100 Years ago
January 17-23, 1925
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
“Donna 100 Years Ago” recounts the vaudeville career of my grandmother, Madonna Montran, also known as “Donna Montran” and “Donna Darling.” In the 1920s, Donna was a prominent headliner, touring the country with her many shows.
Background
In January 1925, Donna was the star of her “Bathing Beauty Revue,” featuring herself and Murray Earle. From January 11th to the 15th, she performed at the Parkway Theater in Madison, Wisconsin. She then traveled to Milwaukee, where she opened at the Alhambra Theatre on the 17th.
Preshow Advertising
On January 14th, both the Milwaukee Journal and the Milwaukee Sentinel began advertising her upcoming show, billed as “Coming Saturday – Donna Darling, Mack Sennett’s Prize Winner, and Her Bathing Beauty Revue with ‘Miss America.'” Notably, this was one of the few venues where Donna’s act was the sole vaudeville performance, sharing the bill with a silent film titled “A Man Must Live” starring Richard Dix.
Show Advertising
Alhambra Clipping – From the Donna Darling Collection
In 2017, I had the chance to digitize a scrapbook documenting Donna’s life. It included a clipping from the Alhambra Theatre, advertising her “Special Added Attraction: Bathing Beauty Revue – Thirty Minutes of Fast Fun and Music by the Bathing Girls from the Hollywood Studios… Featuring Donna Darling (Mack Sennett’s Prize Winner) and Murray Earl (from Geo. White’s Scandals).” The ad included a photo of Donna and described the show as “A Fast, Clean, Clever, Miniature Musical Comedy.” Thanks to Genealogy Bank, I learned the ad appeared in the January 17th Milwaukee Journal and the January 18th Milwaukee Sentinel.
The final advertisement for Donna’s show at the Alhambra ran in the January 22nd Sentinel. It mentioned the “Last Two Days” for Donna and her Revue, suggesting she performed at the Alhambra through the 23rd.
The Alhambra Theatre
Originally opened in 1896, as the Uihlein Theater.[i] But because of pronunciation problems, the name was soon changed to “Alhambra.” It was built by the Uihlein family, the owners of the Schlitz brewery.
Specifications for the Alhambra Theatre [vi]
Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Public Library
Seating Capacity: 2500
Proscenium opening: 43 ft
Front to back wall: 35 ft
Between side walls: 85 ft
Apron 4 ft
Between fly girders: 60 ft
To rigging loft: 70 ft
The theatre was demolished in 1961.[ii]
Endnotes
[i] Pronounced “EE-Line.”
[ii] Cinema Treasures: Alhambra Theater, 334 W. Wisconsin Avenue.
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