Ballard Stages a Fairytale
Local children perform a charming pantomime at the Ballard Opera House to the delight of the community.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The pantomime of 'Little Red Riding Hood' was presented at the Ballard opera-house during the past week by the ladies of St. Stephen's church before a most appreciative audience. The play was opened by eight young ladies, who gave the 'Bellatury Dance.' The chief features of the play were the fagot gatherers, Little Red Riding Hood, the green huntsman, and the wolf. The characters were taken by the following: The fagot gatherers, twenty-five Ballard children; Red Riding Hood, Miss Flossie Peabody; green huntsman, Master Ray Peabody; fairy, Miss Bonny Marvine; wolf, Mr. D. Hancock. The whole performance was greeted by repeated applause, and the performance will be repeated in the near future by the special request of some of the audience. The transformation scene at the close was received with even more applause than the former part of the programme.
“The transformation scene at the close was received with even more applause than the former part of the programme.”
Community theater in 1890s Ballard served as a crucial social glue for a town that was still distinct from Seattle. Today, Ballard is a dense urban neighborhood, but the legacy of community-driven arts continues to define its culture.
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