1910 Airdome Amusement Co. Lyric Theater Belleville Illinois Performance Letter

From the end of the 1800s through the early 1900s, most theatre and opera house managers in the United States and Canada had to book their entertainment through Syndicates which controlled the touring schedules of most traveling shows and entertainers. One of the most prominent Syndicates was run by Marc Klaw and Abraham Lincoln Erlanger in New York City. This lot is a letter sent in 1910 to Klaw and Erlanger from F. R. Hallam, general manager of Airdome Amusement Company which operated theaters in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Illinois. In the letter, Hallam is asking about the availability of shows that could perform in the Lyric Theater in Belleville, Illinois.

Airdomes were open-air theaters that became popular in the United States in the early 20th century, particularly between 1905 and 1915. They offered a comfortable environment for audiences to enjoy performances during warmer months. Airdomes typically featured a stage and seating area enclosed by walls, but without a roof, allowing patrons to watch performances under the open sky.

The letter is on official Airdome Amusement Company letterhead and is approximately 11″ tall by 8.5″ wide.