The billboard (Sept 1911)

SEPTEMBER 23, 1911. T li e BillboajT-d 9 THE WEEK IN CHICAGO THE M AJESTI C BILL Program Consisting of Nine Acts Has Five Numbers New to Cliicago—Fred Warren and Matt Keefe Merit Highest Honors—Mary Norman is Received Entliusiastically Clilcago. 111.. Si-pt. 15 (Special to The MIU- Luiird).—Out of nine acts on the MaJCKtlc bll ihls week. Ave of them are new to Chicago, of the Dine acta only two could be called real liUs. They are: Fred Warren (formerly of Wurren and Blancbard), and Matt Keefe, who Klvea twenty minutes of a KOOd aort of anter- lalnment. Ona Clayton and Company submii » little dramatic Hkeicb intermingled irltb (Ouiedy called, A Child Shall Ijead Tbem. MISk Clayton la wonderful In her part portraying tbe gin of the East Side lyne. Tnere Is heart Interest throughout the story which wln» the audience from the b glnnlng. Dr. I-udwIg Wull- ner, the world famous lieder ginger, la head- lined this week but Is decidedly out of place on llie TaudeTlUe stage. Wnllner has won much iwpularlty In Chicago through hla solo work nitb tbe Thomas Orchestra. This Is nndoubt- tMilv the Doctor's proper sphere as the Majestic audience and orchestra hall audience are vastly different. As a vaudeTllllan Dr. Wnllner migtii prove a hit In Milwaukee, but "here's hoping" that the Orpheum agents will not wish another "Dr. Wnllner" on Chicago, this or any other seaiioo. The show Is opened by the Dalers, trick and funcy roller skating. Singing is introduced by the lady of the act. which is "one of the best things she does." The oSerlnc U tCTlewed un- der New Acts. June Imes, singing comedienne, appears sec- ond on the bill. Her billing on tbe program reads: "(Jute, cunning and coy." Very well, she's that, but she Is not an artist In the line she baa chosen. She la reviewed under the beading of New Acta. Masle King, assisted by Clande I,eIghton. offers a pleasing novelty called, Tbe Legend of Spring. ' In order to get a really good con- ception of the act we wlU reprodnce tbe syn- opsis need br Miss Ktns on tbe program: "On the first spniic mom* at tbe break of dawn the Prince comet to tbe magic iprlnc to look for tbe 'loving eyra and tbe face of bis Lady Fair.' On tbe water la reOected tlie likeness of the Wood Nymph. On finding her he avows his love. She doubts and coqnettlshly bids him leave. As tbe Gods have sent tbe Prince to the Nympta tber are angered at her actions and punish her. When sntOcIent pnnlsbment has been meted ont, tbe Princfe returns and wins th ■ lieart of the Nymph." Tbe setting for tbe act depicting a forest and spring la dellghtfttUr icallatle and beauti- ful. Miss King 1« ai toe dancer of a very good sort, but owlnr to an injury received while playing at Denver last week was unable to £ut her act on as It really should be. Mr. elKhton sings most of his dialogue In a pleas- ing voice with certain dramatic eSTects to make his talent appreciated. Notwithstanding the fact that Miss King shonld have been in be.1 instead of on the atage the act went very well and responded to several encores. The monotony of a rather slow bill was brnkcn with tbe appearance of Fred Warren Mayor Attacks Gafe Vaudeville Chicago. September 14 (Special to The Blll- tward).—^Through an order of Mayor Harrison yisterdsy, saloon vaudeville or vaudeville per- formances In places other than licensed the- atres la put onder police bkn. Tbe orders es- lii-elally hit "midnight Taudevllle,'.' which lores after.theatrc crowds Into, the Loop District res- tsuranis. In defining bis stand. Mayor Harri- son said: "There Is no objection to these places having singers. Singing Is not vaudeville: but It the singer also comes on tbe stage and danc. es, I consider that that hi raudevllle. and It has to stop. My orders to Chief McWeeny In- clude all places except licensed tbestres. It tliese cafe owners are mnning theatres, they ■ will have to get lleenae* to permit them to do WILSON AVENUE BILL. Chicago. September 15 (Special to The Bill- board).—^Frank Q. Doyle made "some spurt" on the stretch at the Wilson Ave. this week. Alihougb this is tbe last full week the Wilson will be booked by Mr. Doyle, be has several feature acta contracted for the next few weeks whose contracts will hold good. Tbe new bookers (the W, V. M. A.) will have to "get up enrly" if they ever place as strong attrac- ilons at tbe Wilson al Mr, Doyle did the flrat bnir of thli week. It la plainly seen that Mr. Doyle's recent trip to New Xork was a very prnntablc one, as he brought some Mg acts to the Wilson and Wlll«rd,i,.lB tbe ..past two or three Weeks. WlBy Zlmtte^ntan ttill bjad tbe nlll for th^ week of the 18th. Tbe abow thia week IroiWncd by Flajier and Mellle. the llttiB gin and tbe hobo, comedt, cydlats. Tb; act .