Minstrel Show Comedy

[PvtRJBrown]

Pards,

I am in need of some help in finding period misntrel comedy for a repitore of minstrel show material & for 2 minstel show I am putting together for events. I am aware that there are some resources out there, such as Charley Fox's 1858 Sable Songster, but I have been unsuccessful in finding these resources. Any comedy that you know of off the top of your head, or if you know where I can accuire resources such as songsters (on-line preferably & not costing me money) that would be excellent. Carl Anderton you could probably help me out here alot!! :wink_smil

Thanks for any help given friends.

[csabugler]

Re: Minstrel Show Comedy

Didn't somebody link a book of period cunundrums here a while back?

[PvtRJBrown]

Re: Minstrel Show Comedy

Didn't somebody link a book of period cunundrums here a while back?

Well who ever did, please do so again!!

[Old Cremona]

Re: Minstrel Show Comedy

Roy,

If you search "conundrums" you will find that earlier thread. Scroll down to the Hank Trent post for the link.

I got my copy of the Sable Songster from Brown University. It is just one of dozens of minstrel song and joke books that they will xerox for you, at 15 cents a page or something like that. It's been awhile since I ordered so I don't remember.

Check out "Worldcat" online for information on what libraries have minstrel song and joke books and contact them to see if they will copy them and send them to you. If you get lucky, a library near you will have something.

Oh, I see you're from NYC. Hell, there's gotta be tons of stuff all around you.

[PvtRJBrown]

Re: Minstrel Show Comedy

Unfortunately I'm back in Chicago for the summer. But I'll make a couple of visits to NYC libraries while on one of my visit trips this summer.

[Old Cremona]

Re: Minstrel Show Comedy

Check Worldcat before you hit the libraries. It's an amazing resource. Plus, there's got to be plenty of stuff in the various Chicago libraries.

When you search "minstrel comedy" or "minstrel music" in Worldcat you're going to get hundreds of hits. You'll have to pare out the post-war stuff that you probably don't want, but you're still going to have dozens and dozens of books to choose from--Christy's, Wood's, Campbell's, Charley Fox, Buckley's, Sable Harmonists, Virginia Minstrels, Ethopian Serenaders, etc. etc. etc. One groups book is likely as good as another, so you just have to close your eyes and pick. They all have more or less decent jokes that might raise a titter from a modern audience. Even to a dedicated serious living historian, the comedy can be pretty dry. Or so odd that you can't "get it."

Best of luck. If you get some good stuff, email me and I'll share my good stuff with you.

[claynpendleton]

Re: Minstrel Show Comedy

If I am not mistaken John Crabb (aka "Ezra Barnhouse" on here) has done quite a few Minstrel shows and would be a great resource. Also, if you would like to hear recordings of old shows from the early 20th c. go here:

http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?query=minstrel+music&queryType=@attr+1=21

Hope this helps,
Clay Pendleton

[Danny]

Re: Minstrel Show Comedy

Pards,I am in need of some help in finding period misntrel comedy for a repitore of minstrel show material & for 2 minstel show I am putting togetherThanks for any help given friends.

Roy -

See attached cover of "The Witmark Amateur Minstrel Guide and Burnt Cork Encyclopedia". Though it was published in 1899, it was written by a professional CW-years minstrel, Frank Dumont. He joined a minstrel troupe as a youngster, and by 1862, was a member of none other than Christy’s Minstrels. He remained an active and significant participant in the minstrel culture after the CW and this book is a compendium of his knowledge.

All the inside pages you can download. It's the document called "WitmarkMinstrel Guide 1899.pdf" that I placed on the Minstrel Banjo supplemental site at

http://groups.google.com/group/Albert-Baur?hl=en

The original book is from the University of California Library, card no. "ML 2870 W57 1905 MAIN", and they permit use of the scans, the permission stamp reads: "...May be used for non-commercial, personal, research, or educational purposes, or any fair use. May not be indexed in a commercial service"

Hope this helps, but as Carl mentioned, there isn't much in the humor that we moderns find very sophisticated, a whole lot of play on words kind of stuff -- but you may wade through the book and find some gems -- there are several entire routines with all dialog and stage instructions.

Dan Wykes

[Jubilo]

Re: Minstrel Show Comedy

Dear Thespian Roy,
Why don't you stick to Shakespeare? I think Spike Lee had the minstrel schtick covered in "Bamboozed," didn't he? Good luck on your project but have legal counsel readily available !
all for the old flag,
David Corbett

[Danny]

Re: Minstrel Show Comedy

... if you would like to hear recordings of old shows from the early 20th c. go here:http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/se...tr+1=21...Hope this helps,
Clay Pendleton

Clay, thanks for the link. Certainly seems that "...Oration On Woman" and "At The Minstrel Show" are good ones to pick up cadence and delivery of Minstrel humor...

http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?queryType=@attr%201=1016&query=banjo&num=1&start=22&sortBy=&sortOrder=ia

http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?queryType=@attr%201=1016&query=father&num=1&start=2&sortBy=&sortOrder=ia

Dan Wykes

[Old Cremona]

(Actual period) Minstrel Show Comedy

Here's something completely different, from "White's Serenaders' Song-Book" circa mid 1850's.

____________________

"Look here, Sam;--let's go down to de court and hear de trial about dat rape case."
"Oh no! I guess not; I read all de procedins ob yesterday in dis morning's paper."
"Well, what did it say 'bout it?"
"Why, de judge asked if de woman was chaste prebious to de affair, and de witness said, 'Yes, he should imagine she was chaste, about two miles.' "
_____________________

That kind of blew me away, I've never read minstrel show comedy with such a direct sexual reference.

[briangauthier]

Re: Minstrel Show Comedy

You should check out a book called "Blacking Up" by Robert C. Toll. If you can't find it, let me know. I'd be more than happy to send it to you. If you're interested, just give me your addy and I'll get the book to you. Its more a history than a specific instruction on how to get a minstrel show started, but you may find it interesting anyway. Again, just let me know if its something you are interested in. Copyright is 1974.

Most Sincerely,

[Sherman Necktie]

Re: Minstrel Show Comedy

While not specifically about Minstrel Shows, came across this link which has many period jokes and conundrums. (It might be the same that was linked elsewhere awhile back.) Hope this helps!

http://docsouth.unc.edu/imls/jester/jester.html

[Danny]

Re: Minstrel Show Comedy

While not specifically about Minstrel Shows, came across this link which has many period jokes and conundrums. (It might be the same that was linked elsewhere awhile back.) Hope this helps!

It was linked before, but here's a .doc to download.

Dan Wykes
Fat Neck Mess