The Washington times., 1917-04-12
THEATER ON BLOCK
AFTER 114 YEARS
lyceum, to Be Sold at Auction
Thronged With oId-Time
Memories of Capital.

One hundred and fourteen years. less
one day, after stock was subscribed for
the old Lyceum Thea1er. one OF the
oldest in the country and the second
oldest in Washington, the building will
be sod at auction.
Thursday. April 10. at 4 o'clock. the
building will be sold to the highest bid
der to settle the estate to which it
largely belongs.
For more than a century the old
building, near Eleventh. street and
Pennsylvania avenue. has been a land
mark. Oldest inhabitants remember
hearing their fathers tell of many en-
tertainments there.
There was one theater in Washington
when the Lyceum project was launched
That was the United States Theater. in
what was then the Blodgett Hotel. long
since torn down.
April 90 1903, several prominent citi-
zens Of Washington who were inter-
ested in establishing another theater,
met at the home OF Mr.. Tunnicliff to
discuss ways and means.
It was announced that Daniel Carroll
and Major John P. Van Ness. promi
nent men Of affairs. would donate the
ground upon which to erect the theater.
Site of Today's Landmark.
This property became the site of
the building. Following the accept
ance OF this offer, there was a $4,000
bond issue. In addition many persons
did their bit' by working as carpen-
ters, pIasterers and doing other work
May 4, 1903, the first payment of
SO was due on the bonds. This was
promptly paid, for on May 80 of that
year ground was broken for the build
ing. The cornerstone was laid June
%. Funds were received slowly after
this and the building was not COM
pleted until November. 1904.
Under the name Of the Washington
Theater, the present Lyceum was
opened Friday, November 16, 1904. At
the opening "a grand entertainment"
by q Mr.. Maginnis, OF London, was
enthusiastically received.
For several years performances
were held there regularly by the
philadelphia and Baltimore Company.
Included in this company were Joseph
Jefferson, his wife, Mr.. Warren, and
Mrs. Francis.
Fire damaged the building April
10, 1920. leaving but the walls stand
ing More than a year later the
ground and the bare standing walls
were offered for sale, and purchased
by Lewis Carusi, who rebuilt the thea
ter, using the old walls. In 1922 1t
was opened as the Washington AS
sembly rooms.
Becomes Dancing Academy.
For a long while 1t was a dancing
academy. Many entertainments were
given there. Adelina Patti made her
first Washington appearance there
November I, 1858. Ole Bull played in
that house.
Since the Lyceum came into being
the National Theater was erected,
but on February 8, 1857, II burned,
leaving Carusi's the only theater in
Washington.
w NJ Stuart, lessee OF Wallack's
Theater of New York, then took over
the building and after reconstructing
It opened 1t under the old name OF
the Washington Theater, Tuesday,
January 5, 1858, with Dion Bouci-
cault as director. On that date, the
play "Our Wife" was presented. The
company included Signorina Teresa
Rolls of Nibio's, the Academic I'm
periale of Paris: Paul Brilliant, Mile.
Flora Lehman, Niblo's corps de ballet,
Miss Dolly Marshall, from the Prin-
cess Theater, London; Miss l.. Mar
shall, Miss Dawson. Miss whiting,
Miss Phillips, and Miss Rupelli.
The theater was again refitted and
reopened September 2, 1872, as
variety theater under the name OF
the Washington Square Comique.
On September 20, 1886, James l.
Herman, of Baltimore, reopened the
theater as the Washington Theater.
Following improvements the building
was opened under the name of Ker-
mans Dyceum August Il. 1891. The
presnt Avenue entrance was opened
that night Since that time the
theater has been the Lyceum-