/1885, Harrigan's Park, 88
The Black Hussar (R), 12/7/1885, Star, 28
M'lle. Nitouche (R), 12/14/1885, Grand Opera House, 7
Little Jack Sheppard (London), 12/26/1885, Gaiety, 155
Oh! What A Night, 12/28/1885, Grand Opera House, 9
Wrinkles, 12/28/1885, Harlem Theatre Comique, 9

1886

Crazy Patch, 1/18/1886, Standard, 14
Jack-In-The-Box, 2/8/1886, Union Square, 32
Les Noces Improvisees (Paris - aka Nadgy), 2/13/1886, Bouffes-Parisiens, 35
The Leather Patch, 2/15/1886, Harrigan's Park, 88
The Gypsy Baron, 2/15/1886, Casino, 86
Three Of A Kind (R), 2/15/1886, Grand Opera House, 8
Serment D'Amour (Paris), 2/19/1886, Nouveautes, 104
La Princess La Trebizonde (B), 2/22/1886, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 60
La Grande Duchesse De Gerolstein (R-French), 3/3/1886, Star, 2 REP
La Cosaque (R-French), 3/4/1886, Star, 2 REP
The Ivy Leaf, 3/8/1886, Niblo's Garden, 8
We, Us and Co., 3/15/1886, Standard, 18
The Mikado (R), 3/15/1886, Niblo's, 16
Joshua Whitcomb (R), 3/15/1886, Grand Opera House, 7
Pepita, 3/16/1886, Union Square, 80
Josephine Vende Par Ses Soeurs (Paris), 3/20/1886, Bouffes-Parisiens, 200
The Little Tycoon, 3/21/1886, Standard, 91
The Black Crook (R), 3/29/1886, Niblo's 32
H.M.S. Pinafore (R), 3/29/1886, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 60
La Belle Helene (R-French), 4/5/1886, Star, 2
La Rousette (French), 4/6/1886, Star, 1
La Vie Parisienne (R-French), 4/12/1886, Star, 1
La Jolie Parfumeuse (R-French), 4/17/1886, Star, 1
Irish Aristocracy (R), 4/19/1886, People's, 24
Arcadia, 4/26/1886, Bijou, 21
The Mikado (R), 4/26/1886, Metropolitan Opera House, 16
Don Caesar, 5/3/1886, Wallack's, 26
Prince Karl, 5/3/1886, Madison Square, 185
A Tin Soldier, 5/3/1886, Standard, 63
Pin-A-4/Trial By Jury (B), 5/3/1886, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 8
Erminie, 5/10/1886, Casino, 150
Ixion (R), 5/10/1886, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 87
Oxygen (R), 5/17/1886, 14th Street, 16
Adonis (London), 5/31/1886, Gaiety, 110
The Crowing Hen, 5.29.1886, Wallack's, 43
The Bridal Trap, 5/31/1886, Bijou Opera House, 28
A Soap Bubble, 5/31/1886, New Windsor, 8
The Maid of Belleville, 6/24/1886, Star, 14
Falka (R), 7/12/1886, Wallack's, 35
Venus and Adonis, 7/31/1886, 7/31/1886, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 80
Soldiers and Sweethearts, 8/16/1886, Bijou, 21
The Maid and The Moonshiner, 8/16/1886, Standard, 15
Around the World In Eighty Days (R), 8/21/1886, Niblo's Garden, 25
Investigation (R), 8/23/1886, Harrigan's Park, 56
Josephine Sold By Her Sisters, 8/30/1886, Wallack's, 42
Shane-Ne-Lawn (R), 9/6/1886, Poole's, 48
Little Jack Sheppard, 9/13/1886, Bijou Opera House, 109
Our Irish Visitors, 9/13/1886, Third Avenue, 16
Adonis (R), 9/20/1886, Fifth Avenue, 16
Mam'zelle (R), 9/20/1886, Union Square, 11 REP
Dorothy (London), 9/25/1886, Gaiety, 931
Marita, 9/28/1886, Union Square, 3 REP
The Commodore, 10/4/1886, Casino, 21
The Irish Minstrel, 10/4/1886, Poole's, 8
O'Reagans, The, 10/11/1886, Harrigan's Park, 128
Capt. Jack Sheppard, 10/11/1886, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 135
Kenilworth, 10/25/1886, Casino, 21
Our Diva (London), 10/26/1886, Opera Comique, 48
The Mikado (R), 11/1/1886, Fifth Avenue, 21
Erminie (Return), 11/15/1886, Casino, 362 (Total 512)
Karl, The Peddler, 11/15/1886, Hart's Theatre Comique
Princess Ida (R), 11/22/1886, Fifth Avenue, 22
My Aunt Bridget, 12/6/1886, Poole's, 24
Turned Up/Those Bells, 12/11/1886, Bijou Opera House, 49
Donnybrook!, 12/13/1886, Miner's People's, 8
Pat's Wardrobe, 12/20/1886, Poole's, 8
Monte Cristo Jr (London), 12/23/1886, Gaiety, ??
Over The Garden Wall (R), 12/27/1886, 14th Street, 16

