Friday, September 17, 2021

More on Myra Brooks and the Redpath Chautauqua tour of 1927

Since my September 13, 2021 post "Myra Brooks and the Redpath Chautauqua tour of 1927", a handful of additional details have come to light. . . .  I want to share some of this "new" information.

One thing I learned was that Myra Brooks was paid $75.00 per week as a touring member of the Redpath Chautauqua. On December 16, 1926 Myra signed a contract to tour for 12 weeks in 1927 beginning around the middle of April, and running through the middle of July. There was also an option in the contract to extend the contract by six weeks, should all go well.

Beyond those I already found by searching through a couple of newspaper databases (see the updated  9-13 post), I also found that Myra Brooks participated in a number of additional stops on the 1927 summer tour. (I have yet to find any corresponding documentation, i.e. newspaper articles - but still, this is a start!) Based on various correspondence, these additional dates could include: 

Cleveland, Tennessee            @ June 9  --  this is her first event

Florence, Alabama                @ June 12

Paris, Tennessee ???              @ June 22

Ypsilanti, Michigan               @ August 

it's likely there are other dates

On August 4, 1927 Myra wrote from The Huron hotel in Ypsilanti, Michigan asking for the correct dates for the reminder of her tour. She received these dates in return. (I knew about the two in bold.) 

Alma, Michigan                     August 8

Belding, Michigan                 August 9

Cadillac, Michigan                August 10

Traverse City, Michigan        August 11  ???
-- this date conflicts with a documented appearance in Waterloo, Indiana

Manistee, Michigan               August 12

Muskegon, Michigan            August 13

Benton Harbor, Michigan  August 17

Michigan City, Indiana         August 16

Racine, Wisconsin               August 17

Kewanee, Illinois                  August 18

Lincoln, Illinois                    August 20

In letters written while she was on tour, Myra said she was having the time of her life, and how she enjoyed speaking before a crowd. She also alluded to the concern's others on the tour had about the quality of her voice, and also, curiously, about the way she dressed. Myra Brooks was not asked back. In November, she received a letter from Redpath headquarters stating she "had not made the rating."

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