«nipath and irell workitd and made t big ult. In < way ther act was ■MrelM from tl^ nnbltual openera, acrobatic or gjrmnntle »ctii. »ni» was If great item in favor'«• the team. The comedy Introduced Is not overdone and tlie rilling feats. Irhlle dllBcult. were w'jl per- formeU, ^ Lillian Wright, Leydd and Clayton, p^mV-r noveUy dancers, are second on the bllL Mils ^™Mt U very clever in wooden shoo dancing jnd Is assisted by a dno of young men who are lust aa clever if not more. The trio works In ' (Ooatlnuad on page U.) and Matt Koefe, who has come out of minstrel to yodel In vaudeville. Mr. Warren does a hiack-face ami does it well. He Is a genuine comedian and was surely welcomed by the Majestic audience. Mr. Keefe has a sweet tenor voice of a high quality which be used to great advantage. His yodeling proved a riot (Ckintinued on page S3.) ACTS N EW TO C HICAGO Reviews and Critical Comments on Acts Appearing[for the First Time in Cliicago A'audeville Theatres—Acte That Have Been Altered Included THE DALEYS. Roller Skaters. Majestic Chi- cago; opening nine-act show; time, 12 minutes; full stage. The Daleys have a very ordinary roller skat- ing act in some respects, and In others, differ- ent. Most skaters will not attempt until they have learned to keep on their feet. This Johnny Daley has evidently neglected, as be fell down twice during the act and stumhled a number of MABEL HITE. A snlphltlc comedienne,, whose popularity Is dne to her originality. She was the headline at- traction at the Majestic Theatre two weeks ago. VAUDEVILLE CHATTER Paul Goudron Is now iKxttting the Empire and Columbia Theatre at Milwaukee. Wis., and placed his first shows there week of Sept. 18. These houses are a distinct addition to the bookings of the Clilcago office of Sullivan and Considme The Moscow Fonr will open for a tour of the Webster Cirentt on Septemlwr 2S. Prince and Galgano, Lavlgne and Jatfee, Ed. Burnham and Co. and Rives and Stanley's Oonts are attractions playing the Sullivan and Oonsidlne Michigan Circuit, booked by Gaston Gondrun of tbe Chicago office. Charles Berkell. manager of tbe American Theatre at Davenport, la., .was in Chicago last week, and teporta flne buatuess. He Is plsylng Mime big •{traettoBt this setsoa. . Tht engigc-jient wak iniiaunccd at Escanaht, Mich,, iast wiek. of Frank Merrirt and Oandia jTraCT of Oannotf nnd Tracy. Gaston Ooudron of the Chicago Sullivan and Considine office, received clippings fipm the' Michigan: Vspors.' telling of a serenade ^iven the happy young couple by Ule theatrical colony oi that town. Norman Priodenwald has .placed Ferguaon and Northland on Earl J. Cat's Time through Letter Rose, who Is now, In FrtedenwaM's of- fice,* The girls are from the "nvoli In London, and their first Clilrago showing 'was at the tSllls Avenue iu viiicagu, last week, *' Norman Priedenwald bas placed the Tivoll Quartette on the Pantages Time. Lew Williams and Co. are In Chicago after a Pacific coast trip. Bert Levey of San Francisco was In Chicago last week. A new theatre, store and office building will be erected at th« squtbeast corner of Lincoln and Fullerton avenues, Chicago, by Nicholas Wetzel Jr. Plans for the hnilding have been prepeted by Arehlteet George F. Lovadel. The new structure, which win cost $75,000. will be commenced on October 1. Tbe new theatre which will be a part of the City Hall Square- Building, is rapidly nearing completion, and I* Is expected that it will be rca^. tor occupancy about the first of the new year. The nanie of the. new playhouse has not yet been decided upon, but It will be one 'that wlll*l>e r«^cognlz^Me as belonging'to a the. atve. Thoiaaa J. Noonan. formerly manager of the (Jsrden Theatre. Chicago, projected the enterprise. The honse la nnder lease to Herman Fehr. the MliviPattke amusement magnate, and It is reported that Mort B. Singer of the Prin- cess will be the mnnager. » , . Malvern Troupe, after pUylog three nUrs in Wisconsin, will commence' a retnm tour of SS weeks over the S. &'p..Gtrentt West, opening In Cincinnati. October S. times. This must be placed to the discredit of Johnny, bnt he. must be given credit for some dltScnlt feats well performed. 