In the quiet corners of southeast Nebraska, performance history flickers between preservation and mystery. Auburn may not boast the grand marquees of Lincoln or Omaha, but its opera houses and community stages once echoed with traveling shows, vaudeville patter, and perhaps—just perhaps—a touch of burlesque’s glimmering irreverence.
From Calvert’s depot-town days to the construction of Auburn’s New Opera House in 1894, local venues served as cultural waypoints—hosting variety acts, comic opera, and performances that danced along the line between respectable entertainment and playful provocation. While archival traces of full-fledged burlesque remain elusive, tantalizing newspaper clippings and production records hint at a more vibrant legacy than history has fully acknowledged.
This article explores Auburn’s theatrical lineage with fresh eyes and archival curiosity, inviting readers to consider how the bawdy, brilliant world of burlesque might have brushed the velvet curtains of Nemaha County.
A Stage in Formation
Auburn as we know it didn’t exist yet in the 1860s. Instead, the area was home to three separate towns: St. George, Sheridan, and later Calvert, which merged to form Auburn in 1882. During this period, southeast Nebraska was rapidly developing, with railroads, town halls, and opera houses cropping up across the region.
During the 1860s–1880s, the broader theatrical landscape in the Midwest was fertile ground for traveling acts and troupe. Touring companies often performed in multi-use venues like opera houses, fraternal halls, and even saloons—spaces where vaudeville, minstrel, melodrama, and risqué variety shows could slip in under the guise of “legitimate” entertainment.
McPherson’s Hall
On May 1st 1878, the McPherson Hall in Auburn hosted Duprez & Benedict’s Gigantic famous troupe of minstrels and burlesque performers! According to an advertisement, a “Pleasing Burlesque Female Prima Donna” performed as well as comedians, dancers, and singers.
The New Opera House
The New Opera House hosted a burlesque of “Cinderella” that went over well with Nemaha county audiences. The article above mentions Mrs. Hoover and Minick were “musical celebrities” in town.
On December 26th 1893, the Lutheran Church held a musical festival at the New Opera House. The entertainment included music, singing, and dancing. There were also four “tableaux” given–three which were “pictures of Beauty” and the last was a comedic burlesque.
In April 1895, the “Oriole Opera Co.” presented a comedic opera called “Said Pasha” with Goldie and Beatrice Rinehart as the lead actresses.
On May 2, 1905, the New Opera House in Auburn hosted the “Irma Comic Opera Company” which boasted special scenery, a large chorus of beautiful girls, singers, and comedians.
The Guarantee of the Irma Comic Opera Company:
“Any person attending the performance of ‘Irma’ and if not entirely satisfied after seeing two acts, can have their money returned at the box office.”
Daugherty’s Opera House
The “Nibbes Sepctacular Burlesque Company” performed at Daugherty’s Opera House in Nemaha County, NE in early March 1894.
Maclay Opera House
The Irma Comic Opera Co. presented “The Adorable Fritzie: A Sotry of the Far East” with Josephine Barlowe, as the Prima Donna in the Title Role, on January 2, 1907.
The Bennett Theater
On March 21-22, 1927, the Bennett Theatre in Auburn hosted ‘Prince Ali’ in person for the show “A Night in India.” The above advertisement lists, “The most awe inspiring demonstration of psychic power ever presented in this city. Also hear LEO VAN sing the song of India. See the Oriental Dancer and feature picture “Lightning Lariats.”
Sources
Websites
Newspapers
- Nemaha County Herald. Ad for the Bennett Theatre. Page 2. March 18, 1927
- Nemaha County Herald. “City and County.” Page 5. February 23, 1894
- Nemaha County Herald. Ad for Daugherty Opera House. Page 7. February 23, 1894
- The Granger. Christmas Show at the New Opera House. Page 1. December 15, 1893
- The Granger. “Cinderella” Burlesque. Page 2. August 7, 1891
- Photos of the New Opera House, Auburn, NE. Photos by Chris Ehlers. D Layne Ehlers, “Second Floor, Brick Block: Nebraska’s Opera Houses,” Nebraska History 72 (1991): 3-20
- The Granger. Ad for McPherson Hall. Page 3. April 26, 1878
- Nemaha County Republican. “The Oriole Opera Co.” Page 3. April 18, 1895
- The Granger. Ad for Irma Comic Opera Company at the Maclay Opera House. Page 8. December 31, 1907
Publications
- D Layne Ehlers, “Second Floor, Brick Block: Nebraska’s Opera Houses,” Nebraska History 72 (1991): 3-20
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