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Home , Ben Holladay, Black Bart (outlaw), California Gold Rush

“ Fever” in Bakersfield!!

In 1849 the hit height of popularity and thousands of hopeful people moved west hoping to strike it rich. Only a few succeeded with many turning to other types of employment to make their fortune. Two such characters were Ben Holladay and C. E .Bowles. Ben Holladay, known as the “Stage Coach King” made his fortune in transportation with his stage lines that eventually were bought up by the famous Stage Company. C.E. Bowles wasn’t as lucky and took up a life of crime as the infamous gold bandit “.” The The most popular type of prospector was river stories of these two men are told together in this original mining. play by Rita Grauer and John Urquhart to introduce young audiences not only to some major figures of the , but to the hard lives that many of these men led. Directed by Kamala Kruszka in a style that harkens back to the Melodrama theatre popular at the same time “Gold Fever” aims to take audiences back in time to witness what the “terrible disease” was like.

Gold Fever Tour Theatre Arts Standards

This study guide has been designed to meet In this issue: the Visual and Performing Arts Standards for Theatre. At the end of activities and Background Information 2 discussions you will see the notation for the standard met. Pre Show Lesson Ideas 3 ∗ TA 1—Theatre Vocabulary Post Show Lesson Ideas 4 ∗ TA 2—Creative Dramatics ∗ TA 3—Theatre History Kids Activity Page 5-6 ∗ TA 4—Aesthetic Opinions ∗ TA 5—Connections to other Subjects

Ideas of the show

The line “Gold Fever broke greedy. Early mining combined with harsh living a lot of hearts” is a major camps were peaceful conditions led many men sentiment in our play. places, but overnight to ruin. “Gold Fever” Even though riches could wealth turned many into helps us to reflect on the be found, the reality was rough communities where history of the California

Csub theatre for young audiences tour study guide tour audiences young Csub theatre for that the drive for gold justice was handled by a Gold Rush and the toll it actually led many a man to “miners court” and was took on people in their

Gold Fever actions that he might not swift to the accused. ambition to “strike it rich.” have if he hadn’t become These circumstances Page 2 Who Was Ben Holladay?

Ben Holladay was born in in October won a federal subsidy and built the 1819. His father led wagon trains through the and California Railroad as far south as Rose- Cumberland Gap and Holladay learned the burg before the Panic of 1873 financial crisis business at an early age. He later lived in Wes- stopped the effort. In 1876 ton, and got his start in business when took over the railroad. he furnished supplies to General Stephen Kearny's Army of in the Mexican At his peak he entertained lavishly and spent a War. After several successful business ventures, great deal of in an unsuccessful bid for Holladay moved to California in 1852. He made a seat in the U.S. Senate. In contrast to his a profit in high finance and became known as youth growing up in a log cabin, by the age of the " King" for his operation of stage 50 Holladay maintained mansions in Wash- and express routes. By the spring of 1864 Hol- ington D.C., on the Hudson River in New laday had acquired a dominant portion of the York, and in Portland. He also kept an elabo- stage, mail, and freighting business between the rate "cottage" at Seaside, Oregon. In spite of and . He con- these efforts, Holladay was disliked by many trolled 2670 miles of stage lines and was among who described him as crude and semiliterate. the largest individual employers in the . He spent the last years of his life involved in a Ben Holladay number of law suits related to his complex Holladay sold his routes to Wells Fargo Express financial holdings and died in Portland on The Stage Coach King in 1866 for $1.5 million and moved to Oregon. He became involved in a competition to build a July 8, 1887 at the age of 68. railroad south along the . He Courtesy of the Oregon Blue Book

Who Was Black Bart?

