The Mummers Parade: An interview with Dr. Christian DuComb - Special Episode

Adventures in Theater History: Philadelphia

Mike Lueger of "The Theatre History Podcast" interviews Dr. Christian DuComb about the history of Philadelphia Mummers Parade, the history behind the iconic annual Philadelphia event, and the 'Mummers Wench'.
Although I've added some additional material, this interview was originally released as Episode 55 of Mike's "The Theatre History Podcast." There are notes and links on his website: https://howlround.com/theatre-history-podcast-55
To see our own blog entry about the the book "Haunted City", which contains many more fascinating insights about Philadelphia theater history, go to: https://www.aithpodcast.com/blog/christian-ducombs-haunted-city/
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Some YouTube videos of Mummers Parade performances and Fancy Brigades competitions here are some great examples:
Historic footage of the 1958 parade (on what looks to have been a very windy January 1st):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnPM9po7kGg
There is even old footage, with original sound, of the 1930 parade (CONTENT WARNING - blackface masking and other racist imagery are quite prevalent in this one): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASjC8ZY_a6s
Here is the Ferko String Band, the group we hear playing on this episode, performing in 1989, well after blackface was banned from the parade. But it's still "haunted" by it, as Dr. DuComb would say. This performance would fit in perfectly into a Primrose Minstrel show from the 1880s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JG7d6oiedI&t=1s
For a modern show here is a Fancy Brigade, the South Philly Vikings, with their 2017 winning performance in the competition at the Philadelphia Convention Center:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZ5mkEwlpzQ&t=1s
Finally, from January 1, 2020 (the most recent parade unaffected by the pandemic), this is a bravura performance - on the street in front of City Hall - from the South Philadelphia String Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiBtsr2iPSc

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© Podcast text copyright, Peter Schmitz. All rights reserved.

℗ All voice recordings copyright Peter Schmitz.

℗ All original music and compositions within the episodes copyright Christopher Mark Colucci. Used by permission.