San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

September 16th, 1899 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW Charles Coghlan has accepted and will shortly produce a new play by Mrs. Elizabeth Campbell Winter, and Madame Modjeska has accepted for early production a new version by Mrs. Winter of the old German play of Deborah. In speaking of this work, Madame Modjeska says that Mrs. Winter's is, by far, the best English piece that has yet been made on this subject. Daisy Alice Bishop, the sweetvoiced San Francisco singer who replaced Lily Post in "The Spider and the Fly," when that lady was stricken with illness, is thinking of entering the vaudeville ranks. She closed with the company in Denver to return to the Coast, as she says San Francisco is good enough for her. Miss Marie Allister made her debut with the Clay Clement Company, at the Columbia. Miss Allister's charming personality is greatly enhanced by her sweet face. We predict for her a bright future and as an ingenue, and before long she will shine in the galaxy of San Francisco stage beauties and successes. Isabelle Underwood has been engaged for the principal contralto part in The Spider and the Fly, which will tour through the United States and Mexico during this season. She has arranged to introduce in the second act of the spectacle Walter E. Phillips' latest dramatic song, "The King of the Flame." A talented California girl, who has been with Augustin Daly's musical comedy company the past three seasons, and made a fine impression, is Miss Hilda A. Henning. This young lady is a resident of San Francisco, and is a sister of E. P. Henning, of the well-known firm of Henning & Levy. Mr. G. L. Campbell, the popular and efficient press agent of the Orpheum, was united in marriage to Miss Lillian A. Nash, Tuesday afternoon last, at St. Paul's, Oakland. We wish the couple a long life and a happy one. Baby Buskirk the clever child performer with Modjeska this season, is a Los Angeles girl, the daughter of the stage carpenter at Morosco's Burbank Theater. Hortense Neilsen has been engaged by T. Daniel Frawley for juvenile and ingenue roles. She is a sister of Alice Neilsen. Nat Goodwin continues with "An American Citizen " in London. He will open in Cincinnati in November. Miss Ada Rehan's arrival in New York was particularly noticed by the New York writers. The chief items of interest were her maid and bull dog Beauty, the only dog that ever was honored with a special pass from the late Augustin Daly. Miss Rehan v/ill not star with Mr. Mansfield, but under the management of Richard Dorney. In her repertoire are nine plays, not mentioning two new ones. The nine include six Shakespearean plays, two old comedies and one modern comedy. Frank Turner writes from London that he has Pauline Moran under contract, and that she has no intention of returning to the United States at present. She and her little " picks " have made a decided hit in London. Bernhardt declares that a decollette dress in front "quaud on montre la poitrini," is immodest, but wears one decollette in the back down to her waist. The reason of her idea can easily be conjectured. Miss Helen Wilson is in Peekskill, New York, rehearsing with the Lewis Morrison company for the winter season. She is the last California amateur to win recognition in a leading company. A letter from Harry Corson Clarke at the Waldorf-Astoria, New York, requests a copy of the first issue of the Review. New York has evidently heard of us. Richard Mansfield's company has begun rehearsals of Cyrano de Bergerac, in which Mr. Mansfield will open this season at the Grand Opera House, Chicago. It's a pity that Juliet Crosby is not seen oftener in Alcazar productions. She is certainly one of the most popular actresses that has appeared in this city. Marie Borroughs will create the part of Gemma in "The Gadfly," which will ask for New York favor at Wallack's next Monday night. Ernest Hastings, well remembered as one of the most popular actors ever seen in San Francisco, is in the cast of Stuart Robson's ''Gadfly." Frank Bacon is meeting with great success on the road in "The Girl from Chili." Good business everywhere is the news from the Company. PERCY Winter, one of the best stage directors in this country, has been engaged by Madame Modjeska for the coming season. Jessie Bartlett Davis, whose withdrawal from The Hostnnians was announced recently, will head her own company this season. She will l>e heard in a repertoire comprising a new opera, now being written, and several standard works, such as Carmen and II Trovatore. Miss Davis, it is said, has had the tour in contemplation for the past three years. She left the Bostonians, not because of any disagreement, but because her plans had matured. She has been supervising the vocal training of her niece, Belle Bartlett, who is said to possess a fine soprano voice, and, it is said, deferred her tour until Miss Bartlett' s education was completed. Maud Northam, a promising young lady of Southern California who has a fancy for theatrical triumphs and who through force of a strong determination is aided and abetted by a millionaire father, is playing small parts with the Frawley Co., in Los Angeles. Prof. Nolton, the pioneer elocutionist of San Francisco, is receiving congratulations over the success of his daughter Maud in "Brown's in Town." Miss Nolton is leading lady and is much praised by the press in every town she has appeared. Neeley O'Sullivan to his old friends — Denis O'Sullivan to the theater going public — will soon leave for Europe. Neeley has been one of the biggest successes ever sent out from San Francisco. F. M. Carrillo, Manager of the Standard theater, Bakersfield, is in the city with his wife for a short visit. The Standard opens the season September 30th, with an unusually strong bill. Among the well-known Ex-Frawleys, well remembered in San Francisco, who will be in the cast of the "Children of the Ghetto," besides Blanche Bates, are Frank Worthing and Wilton Lackaye. Our chorus girl contest has brought out the statement that the Tivoli has a beauty in the person of Miss Blanch Woodworth. Her friends are gathering up the Review coupons for her. Baby Lillian Dolliver is making a wonderful hit in child parts with the Elleford Co. For a little mite not over six, she is surprising everyone by her talent. Fannie Rice will appear next season as Nell G wynne in the King's Player, a comedy by Dramatic Editor Phister, of the Enquirer of Cincinnati. When Sol Smith Russell appears at the Columbia this season, he will have as leading lady, Minnie Radclifle. Maude Courtney has posed for the statue of " Peace," that will ornament the Dewey arch in New York. Mathews and Bulger are planning a tour of the coast in their latest comedy success. One of the novelties of the Modjeska repertoire will be a new adaptation of the well-known French comedy, "Les Battaille de Dames," or " The Ladies' Battle." The play is not long enough for a full evening's entertainment, and will, it is said, be preceded by " Gringoire," witli John E Kellard in the title role. Eddik Foy, at the head of Dunn a n d Ryley's company, presenting "Hotel Topsy Turvy," has started west for the inauguration of an extended Pacific Coast tour. The attraction is to appear at the Columbia. Miss Maie Keane has resigned from the California corned)' company, and has accepted a position with the Alcazar stock company. She appeared the past week as Barbara Dale in "The Wages of Sin." The London cast of " Why Smith Left Home ' 1 has returned to New York after its English triumph, and is again pleasing large audiences. The advance sale of seats for Modjeska's first week will begin at the box office of the Columbia theater, next Thursday morning. Nellie Bergen will sing leading roles with De Wolf Hopper during the season. She has been quite a hit in " The Christian." Wadsworth Harris has made quite a hit in Modjeska's production of " Marie Antionette." He plays the part of Mirabeau. The Modjeska company, after leaving this state, will travel in a special train for the rest of its tour. Willie Collier has produced his new play, "Mr. Smooth," at New York. It has made a hit. A new photograph of George I,ask just discovered, the exnet date of just when taken we have been unable to find out,