Theater Program Index

The Filson Historical Society’s theater holdings offer a fascinating look at Louisville’s past via the footlights and curtain calls of the stage. From humble high school productions to the elegant venue of Macauley’s Theatre, The Filson’s collection preserves the performances of local amateurs and revered stars, such as the famed Madame Modjeska and Louisville’s own Mary Anderson.

The theater program collection encompasses over ninety boxes of loose programs and scrapbooks housed in Collections. The theater collection in the Collections Department also contains many fine broadsides of coming attractions, theater records, accounts of performances in the personal papers of local residents, and photographs and prints of venues and actors. One such gem is the Heineman Theatrical Collection from the early twentieth century. This eighty-six item collection contains photographs from various plays, and portrait photos of actors and actresses, many of whom appeared at Macauley’s Theatre, such as Maud Adams, George Arliss, Billie Burke, and Fay Templeton.

In addition to the materials in Special Collections, The Filson Library also houses a series of books by John Jacob Weisert, the Louisville theater historian and German language teacher, which are invaluable to anyone researching Louisville theater history. Weisert has provided checklists of performances for Samuel Drake’s City Theatre, Macauley’s Theater, the Louisville Theatre, and Mozart Hall. The library also maintains historical files on Louisville theaters, actors, and actresses.

Queries should be directed to gro.l1711629119aciro1711629119tsihn1711629119oslif1711629119@hcra1711629119eser1711629119

Notes on Using this Index

This index is arranged alphabetically, primarily by venue.  However, some folders were already designated by performer, such the Louisville Male chorus, and have been left intact.  There are also some programs with no date or venue that have been filed together, found at the end of this index.

The bulk of the collection pertains to Louisville, however there are folders for other Kentucky cities and other states listed in this index.  Some programs are in the form of a broadside and are kept in the Special Collections department.  If your search for a program eludes you, it will be helpful for you to check with the Special Collections department.

 

 The Filson Theater Program Collection

Venue or Group Box Number Dates
Actor’s Theater of Louisville 1 1964; 1967-1969;  1973; 1979; 1980-1989
Actor’s Theater of Louisville 2 1990-1992; 1994; 1995; 1999; 2000; n.d.
Actors Incorporated 3 n.d.
Ahrens Trade High School 3 1954; 1955; 1961-1971
Amphitheater Auditorium

(aka Louisville Municipal Auditorium and The Auditorium)

 

4

 

1889-1899

Amphitheater Auditorium

(aka Louisville Municipal Auditorium and The Auditorium)

5 1900-1902; 1904;1921; 1922; 1955; n.d.
 

Anchorage School Auditorium

 

3

1921; 1924;  1974; 1977;  1978;  1986; n.d.
The Arts Club 3 1925; 1931-38; 1940-52; 1955; 1959; 1960; n.d.
Avenue Theater 3 1896-1898; 1901
The Avondale Playhouse 3 1966; n.d.
Bach Music Room 6 April 5, 1917
Baldwin Hall 6 1892-1894; 1900; 1901; 1915
Banner Hall 6 April 10, 1918
Barret Junior High School 6 n.d.
Bigelow, Albert Anson, Mrs. (Residence of) 6 n.d.
Bijou Theatre 6 1896; 1897; n.d.
Bluegrass Theatre 6 1946; n.d.
Brown Hotel 6 1927; 1929; 1931; 1933; 1934; 1937
Broadway Baptist Church 6 1919; 1924; 1941; 1944; 1955; 1957; 1958
Broadway Tabernacle Presbyterian Church 6 June 9, 1878
The Brown Theater 7 1907; 1924-1926
The Brown Theater 8 1927; 1928
The Brown Theater 9 1929; 1930; 1962-1970
Buckingham Theater (aka Whallen’s Buckingham Theater) 6 n.d.
Calvary Episcopal Church 10 1899; 1900; 1904-1906; 1909; 1919; 1920; 1924; 1938; 1943; 1946; 1947; 1949; 1955; 1957; 1958; 1960; 1961; 1973; 1977; n.d.
Canary Cottage 10 n.d.
The Carriage House 10 1953; c.1954; 1956
Cathedral of the Assumption 10 1937
Cathedral House Auditorium 10 1921
Cathedral of St. John The Divine 10 1930
Catherine Spaulding Auditorium 10 1964; 1969
Central Park 10 1904; 1916; 1936; 1962; 1965; 1968; 1989; n.d.
Central Presbyterian Church 10 1962
Cherokee Park 10 1913; 1920; 1925
Chestnut Street Baptist Church 10 1879
Chestnut Street C.M.E. Church 10 1941
Christ Church Cathedral 10 1892; 1897; 1904; 1920-1922; 1944; 1946; 1950; 1955; 1956; 1962; 1966; 1972; 1978; n.d.
Church of the Messiah 10 1880-1886; 1891; 1896; 1897; 1906
Churchill Downs 11 1901; 1945
City Hall 11 1907
Cochran School 11 n.d.
Columbia Auditorium 11 1926-19291930-1932; 1938-1941; 1948-1951; 1953-1959; 1962-1964
Covenant Presbyterian Church 11 1900; 1901; 1904; n.d.
Crescent Hill Baptist Church 11 1963
Crescent Hill Methodist Church 11 1933
Crescent Hill Public Library 11 1930
Crescent Hill Woman’s Club 11 1948; 1950
D. H. Baldwin and Company

