- Collection:
- The Blues, Black Vaudeville, and the Silver Screen, 1912-1930s: Selections from the Records of Macon's Douglass Theatre
- Title:
- Letter: Chattanooga, Tennessee to Charles Henry Douglass, Jr., Macon, Georgia, 1924 Dec. 15
- Creator:
- Reevin, Sam E.
- Date of Original:
- 1924-12-15
- Subject:
- Theatre Owners Booking Association
Lafayette Theatre Players
Theaters--Georgia--Macon
Entertainment events--Georgia--Macon
Commercial agents--Tennessee--Nashville
Advertising--Georgia--Macon
African American musicians--Employment--Georgia--Macon
African American actresses--Employment--Georgia--Macon
African American actors--Employment--Georgia--Macon
Vaudeville--Georgia--Macon
Brown beauties (Musical show : 1924)
Eighty One Theatre (Atlanta, Ga.)
Douglass Theatre (Macon, Ga.)
Douglass, Charles Henry, 1870-1940
Preer, Evelyn
Boatner, Marie
Niles, Dewayman
Singleton, Doorkey
Wilson, Mae - Location:
- United States, Georgia, Bibb County, Macon, 32.84069, -83.6324
United States, Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, 33.749, -84.38798 - Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- image/jpeg
text/html - Description:
- Letter from Sam E. Reevin, manager of Theatre Owners Booking Association (T.O.B.A.), a Tennessee-based booking agency from 1920 to the 1930s for African American vaudeville acts, to Charles Henry Douglass, Jr., African American entrepreneur and owner of the Douglass Theatre, dated December 15, 1924, regarding stage acts booked at the Douglass Theatre. Reevin confirms that the Douglass Theatre is booked for three acts next week and lists the acts with their salaries. He mentions that the acts will come from the Eighty-One Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. Charles F. Bailey, known for being hard on performers, ran the white-owned Eighty-One Theatre, located on Decatur Street. Reevin advises the addition of a fourth act since next week is Christmas week. He directs Douglass to wire him if he can use only three acts, and that he will substitute a team act for Doorkey Singleton, an eccentric dancer. Reevin confirms that the Douglass Theatre is booked with the Mae Wilson Brown Beauties for the week of December 29, and mentions their route and salary. He advises that he can book the LaFayette Players in their new production, The Unborn, during the week of January 5th and reminds Douglass of the company's good reputation. The company, originally based in Harlem, was in existence from 1915 to 1932 and produced serious, legitimate dramas, melodramas, musicals, and opera. Several alumni went on to star in Micheaux's films and other race movies. Reevin adds that the show will play in Atlanta for two weeks. He requests that Douglass confirm the letter at once so that he can order the publicity matter, which will be free of charge. Reevin adds that he will send Douglass a slide of Miss Evelyn Preer, member of the LaFayette Players, star of several Micheaux films, and later actress in mainstream films, announcing the coming of her show.
Digital image and encoded transcription of an original manuscript, scanned, transcribed and encoded by the Digital Library of Georgia in 2005, as part of Georgia HomePLACE. This project is supported with federal LSTA funds administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Georgia Public Library Service, a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. - Local Identifier:
- dbr062
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/dtrm/id:dbr062
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:dlg_dtrm_dbr062
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_dtrm_dbr062/presentation/manifest.json
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Theater Records Series, Charles Henry Douglass, Jr. Business Records, 1906-1967, Middle Georgia Archives, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia.
- Extent:
- [1] p.
Manuscript held by the Middle Georgia Archives, Washington Memorial Library, Charles Henry Douglass, Jr. business records, 1906-1967, box 21, folder 209, document 4. - Holding Institution:
- Washington Memorial Library, Middle Georgia Regional Library
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
[Note: This document contains typewritten, handwritten, and printed text.]
[printed text:
MILTON STARR,
PRESIDENT SAM E. REEVIN,
TREAS. [TREASURER] & MGR. [MANAGER]
[Note: Red and black lines frame the text, accompanied by a decorative arch around each letter of the acronym. A winged hourglass hangs below the framed text. Text colors are black and red]
T O [unclear text: B] A
THEATRE OWNERS [unclear text: BOOKING] ASSOCIATION]]
SUITE 441-442-443-444
VOLUNTEER STATE LIFE BLDG. [BUILDING] TELEPHONE
MAIN 5530
CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE]
[typewritten text: Dec. [December] 15th, 1924.
Mr. C. H. Douglass,
Macon, Ga. [Georgia],
Dear Mr. Douglass --
As you know, from my wire of today, you are booked with the following for next week --
Miss Marie Boatner and partner, salary $85.00. DeWayman Niles, one of the best Acrobats in the business, salary $45.00, and, Doorkey Singleton, a good eccentric dancer, salary $45.00.
You will notice that this only gives you one girl, and on account of next week being Christmas week, I belive [believe] it would be advisable to add a fourth Act. However, if you cannot use but three, wire me upon the receipt of this letter, and I will cancel Doorkey and substitute a team, but will wait until I hear from you, before securing a team.
These three Acts will come to you from the Eighty-One Theatre, Atlanta, Georgia.
For the week of December 29th, you are booked with the Mae Wilson "BROWN BEAUTIES" ten people, and will come to you from the Brooklyn Theatre, Wilmington, N. C. [North Carolina] salary $300.00 Kindly place tickets in care of Jesse Cobb, Manager of the show.
For the week of Janauary [January] 5th, can give you the LaFayette Players, in their new production "THE UNBORN". You know all the details about this play from my previous letter, and you also know the merits of this Company. This show will play Atlanta two weeks, opening December 22nd and 29th, and you can place 8 tickets to C. H. Moore, % Crystal Theatre, Atlanta, Ga. [Georgia],
Will thank you to confirm this letter at once, so that I can order the printing matter, which will come to you GRATIS, and will send you a slide on Miss Evelyn Preer, announcing the coming of- this show.
With best regards, I remain,
Very truly,]
[Signed] [written text: Sam E Reevin]
SER [Sam E. Reevin]: LSN.