EDT Blog
Period Dress and the Culture of Theater Going c. 1913
March 15, 2009
By Stefan Iwaskewycz, EDT Dancer
Come to the show in 1913 period dress or folk costume!
Vienna Court Opera in 1902We hope that you will help us recreate the atmosphere of a 1913 performance by coming to our show in period dress or folk costume!
Click for ideas of 1913 period dress.
Come to the show dressed in your best, high fashion outfit of the time. Or come dressed as an urban worker or country farmer. Come dressed in folk costume. Though in 1913 such an array of people from different social classes would never have mixed in a single theater, we certainly can do it!
A brief note on the culture of theater-going in 1913:
In 1913, in an era before radio and television and on the cusp of film, going to the theater was a major event. Throughout Europe and the US there were a variety of theaters and opera houses that catered to the differing tastes of different social classes. At theaters for the elite, folks without the proper dress or status markers were barred from entering, and attendance was about being seen as much as it was about seeing--and what people came to see was not on the stage alone!
There were also theaters for the urban working class and a tradition of staging performances in the countryside. At times people in small towns and villages staged their own performances, especially as schools became more common. However, throughout Europe there were ancient traditions of folk pageantry, such as the skits associated with "mumming" and the winter holiday season, as well as for other holidays throughout the year!
Back to home.
The Kaiser's Jubilee can be seen:
March 20-22, 2009
Fri-Sat: 7:30 PM; Su: 2 PM
Fitzgerald Theater
10 E Exchange Street
St. Paul, MN 55101
*Click for map
Fitzgerald Box Office:
651-290-1200
www.ticketmaster.com
Ticketmaster: 800-982-2787
$25 Adult;
$20 Senior;
$15 Student;
$12 under 12
Back to main blog page.
Blog posts:
More about The Kaiser's Jubilee
Period Dress and Culture of Theatre-Going c. 1913
To Ukraine in Search of Authentic Hutsul Dance
Did you know? Concert Factoids:*
Mumbai
The Gateway to India
Mumbai is one of the most populous cities in the world. It was built across seven islands & was controlled by various empires before the arrival of the first Europeans, the Portuguese. Control ultimately passed to the British who, beginning in the late 18th century, reshaped the city in a series of large-scale civil engineering projects. Under British control, Mumbai emerged as India’s most important center of commerce. Today, it is home to such institutions as the Reserve Bank of India & the National Stock Exchange of India, as well as numerous Indian and multinational corporations. In 1885 the first session of the Indian National Congress ("the Congress Party") was held in Mumbai, and in the 20th century Mumbai was a strong base of support for the Indian independence movement. The city is also the home of Bollywood, India’s film and TV industry. See our Indian suite in PORTS of CALL!
**If you know something interesting--including your own personal story--about a culture represented in our current season, please tell us about it here!