1883 Harry St Ormond Lyceum Bureau Signed Letter to Stephens Opera House Fulton

This original 1883 typed and hand-signed letter is from Harry St. Ormond, manager of the St. Ormond Lyceum Bureau in New York City, addressed to Jonathan J. Stephens, proprietor of the Stephens Opera House in Fulton, New York. The letter, on the bureau’s printed letterhead, discusses advertising and publicity for upcoming theatrical and Lyceum performances, referencing new biographical materials in press and instructions for including ticket sellers and venue names in promotional announcements. It is signed in ink by Harry St. Ormond with a brief handwritten postscript. This document offers a direct link between a New York City Lyceum bureau and a regional opera house, reflecting the late-19th-century network that organized traveling lecturers, musicians, and stage companies across America.

Harry St. Ormond (active 1870s–1890s) operated one of New York’s independent Lyceum bureaus during the peak of the national lecture and entertainment movement. His agency booked performances for actors, speakers, and variety artists, competing with larger firms such as Redpath and Slayton. Surviving correspondence from his office is uncommon, particularly with connections to known regional theaters such as Stephens Opera House.

– Date: January 15, 1883
– Sender: Harry St. Ormond, Manager, St. Ormond Lyceum Bureau
– Recipient: Jonathan J. Stephens, Stephens Opera House, Fulton, New York
– Location: New York City
– Content: Advertising and booking arrangements for stage and Lyceum programs
– Format: Typed letter with ink signature and handwritten postscript
– Paper size: approximately 11″ × 8.5″
– Subject: Lyceum Bureau, Theatrical Management, Opera House Booking
– Theme: Theater History, Entertainment Industry, 19th-Century Correspondence