From a review of a Colorado performance in January 1907: “’Under Southern Skies’ has proved the greatest in point of popularity and large houses, of all the recent plays of southern life. It has had five seasons of high prosperity and indications point to still greater success for this, its sixth year upon the road.”

The building burned down April 17, 1917. A link to more information.
https://www.castlemuseum.org/post/the-academy-of-music
A detail from a panorama in 1916(the Academy on the far right)by the Goodrich Brothers whose parents were born into slavery.

Probably took more than four days in 1907 to hitchhike from Saginaw to Pittsburgh.

According to the Internet Broadway Database Under Southern Skies opened on Broadway at 42nd Street's Theater Republic (which itself has an interesting history) in November of 1901 and closed there on New Years Day '02 after 71 performances.

Good ol' Wikipedia notes that it was one of writer/actor Lottie Blair Parker's three notable sucesses.

It's a melodrama not to be confused with the Australian historical documentary of the same name from about the same time. An American silent film of 1915, now lost, was based on the play.

Shorpy sends you down some fun rabbit holes sometimes!