The Gold Rush, Railroads, and the Theater Boom

This theatrical photograph from San Francisco shows Thompson troupe member Pauline Markham in a typical costume of a cuirasse bodice and tights. Lydia Thompson's troupe of similarly voluptuous dancers, called "The British Blondes," toured the country with The Black Crook, Ixion, The Man in the Moon, and other burlesques in the 1860s and '70s.

Emphasizing spectacular scenery, large casts, and women in tights, Thompson helped transform the burlesque in the 19^th century from dramatic parodies or farces performed after the featured drama into the main feature. Thompson and her troupe parodied male characters and inverted gender definitions through cross-dressing, challenging prevailing notions of femininity. "The British Blondes" redefined notions of feminine beauty and autonomy, appealing especially to female audiences.