THE HISTORY OF THE COHOES MUSIC HALL, 1874--1901 (NEW YORK).
Item
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Title
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THE HISTORY OF THE COHOES MUSIC HALL, 1874--1901 (NEW YORK).
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Identifier
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AAI8423070
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identifier
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8423070
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Creator
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JONES, RICHARD LANCE.
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Contributor
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Vera M. Roberts
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Date
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1984
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Theater | History, United States
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Abstract
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This dissertation represents the first history of the Cohoes Music Hall, Cohoes, New York, 1874-1901. The dissertation contains the following elements: preface, table of contents, various charts and figures, the body of text divided into eight chapters, bibliography and the appendix, providing a chronological listing of all productions at the theatre from 1874 to 1901.;Chapter one outlines significant events in the history of the city. It demonstrates how the growth of Cohoes depended upon the harnessing of water power provided by the cataracts formed by the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers. In addition, the chapter discusses the development of the city's textile industry and profiles its working-class.;Brief biographies of the owners, the manner in which they independently acquired the land, and their agreement to build the Music Hall are included in the second chapter. A complete listing of the craftsmen who participated in the construction of the building and theatre is provided.;Chapter three gives a detailed description of the physical theatre. Numerous reproductions of photographs included in the text help to suggest the theatre's quaint beauty. Possibilities of staging are suggested and the various renovations of the theatre are detailed.;The balance of the text, chapters four through eight, presents a season-by-season history of the theatre, its management, and the performances it presented. The fourth chapter details the first three seasons, 1874-1877, in which the Music Hall got off to a shaky beginning. The fifth chapter covers the pivotal fourth season, 1877-1878, in which the original owners divested themselves of control of the theatre. The sixth chapter describes the years in which the Music Hall was closed, 1878-1883. The seventh chapter deals with the re-opening of the theatre and its period of greatest success, 1883-1891. The eighth chapter treats the Music Hall's final decade, 1891-1901.;At the end of chapter eight is the dissertation's conclusion. The conclusion points out that the Music Hall was built at an economically unpropitious moment and that the theatre suffered competitively due to its proximity to larger houses in Troy and Albany. Other important points include the generally poor management of the theatre and the manner in which the fortunes of the Music Hall were tied to the sociology of Cohoes.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
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Program
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Theatre
