Boise was barely a city in 1864, but its cultural roots were taking hold with theater

A quarter of a century before Peter Sonna built his Opera House and Boise City was just a year old, traveling theatrical companies and entertainers of all kinds stopped here.

An ad in the Idaho Tri-weekly Statesman of Aug. 11, 1864, proclaimed: “IDAHO THEATER, Mr. J. S. Potter has the honor of announcing to the citizens of BOISE CITY and vicinity that he has converted the Idaho Saloon into a Theater, and will open for a few nights only on THURSDAY EVE. AUG. 11th with a company of Ladies and Gentlemen of acknowledged talent and respectability, among whom are the following:

The favorite young tragedian MR. GEORGE B. WALDRON, The popular comic actor Mr. George Pardy. The celebrated vocalist Mr. R. H. Lindsay. The Light Comedian Mr. J. Messenger. The popular Tragedian Mr. J.B. Smith. The favorite actress Miss Belle Douglas. The popular comic actress Mrs. Waldron. The popular danseuse Miss E. Pemberton. And last, though not least, the veteran actor MR. JOHN S. POTTER. The music will be under the direction of Mr. N. Barney.

“As this will be the first night in our city of a theatre of any sort, this talented company will undoubtedly make their bow to a crowded house.”

Performed that night were “LADY OF LYON” and “the laughable farce of ‘The Lottery Ticket.’” Two days later the Idaho Tri-weekly Statesman reported that the company “had a very good audience last evening” and would perform “Ingomar the Barbarian” that evening, starring George Waldron.

In September 1865: “Theatrical — The Robinson family and Mr. and Mrs. Lindsay appeared last night at the Boise City theatre to a large and well-pleased audience. Mrs. Getzler sang one of her sweetest songs in her usual captivating manner.”

The Statesman followed this on Feb. 8, 1866, with: “Theatrical. An excellent and highly amusing programme is billed for tonight. The ‘Harlequin’s Triumph,’ or the ‘Rival Lovers,’ a splendid comic pantomime, will be performed for the first time in this city, together with a laughable farce and the usual interlude of singing and dancing. Those who wish to see a good pantomime well-performed should be present. Mrs. Getzler will sing one of her choicest songs, which alone is sufficient to draw out a large audience.”

When George Pauncefort appeared in Boise City on June 18, 1869, to read from the works of Charles Dickens, he drew such a large crowd that he was held over for a second night. We in the 21st century often forget how incredibly popular Dickens was in the 19th.

On April 12, 1870, the Statesman reported, “As no theatrical company of any kind has visited Idaho for several years, the people desire very much to witness a good performance and will learn with pleasure that a troupe well recommended is now among us.” The Carter Theatrical Troupe performed “Lucretia Borgia” and “Our Gal” during its brief stop in town, but the city’s own Boise City Theatrical Club was rehearsing and performing at Good Templar Hall that month.