The New York Clipper (April 1916)

THE NEW YORK CLIPPER QprU 22 FRED BYERS' "THE FRAME-UP." PROVIDENCE, R. L, SCENE OF FIRST REAL ENGAGEMENT. OiflER NEW ENGLAND CITIES ARE SAID TO BE INCLUDED IN INITIAL AtTEHPT TO PROVE STRENGTH OF ACTORS' CAUSE AGAINST THE MA NAGERS, union grama STRONG throughout termtort. OPENED QUEEN'S THEATRE, LONDON, BUG. Following the election of James William Fltz Patrick aa Mr chief of the White Bats Actors' Union, and tbe comment caused by the many printed utterances attributed to leaders of tbe warring factions, the situation between actors and managers at present remains practically the same as two weeks ago, save tbat both sides are Indus- triously working on a campaign of "preparedness." Each day it becomes more apparent that tbe battle clash Is bound to occur, and tbe Indications at present are tbat as soon as tbe commanding generals nave counted noses carefully and ar : ranged their respective armies in battle formation tbe first shot of the "closed" or "union shop" policy will be fired. It is rumored that Providence, R. I. will be tbe scene of the first engagement between the opposing forces. It is alleged that delegates bare been at work for some time lining up tbe faithful through Massa- chusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire, and that as soon as the arrangements are completed the word will be passed and members of one fac- tion will seek to enforce Its demands upon the managers In the territory already mentioned. Despite the foregoing allegation. It Is not be Ueved tbat anything startling will occur before the Fall, as the Summer season Is rapidly approach- ing and many theatres will be closed, enforcing numerous acton to remain Idle until euch times as the weather permits the booses to reopen. A possibility exists that an amicable under- standing will be reached between the opposing parties, bat It scams very slight at this time, LAMBS' ALL-STAR PUBLIC GAMBOL One of tbe novelties of tbe season is reserved for Friday nlgbt and Saturday matinee and nlgbt. May 19 and 20, when the all-star gambol of the Lambs will be given at the Metropolitan Opera House. A performance is also being planned for Brooklyn, and as there will be no tour of tbe larger cities of the country, the Lambs' public gambol this season will be confined to Greater New York. As nearly every actor of note In America is a member of the Lambs, and the majority of the members will have concluded their season's engage- ments prior to tbe dates of the gambol, tbe com- pany will be larger than even that of two years ego, or any of the former public gambols. A large number of the foremost stars have already agreed to participate, and there is little doubt tbat tbe greatest and most brilliant array of histrionic talent ever assembled on a New York stage will be mobilised for the forthcoming event. The performances will embrace comedy, tragedy, travesty, burlesque, sketches, musical numbers e-nd monologues selected from the private gambols If the Iambs during the past two seasons, togetner ■with several novel features written, composed and acted by the moat prominent playwrights, mu- sicians and actor* of tbe club. Rehearsals will begin immediately, for which arrangements have been made for the use of the stages of half a dozen New York theatres. The public auction sale of seats and boxes, al- ways an interesting and entertaining feature In connection with a Lambs' all-star gambol, will take place one week prior to tbe performances. « • » SHAKESPEARE MASQUE ON HAT 23. May 23. at the stadium of the College of the City of New York the first presentation of "Call- ban," the Shakespeare masque, by Percy MacKaye, which was written especially for the Shakespeare tercentenary celebration, will be given under aus- pices of Mayor Mitchell. The artistic setting of tbe masque Is in the hands of Joseph Urban, associated with whom in the costuming are Robert Edmond Jones and Mrs. John. W. Alexander. The stage director Is Richard Ordynski, and the Interludes, In which great masses of men and women, hoys and gir<s are to take part, will he under the direction of Garnet Holme. Mrs. Robert Anderson will stage the dances. Hie Instrumental music, composed by Ar- thur Farwell, Is to be rendered by an orchestra of 200, which will be Invisible. The production will be given for five successive nights, and will employ the services of several thousand persons. Tbe total cost is estimated at $100,000. $4,000 FOR ACTORS' FUND. "Headline" acts constituted a bill which drew a crowded house to the Century Theatre, New'York, Sunday nlgbt, April 16, and added $4,000 to the million dollar endowment fund of the Actors' Fund. Among tbe entertainers for the first part of tbe bill were: Elsie Jants, with her Imitations; lime. Xazlmova, assisted by Charles Bryant and George Probert, In "Collusion j" Parish and Perus, dau- cers, barrel jumpers and Jugglers; Sir Herbert Beerbom Tree, In bits of Shakespeare; Ada Meade and her male quartette from "Katlnka;" Blanche Bates, Queeule Smith, Eva Swain and Mary Gam- borellL Barney Bernard and Julius Tannen acted as masters of ceremonies. The second part of the bill opened with a fashion •bow. Then came Marie Dressier, In songs; Jack Hazzard and Ada Lewis, in a skit from "Very Good, Eddy;" Lew Brice and a number of com- posers. Evan Thomas was stage manager, and Jullua Lenzberg whs in oharge of the music. — ■ i » T. ARTHUR SMITH CLOSES CONTRACTS. T. Arthur Smith has left New York for Wash- ington, after closing contracts for the ten star series of concerts in Washington for next sea- son. Mr. Smith's attempt this season exceeded what he expected. Ho has done much better with his contracts for next season, and promises many surprises for Washington's music lovers; for be has signed some of the best musical artists in the profession. 