“People who visited the Jockey Club Park yesterday were greeted at the entrance to the grounds by the jubilant strains of ragtime music.”
Hamilton Times. September 17, 1900.
It was a Sunday afternoon and those out for a stroll in the vicinity of the Hamilton Jockey Club park were entertained with the sound of ragtime music. A comedy and musical troupe was beginning to set up for a week long booking at the theater and that sprightly music was both an expression of energy and joy, it was also an advertisement for the performances which would begin the next day.
Passersby were intrigued by the music, but that was all that they would get for free that afternoon:
“Although they listened for the shuffling feet, they did not hear them, for the members of the McKaulass Kook Kompany observed Sunday. The company comprises clever artists. Every one is a musician and dancer, and should please the audience that will attend the park this week.”1
Hamilton Times. September 17, 1900.
Ironically, there was another entertainment to be presented in Hamilton that very same week which also involved a focus on African-American culture:
“Cole & Johnson in ‘A Trip to Coontown,’ will appear at the Grand next Friday and Saturday evenings and Saturday matinee. The sale of seats will open Wednesday morning.”1
1 Hamilton Times. September 17, 1900.
Throughout the week, the Hamilton newspapers would draw attention to the shows. As the show at the H.J.C. park started on Monday, a Times reporter filed the following after he attended a performance there:
“A grand cake walk was the feature of the bill last night at the H.J.C. Park. In it the entire company participated. The feature of the cake walk was Miss Lizzie Perry, the champion lady cake walker of Michigan, and Lizzie Patti, who carried off the honors easily. McKanlass did a singing a dancing turn last night. It was the first time in twelve years that he appeared in an act of that kind, but he has not forgotten his old time minstrel days. His imitation of the Swiss warblers was received with great applause. In spite of the cold weather the people realize that the show is one of the best coon shows in the country, and that it is well worth a trip out to the park to see those Klever Komikal Koons. Saturday afternoon the management will give a ladies’ and children’s’ matinee. All reserved seats will five cents. On Friday night there will be a melon contest, in which the whole company will participate. The princess will present the melon to the losers, who will be compelled to eat the melon before the audience.”2
2 Hamilton Times. September 19, 1900.
The show at the Grand Opera House was only of a two day run but the papers promoted it heavily as one not to be missed:
“Cole & Johnson in ‘A Trip to Coontown,’ should attract good-sized audiences to the Grand Friday and Saturday, as this performance is a good one. No one who could remember seeing Cole & Johnson last season can forget how smart, snappy and spirited it was. This season’s, it is said, will be bigger, brighter and better. It will be the same big company, only augmented by a host of new faces. Cole & Johnson have the support of the best colored people in the theatrical profession. To see ‘Bob Cole’ as Willie Wayside is to laugh, and the same can be said of ‘Billy Johnson’ as the bunco steerer. These two are a host in themselves. The sale of seats began this morning.2
2Hamilton Times. September 19, 1900.
At the end of the week, both shows received large coverage in the Times.
The finale of the week’s engagement included a feature not included into shows previously performed :
“The watermelon contest at H.J.C. Park tonight should be well-patronized, for it is not only a novelty, but an entertaining comedy as well. The winners of the melon are to present it to the losers and make them eat in a specified time. Tomorrow afternoon there will be a matinee for ladies and children, in which all reserved seats will be five cents.”3
3 Hamilton Times. September 21, 1900.
The show at the Grand was one which had already been a major success when performed at the best theatres throughout the United States:
“Cole & Johnson in ‘A Trip to Coontown’ will be seen at the Grand tonight, tomorrow matinee and tomorrow evening. A good performance is promised. The company has made a tremendous hit everywhere through its presentation of opera, comedy, burlesque and vaudeville. The artists comprising the company are the very best in their respective specialties, and the performance is marked by the liberal manner in which everything is done on the stage.”3
The watermelon contest at the H.J.C. Park proved to be a success with a large number of paying customers who delighted in the antics of the performers.
As for the ‘Trip to Coontown’ show at the Grand Opera House, it received the following positive review:
“For several seasons, Cole & Johnson have presented the musical comedy, ‘A Trip to Coontown.’ Last evening they appeared at the Grand. The main features are, of course, as of old, but the adjuncts are much superior to those of previous seasons.
“The company is large and capable. The girls are very light-colored and pretty, and sing charmingly. The chorus singing was especially good. Cole & Johnson appear in their old roles, and are as funny as ever, and thei efforts produced incessant laughter. The original Rastus presented an acrobatic specialty that would be hard to beat. His agility is remarkable. Lloyd Gibbs, the splendid tenor sang the ‘Holy City’ very effectively. Miss Edna Alexander, the leading lady, has a fine soprano voice, and her selections were given with considerable taste and expression,
“Altogether it is a good, clean show, worthy of patronage. A matinee was given this afternoon, and the engagement terminates this evening.”
Hamilton Times. September 22, 1900.
After the Saturday evening performance, the performers and stage hands, plus some local hired help, quickly tore down the elaborate sets, packed them up and took them to the G.T.R. train station. The troupe was on to the next city on their itinerary.
On the Sunday afternoon, one week after the sounds of ragtime music were heard at the H.J.C. park, a different kind of music was presented. A free concert was presented by members of the McKaulass Kook Kompany:
Consisting solely of sacred music, the performance wax attended by a large number of interested spectator. While the show was given for free a collection was held to defray expenses.