1887

Evangeline (R), 1/3/1887, Niblo's Garden, 8
The Old Homestead, 1/10/1887, 14th Street, 155
The Black Crook (R), 1/17/1887, Niblo's Garden, 64
Indiana, 1/17/1887, Star, 35
The Kindergarden (R), 1/17/1887, Poole's, 79
Ruddigore (London), 1/22/1887, Savoy, 288
The Mascot (R), 1/24/1887, Bijou Opera House, 39
McNooney's Visit, 1/31/1887, Harrigan's Park, 88
The Humming Bird, 2/7/1887, Star, 23
Pa, 2/14/1887, Standard, 7
Mynheer Jan (London), 2/14/1887, Comedy, 35
Ruddygore, 2/21/1887, Fifth Avenue, 53
Fritz, Our Cousin German (R), 2/21/1887, Standard, 42
Lorraine, 2/28/1887, Star, 14
The Skating Rink (R), 2/28/1887, Bijou Opera House, 25
Big Pony, 3/31/1887, Bijou Theatre, 25
A Trip to Africa (R), 4/11/1887, Standard, 28
Cordelia's Aspirations (R), 4/18/1887, Harrigan's Park, 16
The Deacon's Daughter, 4/25/1887, Union Square, 43
The Black Hussar (R), 5/7/1887, Wallack's 24
The Pyramid, 5/16/1887, Star, 28
Gasparone, 5/16/1887, Standard, 14
Iolanthe (R), 5/30/1887, Standard, 14
Falka (R), 5/31/1887, Wallack's, 14
Our Irish Visitors (R), 4/6/1887, Union Square, 35
Jacquette, 6/13/1887, Wallack's, 21
H.M.S. Pinafore (R), 6/13/1887, Madison Square, 12
The Beggar Student (R), 6/25/1887, Wallack's, 28
Lagardere, 8/17/1887, Niblo's Garden, 70
Bellman, 8/22/1887, Wallack's, 49
A Hole In The Ground, 9/12/1887, 14th Street, 32
The Wily West, 9/12/1887, Harrigan's Park, 24
A Circus In Town, 9/12/1887, Bijou Opera House, 9
The Arabian Nights, 9/12/1887, Standard, 80
The Marquis, 9/19/1887, Casino, 77
The Hummingbird (R), 9/23/1887, Bijou Opera House, 27
Le Grand Mogul (French), 9/26/1886, Star, 6 REP
Serment D'Amour (French), 9/29/1886, Star, 3 REP
La Fille De Madame Angot (R-French), 10/3/1886, Star, 5 REP
La Mascotte (R-French), 10/6/1886, Star, 3 REP
Surcouf (Paris), 10/6/1886, Follies Dramatiques, 135
The Leather Patch (R), 10/10/1887, Harrigan's Park, 32
My Sweetheart/The Ring And The Keeper, 10/10/1887, 14th Street, 14
Fatinitza (R-French), 10/14/1887, Star, 3 REP
The Old Homestead (R), 10/17/1887, Niblo's Garden, 72
The Corsair, 10/18/1887, Bijou, 180
Dorothy, 11/5/1887, Standard, 43
Cordelia's Aspirations (R), 11/7/1887, Harrigan's Park, 16
The Deacon's Daughter (R), 11/7/1887, Grand Opera House, 16
Begum, The, 11/21/1887, Fifth Avenue, 22
Pete, 11/22/1887, Harrigan's Park, 175
She, 11/29/1887, Niblo's Garden, 31
Madelon, 12/5/1887, Casino, 42
Our Jennie, 12/26/1887, People's, 8
Turned Up, 12/26/1887, Grand Opera House, 41