700 NEWSPAPER MEN AT THEATRE PARTY. At The ». Y. Evening trail's "party," to be given to newspaper men at the New Amsterdam. Boot, at midnight, April 27, fully seven hundred publishers, writers and advertising men will be in attendance. The "Midnight Frolic" will be given in its en- tirety for the exclusive benefit of the guests, and a supper will be served while the show Is going on, <i» VAUDEVILLE TEAM IN DIVORCE COURT. Lillian MuUen Elliott, of the team of Elliott and Mullen, has filed suit for divorce, in the Chi- cago Courts, against her husband and partner, Willis T. Elliott. The couple were married Sept. 4, 1913, and separated March 18, 1916. ««t> DIDN'T LIKE AMERICAN AUDIENCE. Crawford and Broderick, a man and woman team, walked off the bill at the American, New York, last Thursday matinee, after their opening number. It was said that they resented the attltnns of ti>e audience. s ■ » MACKAY SIGNS FOR "K.ATINKA." Wallace Mackay, tho well known imitator, has signed with Arthur Hamtnerstoin, to play the role Of Hallf, In "Katlnka.-' for the season Of 1916-17. Fred Byers received cablegrams In March from London, Bug., saying: " The Frame-Up' opened at the Queen's Theatre, and In spite of adverse con- ditions and Zeppelin raids, business has been very good." Clarence Brune, who Is producing Mr. Byers' play, bas gotten together a well known cast of West End favorites to put "The Frame-Up" over. The cast is as follows, headed by C M. Brune: Sallle Williams. Dorothy Stevens; J. Burton Downs, Edward' Sass: Tom Sbanley, C. M. Brune; Aida Downs, Morga La Relbla; Gerald Bostwlck, E. H. Kelly; Mary Martaln, Marian Lewes; Drake, Albert Evremond; Togo, Rathnell Wilson. The company will remain at the Queen's Thea- tre as long as business holds up, after tbat a short tour of the provinces wUl be in order. m «» COMPANY VACCINATED. While playing Waukegan, HI., last week, the members of "Tbe Little Miss Mix-Up" Company were pretty badly scared when the health officer of the town threatened to quarantine the whole company on account of a case of smallpox in a man who stopped at the Genessee Hotel, where tbe majority of the company were stopping. The smallpox victim had left town, hut to he on the safe side the entire company bad to submit to vac- cination. A H. McAdams. manager of the company, with is wife (May Morris) and little daughter, Tootsle, escaped tbe vaccination aa they were stopping at a different hotel ».» , — i — WASHINGTON SQ. PLAYERS SECURE COMEDY THEATRE. The Washington Square Players, who have played for two seasons at the Bandbox Theatre, have secured the Comedy Theatre for their use next season. Although they have produced only one act plays they promise longer ones for next season. The lease on the Bandbox expires June 1, « ' * EMM* BUNTING ON BROADWAY. Emma Bunting, long a popular atock star, may Invade Broadway next season. Her manager, E. A. Schiller, refused to say whether Miss Bunt- ing wIU be seen In a new play or at the head of a stock company, but admitted the fact tbat a Broadway appearance for his clover star was now being considered. t l » PRIMROSE MARRIES AGAIN. Word has been received from Rochester, N. Y-, that George Primrose, the minstrel, has taken out a license to marry his secretary and treasurer, Viola Kathcrlne Trueblood. Mr. Primrose's age was given as sixty-two and that of Ida bride-to-be thirty-one years. This Is said to he the third matrimonial venture for both. ♦ ■» ««»■ JULIA SANDERSON, The well known musical comedy star, whose pic- ture appears on the front page of this Issue, la winning new honors in the title role of "Sybil," now having a successful run at the Liberty Thea- tre, New York. WASHINGTON TO SEE "NATION" PICTURES. Protests were made in Washington, to the Dis- trict Commissioners, against tbe "Birth of a Na- tion" being shown there, but they cannot interfere. The picture Is being shown at the National, begin- ning April 17. < i » PINE TREE ENTERPRISES OPEN OFFICE. Booking offices for Northern New England, to be known as the Pine Tree Enterprises, and ope.atexl by William Green, working through the Paragon Booking Offices of Boston, were opened April 17, in the Press Building, Monmouth Square, Port- land, Me. <■» ABiRBANELL FOR "PRINCESS PAT." Owing to illness, Eleanor Painter will retire from the cast of "Tbe Princess Pat," and will be suc- ceeded by Una Abarbanell, when the musical play reaches Boston Easter week. 4 i > BATES, LA TOUR AND DANDY. Irene La Tour has formed a partnership with Florence Bates, late of tbe Bates Musical Trie. The pair will present a musical and comedy acro- batic medley, assisted by Miss La Tour's new dog, "Dandy."