Billy Hutchinson’s Bird Cage Theater

Billy Hutchinson, who opened the Bird Cage on December 23rd, 1881, proved up on the old adage, once an entertainer always an entertainer. One night a drunken member of the audience occupying one of the boxes kept hurling catcalls and insults at the performers on the stage below. Finally Billy walked out on the stage and asked the man to silence himself. This only provoked more catcalls. Billy then sent two bouncers up to the box. There came the sound of a scuffle, shouting, arguing and then a gu