1888

Mazulm, The Night Owl (R), 1/9/1888, Academy of Music, 72
C.O.D., 1/16/1888, Poole's, 10
Check 44, 1/16/1887, Star, 36
Erminie (R), 1/16/1888, Casino, 117
Little Puck, 1/16/1888, 14th Street, 24
Arcadia (R), 1/30/1888, Third Avenue, 72
Victor, The Blue Stocking, 2/16/1888, Fifth Avenue, 11
Maggie, The Midget, 3/12/1888, 14th Street, 16
The Pearl of Pekin, 3/19/1888, Bijou, 80
Dolores, 4/2/1888, Niblo's Garden, 16
Monte Christo, Jr., 4/2/1888, Dockstader's, 24
The Irish Minstrel, 4/16/1888, Miner's People's, 8
Amaneunsis, 4/23/1888, Dockstader's, 8
Upside Down, 4/23/1888, Niblo's Garden, 8
Old Lavendar (R), 4/23/1888, Harrigan's Park, 16
Natural Gas, 5/1/1888, Fifth Avenue, 42
The Queen's Mate, 5/2/1888, Broadway, 103
The Lady Or The Tiger?, 5/7/1888, Wallack's, 56
Nadjy, 5/14/1888, Casino, 162
Town Lots, 5/28/1888, Bijou Opera House, 8
Prince Methusalem (R), 7/16/1888, Wallack's, 14
Mathias Sandorf, 8/18/1888, Niblo's Garden, 66
Lorraine (R), 8/20/1888, Wallack's, 14
The Old Homestead (R), 8/30/1888, Academy of Music, 277
Boccaccio (R), 9/3/1888, Wallack's56
Struck Gas, 9/3/1888, Miner's People's, 9
Waddy Googan, 9/3/1888, Park, 112
On The Frontier, 10/1/1888, Windsor, 8
Zig-Zag, 10/1/1888, Niblo's Garden, 53
Yeoman of the Guard, The (London), 10/3/1888, Savoy, 423
Faust Up-To-Date (London), 10/13/1888, Gaiety, 180
A Brass Monkey, 10/15/1888, Bijou Opera House, 104
Little Puck (R), 10/15/1888, People's, 15
One Of the Old Stock, 10/15/1888, Windsor, 8
Penelope, 10/15/1888, Star, 8
Yeoman of the Guard, The, 10/17/1888, Casino, 100
Nadgy (London), 11/7/1888, Avenue, 259
Adonis (R), 11/12/18888, Star, 16
She (R), 11/12/1888, 14th Street, 16
Monte Christo, Jr. (New Version), 11/15/1888, Standard, 36
The Crystal Slipper, 11/26/1888, Star, 33
The Lorgaire! (R), 12/10/1888, Harrigan's Park, 60
He, She, Him and Her, 12/17/1888, People's, 8
Miss Esmeralda, 12/17/1888, Standard, 59
Pat's New Wardrobe, 12/17/1888, Third Avenue, 9
A Tin Soldier (R), 12/24/1888, 14th Street, 18
The Kitty, 12/31/1888, Dockstader's, 17

