Theatre in a Tent: The Development of a Provincial Entertainment

from Preface:Repertoire tent shows, which began traveling America in the last half of the 19th century and continued well into the 20th century, brought summer entertainment to thousands of small towns in all part of the country. From 1900 to 1920 tent shows increased in number to form a rather sizeable industry. Development was interwoven with many of the popular amusements of the early century until, carring the traits and the scars of such dversions as the circus, moving pictures, vaudeville, Chautauqua, and touring opera house companies, the repertoire tent show emerges as a distinct form of rural theatrics.