Portal:Theatre Comique

News articles

• Foiled by the Lack of a Few Cents (1883)

"A large trunk was standing on the sidewalk near the Pennsylvania Railway baggage-room, Jersey City, yesterday morning, when a man came along and arranged with a hackman to take him and the trunk to No. 250 West-street, New-York. When the hack reached the ferry gate, the man requested the driver to pay the ferriage, promising to return it to him in New-York. The driver refused, and as the man had no money the trunk was taken back and put on the sidewalk again. The man then employed another hackman who agreed to pay the ferriage. They were just about going though the gate, when Officer Miller jumped into the coach and directed the driver to go to the police station. There the man gave his name as Francis Cleary and pretended to be greatly surprised on seeing the trunk in the back. He denied all knowledge of it, and said that he merely employed the driver to take him to New-York. The trunk belongs to Leonard and Flynn, variety actors, who performed in the Theatre Comique, in Jersey City, last week, and was about to be shipped to Philadelphia."

• The Receipts (1882 June 13)

"The receipts of the Theatre Comique, at Jersey City, were seized last night to satisfy a Judgment for salary obtained by two performers. The cash in the box-office at the time was $23."

• The Indecent Theatre Comique (1882 May 17)

"Robert Fox, George H. Christie and John Lindauer, the alleged proprietors of the Theatre Comique, were up before Justice Stilsing for examination this morning on a charge of keeping a disorderly house where rum is sold without a license, and indecent performances were given. Lindauer proved that he had no connection with the theater, and was discharged. The others were held [on] $500 bail for trial."

• Battle of the Theatres (1881 December 13)

"Both the Theatre Comique and the Jersey City Opera House were opened last night. The troubles at the former house have been patched up, and Mr. Lindauer, one of the lessees, goes on with the business. Robert W. Butler, the other lessee, has leased the Jersey City Opera House and opened business there. So far as the principals are concerned there is only a manly rivalry between them, but their understrappers were zealous all day yesterday in tripping up each other. This zeal took the direction of endeavors to cut off each other in the matter of distributing 'dodgers,' or circular advertisements of the two theatres. These little papers are called dodgers because most people dodge when the distributor hands them one on the streets. But then the people would be dodgers and the dodgers would be the dodged! Anyhow, that is what they are called, and Lindauer's men and boys took Opera House dodgers from Butler's men end boys, and Butler's men and boys did a like service for Lindauer's people. One of these little games was played in front of the Theatre Comique, where a boy named Perlmutter was distributing Opera House bills, John McCullough, one of Lindauer's men, took the dodgers from the boy, threatened him and drove him away. McCullough was arrested, and was fined $10 this morning by Justice Petoubet. It was made clear that the principals did not countenance such business."

• A Theatre Closed (1881 December 6)

"The Theatre Comique, opposite the City Hall, on Newark Avenue, was yesterday placed in the hands of a receiver by Chancellor Runyon on the application of Charles F. Lindauer the proprietor and manager. When the theater was opened about two years ago, it was named 'Butler's Theater Comique,' and was managed by Robert W. Butler, formerly of No. 444 Broadway, and more recently of the old Globe Theatre, New York City. A few weeks ago Butler's name was taken from the bills and posters, and soon afterward Butler obtained from Chancellor Runyon an injunction restraining Charles F. Lindauer, who continued the management, from paying out any of the money received for admission to the place. Consequently the performers and attaches of the place have received no money for the past three weeks. Yesterday Lindauer through his counsel, Norman L. Rowe applied to Chancellor Runyon for the appointment of a receiver, and Dr. Hoffman, the owner of the building, was appointed. Last night the receiver posted a card on the doors of the theater announcing that it would be closed until further notice, and the place was locked up. The performers who in the morning had rehearsed their characters in the place, expecting to go on in the evening, were unable last night to obtain the music or or their wardrobes. Mr. Butler refitted the theater last fall and took Lindauer in as a partner or something. The latter had full charge concerning the hiring of talent, etc., and has lost money. Mr. Butler became dissatisfied and offered to sell out his interest. Lindauer would neither buy nor sell, hence the rupture. The theater will probably be reopened under a new management."

• The Jersey City Theatre Comique (1881 December 6)

"The Jersey City Theatre Comique yesterday passed into the hands of a receiver, in consequence of a quarrel and suit between Butler and Lindauer, the former proprietors. The former retired from the management some time ago."

• A Trapeze Performer (1874)

"A trapeze performer, named A. H. Searles, fell twenty feet from a bar while performing at the Theatre Comique, at Jersey City, last night, and sustained probably fatal injuries."