The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-09-08
FANKER ROBINSON.
The Great Sh0wmals Role in the Dramatic
History Of Indianapolis

Yankee Robinson" whose death at New
jefferson, Ia, last Thursday, was announced in
the Journals dispatches, was so closely con
nented with what is now a leading feature Of the
social life of this city, that il may not be unin
teresting to refer tosthe matter briefly He was
the founderof the permanent tneater in hdi-
annapolis. There had been temporarily arranged
theaters here before one by a Mr. Lindsay as
early as 1885, continued the following year or
the year after; first in a wagon shop oppo-
site the courthouse, and next IN the former
ofieeof the Indians Democrat, on the siteiof the
News building; and this was followed in year
or two by a comedy company in the upper story
of Gastouis carragesshop ON the site Of the
Bates House Dramatic entertainments were
given il public halls afterwards, but no special
preparation was made for them, and
none remained more than a few days
In 1852, during the State fair-the first
one ayette Eodowick Robinson, always
known as Yankee Robinson" had tent
show, with Theatrical entertainments on the
corner where the Park T'1eater is, tlIen open
ground, and for many years favorits CIRCUS
sita EaRly the next year--thss lastaof january,
1853 he returned and fitted up Washington
season with Sidney Wilkins and wife, Henry
Waugh. the artist and others. Since then the
city has never been, without theateE In the
summer Of 1853 @Uncle Toms Cabin" was
time by H d. Brown, Mr. and MRS.
Wilkins, Mrs Mehen and others. Mr..
Robinson, during the next summer, SO arranged
the third story Of the Elliot Building north
west corner Of Maryland and Meridian Streets
as to make theater, with scenery painted by
asiyls andl soy,,tas oyrg,apI ~. cha ,,,, xo,.st
and management Of a regular theateE Here
were given the sgorsican Brothers and the
ssCarpelfter Of R0uen,D very sensational n1elol
dramas: And here in the fail appeared MISS
Susan Denim, the first STAR after the city had
reached a development sufficient to appreciate
that sort Of luminaTy.. Mrs. A. Drake and A. A.
Adamss had played their best here, in the old
Democrat Office; a dozen years before, but Iudis
anap0lis had no railroads then, was q mere
country town, and gave little promise even Of
the respectabiity attained IN 1864 SO Miss Denim
was really the first star that was known and
recognized~a a. star. The AHieneneuIn was con-
tinusd through the he season by "Yanaee Robin
Bierce," Mr. TaHnehilL George New Villains;
Democratic candidate for Congress some years
ago in the Fountain county district his sister
Mary, James Lytton, Irish singer and comedian,
who introduced. here 'qEhe Low backed Car,
"Finneganis Wake Billy O'Rourise,H and
other popular irish songs. Mr. John Commons
s,of Governor Morbons secretaries; and Aus
tin III. Brown took the Atheneum the following
summer and brought James u. Murdoch here to
play to houses SO thin. that. he threw up his,en-
gagement the second night and never came hack,
except as reader during the war. John
Drew Mr.: and Mrs Proctor, Maggie Mitchell,
Eliza Logan, Dora Shaw Susan and Kate Denim
were stars during this period Of continuation
Of Yankee Robinsenisp work He wintered his
circus,herp IN l855450, and played once or twice
with the artist Waugh assRis clown, BIZ the,nAme
Of billy Fay The Atheneum, under several
different managers, and with invariably indiffer-
emit success. was continued till 1888 when Harry
here: It tssvn pava 1ysv rarmapentIv e. the,
metropolitan, begun by Valentine Butsch I'M
August 1857, and. completed and. opened by the
Keller Troupe of etabl6aux uivanfs,r Sept q,
1888 Robinson happened to strike the city at
the proper stage of growth to maintain theater
IN a.mO1 Hrate way andshes was the pioneer az 4
the permanent dfamatice ntertainmentof Indian
apOlies