Adonis is a musical burlesque in two acts with both book and lyrics by William Gill that is a spoof of the Pygmalion myth. Set in Greece, the musical tells the story of a gorgeous male statue of the mythological figure Adonis that comes to life and finds human ways so unpleasant that he chooses to turn back into stone – after spoofing several famous personalities. Originally envisioned as a starring vehicle for the actor Henry E. Dixey in the role of the Adonis, the play parodies the Pygmalion tale through a gender reversal in which the statue come-to-life is not female but male.
Dixey, Rice & Gill's musical "Adonis" premieres in New York City
Adonis is a musical burlesque in two acts with both book and lyrics by William Gill that is a spoof of the Pygmalion myth.
Historical Significance
Adonis is a musical burlesque in two acts with both book and lyrics by William Gill that is a spoof of the Pygmalion myth.
Events Before
The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jers
The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jersey
Bob Rogers is acknowledged as the first American pro sports trainer when he is hired by the NY Athletic Club
Bob Rogers is acknowledged as the first American pro sports trainer when he is hired by the NY Athletic Club
US Senator Albert B. Fall (21) weds Emma Garland Morgan in Clarksville, Texas
US Senator Albert B. Fall (21) weds Emma Garland Morgan in Clarksville, Texas
Brooklyn Bridge is opened by President Chester A. Arthur and NY Governor Grover Cleveland
Brooklyn Bridge is opened by President Chester A. Arthur and NY Governor Grover Cleveland
Krakatoa volcano, located west of Java in Indonesia, erupts with a force of 200 megatons of TNT, killing approximately 3
Krakatoa volcano, located west of Java in Indonesia, erupts with a force of 200 megatons of TNT, killing approximately 36,000 people
Events After
King Leopold II of Belgium establishes the Congo as his personal colonial possession
From 1885 to 1908, many atrocities were committed in the Congo Free State (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo) under the absolute rule of King Leopold II of Belgium.
Mark Twain publishes "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" in the US
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a picaresque novel by American author Mark Twain that was first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885.
Berlin Conference gives Congo to Belgium and Nigeria to the United Kingdom
From 1885 to 1908, many atrocities were committed in the Congo Free State (today the Democratic Republic of the Congo) under the absolute rule of King Leopold II of Belgium.
W. S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan's comic opera "The Mikado" premieres in London at the Savoy Theatre
The Savoy Theatre is a West End theatre in the Strand in the City of Westminster, London, England. The theatre was designed by C. J.
American socialite Edith Jones (23) weds American businessman Edward Robbins Wharton (35), at the Trinity Chapel, New Yo
American socialite Edith Jones (23) weds American businessman Edward Robbins Wharton (35), at the Trinity Chapel, New York City, becoming Edith Wharton; divorce in 1913
More from the 1880s
The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C., to promote "the increase and diffusion of geographic kno
The National Geographic Society is founded in Washington, D.C., to promote "the increase and diffusion of geographic knowledge" [1]
The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jers
The first electric lighting system employing overhead wires, built by Thomas Edison, begins service at Roselle, New Jersey
American painter Thomas Eakins (40) weds American painter and photographer Susan Macdowell (32) in a Quaker ceremony in
American painter Thomas Eakins (40) weds American painter and photographer Susan Macdowell (32) in a Quaker ceremony in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, until his death in 1916
Abolitionist Frederick Douglass marries his second wife suffragist Helen Pitts
Abolitionist Frederick Douglass marries his second wife suffragist Helen Pitts
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened on September 24, 1884?
- Adonis is a musical burlesque in two acts with both book and lyrics by William Gill that is a spoof of the Pygmalion myth. Set in Greece, the musical tells the story of a gorgeous male statue of the mythological figure Adonis that comes to life and finds human ways so unpleasant that he chooses to turn back into stone – after spoofing several famous personalities. Originally envisioned as a starring vehicle for the actor Henry E.
- Why is Dixey, Rice & Gill's musical "Adonis" premieres in New York City significant?
- Adonis is a musical burlesque in two acts with both book and lyrics by William Gill that is a spoof of the Pygmalion myth.