The Sau-Ah-Brah Bureau of Oriental Entertainment at the Florida Chautauqua

Lectures and lecturing

Performing arts

This is a two part advertisement for the Florida Chautauqua at DeFuniak Springs (Feb. 12-14, 1885 at 8 p.m.). The first sheet (Side A) is the announcement of the entire change of program for the 3 nights. Sides B and C have a more complete description of the new kind of entertainment to be presented, known as the Sauahbrah Oriental Entertainments.

State Library of Florida, Florida Collection, BR0135

1885

promotional materials

eng-US

Text

flc_br0135b

Late 19th-Century Florida (1877-1900)

Lake deFuniak (Fla.)

Walton County (Fla.)

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published 1885

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Education and Libraries

Florida Chautauqua

At the Florida Chautauqua, Lake de Funiak, Fla. February 12th, 13th & 14th, 1885, at 8 P.M. Parties desiring these novel entertainments may address J.F Douthitt, 237 W. 39th St., N.Y. City. Part First. First Night. "India's Coral Strand." Empurpled for Ages in Sublime Tradition! Unveiled in its every feature and amusing detail! A New Kind of Entertainment The Latest Invention is the [?] Sauahbrah Oriental Entertainments. This fluent and scholarly Burmese, Impersonates men and women and children in every order of society as they appear in the Orient. He has all the Household Goods suited to a well regulated East India Home in its every Department, also the goods for the Oriental Temple, for Burying and Embalming and the Marriage Feast, etc.; these he uses in decorating the stage, making up scenes, and by way of natural life- like, Practical Illustrations. The subject matter of these entertainments has been collected by years of extensive travel and life with his kindred. Saushbrah, being fresh from the jungles and bam- boo homes, without any preconceived prejudice, and being a highly educated [?] with an elaborate Oriental outfit can portray the habits of his kindred, can illustrate profusely the people and their homes, and can im- personate the every character, the rich and the poor, the male and female, and the high and low estates, in their respective costumes, exactly as seen in the Orient today. Programme Impersonations. 1-King, Nobleman and Lord. 5--The Burmese Bride and Groom 2-Yeoman, Burmese Lass and Karen Belle. 6-Fakir and Gaudama Priesthood 3-School Teacher and Scholars. 7-The Frantic Burial Charter. 4-The Buddhist in Search of Rest. 8-The Hideous Funeral Dancer Oriental Descriptions. 1-Eating. 5-How the Burmese Woo and Win their Wives 2-Sleeping. 6-How they got Married. 3-Dressing. 7-How they Bury and Embalm 4-Jungle Life and Childhood's hours. 8-Transmigration of the Soul. Songs of the Orient 1-Evening Lullaby. 4-The Ditty of the little Easy India Girl. 2-Wedding Carol. 5-Gundamas' Evening Hymn 3-The Burmese "Home, Sweet Home." 6-The Frantic Funeral Chant. J.F. Douthitt, 237 W. 39th St. N.Y.