Black Bart was one of the most unusual stagecoach robbers in American history. To distinguish himself from other bandits, Bart wore a flour sack Black Bart’s and would leave poems in place of the treasure Poem boxes he stole from Wells Fargo. He would sign the poems “The Po8.” Armed with a shotgun he’s “There once was order the driver to “Throw Down that Box!” a driver from There is no record of Bart every firing a shot in Fargo, who did any of his 27 hold-ups, or taking anything other than the treasure box. On robbery 28, however, what he could, Bart was not so lucky. In his final robbery he was but it did no shot in the hand and dropped his hat and good, cause I handkerchief. Wells Fargo detective James Hume always got his searched through 91 laundries to cargo” find that the cloth belonged to Charles E. Bolton, a.k.a. CE Bowles, the name under which Bart had P08 been living for years in San Francisco. Bart was tried, convicted and sentenced to San Quentin prison. He served four years then disappeared without a trace.

Compiled from the Wells Fargo History Museum information on Black Bart. Page 3 Newsletter Title Things to talk about before the show The California Gold Rush is think of any plays, movies choices to show their an important part of or television shows which character at different ages. California history, not only used music to underscore a You will see them wearing because of gold but because scene to make you feel a masks to help them look of all the people who certain way? (TA 3) older, but what kinds of moved out west to seek choices should they make their fortune in California. The title of the play Gold with their bodies and voices People still move to Fever implies that the race to show that they are older? California to seek their for gold was akin to a What should they do to fortune. Share stories sickness. Men went to show when they are about how long you have great lengths, sometimes younger? (TA 1) lived in California and how even death, to find gold in your family came to live the California hills. Why An important word in here. (TA 5) do you suppose people theatre is setting or the were so eager to become location of the play. In our play we are trying to rich quick? What do you Thinking about the setting create some features of think they may have or location of the play, Melodrama Theatre, sacrificed for “gold in Gold Fever drove a lot of popular during the Gold fever?” (TA 4) 1849, what kinds of choices people mad. What does Rush era. In melodrama, might each theatre artist the artist of this magazine music is often played under In out play the actors who make to show the same era? cover seem to be saying certain scenes to evoke play Ben and CE must show What might the costumes about the “terrible the characters when they mood or feelings, so that and set look like? What disease?” we know when Black Bart is are young and old. Actors might the actors sound like? up to no good. Can you often use vocal and physical (TA 1)

Activities for before seeing the show

Pack Your Bags! Panto-mining! Dear Mom . . .

Before heading west miners The primary implement for Jeremiah and Ben traveled from had to buy supplies they river mining was a mining their homes to the West to find would need to begin mining pan. To find the gold fortune. Pretend you are a in the hills. Using the miners would sift the silt moving west to follow your general store inventory from river beds until the dreams and write a letter to sheet on the activity page, gold flakes could be seen at your family explaining why you break apart into groups and the bottom of the pan. See are moving west and what you create a general store. if you can act out finding hope happens once you get Have some players become gold in pantomime. there. (TA 5, Writing) store keepers and other as Pretend you have a flat pan miners. Keep in mind your that you dip into the water “Clementine” character as you buy and and swirl around to see if is an old folk song Search for Gold! sell your wares. Keep a there is gold at the bottom. written about a miner and his Using the word receipt book to add up the How do you react when daughter. Read the lyrics on the scramble found on the total of the supplies bought you find gold? How do you activity page and see if you can activity sheet, see if you and the cash owed. react when you don’t? act out the sad story of solve the puzzle to (TA 2 Math) (TA 2) Clementine. The music will be become familiar with heard in our show and is a tune some important mining that you may have already heard. words and locations. . (TA 5, Music) (TA 5) Page 4

Things to Talk about After the show

In the play we chose to show the In a traditional melodrama the good guys flashbacks in Ben’s memory as a are always good and the bad guys are shadow play. Was it effective? always bad. Thinking about CE and Ben What are different ways to show are they clear good guys or bad guys? changes in time onstage? What Do they have a lot of grey area in their might you do if you had to show a personalities? Can you think of other memory onstage? (TA 4) plays, films or stories that are true melo- dramas in which the distinction between There was a scene in our play with good and bad is clear? (TA 3) Ben Holladay, the Stage Coach King the miners court. Was Jeremiah made some choices that he thought was found guilty of claim jumping or Our set design tried to evoke the feeling would make him a happy man. Was innocent? What happened in your of an aged photograph with the back- Ben happy in the end? Do you think performance? Why do you think the drop, cutout set pieces and the overall you would have made the same audience of “miners” felt this way? color scheme. Did it create that image choices as he did? What would you Was there anything Jeremiah could for you as a viewer? If you were the set have done differently? (TA 4) have done to change their opinions? designer what would you do to create (TA 4) the gold rush on stage? (TA 2)

