Old Bijou Theatre

It was announced on December 15, 1891, in the Reading Eagle that the proprietors of New York City’s Eden Musée (opened March 28, 1884) and Bijou Theatre (opened August 26, 1878) were taking over the second floor of the Boas Building, 450 Penn Street, “in a first-class place of amusement for ladies and children as well as gents” opening on December 21, 1891.

Shortly after in February 1892, George W. Middleton of Scranton’s, “Wonderland”, purchased the recently opened Eden Musée and theatre and rented out the entire second floor of the Boas Building.

On February 8, 1892, the “New Eden Musée and Bijou Theatre” opened at the Keystone Building, 736 Penn Street, with “Big Hattie, the largest woman in the world… and many other attractions”. In the following days, the location was also advertised as 750 Penn Street, although this is simply a different corner of the same property.

Middleton’s Eden Musée and Bijou Theatre continued simultaneous operation until the Eden Musée was closed between March 3 and 7, 1894. The Bijou Theatre continued housing plays until the end of January 1895.

April 12, 1895, the Reading Times published an announcement for the sale of the Keystone Hall including the Bijou Theatre and former Curio Hall. The sale notices continued until April 29, 1895. A “festival of music and dancing" was held at the Bijou Theatre on June 22, 1895, implying it had been purchased. The new owners of the Bijou were the Mechanics’ Building and Savings Association, No. 2.

Charles Gilder took possession of the Bijou Theatre from George Middleton on Monday, October 28, 1895. Wallace P. Keffer was retained as the business manager.

The Mechanics’ Building and Savings Association held a meeting on the evening of April 16, 1896, at Ganter’s Saloon (10th Street and Washington Street) concerning proposed alterations to the Bijou Theatre.

The contract for carpentry work was awarded to David Moser (interestingly noting that he would commence “tearing it down” on May 2nd, 1896). A contract for 604 new opera chairs, for the first floor, was awarded to Thomas Kain & Co., of Chicago. The contract for interior decoration was awarded to H.F. Jones, also of Chicago. A contract for oil paintings representing the four seasons was awarded to David Barlow.

“The interior will be finished in white and gold. The lobby will be handsomely fitted up, the walls will be decorated with four oil paintings, 12 feet by 6 feet in size, representing the four seasons, with a heavy gold frame inlaid with red plush surrounding each picture, and small incandescent colored lights suspended over the paintings”

$12,000 was spent overhauling the Bijou Theatre over the summer months of 1896. The seating capacity was upgraded from 900 to 1,250 seats by the addition of a gallery. 544 orchestra folding chairs were added to the first floor. 4 boxes, each seating 12, were constructed, along with: men’s bathrooms, electric switches, a balcony stairway, and improved ventilation.

The theatre reopened for the 1896-97 season as Gilder’s Auditorium on August 29, 1896, being described as unrecognizable to the former Bijou Theatre.

“…but few of the assured crowded house will recognize the old Bijou Theatre, so great has been the transformation accomplished by an army of skilled workmen…”

Gilder’s Auditorium again continued hosting plays throughout the 1896-1897 season, then reopening for the 1897-1898 season on September 2, 1897. On December 2, 1897, Charles W. Gilder was served two warrants by Constable Beck, both issued by the Law and Order Society. The charges were as such: “Charles W. Gilder has for one year past kept up and continued a certain play-house or theatre, and exhibited for money certain indecent, lewd or immoral shows, designed or intended to debauch or corrupt the public mind and the morals of the youth in particular, against the peace and dignity of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania”

“That within six months last past, 1897, in the city of Reading, in said county, a certain Charles W. Gilder did put up in public places indecent, lewd, and obscene pictures representing the female form in a semi-nude condition, and did advertise by circular and posters an indecent, lewd and immoral show, play or representation, contrary to law, etc” Charles Gilder entered bail for $300 for both cases. A hearing was held on December 4, 1897, for the Gilder’s Auditorium case, where “a half-draped female figure on a bill board” was presented in testimony. \Gilder’s Auditorium continued operation until February 24, 1898, with “Jessie, the most intelligent baboon in the world, and a grand vaudeville programme.”

On March 15, 1898, Charles Gilder and Hettie Kohler were presented with a landlord’s warrant issued by the Mechanics’ Building and Savings Association, No. 2, for $525 of owed rent. Constable George Wagner presented the warrants and subsequently locked the doors to Gilder’s Auditorium the same day. “The effects are to be sold on Tuesday afternoon, March 22.”

May 7, 1898, in the Reading Times, it is announced the Mechanics’ Building and Savings Association, No. 2 plan to refurnish the theatre with modern furniture and carpet with hopes of reopening the Bijou Theatre once again running on Benjamin Franklin Keith’s “Keith Plan.”

The Bijou Theatre finally returned, once again under the management of George W. Middleton, on February 1, 1900, staging “Hartzell’s Mid-Winter Circus and Vaudeville Co.”

On the night of Saturday, March 17, 1900, one of the large glass doors at the Bijou was destroyed by a blunt object.

On April 19, 1900, at 11:15 am, a fire of unknown origin completely gutted the Bijou Theatre causing $5000 worth of damages. The fire was discovered by William F. Miller, alongside George Middleton, Charles Wiley, Janitor David Henry, and others while in the lobby. A fire alarm was sent from Box 4 at 8th and Penn Streets and shortly after a second alarm was sent by Fire Chief Miller for additional engines. The fire was contained after 30 minutes. The flames primarily affected the stage and surrounding area such as the roof, curtains, and scenery. Water also caused considerable damage, eventually forming a lake at the stage due to the auditorium’s slanted floor. George Middleton attested there was absolutely nothing on the stage that could have started a fire. Insurance fully covered the damages.

On October 20, 1900, the Reading Times announced the Bijou Theatre was being rebuilt. “It will be a brick structure on Cherry Street, five stories high, connecting with Keystone Hall on Penn Street. L.A. Rehr is superintending the construction for the owners, the Keystone Hall Company. The theatre will again be fitted up and will have a seating capacity of 1,000. The building will be completed in about two months, when the theatre will again be opened.”

The new, and thoroughly renovated, Bijou Theatre opened on January 9, 1900, with “Jim Key, the famous acting horse.”

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