The Sau-Ah-Brah Bureau of Oriental Entertainments. Oriental, Travel, Oriental History, Amusement, Refinement, Happy Hours and Convulsive Laughter Every Five Minutes. One Verdict Everywhere!! "Brightest and Newest Ever Seen." [4 columns of text] [left column] [tear in document] Thi _ ______ the Native Burmese Hun__st and Oriental Character Imper- sonsator, Lecturer and Illustrator, who has been creating so much enthusiasm in the large assemblies and cities throughout America. He appears in over 100 Pinless, Hookless and Buttonless Costumes, and impersonates the men, women and children in every order of society, as is seen in the Orient today. He has all the Household Goods suited to a well regulated East India home in its every Department, also the goods for the Oriental Temple, for burying and embalm- ing, and the marriage feast, worshiping, etc., and describes, illustrates profusely, and acts out how the Orientals Eat, Sleep, Dress, Woo and Win their Wives, and get Married, Bury and Embalm, and Transmit- gration of the Soul : sings the Songs of the Orient, and exhibits over 300 highly colored Oriental Stereoptical Crystal Scenes. Two Largest Audiences at Chautauqua Sau-Ah-Brah came to Chautauqua this Season to surprise, entertain and completely to capture two of the largest and most en- thusiastic audiences ever assembled in our [tear in document] amphitheatre. The freshness of his [tear in document] the grace of his movements, the [tear in document] his humor and the richness and [tear in document] his Oriental outfit, far exceeding [tear in document] of the kind we have ever seen, Render him a most attractive lecturer. In- deed, his entertainments are concert, scenic display and instructive lectures all in one. We want him another year. Societies and Churches will make no mistake in engaging Sau-Ah-Brah, and if they do not it will be a great loss. Rev. J. H. VINCENT, D. D. Chautauqua, N. Y. W. A. DUNCAN Aug. 14, 1884 Sec'y [second column] Quick as the Lightning's Flash This year the Orient is playing a con- spicuous part on the Chautauqua platform. Babu Ram Chandra Bose was early with us, did god work, and suddenly took his departure. He had scarcely passed out of the gates before an educated Christian gentleman, clad in pinless, hookless and buttonless garments, from Burmah, put in an appearance. He is small in stature. It is clear that hi is not a Hindoo, nor of any branch of the Aryan race, but of the Mon- goloid stock. He speaks English fluently, has lived in the best society, and is well educated. His sympathies are intense in their strength and as quick as the lightning's flash. He is quick in his perceptions of the droll and the ridiculous in life, and on the instant he can reproduce them, and he does not imitate, but actually reproduces them. To feel the realities of a position he has only to imagine himself there, and whatever the soul feels the body instantly responds to. He passes from the grave to the gay, from the tragic to the comic, and from the solemn to the ludicrous, with the ease and grace of an artist. The man is so much a unit that he could not talk on any subject and not act out every whim and feeling he expressed. Such are the social, domestic and religious subjects he dis- cusses that scarcely five minutes pass the vast audience is not convulsed with laughter. He has drawn the largest aud- iences of the season and given the greatest delight - Chautauqua Assembly Herald, Aug. 11, 1884. A Garrick in Ease and Grace. His Superior to "Draw" never seen At Chautauqua [Special Correspondence of The Courier] CHAUTAUQUA, Aug. 11, -- Saturday even- ing the amphitheatre was filled to over- flowing with an eager crowd to listen to Sau-Ah-Brah on social life in India, include- ing worship, courtship, marriage and di- vorce. Not only were the seats all filled, but the aisles were blocked with chairs, and the margin appeared like a ruffle around an immense cape, made f a standing crowd. This year the Orient is playing a conspicu- ous part upon the Chautauqua platform, and adding to its interest. Visiting mis- sionaries have made their reports. Babu Ram Chandra Bose, after doing a good Work, suddenly took his leave, but he had hardly passed outside our gates when Sau-Ah-Brah,, a native of Burmah, appeared among us, arrayed in his flowing seamless costume. He is small in stature, of reed- like form, and his complexion - copper colored - betrays his Mongolian origin. He is well born, has been accustomed to the the best society, is well educated, and has seen much of the world. He grasps, with equal judgment and discrimination, both Christianity and Buddhism, the Christian and the heathen life. He is not a dry philosopher, not a metaphysician; the ac- tual and the practical in life engage his supreme attention. His mind and his body are so perfectly correlated to each other that the body is a perfect and easy servant to the mind. He can scarcely thin with- out talking, and in talking the entire body is an incarnation of the thought and feeling expressed. His transitions from the grave to the gay, from the serious to the ludic- [column three] rous and from speech to song are made with the ease and grace of a Garrick, and