A Hop, A Frock, A Hairdo: Irene Castle and her Lady Networks of Theatrical Business

Authors

  • Nic Leonhardt LMU Munich

Abstract

Focusing on American dancer/ performer Irene Castle (1893-1869) and following the merchandising strategies and aesthetic and societal impact of her widely discussed short haircut, her costumes, and her dancing school, this paper aims at describing and disentangling the tight network of theatrical and popular entertainment, economy, and urbanity in the 1910s. Through an interdisciplinary approach and with a focus on a limited time frame of five years (1910-1915), the paper discusses various strands, agents, contact zones and business strategies that are part and parcel of this network. Next to Irene Castle, two female theatre professionals are of particular interest here: costume designer Lady Duff Gordon (1863-1935) and theatrical agent Elizabeth Marbury (1856-1933).

Author Biography

Nic Leonhardt, LMU Munich

Associate Director of "Global Theatre Histories", DFG research project 

Researcher 

Lecturer at LMU Munich, Theatre Studies

Writer

 

Nic Leonhardt is a theatre and media historian with a special interest in historiography, visual culture, popular culture, and urban history. She is currently associate director and researcher of the DFG research project "Global Theatre Histories" at LMU Munich, Germany, and a lecturer in theatre studies thereat.

 

 

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Published

2013-03-28

How to Cite

Leonhardt, N. (2013). A Hop, A Frock, A Hairdo: Irene Castle and her Lady Networks of Theatrical Business. Popular Entertainment Studies, 4(1), 50–63. Retrieved from https://novaojs.newcastle.edu.au/kulumun/index.php/pes/article/view/102

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 1 (2013)

Section

Articles

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