3^e - lady of tbe act la not extraordinary as a skater, but is gifted with a wonderftUly sweet and sym- pathetic voice. She renders a very pretty bal- lad which made a Ug hit. Considering posi- tion and mishaps the act irent wdL TUSS HIES, Singing Comedienne. . Mtjestie. Chicago; second in nine-act ahbiri timiw- IS mUmtes; in one. When June Imes sings she reminds one of a small boy who has run a dozen blacks to see a circus parade, with excitement and lack of breath combined it Is hard to tmderstand Just what is being said. Hils is Jime Imes manner In putting a song over. There Is too much, "put on"; she is not natmral Miss Imes has ■ good voice bnt it needs training. Her reper- toire of songs is poorly selected. Tbey are of tbe popular variety, yet they are not "popular." Miss Imes would do well to cnt lier act abont four or five minutes. Were this done the act would go much better. USA (^TTOH AHS HEB. PU.YEES. Dra- matic Playlet. Majestic. Chicago: Bftb In nine-act show; time. 28 mlnntea; full stage; number of people, five. When A Child Sbsll Lead Tbem opens it seems to border In plot toward indecency and degeneracy. It is highly snggesUve of a chIM who has been bom ont of wedlock. This, how- ever, is an Ulnstratlon and instance of child innocence. The part of the child, who is a typical "gamin." ia forcibly played by Miss Clayton. Later in tlia atoty It develops that the bahr who has been forced en tbe old mllllanaire by the child mother has been aban- doned by the real mother. There Is tlie part of a wayward son Interwoven In the piece which is overdone by Herbert Griffin. In the end. father and son are reunited by "Maggie" (Mlas Clayton) thrt^ngh her tmstlng and loving influ- ence. The "Kid" and Maggie are adopted by the lonely father and son, and a very pleasing and deairable climax Is Inooght Into the llnlsb of a powertoi little playlet. DB. Xnmns WHIXBEB. Cternua Lleder- Slnger. Majestic. (Thlcago; seventh ia nine-act show; Ume, 16 minutes; fall stage. Dr. Wnllner Is great as a dramatic singer. He produces real feeling and sympathy In his renditions. However, there's scarcely a large enough per cent of Germans in tbe Majeatic and- ience to fully appreciate the great merits of Herr Wnllner's work. He has a repertoire of several well-known German compositions. He has no voice for a soloist, and had it not been for his grent dramatic ability he would have proven a failure. Chicago Burlesque Attractions VANITT FAIR AT THE STAB AND GABTBB Two years ago a song and dance team bear- ing tbe name of Bowman Brotbers, the Bine Grass Boys, appeared in Chicago on the vande- vllle stsge. Last: season they were again seen here in burlesque.: doing their specialty. Here's a pretty instance of pragiess. This seasen finds these two clever youngsters heading a great show and "getting away with it." Van-j Ity Fair the show is called which opened the Star and Garter last Snnday, and althou^ the rain was on the Job the entire house wa sow out for the evening performance. The'" show resembles a musical comedy more than a burlesque; In fact. Manager Moe ia to be con- gratulated on the cleanliness of every attrac- tion that has played the house this season. The comedy in Vanity Fair is bright and snappy, bnt is by no nteans the mala feature of the show, tor that honor, has been claimed by the musical numbers. Ted Snyder's songs pre- dominate all through tbe bill and that can mean bnt one thing—success. - Oh, yes, Alex- ander's Bag Time Band did the nsnal vacuum cleaning stunt, and the Bowman Brothers are the hoys to put it over In its tme interpreta- tion. Virginia Lou was another bread winner for them. In this number, as in ail tbe oth- ers, the-support of the chorus Is excellent. Wlicn You're In Town is the opener and started the chow etc In fine shape. The costumes of the en- tire company are beautiful and rich. There is a small fortime represented in the coatnmea of the chorus alone. Vanity Fair offers ,.>x?^|;reat olio. It ia opened hy The BrIghton_Se4i',*eom- poeed of Messrs^ \ZaittaB, Weston. Barton'-and Taimer. The hoys have a ss>oA repertoire .and harmonize well, ^he o(fe(|]lg took^^ very 'big. Dewar'a Comedy i!)|iimal Cltcus gives, ttieiilrar- lesque audience a -pleasing Tarlation ^miaf' the (xdlnaiy run ot'cflio offerings, nie tlHrttlahle mule is introduced an>i furnished five mlnntas of screams. .Tliford, l|a young ventriloqnlst. has a good offi^ring. " Be niters- teats which (Oontlniied on j^kga SSi. A eemplato list of attnletions -«ti Chloago ThaatrM appear* o« pa^. 36.