For this week’s Sepia Saturday theme, the prompt image reminded me immediately of this set of photos. While the prompt image clearly shows a group of women taking on the traditional role of men and vice versa, the images here are not clearly about mixing roles, but there appears to be some non-traditional costuming and casting going on. It’s clearly of some sort of theatrical production, though I have no idea what exactly the play/theme was. The two people standing on either side of the piano appear to be male even though they’re done up with cute bob haircuts (wigs maybe?) and makeup. The three on the top of the piano are in similar overalls (one even with a tie) yet appear to be girls (note the rings on the left ring finger of all of them). Even the boy on the piano bench in the cap may be a girl, and it’s possible that the girl with the violin may be a boy – it’s awfully hard to tell!
There are very few cues about date/place in the photos. The piano is a Beckwith from Chicago, and appears to be a player piano (the large sliding doors on the front are usually a dead giveaway, looks similar to the one in
this video), so the photos were likely taken in the USA. I can’t zoom in with enough detail to figure out what the music is, but if someone wants to have a go at playing it, I can provide a
zoomed-in image of the music. My best guess for date, since the clothing is costume and it’s hard to pin a date onto costumes, is somewhere around 1930, give or take 5 to 10 years. There’s a seated figure painted up in blackface which is a sign of the times as well. None of the children look familiar and there are no names/dates on any of the photos which are pretty dirty and in poor condition. Basically, I have another batch of wonderful photos with no names or dates that remain an absolute mystery for the time being. I have a hunch that these may be from Earl Powis Jr’s cousins in Chicago, perhaps via his mother, Anna Plansky. I don’t have any other identified photos of them, and even if I did, with the makeup and clothes, it might still be difficult to figure out who’s who.
The “Dutch Boy” used in Dutch Boy Paint ads has that hairstyle. That style seems to be a Dutch boy stereotype.
It really is hard to tell whether those are girls dressed up as boys, or the other way round? Or perhaps both, but I would suspect one or the other of the former. The music on the player piano video sounds like Scott Joplin ragtime. I’ve always loved the sound. Fun post.
It certainly is a cute bunch. I see all girls from an earlier decade, about 1905 to 1915. There is something about the interior furnishing that seems much older that 1930 to me. The matching costumes suggest a musical or operetta,and the character in black face might be Golliwog, a popular doll for children in the 19th century. I think they might be dressed for a production of Victor Herbert’s 1903 operetta, Babes in Toyland, or something similar.
What an intriguing set of photographs. Good luck in finding out more.
Susan at Family History Fun
A perfect set of photos to match the theme.The performers have gone to a lot of trouble.
These photos are great. They remind me of photos from my grandmother’s glee club and drama classes, where they dressed up, sometimes it seems quite silly now, but for them, it was a total blast.
Great costumes. Perfect for the theme!