New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-02-19
Half Century ofAmusements Here
From Union HaUto Real Heaters
Wooden Structure on Site
of South Church, Turner
Hall, Hanna's Hall, the
Opera House and Lastly
Present Day Playhouses
Enjoyed by Successive
Generations.

1t is indeed q long, long stretch
OF years from the early seventies
to the present day. from the days
Of little old Union hall with its
entrance up a short fight OF steps,
It's horseshoe balcony and its tota
seating capacity Of probably 700,
to New Britain's latest and larges'
theater, the Strand. with its gor
geous decorations! Its graciou
boxes, loges and balcony and its
seating capacity OF $500; and in
the interim there have been many
changes. But there still is a few
persons in this city OF 10000 o.
10000 people who can bridge this
gap of so or 60 years and trace th'
development of the modern play
house insofar as it affects this cit!
Centennial of Vaudeville
This present year, as many hay
read, marks the hundredth ann
versary of the Inauguration
vaudeville in the United States.
was in the old and now forgottc'
Lafayette theater in Laurens street
near Canal. in New York. that
vaudeville first came into being in
1926. But it is not 100 years since
vaudeville made its initial bow in
this city. although 1t can be traced
back fully 10 years in Hartford.
according to some of the old
timers Vaudeville here was first
presented as such we'll within the
memory OF the present generation
for it is less than 25 years since
Frank Keeney of Brooklyn took
over the old New Britain Opera
House opposite the old Strickland
House. remodelled it and presented
vaudeville for the first time under
that name. polite Vaudeville" it
was advertised as in those days.
Old Union Hall
But the seeds Of present day
vaudeville were being sowed here
long, long before that. Back in the
days of old Union hall there were
stage attractions that today would
SAVIOR strongly of vaudeville. In
those days they were known as
variety shows and that's just what
they were. one company presenting
a variety of acts and entertain
monts.
To a vast majority of New Brit
ain people, however. the same
Union hall means nothing, hardly
a hearsay memory. 1t might not
be eXaggeration to say that pos
sbly no more than a hundred citl-
zens living here today can remem-
her that hall, certainly not many
more.
Old Union hall was tho first
structure in this city erected for
The sole purpose of being place
OF public entertainment, according
TO the old timers. 1t was situated
on the corner at the intersection
OF Main, Arch, Chestnut and Wal
nut streets on the site now occu-
pied by the South Congregational
church.
Although originally located on the
corner, it later was moved back TO
make room for the South church and
then was placed about where the
South church chapel now IS located.
incidentally the old New Britain
militia companies used to drill in
the basement of Union hall and a
newspaper was printed in it as well.
Cohan's Father There
The early seventies, when this hall
was in its prime, were the days OF
monstrclsy and many of the per-
formers who afterward became ma
tionally known favorites OF the stage
came here. James O'Connor of Lin
coin street, citizen born and bred
here, and who always, from boyhood
on, had q great interest In the stage
and stage folk. remembers being
taken down to old Union hall as a
child by his mother and father to
see some travelling variety show and
later attending performances there
himself. Among the other well
known troupes which appeared there
were Sam Sharpley's Minstrels,
Harry Bloodgoods Ministries, and a
show which came here yearly and
was known as Washburn's Last
Sensation. It was named thus be-
cause Washburn claimed to have In
his company the very latest sensation
in the world OF amusement. On one
of his last visits here he brought