Please Help! Was looking for an actual break-down of a 19th century Minstrel Show in America; specifically Thomas D. Rice

by randownasics

I was hoping to better understand what an actual black-face minstrel show looked like, the break-down of the performances, jokes and songs that would go into an average show. Ideally, a transcript of such an event, but that seems unlikely. Would love to find any and all sources; film adaptations/presentations, books, websites, etc. Thanks in advance.

ibbity

The closest I can think of is a chapter in Mark Twain's autobiography, where he describes the minstrel show as he knew it as a boy. He does go into a bit of detail about the look of the performers, the type of jokes/skits they acted out, and so forth, though it isn't anywhere near a transcript and I don't know who authored the scripts of the shows he saw. But it is a first-hand period description that does give a good mental image of what one might see and hear at a minstrel show in Missouri in (I believe) the middle of the 19th century.