Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-21
OLD PLAYHOUSE IS !
SOLD TO EMPIRE CO.
Another Chapter in Long History Of
Lyceum, Where Patti
Once Sang.

Another chapter in the interesting
history Of the old Lyceum Theater. at
18th street and Pennsylvania avenue
northwest, was written Thursday
afternoon. when It was sold at auction
to George w. Rife. representing the
Empire Circuit Company. for $6s.5oo.
The sale was made by Thomas ].
Owen & Co., auctioneers. for the
Caulfield estate. under the terms Of
a deed of trust. The Empire Cir
cult Company already owned the
Pennsylvania avenue entrance to the
theater and it had held the remainder
of the property under lease for a mum.
Der Of years.
Second Oldest in Country.
The Lyceum Theater in its entirety is
the second oldest theater in the United
States. the Walnut Street Theater in
Philadelphia being the Oldest, accord
ing to records in the possession of A.
l. Mudd of this city. who has made a
study Of the history of Washington
theaters for many years. The walls
of the Lyceum Theater. however, are
the oldest of any theater in the coun-
try, having been built about ten years
before those of the Walnut Street
Theater.
The original theater on the site now
occupied by the Lyceum was completed
in 1904 by a company formed by
number of prominent citizens who had
taken an active interest in providing
a theater for the city. Daniel Carroll
and Maj. John p. Van Ness donated
the site located at the northeast cor
ner of 18th and G. streets northwest.
The Pennsylvania avenue entrance was
built in later years.
Opened 113 Years Ago.
The theater opened on November Is,
1904, under the name of the Washing
| ton Theater. with grand medley en-
tertainment' by Mr.. Maginnis of Lon
don. Dramatic performances were held
there for many years by the Philadel-
phia and Baltimore company. of which
Joseph Jefferson, Mr.. Warren. Mrs.
Francis. Mrs. Jefferson and others were
| members.
On the morning of April 10. 1920. the
theater was destroyed by fire. In June.
| 1921, the ruins of the theater, with the
ground on which the walls stood and
| some adjacent ground, were purchased
| by Lewis Carusi. who rebuilt it. using
| the old walls and in 1922 opened it as
| the Washington Assembly Rooms Mr..
Carusi used the building as a dancing
1
kinds were held there.
Knew Patti and Ole Bull.
Adelina Patti made her first appear
ance in this city at Carusi Saloon on the
night of November Z, 1852. in concert
with Ole Bull.
| The National Theater burned in the
afternoon of February 6. 1857, and
| Washington was without a theater. w.
NJ. Stuart. lessee of Wallack's Theater.
| New York, leased Carusi's Saloon and,
after thoroughly reconstructing it.
opened it under the old name, Washing
ton Theater January 5, 1858, with Dion
Boucicault as director. The play of
Our Wife" was performed.
! 1t was conducted as a regular theater
for number of years. and was ref1tted
and reopened on September 2. 1872, as a
| variety theater under the name of
| Washington Theater Comique.
4 On September 20. 1886, James L. Ker-
nan of Baltimore opened it as a vaude-
vile theater under the old name Wash
ington Theater More improvements
were made and Monday. August IL
1891, the theater was opened under the
name Of Kernan's Lyceum Theater. An
entrance on Pennsylvania avenue had
been provided and was thrown open on
| that night. Since then the place has
| been known as the Lyceum.