Chapter 2: American Popular Music in the Nineteenth Century Pt.1
Among the many minstrel troupes that toured the United States in the 19th century, none was more famous—or more commercially successful—than Christy’s Minstrels, led by impresario and performer E.P. Christy. Edwin Pearce Christy (1815–1862) was a pioneering figure in the development of blackface minstrelsy as a national entertainment industry. A skilled performer, impresario, and entrepreneur, Christy founded Christy’s Minstrels in the early 1840s, creating what would become the most successful minstrel troupe of the 19th century.
The troupe was arranged in a semicircle, with one performer at each end playing either the tambourine or the bones. These endmen, known as Brother Tambo and Brother Bones, delivered humorous exchanges between the group’s musical and dance numbers. Traditionally, Tambo was portrayed as thin and Bones as heavyset. Seated at the center was a character called Mr. Interlocutor, who served as the master of ceremonies. As he took his place in the middle of the semicircle, he would begin with the familiar phrase: "Gentlemen, be seated. We will commence with the overture." Throughout the show, the interlocutor maintained a dignified demeanor, which stood in stark contrast to the boisterous antics of the endmen.
Christy served multiple roles within his troupe: he was the interlocutor (master of ceremonies), a featured singer, and a banjo player. His group typically included between four and seven performers. Their shows were carefully staged and featured a mix of solo and choral vocal pieces, full band numbers, burlesque comedy skits, short instrumental performances, and novelty acts designed to entertain and surprise. This diverse programming helped distinguish Christy’s Minstrels from smaller or less-polished troupes, and it played a key role in moving minstrelsy from informal street theater into the realm of mainstream, middle-class entertainment.
In 1847, Christy’s Minstrels secured a residency at Mechanics’ Hall in New York City, where they would perform for more than seven years, staging nearly three thousand performances. This remarkable run helped standardize the format and theatrical professionalism of minstrel shows. Christy marketed his shows as affordable, family-friendly entertainment, and he successfully attracted broad audiences from New York’s growing middle class.
In 1854, Christy moved his troupe to San Francisco, expanding his influence to the West Coast. He retired from performing in 1855, but continued to act as a manager and entrepreneur, launching a chain of venues called “Christy’s Opera Houses” in cities across the United States. These theaters offered consistent, branded entertainment under the Christy name and helped institutionalize blackface minstrelsy as a national phenomenon.
Despite his commercial success, Christy’s later years were marked by growing anxiety. The onset of the Civil War disrupted entertainment industries, travel routes, and consumer spending, leading Christy to fear the collapse of his business empire. In 1862, he died by suicide, jumping from a window in his New York home.