Download “Voices of the Town” Curatorial Tip Sheet

“Voices of the
Town”
Curatorial Tip Sheet
Enhancing Your Exhibition Presentation
Objects from the Vaudeville industry are fairly rare: many costumes, props and sets were used
until they were “used up”. The Peterborough Museum & Archives has provided both artifacts
and replicas to illustrate aspects of the Vaudeville era.
We recommended looking also to your institution’s collections to offer a wider array of artifacts that help illustrate the time period in which the Vaudeville was popular (i.e. 1870 to 1920).
Below are some suggestions and illustrations for artifact categories you may have and can use
to supplement the exhibition.
Clothing, from the period of 1870 to 1920
• Women’s formal fashions: travelling suits, large brimmed hats, capes or
coats, gloves, boots and shoes, opera glasses (small binoculars)
• Men’s formal fashions: top hats or bowler hats, overcoats, bow ties, gloves.
• Children’s formal fashions (since attending Vaudeville shows were often a
family affair): dresses, shoes, hats, gloves.
• Costumes & dancewear: items that help represent what may have been worn
by performers (tutus, ballet shoes, vests, long tailed coats or tuxedos, ties).
Examples of Props & Musical Instruments
• Many vaudeville performances used simple props: café-style chairs, walking
sticks, bicycles, juggling pins or balls.
• Small portable instruments like violins, ukeleles, harmonicas, accordions or
concertinas are also good choices for display.
“Modern” Media
• Radios: as they became more affordable, this new medium began to rival
Vaudeville for the publics’ leisure time. Many Vaudeville performers found
work as radio program actors.
300 Hunter St. E.
Peterborough, ON
www.PeterboroughMuseumandArchives.ca
“Voices of the
Town”
Curatorial Tip Sheet
Modern Media (continued)
• Televisions: the Vaudeville variety show format was characteristic of early
programs; again, some Vaudeville stars eventually performed on early television shows.
Archival Items
• Posters and advertisements: many towns had a performance hall or theatre
that would have promoted travelling shows. Look to your archival and microfilm collections for these as well as ticket stubs and programmes from performances that happened in your region.
• Movie theatre ephemera: most Vaudeville theatres were converted into movie
theatres. Displaying items to tell the story of theatres in your region is a great
way to link the story of Vaudeville to your own community.
Behind the Scenes
• Travelling trunks, luggage: to show how performers carted about their belongings while on tour.
• Dressing rooms: these were often quite humble, with basic furniture, such as
a washstand, dressing table, mirror, a wardrobe or screen.
Other Ideas?
The Peterborough Museum & Archives welcomes borrowing institutions to supplement the
exhibition in other ways too.
Outline your plans in writing and send it to the Travelling Exhibition Coordinator in advance of
the loan period (as noted in section 3.0 of the Travelling Exhibition Contract). Thank you!
300 Hunter St. E.
Peterborough, ON
www.PeterboroughMuseumandArchives.ca