History of Vaudeville in Cleveland

Storyteller: Chris Roy

 
 
 
 

Doors open at 5:00pm, with the storytelling beginning promptly at 7:00pm

• Weekly series combining great food with great stories about Cleveland’s past
• FREE ADMISSION – NO COVER CHARGE
• In addition to our regular menu, we will be offering affordable specials on these nights

Story topic this week…

History of Vaudeville in Cleveland

Vaudeville may be gone, but thanks to Christopher Roy, it’s far from forgotten. As the author of The Intersection of Cleveland and Vaudeville, Roy dives deep into the golden age of variety acts, slapstick comics, and song-and-dance routines that once lit up stages across Cleveland. With a storyteller’s flair and a historian’s eye, he uncovers how our city became a surprising hotspot for vaudeville’s brightest stars and oddest acts. Roy brings to life a world of traveling performers, smoky theaters, and the cultural crossroads where Cleveland met the American stage.

If you’ve ever been curious about what came before Hollywood, Broadway, and Netflix — this is your chance to rediscover the wild, weird, and wonderful world of vaudeville.

Chris Roy Bio

Chris Roy is a freelance writer focused primarily on local (Cleveland) history. In recent decades, he has given numerous lectures and written/edited more than 200 articles on local history for print, online and broadcast media, including projects for Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland State University, and National Public Radio. He holds a Master of Arts degree in History from Cleveland State University, and is a past board member of the Cleveland Heights Historical Society and Tremont History Project. He lives in Shaker Heights.
 

The goal of the Cleveland Stories Dinner Party is to bring to life some of the fun, interesting stories about Cleveland’s past – from sports, to rock ‘n roll, to Millionaire’s Row, — the series will focus on tidbits from Cleveland’s past that will really thrill the audience. The Music Box is presenting this series in partnership with the Western Reserve Historical Society’s new Cleveland History Center. We think the Cleveland History Center is one of the most important museums in Cleveland. An unknown gem that Clevelanders should know more about, and support. It is the only museum in Cleveland dedicated to preserving and documenting the history of Cleveland. The Cleveland History Center includes two mansions, the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum, Chisholm Halle Costume Wing, Research Library, Kidzibits Hands-On Gallery, rotating exhibitions, and the Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel.

See all Cleveland Stories dates here.