(aka Baldwin’s Hall)

12 1887; 1891; 1892; 1915; n.d.
Drury Lane Theater 12 1933; 1934; 1938; n.d.
Dupont Manual High School 12 1903
Eastern Departmental School 12 1924; 1930; n.d.
Elk’s Club Auditorium 12 1925
First Baptist Church 12 1922
First Christian Church 12 1901-1903; 1915; 1926; 1945; n.d.
First Presbyterian Church 12 n.d.
First Unitarian Church 12 1930; 1970
Fisher Theatre 12 1972
Floral Hall 12 1888
Fontaine Ferry Park 12 1921; 1923-1925; 1927; 1928; n.d.
4th Avenue Presbyterian Church 12 1934; 1948-1951; n.d.
G. R. Clark School 13 1929
Garden Court 13 1947-1957; 1960; n.d.
Grand Opera House 13 c.1895
Griswold, Miss

(residence)

13 1893
Gypsy Smith Tabernacle 13 1920
Harris Theatre 13 1890-c.1894
Harvey Brown Memorial Presbyterian Church 13 1978; 1986
Hattie Bishop Speed Music Room 13 1916; 1918; 1919-1924; 1935; 1937-1941; 1945; 1946; 1948; 1949; 1951-1953; 1964; 1969; 1972; 1973; n.d.
Ha-wi-an Gardens 13 1922
Hawes Memorial Chapel 13 1920
Henry Clay Hotel 13 1950
The Heritage Theater- JCC 13 1957
Highland Baptist Church 13 n.d.
Highland Junior High School 13 1929; 1931
Highland Methodist Church 13 1946
Holy Rosary Auditorium 13 1920-1923; n.d.
Hopkins Theater 13 c.1906
Iroquois Amphitheater 14 1929; 1938-1944; 1946-1949
Iroquois Amphitheater 15 1947; 1949; 1950 (binder)
Iroquois Amphitheater 16 1950-1958; 1961; 1978; 1986-1988; n.d.
J. B. Atkinson School 17 n.d.
J. B. Speed Art Museum 17 1956
J. M. Atherton High School 17 1925; 1926; 1928; c.1930; 1930; 1933; 1934; 1939; 1948; n.d.
Jefferson County Armory 17 1906; 1907; 1911; 1912; 1915; 1919; 1922-1927; 1929-1931; 1934; 1935; 1942; 1947; 1955; 1956; n.d.
Jeffersontown High School 17 1947
Jeffersontown Presbyterian Church 17 1970
Jockey Club 17 1903; 1904; n.d.
Karl Schmidt Music Studio 18 1929
Kentucky Center for the Arts 19 1983; 1986; 1987; 1991-1995
KY Home School Auditorium 18 1931; 1956
The Kentucky Hotel 18 1928; 1929; 1955
KY Institute for the Education of the Blind 18 n.d.
Kentucky Music Teachers’ Association 18 (various venues)

1918; 1921; 1923-1927; 1929-1932; n.d.

