THE BLACK CROOK, Plastic laminated Large One-sheet Playbill type program, 1883, Haverly's Niblo's Garden Theatre, NYC. The musical opened in NYC on 09/12/1866 and ran for 475 performances. The show was revived in NYC in 1870 and 1871. This is the NYC theatre where the original 1866 production opened. The cast includes J.B. Roberts, D.H. Andrews, W.F. Wallis, George R. Edeson, Joseph F. Mason, Leonard Ruppel, W. Ronaldo, W. Smithlein, Fanny Barry, Mrs. Betrrill, Louisa Dempsey, Miss Leontine, Nellie Larkelle, Julia Fenton, Addie Hearne, Lizzie Brandt, Nellie Weston, Jennie Timmoney, Rosina Thomas, R. Leonordo, A.H. Denham, Charles Blesser, M. Franklin, Jacob Shene, W. Newman, J. Smith, M'lle Bazzano, M'lle De Ross, the Martens Family and the Herbert Brothers. Written by Charles M. Barras. Musical director, John C. Mullaly.
I've dated this program 1883 because the back page contains an ad announcing the soon to be grand opening of the London & Liverpool Clothing Company at the corner of Grand Street and Broadway in the old Lord & Taylor building. Lord & Taylor had the building built and moved in 1859 but moved north to a new store by 1870. The building was then occupied by J.W. Goddard & Son in 1876, followed by L. Levenson & Co in 1879. London & Liverpool Clothing Co moved in an opened in 1883.
You'll find various sources among theatre scholars that used to claim and some still claim that The Black Crook was the first musical or that it was the prototype for the American musical. But if one compares elements in The Black Crook to those in opera or operetta or burlesque, one will find that each of these genres has the same basic elements as The Black Crook. No matter which side of the debate that you are on, The Black Crook holds an important place in musical theatre history and is considered one of the first long run shows. The piece measures roughly 9 x 12 inches. The program is complete.