Burlesque in Alliance, NE

Tucked into the windswept plains of western Nebraska, Alliance might seem an unlikely backdrop for the glitter and grit of burlesque. Yet, like so many small towns shaped by railroads, traveling shows, and the restless pulse of American entertainment, Alliance once played host to performances that blended tease, satire, and spectacle. Beneath the prairie sky, stages flickered to life with vaudeville acts, chorus girls, and the occasional risqué revue—offering locals a taste of the wider world and performers a stopover on the circuit. This is the story of how burlesque, in all its bawdy brilliance, found a foothold in a town better known for cattle trains and Carhenge.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, towns like Alliance were stops for vaudeville and burlesque circuits that catered to working-class audiences, including railroad workers, ranchers, and miners. These performances often took place in opera houses, saloons, or multi-use halls. While Alliance today is home to places like Dobby’s Frontier Town, which preserves the feel of early settler life, the town also hosted traveling shows that included risqué comedy, musical numbers, and sensationalized dance acts—hallmarks of early American burlesque.

The performers were often women who traveled with small companies, also called troupes, sometimes doubling as singers, dancers, and comedians. These shows could be bawdy, but they were also clever, satirical, and surprisingly political at times. They offered a rare space for women to command the stage and for audiences to experience a bit of urban-style entertainment in a rural setting.

Mable Snow’s Spectacular Burlesque Company | 1892

In April 1892, the Mable Snow Spectacular Burlesque Company performed in Alliance on a Wednesday evening. At this time, Alliance was a stop on the Black Hills Theatrical Circuit. The Burlesque Co. was composed of 12 women and 6 men. The Rapid City Daily Journal stated, “The company rendered every part well and should it again visit Rapid City, standing room would be at a premium.” (April 8, 1892)

(The Alliance Times. “A Coming Attraction.” Page 1. April 8, 1892)

Tisso’s European Novelties and Living Pictures | May 9, 1895

Tisso’s European Novelties and Living Pictures performed at the Alliance Opera House on May 9, 1895. The program included a burlesque performance by Williams and Estella, magic acts, songstresses, comedians, a “character impersonator” and even “Living Models” posed by Tisso, himself. The scenes were:

Psyche and Butterfly
Psyche at Nature’s Mirror
Lydia
The Swing
The Storm
Greek Slave
Dancing Girls
The Archer
Living Pictures Behind the Scenes
Vanity
Playmates
After the Ball
The Secret
Cupid on Watch
December-May
The Three Graces

Unfortunately, the models were not credited, just the man who posed them. The models were most likely nude, painted with white talc paint, or wearing nude full-body stockings. The models would not move, therefore allowing the nudity as art and was not seen as obscene or lewd at the time.

“A Turkish Bath” Burlesque | Phelan Opera House

In October 1895, another burlesque was shown in Alliance. This time it was at the Phelan Opera House, which showed “A Turkish Bath.” The Pioneer Grip stated, “It is just one laugh, three hours long, but it is all good wholesome laughter and you feel the better for it. The fun is fresh and clean, the action snappy and the entertaining dialogue leads up to many hilarious situations and outbursts of pleasing vocalism and many clever specialty features.” (October 18, 1895. Page 1)

Ladies’ Guild of the Episcopal Church | 1904

The entertainment given by the Ladies’ Guild of the Episcopal Church featured a burlesque and ‘cake walk’. It also had a living picture/tableau. The show was produced as a fundraiser for Reverend G.B. Clarke who was not well and had to seek medical treatment at the Lincoln sanitarium.

(The Alliance Times. Page 1. June 17, 1904)

City of Alliance July 4th Program | 1908

(The Alliance Herald. July 4th Program. Page 1. June 25, 1908)

The July 4th Program in 1908 featured a Grand Street Parade which offered burlesque and comical skits to visitors.

The Jollo Electric Theatre Company

The Jollo Electric Theatre Company was an early motion picture circuit operating across Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, and Iowa from 1907 into the 1910s. In Alliance, Nebraska, R.H. Mouser & Co. managed the local Jollo Moving Picture Theatre, located on the second floor of the F.H. Pardey Building. The theatre opened on September 9, 1907, offering audiences “clean, amusing, and refined” motion pictures and illustrated songs.

