Ada Roach was an American musical comedy actress and entertainer on the Chautauqua and lyceum circuits. She was head of the Ada Roach Company (also called "Ada Roach and Company") from 1915 to 1917, and partner of Ruth Freeman in the Roach-Freeman Duo into the 1920s.
Career
In 1913 Roach performed with The Killarney Girls, a touring group presenting Irish songs and dances.Harry P. Harrison, Karl Detzer, Culture Under Canvas: The Story of Tent Chautauqua (Pickle Partners Publishing 2017). "Smile of Erin Worn by Killarney Girls" Lyceum News (December 1913): 10. As head of the six-person Ada Roach and Company from 1915 to 1917, she starred in Charles F. Horner's The Heart of the Immigrant (1915),"The Heart of the Immigrant" Montrose Daily Express (October 9, 1917). via Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection "a stirring musical play which also abounds in histrionic and educational features", on the lyceum circuit."'The Heart of the Immigrant' — Scenes from Ellis Isle" Lyceum News (June–July 1915): 7. The show toured for two years."Ada Roach Company" Washington County News (October 25, 1917): 1. via Newspapers.com In Nebraska, the company's car broke down and they carried their luggage six miles on foot, rather than miss their curtain.
She was called a "bundle of sunshine" guaranteed to "chase the shadows from the face of the sourest of the sour.""Chautauqua Plans Are Coming Fine" Riverside Daily Press (March 22, 1917): 3. via California Digital Newspaper Collection Her exuberant comedic talents were held to be especially welcome during wartime."Ada Roach Makes Folks Laugh and Forget" Lyceum Magazine (September 1917): 33. By April 1918 she was partnered with fellow Killarney Girls alumna Ruth Freeman in a two-woman act, the Roach-Freeman Duo. They performed as part of the Liberty Girls show in 1918."Enroute with Ohio-Redpath Chautauquans" Lyceum Magazine (September 1918): 47."A Panorama of the Ohio-Redpath Circuit" Lyceum Magazine (July 1918): 23. Roach sang Irish songs, played accordion and banjo,"Only One Ada Roach" Statesman Journal (July 23, 1921): 2. via Newspapers.com and told stories, while Freeman presented a Swedish persona and played violin.Advertisement, Westmoreland Recorder (July 3, 1919): 5. via Newspapers.com"Ada Roach is Coming" Kiowa County Signal (June 17, 1919): 2. via Newspapers.com The Roach-Freeman team moved to New York in 1922."Roach-Freeman Duo" Lyceum Magazine (March 1923): 33. They were both in the cast of a touring musical comedy, Meet Cousin Mary, in 1923."Program" Kismet Klipper (August 23, 1923): 2. via Newspapers.com Roach and Freeman appeared together on the Chautauqua platforms in California and Montana in 1924.Advertisement, Healdsburg Tribune (June 2, 1924): 2. via California Digital Newspaper Collection"Roach-Freeman Duo Returns" Ravalli Republic (July 25, 1924): 4. via Newspapers.com
In 1926, Ada Roach toured with another partner, pianist Martha Trippeer."Chautauqua Has First Big Night" Clarksville Leaf Chronicle (June 10, 1926): 1. via Newspapers.com She performed on radio in 1927,"Notes of Interest to Radio Audiences" Call-Leader (June 1, 1927): 5. via Newspapers.com as a humorist, storyteller, and impersonator, on WMAQ in Chicago."Ada Roach" Belvidere Daily Republican (June 22, 1927): 2. via Newspapers.com
Personal life Ada Roach and her niece Jane McKenna were both injured in a car accident in 1917, in Chicago, and Roach was hospitalized for a month."Injured in Auto Accident" Lyceum News (October 1917): 7."Ada Roach Hurt" Lyceum Magazine (November 1917): 31.
References