COATES OPERA HOUSE

COATES OPERA HOUSE. Located on Fourth and Main STREETS, a building was constructed in 1833 by John G. SHIELDS and J. Hannibal EMERSON, father and uncle of James H. SHIELDS. (1) A theater, the ATHENAEUM, constructed in 1840 by James Marshall EMERSON and James Crider, was located on the second floor. (2) Shields and Emerson used the first floor as a store.

The theater had a single balcony and only two box seats located so close to the stage to make it impossible to see well from either. The seating arrangement was unique. The rows of seats followed around the parquet rail so that a person sitting on the extreme ends of the rows faced a side wall instead of the stage. (3) In 1846 the building was renovated, enlarged, and called the CITY HOTEL by Richard Plumbe. In 1856 the proprietor was C. C. Hewitt. (4)

In 1859, the City Hotel was redecorated and renamed the Peosta House. (5) The name was changed twice within the next three years - Peosta Hall and Our New Hall. William G. STEWART purchased the building and began converting the Hall into Dubuque's fifth major theater in 1863. (6)

In 1864 the Athenaeum Theater was reopened. Although it hosted some of America's finest legitimate theater talent, it ceased to attract star performers when the GRAND OPERA HOUSE was built. (7)

and John Robert WALLER, Sr. purchased, refurbished, and reopened the Athenaeum as the DUNCAN-WALLER OPERA HOUSE in late 1877. An appeal was made to the public for its support leading to $5,000 in tickets being sold for the first performance. (8) There was seating for 1,200. (9) The building hosted a variety of events. The 1886 DUBUQUE HIGH SCHOOL commencement was held in the building. (10) In 1891 the Duncan-Waller was the scene of a boxing match. (11) The Opera House was a thriving operation until 1893, when it was renamed the MAIN STREET OPERA HOUSE. (12) 

Charles Bartell leased the building in 1896 and renamed it BARTELL'S DRAMATIC AND VAUDEVILLE THEATRE. When Bartell's closed around 1893, the building sat empty.

The Coates Theater received its name from J. C. Morris, a man with experience as a theatrical manager. Morris came to Dubuque in 1900 and negotiated with the managers of RHOMBERG PARK to reopen it for the summer for him to display his vaudeville show. When the opportunity arose in June, he leased the old Bartell's building. He then convinced the park managers to allow him to move the performers to his Coates Opera House. The show returned to the renamed Riverside Park for Sunday afternoon and evening shows. The vaudeville show continued until September when dramatic productions were scheduled. During the winter, Morris announced that comic opera would be presented. (13)

To encourage attendance, Morris had electric fans installed through the theater to ensure cool temperatures in the summer. On announced days, ladies were admitted to any part of the theater for ten cents. Children could attend for five cents. (14) On December 22, 1902 one lady was admitted free for each paid reserved ticket. (15)

Morris opened the theater to other events as well. In 1901 the Iowa Dairymen Convention was held there in November. (16) However, not even the Military band which drew a crowd outside, could persuade their audience to attend a political debate in November 1902. Better luck attended a performance of the Fays, a group of mindreaders, who performed in January 1903.

The announcement was made in July, 1903 that the Telegraph-Herald Company had signed a lease on the building. It was the intention of the management to move into the building during the fall. Plans called for extensive renovation including additional floors in the four story building and new machinery. Breaking with the tradition of having the presses in the basement, the new office of the newspaper would install the presses on the main floor. (17)

Photo courtesy: Telegraph Herald

The building, however, sat empty until 1904. Jake Rosenthal secured the lease for the building from its owners Harker Brentnal SPENSLEY, Sr., Charles H. EIGHMEY and James WOODWARD and began the process of constructing a vaudeville business. Rosenthal, known nationally for his business success, introduced talking movies to Dubuque, with a movie starring Al Jolson. He was also on a first name basis with such international stars as Joe FRISCO and escape artist Harry Houdini.

In 1908 the DUBUQUE OPERA HOUSE COMPANY was incorporated. It purchased the building which it renamed the BIJOU THEATERand after the close of the vaudeville season, the entire interior was removed. The theater was lowered from the second floor to the first floor, two balconies were installed, and four boxes were put in on each side of the stage. Everything was done to modernize the theater which opened for business as the New Bijou on November 12, 1909. (19)

The fifty-year old structure was destroyed on the morning of April 7, 1910. (20) The site then became the location of the MAJESTIC THEATRE.

See: MAJESTIC THEATRE

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Source:

1. "Memories of the Fourth St. Theatre," Telegraph Herald, April 10, 1910, p. 6

2. Oldt, Franklin T. and Patrick J. Quigley, History of Dubuque County, Iowa Chicago: Goodspeed Historical Association, . p. 51

3. "Memories..."

4. "Inns of Yesteryear," Telegraph-Herald and Times-Journal, April 30, 1933, p. 5

5. Memories

6. "Dubuque Before 1880," Telegraph Herald, November 2, 1933. p. 7. Online: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=BABCAAAAIBAJ&sjid=U6oMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1340,4189885&dq=lumber+yard+fires+dubuque&hl=en

7. "Theater At Fourth and Main: A Rich and Vivid Tradition," Online: http://fiveflagscenter.com/AboutUs/History.aspx

8. Ibid.

9. Ibid.

10. "Commencement Exercises," Dubuque Daily Herald, June 25, 1886, p. 4

11. "Many Are Coming," Dubuque Telegraph Herald, Nov. 10, 1901, p. 14

12. Ibid.

13. "It is Now Riverside Park," The Dubuque Herald, June 7, 1900, p. 3

14. Ibid.

15. "City in Brief," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, December 20, 1902, p. 5

16. "The Second Day," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, November 13, 1901, p. 3

17. "Gets a New Home," Dubuque Telegraph-Herald, July 2, 1903, p. 3

18. "New Bijou Theatre Building Which Was Destroyed by Fire at Early Hour Thursday Morning," The Telegraph Herald, April 8, 1910, p. 1

19. Ibid.