Aqua Follies, produced by Greater Seattle, Inc., was an annual summertime production performed at the Aqua Theatre, an open air stadium on the south shore of Green Lake. Debuting in 1950, Aqua Follies was one of the opening attractions of Seafair; sellout crowds came to see water ballet, comedy, dancers, singers, high divers, and a fireworks finale. The decline of the Aqua Theatre's popularity began after Seattle's Century 21 Fair of 1962 brought entertainment opportunities to the Seattle Center, which offered the comfortable seating and protection from the elements that the Aqua Theatre could not provide. The Aqua Follies ended for good in 1964.
This program for the August 1-13, 1956, production of Aqua Follies lists the scheduled events as well as short biographies of some of the performers: Vicki Draves (whose picture is featured on the cover), Bruce Harlan, Ann Curtis, the Aqua Dears, Charlie Diehl, Joe Marino, Jack Calhoun, Orwin Harvey, Hobart Billingsley, Charles Bates, Johnny Simpson, Ronnie Eastman, Howard Hardin, Evelyn Eraci, Burt Hanson, the Aqua Guys, and the Aqua Darlings.
Caption information source: "Aqua Theatre — Seattle," by Louis Fiset, HistoryLink.org Essay 1052.
