Jesus on vaudeville: did it ever happen?
January 25, 2011 2:46 PM Subscribe
Was Jesus ever depicted in a vaudeville production? Looking for solid, reasonably non-speculative evidence.
Response by poster: Do you mean "was there ever a live vaudeville sketch depicting Jesus as a character?"
Yes.
posted by bingo at 2:58 PM on January 25, 2011
Yes.
posted by bingo at 2:58 PM on January 25, 2011
Response by poster: Although the thing about the intermission films is interesting.
posted by bingo at 3:03 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by bingo at 3:03 PM on January 25, 2011
Nativity playlets were not unusual in vaudeville Christmas shows. But again, I'm guessing that's probably not what you mean, either?
Are you wondering if there is a vaudeville precedent for this kind of thing?
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:05 PM on January 25, 2011
Are you wondering if there is a vaudeville precedent for this kind of thing?
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:05 PM on January 25, 2011
Response by poster: Actually, no, I'm looking for evidence that the character of Jesus was portrayed on a vaudeville stage, period. Evidence of the nativity thing would be great.
posted by bingo at 3:19 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by bingo at 3:19 PM on January 25, 2011
Best answer: OK! Well, the Cherry Sisters were famous for their "Clinging to the Cross" tableau (which was not intentionally funny); this is very widely documented.
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:32 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:32 PM on January 25, 2011
Best answer: According to the Wikipedia entry on the Cherry Sisters, their act included morality plays, one of which included a scene reenacting the crucifixion.
posted by Dr. Zira at 3:34 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by Dr. Zira at 3:34 PM on January 25, 2011
There are lots of Celebrity Roasts for Jesus. Does that count?
posted by small_ruminant at 3:36 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by small_ruminant at 3:36 PM on January 25, 2011
Best answer: And as for Nativity play documentation, Radio City Music Hall was one of the many "class houses" in vaudeville that offered a Nativity segment as part of their Christmas extravaganza.
In Spanish-language vaudeville in the US, shortened versions of a popular folk nativity play ("Los Pastores") were very commonly offered in the Christmas season, but someone else will have to track down a solid citation for you on that.
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:39 PM on January 25, 2011
In Spanish-language vaudeville in the US, shortened versions of a popular folk nativity play ("Los Pastores") were very commonly offered in the Christmas season, but someone else will have to track down a solid citation for you on that.
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:39 PM on January 25, 2011
You also might be interested in reading up on Aimee Semple McPherson, a popular evangelist of the 1920s whose stage productions/sermons bordered on vaudevillian. (Also of possible interest: the 1931 Frank Capra film The Miracle Woman, which was loosely based on her life). Here's a picture.
posted by bubukaba at 5:52 PM on January 25, 2011
posted by bubukaba at 5:52 PM on January 25, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
Several silent films about the life of Jesus were run in vaudeville houses between live acts, including one that purported to be a film of the Oberammergau Passion Play but was actually filmed in Astoria, Queens (this one was accompanied by a lecture about the Oberammergau tradition).
Do you mean "was there ever a live vaudeville sketch depicting Jesus as a character?"
posted by Sidhedevil at 2:52 PM on January 25, 2011