The Crystal Theatre | 114 Box Butte Ave

Using Kinodrome projection technology, Jollo’s film programs ran about 40 minutes in length. The Alliance location closed during the summer of 1909 and was succeeded by the Crystal Theatre, which previously operated both an airdome and an enclosed venue. The Crystal officially opened in the Pardey Building on October 4, 1909.

Next door stood the Alliance Hotel. In 1912, local entertainment figure Harry A. Dubuque arrived in town and acquired the rival Majestic Theatre, renaming it the Empress. He eventually purchased the Crystal Theatre as well, securing control of two cinemas in Alliance. The Crystal’s final advertised performance took place on July 31, 1914, featuring a mix of film and live entertainment. By 1916, Dubuque had taken over the competing Imperial Theatre and subsequently closed the Crystal, reducing Alliance’s movie houses from three to two.

(The Alliance Times Herald. Advertisement for Crystal Theatre. Page 5. February 28, 1913)

The Crystal Theatre occasionally showed burlesque shows on stage.

The Crawford Theatre | 1916

(The Alliance Herald. “Program at Crawford.” Page 12. January 13, 1916)

The Crawford Theatre hosted a slew of entertainment in January 1916. It featured a burlesque show by the Teddy Brothers of Omaha.

The Imperial Theatre | 410 Box Butte Ave.

From 1914 until 1922, the Imperial Theatre hosted burlesque shows. It showed “Along Comes a City Chap”, a comedic burlesque, in September 1914. Then “The Disciple” in February 1916. In December 1916, the Imperial featured the Mysterious Cunning a magician and comedic burlesque. In March 1917, the Imperial hosted “There’s Many A Fool”, a burlesque on “A Fool There Was.” Max Linder performed a burlesque called “The Three Must Get There’s” in November 1922.

The Rialto Theatre | 115 W. 3rd Street

The Rialto Theatre opened on May 2, 1922, in a former furniture store, launching with A Man’s Home, a Harold Lloyd comedy short, and live music by the “Happy Four” orchestra. In 1928, architect Walter H. Simon redesigned the façade and interior, and by 1930, the venue had transitioned to sound films. Business declined during World War II after the local Army Air Base downsized, leading to its closure in 1944. Fox Inter-Mountain briefly revived the theater with refurbished seating, but community interest waned, and the Rialto quietly closed for good around 1949.

In 1922, the Rialto hosted the burlesque “Mud and Sand”, a burlesque on “Blood and Sand” featuring Stan Laurel as Rubarb Vasilene. Then, in May 1923, they hosted “The Tents of Allah” and the photoplay “The Isle of Zorda” which featured oriental dancers in harem scenes. In November 1923, the featured attraction was “Tea With a Kick”, a burlesque of on “the prohibition question.”

(The Alliance Times Herald. “Rialto Theatre.” Page 5. November 30, 1923)

Alliance Dramatic and Art Club| 1921

(The Alliance News. “A Delightful Entertainment.” Page 1. February 10, 1921)

The Alliance Art & Dramatic Club hosted entertainment at the Opera House in February 1921. The Club was funded by the high school, in which Mrs. Inez McCorkle Dunham was paid a fixed salary to teach students adept to arts & drama. Neighboring towns also sent students to gain the desired skills. The Club performed a musical number, dressed as “Scottish lassies”, where they danced to audience approval. A burlesque was performed by the entire class, where they sang a rendition of the song “Roll on Silvery Moon”. Four ladies gave an “imitation” of a “Hawaiian eucalali orchestra.”

“To train a large class of young ladies to such a high degree of perfection requires the natural skill of an artist and Mrs. Dunham was warmly congratulated on the success of the entertainment and the Alliance school is to be congratulated on having so many students possessed of the talent susceptible of such excellent training.” (The Alliance News. February 10, 1921)

(The Alliance Herald. “Second Public Recital by Class of Expression.” Page 3. January 28, 1921)

The Expression class gave a second public recital with the musical burlesque called “The Sweet Family”. It centered around the character “Ma” and her 12 very attractive daughters. Each girl portrayed her accomplishments. Ticket prices were 50 cents for adults and 25 cents for children.

