Vaudeville

Definition

Vaudeville was a popular form of live entertainment in the United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It featured a variety of short, unrelated acts, including comedy sketches, song and dance, acrobatics, magic, and other performances, presented in a single show.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Vaudeville shows were typically presented in dedicated vaudeville theaters or music halls, which were popular entertainment venues in urban areas during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
2. Vaudeville acts were diverse and often included comedians, singers, dancers, magicians, animal acts, and other performers, catering to a wide range of audience tastes.
3. Vaudeville provided a form of affordable, family-friendly entertainment for urban residents, offering a respite from the chaos and stresses of city life.
4. The rise of vaudeville was closely tied to the growth of urban centers and the influx of immigrants, as it offered a shared cultural experience and a sense of community for diverse populations.
5. The decline of vaudeville in the 1920s was largely due to the increasing popularity of motion pictures, which offered a more passive and affordable form of entertainment.

Review Questions

• Describe how vaudeville provided relief from the chaos of urban life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
  • Vaudeville offered a form of affordable, family-friendly entertainment that provided a much-needed respite from the stresses and chaos of urban living during this period. The variety of acts, from comedy to music and dance, catered to the diverse tastes of urban residents, creating a shared cultural experience that helped foster a sense of community. Vaudeville theaters and music halls also served as gathering places, where people from all walks of life could come together and enjoy a brief escape from the demands and challenges of city life.
• Explain the role of vaudeville in the growth and development of urban centers during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
  • Vaudeville was closely tied to the rise of urban centers and the influx of immigrants during this time period. As cities grew and became more crowded and chaotic, vaudeville provided a form of affordable, accessible entertainment that catered to the diverse tastes and cultural backgrounds of the urban population. Vaudeville theaters and music halls served as important community hubs, where people from different backgrounds could come together and share in a common cultural experience. This helped foster a sense of community and belonging, which was particularly important for immigrant populations adjusting to life in the city. The growth of vaudeville was therefore both a response to and a driver of the rapid urbanization and cultural diversification taking place in American cities during this era.
• Analyze the decline of vaudeville in the 1920s and its relationship to the rise of motion pictures as a dominant form of entertainment.
  • The decline of vaudeville in the 1920s was largely due to the increasing popularity of motion pictures, which offered a more passive and affordable form of entertainment. As movie theaters became more widespread and accessible, they began to draw audiences away from the live performances and variety acts that characterized vaudeville. Motion pictures provided a more standardized and mass-produced form of entertainment that could be easily replicated and distributed, making it more economically viable than the live, one-off performances of vaudeville. Additionally, the rise of radio and other forms of mass media further contributed to the decline of vaudeville by providing alternative sources of entertainment and diversion for urban residents. The shift towards motion pictures and other forms of mass media entertainment marked a significant cultural and economic transition, as the shared, communal experience of vaudeville gave way to a more individualized and passive form of entertainment consumption.

Related terms

Variety Show: A type of entertainment program featuring a collection of different acts, such as music, comedy, and other performances, presented in a single show.

Burlesque: A form of adult entertainment that combined elements of satire, parody, and striptease, often featuring scantily clad performers.

Nickelodeon: An early type of movie theater that charged a nickel for admission and often featured vaudeville-style entertainment in addition to film screenings.