Kentucky Opera Association 20 1930; 1953-1957; 1960-1962; 1964; 1968; 1969; 1972; 1973;  1981/82; 1985-1988; n.d.
Kentucky Opera Association 21 1988/89; 1995; 2000
Kosair Auditorium 18 1922; 1923; n.d.
Liederkranz Hall 22 1891; 1895-1897; 1899; 1900-1903; 1905; 1906; 1908; 1934; n.d.
Library Hall 22 1882; 1894; 1898-1901
Loew’s and United Artists State Theater 22 1928; 1935
Louisville Academy of Music 22 1964
Louisville Boys High School 22 1915-1918
Louisville Childrens Theater 22 1964; 1968; 1969
Louisville Coliseum 22 1907
Louisville Collegiate School 22 1924; 1926-1929; n.d.
Louisville Conservatory of Music 23 1916; 1918; 1919; 1921; 1922; 1927; n.d.
Louisville Convention Center 23 1964; 1994
Louisville Free Public Library 23 1915; 1917; 1918; 1945; n.d.
Louisville Girls High School 23 1898; 1899; 1901; 1915; 1934; n.d.
Louisville Male Chorus 24 1915-1932; n.d.
Louisville Male High School 23 1908; 1920-1923; 1925; 1926; 1929-1931; 1934; 1945-1947;  1984; n.d.
Louisville Normal School 23 1923; n.d.
Louisville Opera House

(aka Grand Opera House)

23 1879-1883; 1894; n.d.
Louisville Orchestra (aka Louisville

Philharmonic Orchestra)

25 1928; 1935/36; 1942-1946
Louisville Orchestra (aka Louisville

Philharmonic Orchestra)

26 1947-1952

 

Louisville Orchestra (aka Louisville

Philharmonic Orchestra)

27 1953-1957
Louisville Orchestra (aka Louisville

Philharmonic Orchestra)

28 1958-1963; 1965; 1967-1973; 1978/79
Louisville Orchestra

(aka Louisville Philharmonic Orchestra)

