Introduction & Purpose “Penrod”

Sam Clark and Dr. Gretchen Peters Music & Theatre Arts University of Wisconsin-Eau ClaireSam Clark and Dr. Gretchen Peters Music & Theatre Arts University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

The purpose of this project is to examine the multiple components of minstrel shows that were performed annually at UW-Eau Claire during the late 1920s and early 1930s, as well as other theatrical performances on campus featuring characters in blackface. In both instances, these characters were often comical and portrayed as having low intelligence. This falls under the umbrella of musical exoticism, a facet of musicology frequently and thoroughly studied. The campus Periscope, an annual publication of student events and organizations, has provided numerous cast photos and lists of repertoire performed at minstrel shows, as well as the campus organizations that staged the performances. Additionally, early issues of the Spectator provided specific names of the individuals involved, as well as a more comprehensive list of repertoire. Consulting these two archival sources provided insight into the complexity and intricacy of each minstrel show, and helped to explain their overwhelming popularity on campus. This project also focuses on the production of “Penrod,” a play by Booth Tarkington performed by the campus group Strut and Fret during the 1933-34 school year, and examines how elements of minstrelsy contributed to the play’s warm reception and overall success.

Throughout the 1933-1934 academic year, the Strut and Fret theatre group performed Booth Tarkington’s “Penrod” a total of seven times at various locations around Eau Claire, as well as in Chippewa Falls and Fall Creek. The four-act play centers on the title character, a mischievous boy bent on tormenting his elder sister’s new suitor. His antics are supported by his friend Sam, as well as two boys named Herman and Verman, who are described as two “darky boys and faithful followers” in the Nov. 3, 1933 edition of the Spectator. The play was an overwhelming success, and the portrayals of the two African-American boys were cited in high regard. In particular, the “incoherent jargon of Verman was one of the high points of the play,” according to the 1934 Periscope. Children from the primary school attached to the college were enlisted to play the young roles in “Penrod,” and the actors portraying Herman and Verman donned blackface. It is interesting to note that a cast photo of an earlier production in New York includes two African-American boys in the roles of Herman and Verman, suggesting that neither Tarkington nor the playwright originally intended for blackface to be used. Furthermore, the boys’ race is rarely brought up throughout the play. Verman’s “incoherent jargon” is the result of him being tongue-tied, not a stereotyped African-American, as his brother speaks intelligibly and can translate on his behalf. With a few edits to the script, both characters could have been convincingly portrayed as white without any loss of comedic value. The decision by Strut and Fret to incorporate blackface in their performance not only reflects the lack of racial diversity in Eau Claire, it reflects the popularity of blackface in other forms of entertainment on campus during this period of time.

“Penrod” and the Perception of Characters in Blackface at UW-Eau Claire

“Penrod” and the Perception of Characters in Blackface at UW-Eau Claire

Minstrelsy: A History

Minstrel shows were one of the first true forms of American musical identity. Beginning in the mid-1800s, the performances sustained their popularity throughout the country for nearly one hundred years. Minstrel shows were chiefly characterized by the performers’ use of blackface, which helped to convey the stereotyped portrayal of African-Americans in a more convincing manner to their audiences. Song and dance were often staples of the shows, and performers often emphasized stereotypes of African-Americans as lazy, sexually out of control, and unintelligent. While the performers were initially white, African-Americans eventually began participating in minstrel shows. It is interesting to note that the African-American performers still donned blackface, as the makeup had become the central ingredient of a successful minstrel show. As minstrelsy began to decline in the early twentieth century, elements of the genre were incorporated into Vaudeville. Today, certain aspects of minstrelsy and African-American stereotypes can still be found in various forms of contemporary entertainment.

Minstrelsy at UW-Eau ClaireMinstrel shows at the Eau Claire State Teachers’ College were primarily staged by the Crusaders, described by the 1935 Periscope as “an honorary men’s club organized for the purpose of encouraging good athletes and prominent students, graduating from high schools in this vicinity, to attend Eau Claire State Teachers’ College.” Founded in 1922, the Crusaders performed their first documented minstrel show on March 18, 1925 as entertainment for high school students at a sports tournament. On April 20, 1928, the club performed their first documented minstrel show for the student body, and the following year began performing in surrounding towns as a recruitment technique for the college. Annual performances continued on campus through the 1936-1937 academic year, which was the last year minstrel shows were mentioned in either campus publication. In an article about the minstrel show from the February 12, 1937 edition of the Spectator, it was noted that “the ‘old plantation scene’ and a regular circles with end men, features of last year, will not be utilized this season.” Although musical numbers were still the basis of the show, this description suggests a shift away from the blatant stereotyping common in minstrelsy, and may explain why records of performances ceased to exist in the subsequent years.

We thank the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs for supporting this research, and Learning & Technology Services for printing this poster.

Acknowledgements

“An hour of hilarious entertainment of songs, dances, original humor and weird lighting effects, is promised by the Crusaders,

men’s honorary organization, when they present their annual minstrel show on or about March 17.” - Mar. 6, 1931 Spectator.

“Black-faced comedians once again entertained the student body.” - Apr. 1, 1932 Spectator.

“Negro Mammy” (second from left) and “Cab Calloway Doll” (right) were two characters in the A Cappella Choir’s 1933 production of

“Ifits,” an original musical comedy.

The cast of “Penrod.” The characters Herman and Verman are wearing blackface and are seated bottom left and bottom right, respectively