The History of Cohoes Music Hall
In 1874, two local businessmen, miller William Acheson and newspaper owner James Masten, financed the construction of a four story music hall for $60,000 in the bustling industrial city of Cohoes, New York. Built during the heyday of this growing mill town, what would come to be known as The Cohoes Music Hall, stood at the center of the City’s business district. The building was designed to house retail spaces on the first floor, offices on the second, and a 475 seat music hall on the third and fourth floors. The grand opening was held on November 23rd, 1874 with a performance of Dion Boucicault’s London Assurance.
Over the years, the Hall hosted a mixture of performers including; Buffalo Bill Cody, John Philip Sousa, P.T. Barnum’s baby elephant Hunky Punky, General Tom Thumb, Pat Rooney, and Cohoes native La Petite Adelaide. Eva Tanguay, who appeared in the Hall in Little Lord Fauntleroy at age 12, went on to become one of the most successful entertainers of her day and it is her ghost that is believed to still haunt the Hall to this day. In 1882, The National Bank of Cohoes began leasing the first floor of the building and took over complete ownership in 1905. After 31 years of financial struggles, the bank closed the Music Hall. No one would set foot in the theater for over 60 years.
In 1968, the bank ceded the building to the City of Cohoes for $1. Plans were developed to restore and reopen the space and the City was able to gather over a million dollars of funding for a major restoration project. It took over 5 years, but the theater was reopened with a performance of London Assurance on March 7, 1975, 100 years after the original opening. Since its reopening, it has been the home to various theater groups, comedy shows, and live concerts and it remains the 4th oldest operational music hall in the United States. Cohoes Music Hall is now managed by Playhouse Stage Company.
Our Ghost - EVA TANGUAY
“THE GIRL WHO MADE VAUDEVILLE FAMOUS”
Eva Tanugay was one of vaudeville’s biggest success stories. Born in 1878, Eva began performing at a young age touring around the northeast with various theater troupes. Even from this early start in the entertainment world she gained recognition for being a performer with dynamic stage presence and talent. As her career grew her electric personality, playful spirit and risque outfits gained her quite the reputation. One could liken her to a modern Lady Gaga, wearing elaborate and attention grabbing costumes that both delighted and shocked audiences. For example, when the Lincoln penny was first minted she commissioned a dress made entirely of these pennies which she wore on stage, plucking off pennies and throwing them playfully at men in the audience.
Eva performed on the Music Hall Stage several times with positive reviews. (Review Image: Olean Democrat Newspaper October 30th 1894)
Her most well known and popular song was “I Don’t Care”, a tribute to her jovial and boundary-pushing personality.
Wherever Eva went she was a sensational hit who performed before sold out crowds. During the height of her fame Eva was making $3500 a week (the highest paid vaudeville performer of her day) which would equate to roughly $40,000 a week in today’s money. She lived the life of a celebrity, finding herself the focus of gossip and fascination on the covers of newspapers across the country. Unfortunately Eva’s fame and wealth would not last forever. As her career waned over time she also lost her fortunes in the stock market crash. Her plight became so desperate that an old showgirl friend had to raise funds to support her. She lived out her last days in her home in Hollywood, CA and passed away at the age of 68.
Eva’s Tributes
Many over the years have claimed it has been Eva’s playful spirit that has shown up in this Hall, playing tricks on performers and staff and making herself known through EVP recordings and various sightings. It is now a tradition for performers who come through the space to leave her a tribute before shows as a way of warding off her meddling antics.