29 1991-1995; 1998-2000; n.d.
Louisville Theater 23 1864; 1865
Lyric Theatre 23 n.d.
Louisville Woman’s Chorus 23 1921-1925; n.d.
Macauley’s Theater 30 1876; 1877; 1879-1886
Macauley’s Theater 31 1886-1889 Scrapbooks
Macauley’s Theater 32 1887-1889; 1891-1897
Macauley’s Theater 33 1898-1907
Macauley’s Theater 34 1908-1915
Macauley’s Theater 35 1914-1921 Scrapbook Gift of Jessie Grauman
Macualey’s Theater 36 1916-1921
Macauley’s Theater 37 1922; 1923
Macauley’s Theater 38 1924; 1925
Macauley’s Theater 39 1950; 1973; 1976; 1977; 1981; 1983; 1986; 1987; n.d.
Madison St. Colored Jr. High School 40 1931
Mary Anderson Theater (aka B. F. Keith’s Mary Anderson Theater) 40 1907; 1908; 1911; 1920; 1922; 1924; 1931; n.d.
Masonic Temple Theater (aka Temple Theater, Masonic Theater, Shubert Masonic Theater, Shubert Theater) 41 1859; 1862; 1867; 1870-1873; 1880; 1882; 1887; 1889; 1890; 1892; 1894; 1895;1897- 1899/1900
Masonic Temple Theater (aka Temple Theater, Masonic Theater, Shubert Masonic Theater, Shubert Theater) 42 1900; 1901; 1903—1915
Masonic Temple Theater (aka Temple Theater, Masonic Theater, Shubert Masonic Theater, Shubert Theater) 43 1921-1923; 1934; 1936; 1948;  n.d
Memorial Auditorium (aka Louisville Memorial Auditorium) 44 1919; 1922; 1925; 1927; 1929-1932
Memorial Auditorium 45 1933; 1934
Memorial Auditorium 46 1935-1937
Memorial Auditorium 47 1938; 1939
Memorial Auditorium 48 1940; 1941
Memorial Auditorium 49 1942-1944
Memorial Auditorium 50 1945-1947
Memorial Auditorium 51 1948-1950
Memorial Auditorium 52 1951-1954
Memorial Auditorium 53 1955-1968; 1976; 1977-1980; 1983
Memorial Auditorium 54 n.d.
Methodist Temple 40 1922; 1923/24; 1928; 1937; 1938
Moody Tabernacle 40 1888
Mount Lebanon Baptist Church 40 1970; n.d.
The Music Hall 40 1898; 1900
Neighborhood House (aka Lucy Belknap Building) 55 n.d.
New National Theater (aka National Theater and B.F. Keith’s Theater, B. F. Keith’s National Theater) 55 1913-1917; 1922; 1924; 1930-1932; 1945; n.d.
Odd Fellow’s Hall 55 1851
On Broadway Restaurant 55 n.d.
Palace Theatre 55 2003
Parkland Junior Middle School 55 1936; 1938; 1940; 1941; n.d.
Parkway Field 55 1923
Phoenix Hill Park 55 1884; 1888;  n.d.
Players Club 55 1927/28; 1930-1932
Powell Lodge, #2 55 1891
Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church 55 1918; 1944
Rialto Theater 55 1927
St. Andrew’s Church 56 1948; 1956
St. John’s Evangelical Church 56 1927; 1928; 1932; 1933; 1937; 1954; 1955; 1957; 1969
St. Mark’s Church 56 1937; n.d.
St. Matthew’s Church 56 1927
St. Matthew’s Woman’s Club 56 n.d.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 56 1921; n.d.
St. Xavier High School 56 1943
Saratoga Hall 56 1863
Scoop News Theater 56 1947
Scottish Rite Temple 56 1900; 1933; 1934; n.d.
Second Presbyterian Church 56 1900; 1922; n.d.
Seelbach Hotel 56 1915; 1923; 1924; 1954; n.d.
Shawnee Junior High School 56 1931; 1939; 1949; n.d.
Shawnee Park 56 1963
Smith and Nixon’s Hall 56 n.d.
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary 56 1944-1949; 1951-1956; 1960; 1962; 1964; 1968; 1969; 1973; n.d.
Southern Exposition Building 57 1879; 1883-1888; 1895-1898; 1913; 1914
Southern Junior High School 57 1931; 1933
Speith’s New Opera House 57 1897
Springer Hall 57 n.d.
Stage One 57 n.d.
Standard Sanitary Company Recreational Hall 57 1929
State Fair Grounds 57 1922; 1926; 1930-1933; n.d.
Strand Theater 57 1925-1927; n.d.
Theodore Ahrens Trade School 57 1929
Triennial Club 57 1888
Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church 57 1900
Turner Hall 57 1907
Tyler Park 57 1920; 1922
Union Gospel Tabernacle 57 c.1892
Unitarian Church 57 1840; 1920
University of Louisville 58 1924; 1927—1946
University of Louisville 59 1947-1964; 1969;  1986; 1987; 1990; 1999; n.d.
Vaudeville Theater 60 1874 1897 box 43
Victor Memorial Baptist Church 60 1934
WAVE Radio Studios 60 1944; 1945
Walden Theatre 60 1987
Walnut Street Baptist Church 60 1903; 1956; 1973
Walnut Theater 60 1911
Warren Memorial Presbyterian Church 60 1904; 1922; 1923; 1927; 1939; n.d.
Watterson Hotel 60 1923
Weisiger Hall 60 1866; 1871
Western Jr. High School 60 n.d.
White City 60 1908
William R. Belknap School 60 n.d.
Woman’s Club Auditorium 61 1903-1908; 1911; 1912; 1915-1917; 1921- 29
Woman’s Club Auditorium 62 1930-1959
Woman’s Club Auditorium 63 1961-1967; 1969; 1990; n.d.
Y. M. C. A. 63 n.d.
Y. M. H. A. 60 1919; 1922; 1928; 1929; 1948; 1954
Y. W. C. A. 60 1917-1920; 1922; 1923; 1927-1929; 1931; 1934; 1968; n.d.

 

No Venue- Louisville

Date Box Number
1873; 1874; 1892; 1894; 1896-1900; 1902; 1904-1909; 1909/1910; 1910; 1916; 1922; 1923; 1925/1926; 1929-1932; 1935; 1938; 1939; 1943; 1944; 1946-1949; 1930-1935; 1938; 1939; 1941-1944; 1946-1950; 1953-1956; 1959-1965; 1973; 1978; 1979; 1984; 1988 64
Scrapbook:  Misc. Louisville

