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.l1744727770aciro1744727770tsihn1744727770oslif1744727770@hcra1744727770eser1744727770

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 1908-1920 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