The students were listed in the Alliance Herald:

Lois Boyer played Ma Sweet, a lone “relic”
Miriam Harris played Armity Ann, with many winning ways
Frances Fletcher played Betsy Belinda, the delicate one
Edna Hiles and Ruth Stanton played Caroline Cordelia and Dorothy Delila, both twins
Evangeline Acheson played Elizabeth Eliza, by far the most attractive
Verna Dow played Frances Fedora, partial to flowers
Eva Beal played Harrietta Hennings, learning to “elecute”
Elyse Harris played Isabella Ismuch, much and mighty
Helen Young played Judy Jerushie, should be black(?)
Juanita Lang played Kitty Kilkenny, who has a way with her
Margaret Schild played Lovie Louisa, laughing lass

The Hemingford Lodge | 1922

250 people attended the Odd Fellows Fried Chicken Banquets on a Tuesday evening in January 1922. A majority were members of the Hemingford Lodge. The Banquet was hosted at the I.O.O.F Hall and Armory building. Following the public installation of officers, 25 Hemingford delegates performed a burlesque called “The Associated Order of Emancipated Husbands”, which was enjoyed by all.

Public Opinion on Fan Dancing | 1933

The 1933 Chicago World’s Fair saw multiple nude fan dances. Sally Rand’s fan dance was catapulted to stardom. Rand was arrested multiple times at the Fair. So much so that a journalists in Alliance, Nebraska wrote the following opinion piece:

(The Alliance Times Herald. “Their Eyes Are Bad.” Page 1. September 29, 1933)

It’s interesting to point out they call the nude fan dance the “Tan Dance” on account of the dancer’s tan body. “Lewdness” and “vulgar” are two words commonly used to describe this sensationalized dance at that time.

Nude Dancer at the Carnival | 1934

In June 1934, a carnival came to Alliance. The Alliance Times Herald had a heyday when the carnival opened and it was discovered one attraction was a “Venetian dancer” who performed in the nude.

“One old chap was so enthusiastic about that Venetian (nude) dance show at the carnival last week that he saw every performance and finally had to be told to beat it, the egg.” (The Alliance Times Herald. “Small Town Stuff.” Page 10. June 12, 1934)

Gambling and a rodeo also occupied patron’s time.

Alliance High School “Jeep Concerts” | 1943

The Alliance High School produced a series of concerts at the end of their fundraiser to sell Bonds and Stamps called the “Jeep Concerts.” The Band performed at the City auditorium. Their goal was to raise enough money to purchase nine Jeeps. The High School band raised $8,252.80.

The concerts were directed by Naomi R Hill and were widely appealing to the audience. The concert featured a burlesque called “Three Blind Mice at the Night Club Floor Show”, acrobats, tap dancing mice, a military style parade, “apache” dancers, Cosack dancers, and oriental dancers.

The Alliance Theatre | 410 Box Butte Ave

The Alliance Theatre, a remodel of the earlier Imperial (later Fox Imperial) Theatre, debuted on November 23, 1937 with Errol Flynn’s The Perfect Specimen. Located on Box Butte Avenue in Alliance, it’s an Art Moderne-style cinema that continues to operate today, screening current releases.

(Alliance Times and Herald. Ad for Alliance Theatre. March 30, 1945)

Stage shows and moving pictures graced the Alliance Theatre. In March 1941, the girlie-girl stage show “Varieties of 1941” was headlined by the exotic dancer, Janine, who had starred at the famous Chez Paree. Janine had a dance of fame: Flame d’Amour.

Jr High School Band Carnival | 1963

On March 30, 1963 the Junior High School band hosted a carnival in order to raise money to travel to Winnipeg, Canada. Those who attended the carnival enjoyed booths, side shows, and special attractions. A “night club” was set up on the Jr. High school’s stage where patrons could get refreshments, play cards, and watch hourly floor shows. There was a cake-walk, a two-headed lady, a couple of extreme weight, and a performance by an exotic dancer.

The Buckaroo Club | Van Tassel, Wyoming

Although the Buckaroo Club was located in Van Tassel, Wyoming, they frequently advertised in the Alliance Daily Times in 1962-1963. Therefore, people living in Alliance could frequent the club to see exotic dancers and live bands. The club would also host “Stag Parties,” advertising publicly.

The Wonder Bar | 209 Box Butte

(The Alliance Daily Times Herald. Ad for the Wonder Bar. February 29, 1972)

In the Winter of 1972, the Wonder Bar began featuring go-go dancers and routinely had a new dancer each week.

The Bowl Mor Lounge | 1984

A short sentence in the Alliance Times stated,

“Attention Ladies – 2 exotic male dancers at the Bowl Mor Lounge, October 31 and November 1, 9:00pm-1:00am. (Alliance Times Herald. October 29, 1984)