Melissa Hart's grandparents Hap Hazard and Mary Hart were vaudeville performers who traveled around the world with their act.
Courtesy of Melissa Hart
At the turn of the 20th century, vaudeville performances exploded in growth in America, entertaining audiences with a variety of acts from magicians to comedy shows and more. In Astoria, Oregon, the historic Liberty Theatre was home to some of these acts. Melissa Hart is a journalist and author based in Eugene. Her great-grandparents were vaudeville performers themselves and traveled around the world with their act. She wrote about the history of vaudeville both in Astoria and more broadly for the publication Hidden Compass. She joins us to share more on who her great-grandparents were and the impact vaudeville had in the U.S.
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