yet not a touch of art can be seen anywhere or at any time. He is what he is because made so, and could not well be different. To the droll, quaint and ludicrous in life He is excessively sensitive, and so vivid is His imagination that he acts or affects noth- ing, but reproduces as a reality whatever he describes. In his descriptions we feel that the original scene is transpiring before us. In a lecture of two hours and a half scarcely five minutes at a time will pass that the audience is not subdued to the silence of tears or convulsed with laughter. His superior to "draw" we have seldom if ever seen at Chautauqua. - Buffalo Courier, Aug. 12, 1884. Lakeside Assembly Lakeside, O., Aug. 1, 1884. Mr. J. F. Douthitt My Dear Sir: -- I am glad to say that the exhibitions of Sau-Ah-Brah at our encamp- ment were the most attractive and instruct- ive of the season, and were given to the largest and most enthusiastic audiences, and he must surely so win and make wise wherever he does his excellent illustrative work. I am sorry not to have had more personal fellowship with you both. We want Sau-Ah-Brah another year. I am, sincerely yours. W. T. VINCENT Supt. Instruction Sublimity and Christian Culture The three evenings at Lakeside Encamp- ment filled by Sau-Ah-Brah with his Orient- tal entertainment were better received than any exercise on the programme, and in- creased in interest and attendance to the last, when the audience was immense. Sublimity and simplicity, native natural- Ness and Christian culture, wise wit and Dramatic oratory, mingle to constitute the most unique entertainment we have ever seen. Van Lenep is dear to our memory, but in justice let us say our scholarly brother Sau-Ah-Brah is far his superior. ELVERO PERSONS Sec'y Lakeside Ass'n. Island Park Assembly and Monan Lake Assembly Engaged for three successive seasons. Sau-Ah-Brah, the scholarly Burmese, en- tertained the largest audiences at Island Park and Monona Lake Assemblies by a Series of his brilliant descriptions and illus- trations of India and her wonderful people. His entertainments are purely original, Novel and inimitable; brilliant dramatic instruction, and everywhere received with thunders of applause. We have engaged him for two succeeding years, and were so pleased that I have engaged him for a third season. He is a great success. A.H. GILLET, Supt. Instruction From Prof. W. F. Sherwin Of the New England Conservatory, Boston. I take great pleasure in commending most heartily the illustrated lectures of Sau-Ah-Brah, of India. They are exceed- [column four] ingly instructive and entertaining, and in the Summer Assemblies have always given great delight and satisfaction to all classes. The doctor is a genial, Christian gentleman, a good scholar and a fluent speaker. I am confident that those who secure his services will not be disappointed. W. F. SHERWIN The Grace of a Girl of Cashmere Sau-Ah-Brah is truly a wonderful charac- ter. It is like one being in India to attend his entertainments. One has very little idea how much can be heaped into an en- tertainment till they see and hear Sau-Ah- Brah, for it is not only hearing but it is seeing, as he illustrates profusely every custom described and character imper- sonated. His charm is naturalness and modesty, with a splendid dramatic gift, a peculiar but melodious voice, and the grace of a girl of Cashmere. - Island Park Herald. The Burmist Humorist and Oriental Character Impersonator. Sau-Ah-Brah lectured for two hours and a half last night to a crowded house, many of whom lined the walls. He has excellent command of the English language, and his power lies in the wonderful way in which he impersonates his wonderful people, and describes and acts out their "Social Life," and sings the "Songs of the Orient."** **He has a varied collection of the Extraordinary household goods used in every well regulated East India home. The gor- geouseness of his many silk costumes made the ladies wild with envy, and there is scarcely no doubt that each one of the fair sex violated the commandment against coveting your neighbor's goods. - Cincin- nati Enquirer. "Sau-Ah-Brah entertains all, even the children." - Dr. Fulton, Brooklyn, N.Y. "I know Sau-Ah-Brah in Cambridge. His entertainments are superb." - Dr. Boyd, St. Louis. "Even the children enjoy it as well as the old people." - Philadelphia Press. "Tis like a visit to India itself." -St. Louis Globe. "Like on traveling in India." - Madison Democrat. "Sau-Ah-Brah is an adept at making his evenings pleasant. The second night brings always a larger attendance than the first, where there is room to increase." Nash- ville American. "The most unique and interesting en- tertainment ever seen in Atlanta." - At- lanta Constitution. "An enormous amount of laughter mingled with the riches Oriental wisdom." --Chicago Times "I have heard Sau-Ah-Brah, and consider him the grandest man I ever saw. A won- derful demonstration of what our Chris- tianity is doing for the heathen. His entertainments are superb, and will charm all who hear them. He made it appear as if you were in India yourself." - Rev. L. Sharp, Fulton, Ky. J. F. DOUTHITT, Manager, 237 WEST 39th STREET New York City.