Vaudeville in Tucson

More than 30 million people watch every episode of TV’s American Idol, an entertainment phenomenon that wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Vaudeville. In the late 1800s, vaudeville’s singing, dancing, magic and comedy revues dominated American entertainment. The American Vaudeville Museum – the world’s largest collection of vaudeville memorabilia and artifacts – has moved to The University of Arizona Special Collections. The amazing collection of recordings, photographs, correspondence, costumes, posters and more offers an unmatched opportunity for students and scholars from around the globe—the chance to discover, hands-on, this uniquely American expression that even today shapes how we reflect our world.