Frank I. Frayne Free Songster ... The Great Western Dramas.

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Frank I. Frayne described himself as the “Pioneer of the Melodrama.” This giveaway “Free Songster,” in broadside format, advertises a week of his performances beginning Monday, September 15, with daily matinees.

There are a variety of acts that include melodramas and performances by Frayne, such as “The Flower in the Letter” and “The Greatest of all Melodramas, MARDO, HAGAR, SI SLOCUM, KENTUCKY BILL,” evoking the adventurous spirit of the American West which captivated audiences. Highlighted are “The Wonderful Dogs JACK, JERRY, DYNAMITE, TOM” and “INGERSOLL, The Largest Lion in the World,” indicative of the period’s fascination with animal acts.

Verses for romantic songs such as “Strolling on the Brooklyn Bridge,” “A Sweet Little Kiss at the Door,” and “The Lass That Lives Next Door” are reprinted and a small box of text informs that the above were “printed by permission of the publisher, R. Saalfield, 41 Union Square, N.Y. Where words and music could be had on receipt of price.”

Frayne’s songster highlights a diverse range of entertainment offered to the public, from sentimental songs to dramatic stories set in the American frontier, all promising escape and excitement to a society in the midst of rapid change and modernization.

The broadside was printed on inexpensive newsprint paper, and its fragility notwithstanding, its survival and rarity is noteworthy.

Price: $150.00