Activity for After the Show Shadow Fun Moving closer to the lamp Chase Scene will make your shadow larger In our play we used shadows while moving closer to the In our play there is the great to portray the flashback that sheet will make it closer to chase to catch Black Bart, Ben has about his past. Cre- your real size. Move the which we set to music. Find ating shadows can be a fun lamp to different positions an exciting piece of music way to combine science with and see how that affects the and see if you can create a some creative drama. If you look of the shadows. Act out chase of your own with lots can find a light colored sheet, some scenes from Gold Fever of surprises and choreo- suspend it in the air, or even to understand what creating graphed movement. have a couple of people hold the shadows was like for our (TA 5 - Dance) Stock Characters it up. Place a light behind it actors. (TA 2, Science) with a bare bulb and then In our play we have a villain, create your shadow scenes. but no hero. Oftentimes in melodrama there is not only a Hold Up! hero, but a damsel in distress Some of the exciting scenes and a funny sidekick. Create in our play were the hold your own melodrama scenario ups. To make the scene in which the bad guy threatens work we used sound, the damsel, but the hero saves movement, the cut-out of the the day with the help of the side stage coach, and pantomime. Gold Fever History kick. Share your improvised Here are some ideas of The San Francisco Virtual Museum has a great scenes with the class. (TA 2) western situations you can try website with tons of Gold Rush History. Allow to act out. See if you can students to view the cite and pick out some stories pantomime the actions and about the gold rush. Students can then work make sound with your voices together to dramatize key events like finding Gold at or perhaps find some good Sutters Mill, riding a stage coach west, or making a music to underscore the claim. Visit them online at http:// scene. (TA 2) www.sfmuseum.org/hist2/gold.html (TA 5)

Clementine

Even folk songs of the day spoke of the hardships of miners and their families. A classic is “Clementine” which was played during our show. Here are the original lyrics.

In a cavern, In a canyon, Excavating for a mine, Dwelt a miner forty-niner, And his daughter Clementine.

Chorus: Oh my darling, Oh my darling, Oh my darling Clementine, You are lost and gone forever, Dreadful sorry Clementine.

Light she was and like a fairy, And her shoes were number nine; Herring boxes, without topses, Sandals were for Clementine.

Repeat chorus

Drove she ducklings to the wa- ter, Every morning just at nine; Hit her foot against a splinter, Fell into the foaming brine.

Repeat chorus

Ruby lips above the water, Blowing bubbles, soft and fine; But Alas! I was no swimmer, So I lost my Clementine.

Repeat chorus

When the miner forty-niner, Soon began to peak and pine, Thought he oughter "jine" his daughter, Now he's with his Clementine. General Store

Before heading into the hills miners needed supplies. Create a general store with these prod- ucts and see how much the miner had to spend to get started. Remember you need to supply yourself for several weeks.

Pick Ax $3.00 Shovel $2.00 Mining Pan $1.00 Pot $0.50 1 lb. of Flour $0.25 1 lb. of Beans $0.50 Tent $4.00 Pail $1.00 Great Web Sites to Visit! Liquor $1.00 Camp Shirt $.0.50 Black Bart $2.00 Www. Blackbart.com Water Barrel $1.00 Box Matches $0.25 Ben Holladay Potatoes $0.50 Www. Over-land.com Corn Meal $0.50 The Gold Rush comes alive at some great sites, in particular the Boots $3.00 Way Back History for Kids site at PBS. Packs $2.00 http://pbskids.org/wayback/goldrush/index.html Rope—100 ft. $1.00 Mule $20 Interesting and fun facts about the Gold Rush can be found at: http://www.isu.edu/~trinmich/funfacts.html