San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

2 THE SAN FRANCISCO DRAMATIC REVIEW April 25, 1 San Francisco Opera Company Is Having Successful Season in Portland Portland, Ore., April 21. — Heilig Theatre (Cal. Heilig. mgr.: Wm. Pangle, resident mgr. I — The only attraction at this theatre during the past week was Florence Gear in Cupid at Vassar, billed as a girl's college play. There was nothing new or novel in the production, and after the first performance a dearth in the business was plainly visible. Miss Gear was satisfactory in the stellar role, but the supporting company was poor. It seems as if Jules Murry does not believe in giving his stars the proper supporting company, for as far back as my mind runs he has never been guilty of sending competent people along with the star. This is poor business policy in the theatrical people — and as I heard many patrons of this house say. oh, well, this an another of Murry "s shows, and we know that means bum. Get next to yourself, Mr. Murry. This house has been (lark since the above attraction, but reopens April 22 with The District Leader, a new one in this neck of the woods. It remains for four nights. Mclntyre and Heath in The Ham Tree follows. BAKER THEATRE (George L. Uaker. mgr.; Milton Seaman, business mgr.) — The Strange Adventures of Miss Brown is the current attraction at this popular playhouse. Manager Haker has not presented a comedy at this house for some time, and after the especially heavy production of The Eternal City it was more than welcome. Standing room was all that late comers could get at both performances Sunday. The show went big. and every one seemed to enjov themselves to their heart's content. The piece calls for an ingenue lead, and this role fell to Maribel Seymour, which is sufficient to say that it was done well. James Gleason did himself proud as a German music professor. Young Mr. Gleason seems to be naturally adapted to character parts. Georgjt Alison as Captain Courtney gave us one of his class comedy delineations, and his appearance for two acts disguised in feminine attire, was the cause of many a good laugh. A word of praise is clue to Mrs. Mina Gleason for getting much out of a supposedly small part. ( >f course, Billy Dills has done wonders along staging lines. Next week, Sherlock Holmes. It looks like Manager I laker is going to encounter some trouble in playing The I'ollard Juvenile Opera Company next July. Manager Baker intended to play the little stars for a season of four weeks, but from announcements made in the dailv papers here it appears the child labor commission will not allow him t< 1 do so. Manager L'.aker is going to put up a fight to play the company, however, and to those of us who know George's pugnacity, it is an assured fact that he will come pretty sure of winning his point. M \ RQI 'AM THEATRE ( S. Morton Colin, mgr.: Charles Ryan, business mgr.) — For the last week of their present engagement Frank Healey's Opera Company is producing The I'.elle of New York, and being as it is about the best of our musical comedies, it is going big with the audiences*. Robert Lett, a new member of the company, is playing P>ronson, the elder, and shows himself to be a very finished comedian. Wallace IJrownlow is playing young Bronson, and does well. Daphne Pollard is cast as Fifi, and is giving a good account of herself in the role. Miss Campbell is the Salvation Army lassie, and Teddy Webb is the crushed tragedian. Kenneth Mugg. Eugene Wiener is the Dutchman. As will be readily seen, the company is well cast, and is giving a very finished performance. After the termination of their engagement at this theatre, the company opens an extended season of opera at Seattle. The house has been leased until next season to Pantages, who will install his vaudeville business therein until the completion of the alterations to be made in his present house. LYRIC THEATRE (Keating and blood, mgrs. ) — Pearl Allen's Stock Company presented La Belle Marie at this house during the past week. Business keeps up to the usual standard. The Allen Stock Company is especially good in this class of plays, and its audiences know that fact. Yerna Felton did wonders in the title role. Carlos Urquart was also well cast, and Forest Seabury and Mrs. Allen played their respective parts satisfactorily. Next week, Thelma. STAR THEATRE (Sullivan and Considine. mgrs. ; J. H. Ericson, resident mgr.) — The R. E. French Stock Company is in its last week at this house and is producing How Baxter Butted In for a farewell bill. It goes to Tacoma from here for a season of stock in that city. In the present bill Charles Connors, D. M. Henderson and George Berry are to be credited with the most artistic work on the part of the men, while Eva Earle French and Dorothy Davis are the best of the women folks. Next week. The Armstrong Musical Company in A Scotch Highball. At Sullivan & Considine's vaudeville house. The Grand, under the management of J. H. Ericson, Hallen and Fuller, in the comedy, Election Bets, is the star act. with Leo Cooper and company specially added j and at Pantages house, John Johnson, mgr., Xeilsson's Aerial Ballet is the headliner, with Lorrain Buchanan and company prominently mentioned. A. W. W. Stage Records for the Friars The Friars, which is conceded to be one of the greatest of all theatrical organizations, has been presented with a unique stage record, which is to be placed in their new clubhouse in Forty-fifth Street, New York. It is a massive volume, a foot thick, and it contains what is believed to be the most complete record of the first production of plays that has been compiled. The work was produced for Frank A. Burrelle. of New York, a regular "first-nighter," and it is he who has made the presentation. The volume shows an entire season of NewYork first productions. The original programme of each has been mounted on sheets of Irish linen paper, ten by twelve inches, and with each programme has been mounted, on separate pages, the first-night criticisms of every paper in New York City, to gether with all pictorial matter. The material shows the first-night record of many plays that are theatrically historic, such as The Prince of Pilsen, Mice and Men, Mrs. Jack, If I Were King, Everyman, The Eternal City, The Darling of the Gods. Audrey, The Wizard of Oz, The Sultan of Sulu, and ever so many more. Henry Miller will play an engagement this summer in San Francisco. St. James Cor. Van Ness Ave. and Fulton St. San Francisco, California Headquarters for Agents and Managers Half I'.lock from Van Ness Theatre. Friars meet at the St. James every Friday night. F. P. SHANLEY, Manager, formerly of New York PLAYING THE WEST and NORTH for the FIRST TIME Tenth Season INDIA JAPAN RUSSIA EGYPT Lloyd M. Scott Illustrated Travel Talks de Luxe Direction ED. S. DIAMOND Over One, Hundred Original Stereopticon Slides for each Lecture Send open time to Ed. S. Diamond, 287 1.3th St., San Francisco Fleet Number The May Sunset Admiral W. L. Capp's reply to Reuterdahl's criticism of the Navy. San Francisco's Greeting, by James D. Phelan. Why the Fleet Should Remain on the Pacific. Panorama view, 3 feet long, showing the entire fleet in San Francisco bay. Photographs of all the Admirals and commanding officers. Second Installment of Lin McLean by Owen Wister Author of the Virginian 15 cents a copy All dealers