“Sun-beam” costume for Happy Days at the Hippodrome

The Hippodrome, built in 1905 just a few blocks north of where this Library building now stands, served as a venue for some of the most exciting spectacles of the early 20th century. During its peak years (1908–1923), the artistic director of the venue was Richard H. Burnside, a Scottish immigrant who prided himself on the mass appeal of his productions. Burnside’s papers are preserved in the Billy Rose Theatre Division and include this costume rendering from the 1919 musical hit, Happy Days. Will Barnes designed the costumes for this production, as well as for the earlier Victor Herbert operetta Naughty Marietta (1910).