History Happy Hour: Remembering the Brooklyn Theater Fire
December 8th , 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Calling all history lovers! Join us for History Happy Hour, a bimonthly program featuring historians, archivists, and conservators as special guests. After an introduction by an in-house expert exploring the evening’s theme and its connection to Green-Wood’s stories and collections, guest speakers take deep dives into tales and treasures from the archive.
Join us for a special edition of History Happy Hour commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Brooklyn Theatre Fire, featuring historians Arthur L. Scinta and Melanie Gall.
On December 5, 1876, a catastrophic fire destroyed the Brooklyn Theatre, located on the present-day site of Columbus Park in Downtown Brooklyn. After stage curtains ignited mid-performance, hundreds of New Yorkers lost their lives in a deadly inferno. Over a hundred victims were buried here at Green-Wood, along with Brooklyn Theatre founders Frederick and Sarah Conway.
To mark this milestone anniversary, Green-Wood archivist Lauryn Duncan and historian Charlotte Juergens will introduce the history of the Theatre Fire and share treasures from the Cemetery’s archival collections. After their presentation, Scinta and Gall will share insights from their research and lead an evening of storytelling, remembrance, and song. Signed copies of the historians’ books will be available for purchase, along with drinks from the bar.
Price: Free
(see details below)
Among the speakers appearing at this event are::
Arthur L. Scinta – Author of Brooklyn Ashes: The Rise of a City and the Brooklyn Theatre Fire of 1876 (Simon & Schuster, 2027)
Arthur L. Scinta is the town historian and former mayor of Pelham, NY. His broad range of professional work experience includes historic preservation, law, public service, and real estate. After a chance discovery that his great-great-grandfather perished in the Brooklyn Theater Fire, his passion for history drove him to research and write the untold story of this disaster. This is his first book.
Melanie Gall – Author of Fire Witch: Kate Claxton and the 1876 Brooklyn Theatre Inferno (Lyons Press, 2026)
Melanie Gall is an internationally acclaimed performer and theater historian who has sung at Lincoln Center and Royal Albert Hall. She has also written several plays featuring historic music; Ingenue, about Deanna Durbin and Judy Garland, had a successful Off-Broadway run at SoHo Playhouse and won a Best Musical Award at the Adelaide Festival. Melanie is also the author of Deanna Durbin, Judy Garland, and the Golden Age of Hollywood (Lyons Press, 2022).
Lauryn Duncan – Shelby White & Leon Levy Archivist, The Green-Wood Cemetery
Lauryn Duncan is the Archivist & Collections Manager at The Green-Wood Cemetery, specializing in archival preservation, collections management, and historical research. She holds an MSc in Information Management and Preservation, specializing in Archives and Records Management, from the University of Glasgow.
Charlotte Juergens – Shelby White & Leon Levy Director of Public History, The Green-Wood Cemetery
Charlotte Juergens is a public historian and award-winning documentary filmmaker born and raised in Brooklyn. A Ph.D. Candidate in American Culture at the University of Michigan, she holds an M.A. in Social Science from the University of Chicago and a B.A. in History from Yale.
Please note that if only 1 ticket shows as available during the purchase process, that is the last ticket available.
Before Purchasing Your Ticket, Please Note:
- Tickets: Due to program popularity and limited space, registration is required.
- Where To Go:This program takes place at the Green-House (750 Fifth Avenue), near the Main Entrance on Fifth Avenue and 25th Street.
- Accessibility & Safety:The Green-House is ADA-accessible. If you need accommodations for any reason, please contact our staff before reserving tickets at 718-210-3080, ext. 1, or events@green-wood.com.
Green-Wood’s public programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, as well as the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.