Show World (June 1907)

4 THE SHOW WORLD June 29, 1! on to the performance of better and more enduring work than they have done in the past. Many of the best plays, comedies, and musical productions now before the public, are the work of Chicago writers. In the legitimate drama, melodrama, musical extravaganza, and in vaudeville, the fruits of their genius and perseverance nightly de¬ light thousands throughout the coun¬ try and as long as their pens are active the American stage will not lack material of the best class nor will it fail to reflect credit upon themselves or the city in which they reside. George Ade Leads the List. George Ade. although an Indianian by birth, probably is the best known of the playwrights who make Chicago their headquarters. It was while working on a Chicago daily news¬ paper that the inspiration to write for the stage came to him. His rec¬ ord, successful as it has been in the past four or five years, is part of the history of the American stage. The creation of The College Widow, The County Chairman, The Sultan of Sulu and a host of other eminently 1 suc¬ cessful comedies have placed him on a high pedestal in the affections of the amusement loving public. Mr. Ade, like many another playwright, whose work is in active demand, has recently put forth several failures, but he is capable of doing better work than he ever has done and that he will be heard from periodically in the years to come, may be positively counted upon. In the field of the melodrama, Lin¬ coln J. Carter’s name shines resplen¬ dent as a star of the first magnitude. What an array of “thrillers” his per¬ severing energy has produced! Countless thousands have wept and laughed over the vicissitudes of his heroes and heroines in such plays as DRAMATISTS WHO ARE MAKING CHICAGO FAMOUS. lightful stories have been a source of intellectual enjoyment to thousands of readers for many years, is a play¬ wright whose work has met with rec¬ ognition and substantial reward. He has assisted in the dramatization of several of his more successful novels. These include The Hark Riders, The Starbucks, The Governor of Mississip¬ pi, and The Kentucky Colonel, the latter long a vehicle for the late Frank Mayo and others. Much of his collaboration has been done with Frank Pixley of Prince of Pilsen fame. All of his characters are strong, manly and thoroughly enjoy¬ able and the plays mentioned have been uniformly successful in the vari¬ ous cities in which they were pre¬ sented. A Poet Playwright. Charles Eugene Banks, poet, journ¬ alist and playwright, is prominently identified with the drama. He is author of An American Woman, and In Hampton Roads, both plays of rare by Clay Clement. Mr. McGovern also is author of A Southern Gentleman, which met with success. Charles Ulrich, a Cincinnatian, but now of Chicago, won his spurs as a playwright in California ten years ago when he produced his Chinese play, A Celestial Maiden, which still holds the boards and in which Guy Bates Post, Sarah Truax, Sylvia Lynden, Alma Chester, Robert Downing and others have toured the country with success. He is author of more than a score of plays many of which are well known. Among these may be mentioned The Man From Nevada, The Honor of a Cowboy, Nugget, Robespierre, Nell Gwyn of London Town, In Virginia, The Bank Wreck¬ er, The Dawn of Liberty, etc. He also is author of The Deserter, After the Opera, and other sketches which have met with success in vaudeville. He has written numerous plays for ama¬ teurs, many of which have been pub¬ lished by T. S. Denison, and Charles T HE dramatists of Chicago, past and present, although they num¬ ber less than a score, have done and still are doing much for the ele¬ vation of the American stage. Chi¬ cago is rapidly taking its place in the front rank as a producing center and this will ultimately spur the play- • wrights of the metropolis by the lake literary merit and of unusually well conceived situations. Mr. Banks is a man of untiring energy and unusual ability and all his works find a ready market. Will D. Eaton, author of All the Rage, in which William H. Crane starred for many years and which was a remarkably successful play, is one of the best known of the coterie of Chicago playwrights. He is author also of Iscander, a tragedy, a poet¬ ical work of massive proportions and a drama based upon the life of the King of Navarre, which met with suc¬ cess when presented by Melbourne McDowell in San Francisco two years ago. Mr. Eaton is a scholar of rare attainments and his plays, measured from the standpoint of literary merit, are readable as well as actable. A Dramatist of Power. John McGovern, a well known Chi¬ cagoan, is a writer of classical plays, all of which stamp him as a dramatist of- marked ability and power. He is author of Joan of Arc, Patrick Henry, David Lockwin, Burritt Durand, and The Lord of Como, which latter drama he wrote jointly with Jesse Edson. One of his more recent plays is Sam Houston, recently produced Sergei, play publishers, of Chici and all are in active demand. Preston Gibson, well known in Cl cago literary circles, is author of Mi Erskine’s Devotion, which was pi duced by Anne Sutherland recently He is a strong, virile writer and hi plays give promise of better work to come. He is a deep student of hu¬ man nature, a keen observer and his characterizations are true to life. William Lightfoot Visscher, round writer and sometimes actor, is author of Across the Continent aq other plays which met with in their day. He is an excelh story teller and he writes as well he talks. Although not a your man, Mr. Visscher is youthful in spij it and his future performances ai looked forward to with interest his admirers. Charles T. Dazey, author of Ii Old Kentucky, is one of the known of the Chicago colony of plaj wrights. Although a Quincy, Ill., man he makes Chicago his headquartd and many of his successes were pri duced here. His most recent pr< duction was Home Folks, i comedy. He is author of The Lin Kiln, The Suburban, War of Weal! and Erma, the Elf, which was Kat Putnam’s vehicle for many seasoi He is a good writer and clever drai atist. Con T. Murphy, now a Chicago n lice magistrate, finds time to wrij plays, several of which scored sijj cess. He is author of Ivy Leaf, Til Witch of Baby Farm, Karl, the Pei ler, Father Land and McKenna’s tation. William L. Roberts is a noted play wright who has produced severa notable works, chief among which ar( Valley Forge, On the Bridge at Mid night, The Commodore, Big-hearte< Jim, Human Slaves, Honest Hearts The Four Corners of the Earth, an< a dramatic version of Parsifal. Mr Roberts has a realizing sense ofwha constitutes a dramatic situation an< all of his plays have been winners Several new productions are prom ised by him during the coming sea< son. David Higgins, the actor who it starring in his own play, His Las < OY GEODES