An olio is a vaudeville number, a short dance or song, or a set of same, performed as an encore after the performance of a dramatic play. The term can also refer to a set of such performances, or to the curtain used during the set.

The term "olio" is believed to derive either from the Spanish olla, originally meaning a clay pot but later used to describe its mix of contents, or from the oilcloth curtains used during the acts.^[1]

Olio performances consisted of artistic or literary works or musical pieces, used between acts in a burlesque or minstrel show, similar to the modern variety show. These sometimes included performances by acrobats or magicians.^[2] Olios in minstrel shows often contained a parodic stump speech, mocking the oratory of white politicians.^[3]

In addition to being widely crowd-pleasing, the olio gave the stage crew time to change sets, as the back of the stage would be hidden behind a dropped curtain. Some burlesque houses would display advertisements on these curtains, similar to a billboard.^[1]

Due to their popularity, by the 1860s the olio became the largest component of minstrel shows.^[4] The olio was also common on showboats in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

• The Drunkard
• Riverside Studio
• Alabamy Bound