A form of entertainment popular in the early 1900s featuring a variety of short, unrelated acts like comedy, music, dancing, and magic tricks all on the same stage.
From French 'voix de ville' (voice of the city), referring to popular songs from the Val-de-Vire valley in Normandy. The term evolved to describe the varied entertainment shows that became hugely popular in American theaters from the 1880s-1920s.
Vaudeville theaters were where modern entertainment was born—they tested out comedy routines, trained magicians, and gave early performers like Charlie Chaplin their first breaks before movies even existed. Many comedy and magic tricks we still use today came directly from vaudeville performers perfecting their craft night after night.
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