1889

The Pearl of Pekin (R), 1/7/1889, Bijou Opera House, 136
Fantasma, 1/14/1889, 14th Street, 8
Paul Jones (London), 1/12/1889, Prince of Wales, 370
Myles Aroon, 1/21/1889, 14th Street, 16
Nadjy (R), 1/21/1889, Casino, 262
Running Wild, 1/21/1889, Star, 8
Natural Gas (R), 1/28/1889, Bijou, 24
Pete (R), 1/31/1889, Harrigan's Park, 44
Later On, 2/11/1889, Star Street, 8
The Water Queen, 2/11/1889, Niblo's Garden, 25
Said Pasha, 2/25/1889, Star, 32
The O'Reagans (R), 3/4/1889, Harrigan's Park, 20
A Midnight Bell, 3/5/1889, Bijou, 136
Evangeline (R), 3/11/1889, Star, 16
The Irish Minstrel (R), 3/18/1889, Grand Opera, 9
4-14-44, 3/21/1889, Harrihan's Park, 20
Erminie (R), 4/1/1889, Niblo's Garden, 8
The May Queen, 4/1/1889, Palmer's, 37
The Grip (R), 4/8/1889, Harrigan's Park, 8
Doris (London), 4/20/1889, Lyric, 202
Dovetta, 4/22/1889, Standard, 12
Uncle Joe, 4/22/1889, 14th Street, 64
The Black Crook (R), 4/29/1889, Standard, 14
Clover, 5/8/1889, Palmer's, 173
The Brigands (R), 5/9/1889, Casino, 113
The Oolah, 5/13/1889, Broadway, 156
Pat's New Wardrobe (R), 5/20/1889, Niblo's Garden, 8
Adriell, 6/3/1889, Union Square, 7
Lovely Galatea/The Dress Rehearsal, 6/3/1889, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 18
The Bohemian Girl (R), 6/10/1889,Grand Opera House, 7
The Chimes of Normandy (R), 6/17/1889, Grand Opera House, 7
Monte Christo, Jr. (B), 6/24/1889, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 108
The White Elephant, 7/15/1889, Bijou, 14
The Banditi (B), 8/5/1889, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 54

(Note: The above mentioned Monte Christo, Jr. and The Banditi were combined on the same bill at Koster & Bial's.)

Antiope, 8/17/1889, Niblo's Garden, 57
Bric-A-Brac, 8/17/1889, Tony Pastor's, 15
Transatlantic Vaudevilles, 8/17/1889, Bijou, 25
Paola, 8/26/1889, Fifth Avenue, 42
McKenna's Flirtation, 9/2/1889, New Park, 107
The Fairies Well, 9/9/1889, 14th Street, 16
Natural Gas (R), 9/9/1889, Bijou, 44
The Drum Major (R-New Translation), 9/16/1889, Casino, 64
Ruy Blas and the Blas Roue (London), 9/21/1889, 282
Later On (R), 9/23/1889, 14th Street, 8
Faust On Time (B), 9/23/1889, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 18
The Old Homestead (R), 9/26/1889, Academy of Music, 255
The Pearl of Pekin (R), 9/30/1889, Niblo's Garden, 8
Zig-Zag, 9/30/1889, 14th Street, 8
The Seven Ages, 10/7/1889, Standard, 152
Spider and Fly, 10/7/1889, Windsor, 16
Miles Aroon (R), 11/11/1889, Star, 40
Erminie (R), 11/20/1889, Casino, 53
Red Hussar, The (London), 11/23/1889, Lyric, 175
Irish Aristocracy (R), 12/2/1889, Park, 33
Kajanka, 12/2/1889, Niblo's Garden, 64
The Tallapoosa, 12/3/1889, Dockstader's, 2
Gondoliers, The (London), 12/7/1889, Savoy, 554
Young Don Juan (B), 12/9/1889, Koster & Bial's Concert Hall, 36
Faust Up To Date (B), 12/10/1889, Broadway, 57

Go to 1890-1894

(P)	Pantomime
(R)	Revival
(B)	Burlesque or parody version
(French)	Performed in French
(German)	Performed in German
(Juvenile)	Performed by all-child cast
(London)	London production
(City)	Other non-US production (Paris, Vienna, etc.)
REP	Rerertory company, exact performance total unknown
??	Performance total unknown