Opening Night

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Opening night program courtesy of the Champaign County Historical Archives in The Urbana Free Library 

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Newspaper ad for the formal opening 

From The Champaign Daily Gazette,

21 February 1908.

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Marie Cahill

as she appeared

in the play Nancy Brown

A story in The Champaign Daily Gazette of 11 February 1908 reminded readers that the Illinois was nearly done.  “With the opening of the new Illinois theatre… the dream of every man who ever worked on a newspaper in the county seat will have been realized.  For the past ten years when news was hard to find the reporters took delight in telling the needs of that city and an opera house was never forgotten.”  The article went on to reminisce about Urbana’s two prior opera houses, Tiernan’s Hall and Busey’s Hall, both long closed. 1

Further quoting the Gazette: From the closing of Busey’s Hall “until last year there was nothing but talk and rumors when George W. Chatterton of Springfield, who has opera houses in Springfield, Decatur, Lincoln, Bloomington and Danville, came along with a proposition that was accepted by a number of influential business men and the work of forming a stock company to be known as the Illinois Theatre Building company, was formed.” 2

On 26 February 1908, The Champaign Daily Gazette reminded readers that the formal opening of the new Illinois Theatre was set for the evening of 3 March.  Tickets to the opening night attraction "Marrying Mary" starring Marie Cahill were going fast several very desirable seats were still available in the parquet and balconies.  Many people from Ogden, St. Joseph and other towns along the interurban line have purchased tickets. 3

The Gazette reported that just 100 seats were still available the day before the opening.  Gallery seats were priced at 50 cents each and could be purchased at Oldham Brothers’ drugstore or at the box office. 4

The new Illinois Theatre opened on Tuesday 3 March 1908 with a house filled to capacity.  The Champaign Daily Gazette said: “The handsome Illinois theater in Urbana was launched on its career as a play house Tuesday night with Miss Marie Cahill and her excellent company in "Marrying Mary.  The event was a leading society event in the history of the sister the immense audience being composed largely of elegantly gowned women and well-groomed men, the majority of the latter appearing in full evening dress.”  The ladies in attendance were given red and white carnations.  The Gazette also said: “The opening was without incident and to one not knowing, everything went as smoothly as if the house had been open for months.” 5

The Daily Gazette’s coverage included an extensive list of audience members with seats in the boxes and those seated in the parquet.  The list included well-known people of both Champaign and Urbana.  Many family names are still recognizable today such as Mr. and Mrs. F. K. Robeson, Mr. and Mrs. N. H. Cohen, Judge and Mrs. J. O. Cunningham, and many members of the Busey family. 6

George W. Chatterton, jr., of Danville, was manager of the Illinois for his family.  His staff included: resident manager, Edward F. Rea; stage manager, William Funk; head usher, Ralph Sutton; electrician, Frank Anderson; head flyman, Robert Cummins, and orchestra conductor, Prof. Gus Rudolphson. 7

Mr. Chatterton gave a brief talk about the new play house, calling it the best in the state outside of Chicago.  He announced the attractions for the rest of the month: "Brown from College," "Miss Bob White;" "The Great Divide;" the Latimer & Leigh Stock Company; the San Carlos Grand Opera company; "The Red Mill," and the Henry W. Savage Opera company in "Madam Butterfly." 8

More from The Champaign Daily Gazette’s review of the evening: “Miss Cahill's support was excellent and included such people as Nellie Lynch, Anna Mooney, Anna Belle Gordon, Mark Smith, W.T. Clark, William Clifton, Charles Judels and the handsome long skirted chorus. They could really sing and were a change from the customary chorus with the ordinary musical shows.” 9

The Gazette listed five songs they called the hits of the evening including "Three Men in a Boat," by Messers. Clark, Clifton and Smith, was one of the best,” and another one they called “the most enjoyable of all "Last One is Best of All," by Mr. Cowles.  Every number was heartily encored and the company was generous with its responses.” 10

The play house emptied quickly at the end of the performance, but quite a few people lingered to inspect the new theatre. Superintendent Pepper of the street railway line had provided eleven cars for Champaign and University people.  “Every cab in the Twin Cities was also in waiting and the necessity for widening the street leading to the opera house was never more fully demonstrated.” 11

Ticket sale proceeds from the first night's performance were earmarked for the building fund. 12

Plot of Marrying Mary as described in The Champaign Daily Gazette

Marie Cahill plays Mary Montgomery, “a thoughtless, jolly creature, with three living husbands, and is the principal in many complications in securing the fourth, during which the three cast-offs appear at frequent intervals.” “Ormaby Kulpepper, a young spendthrift, faithfully portrayed by Sam B. Hardy, desires to be the fourth husband, but has strong objections to a divorced woman on account of having one mother and three stepmothers as the result of the fickleness of his father, Col. Henry Clay Kulpepper.  The father, Eugeno Cowles, comes to the rescue of the son and tries to prevent his marriage, himself falling in love with the much marrying Mary.  Finally, cupids dart overcomes sentiment and Ormsby Culpepper becomes No. 4, and they were still happy.” 13

Comments by the cast as reported in The Champaign Daily Gazette

Miss Cahill said "The Illinois was undoubtedly the finest theatre in the state outside of Chicago, and the largest in every respect in the Chatterton circuit.  It is simply a dream, and I am delighted with my stay in Urbana, and will certainly come back every chance I get.  Seldom has an actress the pleasure of playing to so expensive an audience and it breaks all records for me."  Mr. Cowles was surprised at seeing so fine a play house in such a small city, and said he could see no place on the large stage where an improvement could be made.  Miss Lynch said: "It is delightful to play in such a dainty place and the dressing rooms are certainly a revelation.  I had not the least fear of fire."  Mr. Clifton said: "The management has certainly looked after the interests of the stage folk as well as the audience in regard to safety, and I know of no other opera house where a fire wall separates the stage from the dressing rooms.  That is certainly great."