Vaudeville theatre in the United States consisted of a single show which encompassed multiple separate acts. The acts could be anything: singers, musicians, comedians, acrobats and circus-type pieces, magicians, ventriloquists, etc. Shows lasted for hours, and going to the show became a main part of social life. There were approximately 1,000 venues throught the U.S. that hosted Vaudeville shows. The entertainers would travel circuits between these theatres, often performing the same acts hundreds of times. Vaudeville was the first form of entertainment to expose people to the diversity of the U.S. at the beginning of the century, both in terms of race and class. Many immigrants and families of immigrants found a place to belong on Vaudeville, performing dances, songs, and other traditions of their country. Vaudeville's main element was comedy, and it actually had roots in the live shows of bars, which were meant for men.
New York's Palace Theatre was the main Vaudeville theatre in the country, and it was the dream of any Vaudevillian to perform there. The French actress Sarah Bernhardt gained fame at the theatre, and after that, everyone thought they could make their career by being in a show at the Palace.
Vaudeville swiflty died out when film and radio came on the scene in the 1930s. The Great Depression also contributed to its downfall because people didn't have money to spend on entertainment. Many people who appeared on Vaudeville stages went on to have successful careers in movies and television in later decades. These include Will Rogers, Bob Hope, Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton to name a few.
JH
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