On this date in 1900, the Bottineau Current announced the arrival of a much-anticipated play. “The Old Maid’s Convention” had already been staged in Bismarck, Jamestown, and other places in the state before reaching Bottineau. The play was performed at the Bottineau opera house, garnering rave reviews.
The production followed the meeting, or “convention,” of old maids to “devise ways and means to get a man.” The old maids, fifteen in total, each told tales of woe and man’s foolishness. They were costumed in old dresses, some appearing to be “fearfully and wonderfully made.” Once the meeting was started and the minutes recounted, the main action began.
The meeting continued with tales of why each lady was not married. The most notable part of their discussions was the reading of the “the bachelors market report,” which described the most eligible men in the area. After this banter on the comings and goings of men and other such things, the meeting was disrupted by an unexpected visitor. Professor Makeover from Medina and his assistant arrived with an astonishing claim. He brought with him a machine that could turn any old maid into anything they desired.
The women clamored to have their requests heard, no two seeming to be the same. One lady. Charity Long Face, wanted to be made beautiful. Another, Betsy Bobbett, wanted to be made an elocutionist. Some of the old maids even requested that they be changed into men! At each request, the old maids would enter Professor Makeovers amazing machine, and come out the very thing they desired.
It is worth noting the mechanics of this on-stage transformation. To make the trick seem real, one actor would enter the machine, and another would come out the side. This was accomplished by the most interesting thing to know about this play. It seemed that all the old maids, at least in this rendition of the performance, were played by men! So that when the “old maids” went in the machine, and beautiful ladies or gentlemen came out, the difference was distinct.
The performance was met with great success and the audience was “hugely delighted with it.” The series of showings were performed by local performers from the Bismarck area who continued to hold performances around the state over the next few months.
Dakota Datebook by Olivia Burmeister
Sources:
- The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, March 24, 1900, Image 5
- Jamestown weekly alert. [volume], March 29, 1900, Image 7