1886-1887

Gift of Lucien Beckner #1

65
Scrapbook:  Misc. Louisville

1888-1892

Gift of Lucien Beckner #2

66
Scrapbook:  Misc. Louisville

c.1888-1914

Gift of Edward L. Strater

86
Scrapbook: Misc. Louisville

1892-1897

Gift of Lucien Beckner #3

67
Scrapbook: Misc. Louisville

1891-1898

Gift of Lucien Beckner #4

68
Scrapbook:  Misc. Louisville

1892—1898

69
Scrapbook: Misc. Louisville

1894-1903

70
Scrapbooks:  Misc. Louisville

1: 1896-1908

2: 1898-1901

71
Scrapbook:  Misc. Louisville

1896-1902

Gift of Marion A. Green

72
Scrapbooks:  Misc. Louisville

1: 1896-1908

2: Gift of Mary K. Breed, 1888-1894

73
Scrapbook:  Misc. Louisville

1901-1912

Gift of Jessie Grauman

74
Scrapbook:  Misc. Louisville

c.1905-1907

75
Scrapbooks:  Misc. Louisville

  1. 1908-1920
  2. 1909-1931
76
Scrapbook:  Misc. Louisville

1921-1940

77
Scrapbook:  Misc. Louisville

1922-1936

Gift of Jessie Grauman

78

 

Miscellaneous Programs: No Venue, No Date – Louisville – Box 79 

Kentucky (not Louisville)

Bardstown, KY 80 1940; 1959; 1960; 1965; 1967; 1974; n.d.
Barbourville, KY 80 1948-1950
Berea, KY 80 1955; 1975
Covington, KY 80 n.d.
Danville, KY 80 1970; 1990-1992
Frankfort, KY 80 1888; 1891; 1921; 1932
Greenville, KY 80 1916; 1921; 1924; 1926; 1992
Henderson, KY 80 1929; 1938
Lexington, KY 81 1898; 1915-1917; 1920-1923; 1925; 1946; 1967/1968; 1970; 1978; n.d.
New Castle, KY 81 1892
Pewee Valley, KY 81 1899
Pineville, KY 81 1966
Prospect, KY 81 1987
Richland, KY 81 1901
Russellville, KY 81 1883
Shelbyville, KY 81 1978
Somerset, KY 81 1898
Washington, KY 81 1936
Williamsburg, KY 81 1922
Winchester, KY 81 1899

States Other Than Kentucky

California 82 1925; 1932; n.d.
Florida 82 1957
Illinois 82 1889; 1892; 1893; 1905; 1933; 1940; 1942; 1943; n.d.
Indiana 82 1916; 1922; 1929; 1949; 1953; 1956; 1957; 1963
Kansas 82 1921
Louisiana 82 1882; 1963; n.d.
Maryland 82 1916; 1949; 1968
Michigan 82 1922, 1925; n.d.
Missouri 82 1882; 1904; 1936; 1943; n.d.
New Jersey 82 1906; 1914/15; 1924; 1936; 1937; 1942; 1954
New York 83 1878; 1880;  1881; 1883; 1886; 1893; 1898; 1899; c.1900; 1901; 1907; 1909; 1915; 1916; 1919; 1920; 1923; 1925; 1926; 1928- 1930; 1932; 1936; 1940; 1941; 1953; 1966; n.d.
New York 83 Scrapbook:  c.1888-1914

Gift of Edward L. Strater

North Carolina 84 1938; 1953; n.d.
Ohio 84 1878; 1879; 1881; 1892; 1913; 1914; 1916; 1935; 1937; 1939; 1940-1950; 1952; 1958; n.d.
Pennsylvania 85 1948
South Carolina 85 1927
Tennessee 85 1947; 1956; n.d.
Virginia 85 1890; 1914; 1917; 1922; 1938; 1943; 1947; 1959; n.d.
Washington, D. C. 85 1885; 18861901; 1903; 1915; 1916; 1925; 1949; 1971; n.d.
Washington, D.C. 86 Scrapbook: c.1888-1914

Gift of Edward L. Strater

Washington, D. C. 87 Scrapbook: c.1915-1924

Gift of Edward L. Strater

 

Other Countries

England 86 Scrapbook:  c. 1915-1924

Gift of Edward L. Starter

England 88 1922-1924; 1926; n.d.
France 88 1875; 1878
Germany 88 n.d.
Japan 88 1902

 

Miscellaneous Programs with Dates

Date Box Number
c.1890; 1894; 1896; 1900-1902; 1904-1906; 1909; 1915; 1917; 1921; 1923-1928 89
Scrapbook:  Misc.

1892

Gift of Stewart Ogden

90
Scrapbooks:  Misc.

1:  1902-1906

2:  1906-1912

91
Scrapbooks:  Misc.

1:  1907-1914

2:  1914-1923

92

 

Misc. Programs without Dates – Box 93