Dragged Onstage: Nantucket’s first cross-dressing performer

Marshall S. Pike was an accomplished performer who was known for his musical talents and female impersonations. Born in Westborough, Massachusetts, in 1818, Pike began his musical career at a young age. By fourteen, he was writing music and verses. He initially gained fame with the “Albino Family,” a musical quartet that used white-face make-up to stand out from the prevalent black-face minstrelsy, which was both popular and deeply problematic due to its racist undertones. The Albino Family’s gimmick aimed to capture attention in a crowded theatrical market, but the group eventually transitioned to black-face performances, reflecting the era’s widespread acceptance of this offensive practice.

Pike’s cross-dressing performances began with him in white-face, wearing a blonde wig, and he soon gained recognition for his talent in female impersonation. Cross-dressing, or wearing clothes associated with a different gender, has a long history and serves various purposes, including disguise, entertainment, and self-expression. In the context of theater, cross-dressing has been a tradition, such as in Shakespeare’s England where only men played female roles. Similarly, the trope of the pantomime dame, a role played by men in exaggerated female attire, was a tradition that influenced Pike’s performances.

In the mid-19th century, Pike and his troupe, rebranded as The Harmoneons, performed at notable venues, including the White House in 1847 before President James Polk. Pike’s act was well-received, and he became the first female impersonator to perform for a U.S. president. He continued to perform across the eastern United States, including multiple appearances at the Nantucket Atheneum’s Great Hall. In September 1854 and again in March 1860, Pike and his troupe entertained Nantucket audiences with their diverse talents, receiving positive reviews.

Marshall S. Pike, Image courtesy of Facebook, Military Images

Image courtesy of Facebook, Military Images

As the Civil War broke out, Pike enlisted in the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, serving as the drum-major. His musical skills continued to shine even in wartime, and he was a popular figure among his fellow soldiers. However, the war brought significant hardship; Pike was captured during the Battle of Gaines’ Mill, part of the Seven Days Battles, and imprisoned at Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia. Libby Prison was infamous for its harsh conditions, but Pike managed to form a glee club to ease the monotony of imprisonment. His captors, appreciating his talents, kept him imprisoned longer than necessary to provide entertainment for other prisoners.

Pike’s imprisonment lasted about nine weeks before he was paroled and eventually discharged from the army. Upon his return, he resumed his performance career but gradually faded from the public eye. The reasons for his retirement are unclear but may relate to the changing tastes in entertainment or the impact of personal losses, such as the death of his wife, Morning Oakes, in 1864.

Three decades later, in early 1891, Pike briefly returned to the stage in Boston. During a regimental reunion that year, he learned that a prized baton, presented to him by his comrades in 1861 and lost during the Battle of Gaines’ Mill, had been found in the State House in Boston. The baton was returned to Pike, who was deeply moved by the gesture.

rocklawn, Image courtesy of the Johns Hopkins Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection

Image courtesy of the Johns Hopkins Lester S. Levy Sheet Music Collection

Marshall S. Pike passed away in 1901 at the age of 83. His former home, Rocklawn, located in Westborough, Massachusetts, was eventually replaced by commercial development. The area where Rocklawn once stood is now a parking lot next to a pet supply store. Despite this change, Pike’s legacy as a pioneering performer and patriot remains significant. His contributions to entertainment and his service during the Civil War have secured his place in history, and his connection to the Nantucket Atheneum’s Great Hall adds to the rich tapestry of his remarkable life.