“That as a ‘female woman,’ Charley Prisk was there with voice, shape, and looks.”
-Park Record, “Stroller Notices,” 10-17-1914
Born on Christmas Day, 1875 in Pennsylvania, Charles Prisk moved to Park City with his family as a child. Charles quickly became a beloved member of Park City, frequently singing in the church choir, playing the organ at the Elks lodge, publishing poetry in the town newspaper, and performing on stage.
One such performance was in 1914 at the Dewey Theatre. Put on by the members and friends of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, “The Summit County Fair” was a fundraiser, and Charles’ performance in this Vaudeville-style production is noteworthy. A news article about the show notes “Charley Prisk as a female impersonator, made a great hit with his bunch of local ‘hits.’ He looked and acted the ‘lady’ to perfection.” The act made an impression.
Between 1890 and 1920, Vaudeville was the most popular form of entertainment in America. Communities large and small had theaters dedicated to the entertainment style and Park City was no exception. Vaudeville offered a little bit of everything, including female impersonation. A holdover from minstrel shows, female impersonation consisted of men presenting themselves as an exaggerated version of female with dainty figures, long hair, and effeminate clothing. They were extremely popular throughout the United States. Many of these entertainers were found in smaller communities performing on local stages, including across the Western United States.
There are several theories as to why female impersonation was popular among the masses. Some historians suggest that these performances were an attempt to reassert traditional gender roles that distinguished men and women in this era. Anxieties around the “new woman,” an archetype of the female that was more masculine – and more economically, romantically, and socially independent – may have driven the idea of establishing clear gender roles. In the West, a shortage of women may have led to turning a “blind eye” to those cross-dressing in order to have some feminine entertainment, while others may have accepted it because these men only temporarily dressed as women, so as not to “offend.”
Credit: Park City Historical Society & Museum, McDonald Family Collection
For Charles, the latter is a potential reason why Park City was so accepting of his performance. The October 1914 show is the only one we know about, but he was extremely proud of it. Not only did he photograph himself as his female character, but he turned those photographs into postcards and sent them to his mother-in-law, Emma Perry, only days after the Dewey Theater performance. In the postcards, he states that “the person on the other side of this card is staying at our house”, “This is Mrs. Old Slenderpole” and “You ought to excuse yourself for saying I was too coarse for a lady! Ha! Ha!”
Female Impersonation was a popular attraction for those looking for a little bit of entertainment. And while many accepted and enjoyed it because they believed it was only for entertainment purposes (and it some cases it was), they were probably unaware that Vaudeville was a space for emerging ideas of homosexuality and a place for a growing queer subculture. Historians believe, in fact, that the Vaudeville circuit could have been seen as an early safe haven for those questioning or outside of “normal” sexual orientations.
Vaudeville declined after World War I. A rise in the middle class and conservativism led to a push against homosexuality and questioned those who dressed as women both on stage and off. As for Charles, it may forever be unclear what his motivations were for dressing as “Mrs. Old Slenderpole.” Maybe he was simply playing a part or reasserting gender roles in society. But, maybe, he was using his performance as an outlet for his own identity and ideas on gender and sexuality.
Happy Pride Month from the Park City Museum!