The billboard (Sept 1911)

10 TtieOillbocErd SEPTEMBER 23^ 1911. THEATRICAL EVENTS OF THE CENTURY THEAT RE OPENS Maeterlinck's Delightful Blue Bird Given as the First Offering at Former New Theatre, Now Called the Century—PIay= house has Undergone a Number of Interior Changes CENTCaT THEATRE—Kevlval ol The Blue Bitd^ bj' Maniice Maetenlncfc. THE CAST.. Mummr Tvl ..... ......... ....Ethel Brandon Dadd^ Tyi -Chas. Hampden Tytyl .Bnrford Hampden Mj-tyl Claribell Campbell Falrj- Bcrylnne .; Alice Bntler Bread ..- ....John gatberland Fire Glorelo Majeroni Tylo. the doe ..... - W. H. Denny Tyiette, the cat i : ^iiPl' Water — ;vi.......-GireBdolni Valentine MII» ...- - .......Merle Maridem Soear ......i i.George Sylvester LlEht ....'Helen Lackaye Granny Trl .:....-Ethel Brandon Gaffer Tyl ■■ ....Dote DavldBon The Tyl Brothers and Sisters—Bessie Bishop, Georse May Futsman. Winifred Hampton, William' H. Davis, David Boss, Emmett Hampton.. - . . . Nlsht ..... .ii^-ii;.......Harriet Sterling CoId-in-Hrad .........r-.- Donn The Boy-Lover ..w. Rnth Bpye- The Glrl-Lowr ' .i.. --Dorothy Davis The Bine Child ....----.----Winifred Hampton The Unborn .T.vl -, Bmmett Hampton The Hero Child - UlUan Bos.s Time ;Dore Davidson Happlneffi of Beinit Well ..Margaret Fairbanks The Joy of Maternal Love . Ethel Brandon Neighbor Befllngot .....Alice Butler Neighbor Berlingofs Little Danghter..... ■ ......i..;,.. ...Dorothy Wolfe Sevr York. September 16 (Special to The Paiboard).—George C. Tyler opened the dwrrs of his newly-leased Centnry Theatre ^Friday night. September 15. with a revival of Maeter- linck's The Bine Bird. Since the playhouse changed Its management and name It has nn- dergone some Interior transformations as well. The row of "fonnders' boxes" haa been made Into a shallow balcony and in thfc space at the rear ot the orchestra seats, where there was once a promenade, there Is now a row or open boxes atted with chairs. . New Comedy Speedy I COMra)^—SPEED—Comedr in three acts by be Wllsoii-Dodd. Produced by Cecil de BliUe, on September 9> XHH CSAOT. Edwin Wise JcBsnn .....Orrin Johnson Victoria ..i °»»_,^f'^P Wizzy ......Thomas B. Tobln Jr. Carolyn Taylor Bllse Scott Billy Podmore Sidney Greenatreet Mrs. Podmore Frank Qnlmby Gray ii-™"^ J?}™ Martha • Blanor Hicks Larry Frank Broder Constable Joseph .Bnckley Bin Green John M. Stahl In offering the public Ms three-act play, Lee Wilson Dodd stands responsible for the first Saturday premiere of the current season. This comedy, which partakes greatly of a satirical nature, was presented at the Comedy Theatre, September 9. Much heralding has been given the Dodd play with the breezy name. The critics were fairly blown to expectation for the week-end opening—but when recording the opinions, tliey failed to show mnch^ot the celerity of commenOatbrr langoage that bad been anticipated. Tb^ landDie- author for Us pleasant wSt and linmor—41ier praise him for the neatness of the saUre and they credit him vith a anlckly-movlng spirited action. It Is the qaallty of amateurishness upon whldi they focus their objections. The plot tbey accuse of not being palpable—^they con- <*emn Speed on Its lack of depth and meaning. It seems to be a lot of bnstle, noise and activity ivltlioat the reasoned logic necesaary to give a plajr promise of permanency. To tlie cast, however, Mr. Dodd has given lines of color and suitability rendering some of the characters unctuous by keen antithesis and dialogue while others are brought out in other recognized ways. The chief rtiles were excel- lentlr filled. Orrin Johnson and Oza Waldrop justifying every morsel of eulogy the press be- stowed npon them. ^. ^ . Sjpeed is that sort of a work which Impresses as being wortb wliile—It shows Instances or daws but a little repair work wiU give it a grace and' dignltr and Independence of move- ment fliat It needs at the present; Aged; VIOLI N ma ker dead. ■ Richmond. Ind.. Sept. 12 (Special to The BiU- ' board).—Alvln B. Clarke, a TloUn maker, died ' here last week, aged 89 .years. Mr. Clarke was ' widely- known amohg theatrical people, many ot them using Us instrmnents. THE FATTED CALF. New Torlc, Sept. IS (Special to The BUI board).—^A new comedy called The Fatted Calf is to have Its premiere in New-England early . next month. OSie play Is from the pen of Ar- thuT Hopkins. In the cast are: Frank Sherl- ' dan, Robert HcWade Jr.. Jolla Hanchette. Low- ^ Stierman. Hariorie Woodt Mary Cross and ilar Malkgr. As for The Blue Bird, the changes lu it are mostly in the personnel of the players. There are .some of. the New Theatre company back in their old roles, bat Tytyl was played by a boy., and verj- well played at that, with Bnrford <Hampden, a young English actor. In (Continued on page S4.) THE R ACK TH RILLS Play of Social Inquisition, at Times Sordid, Withal^ MeIo= dramatic, Elicits Divers Opinions from Critics—General Impression is that Play Will Have a Long Run New York, Sept. 16 (Special to The Bill- board).—^To William A. Brady are we indebted for a strong drama, very like melodrama. It is Thompson Buchanan's play of social inquisi- tion, which because of a seasatlonal court scene, has been termed The Rack. That the play is deep and sustaining has been generally CHARLES MACKEY. igreed—the work of the author has been com- mended in spite of the fact that the reviewers detect a dilettante atmosphere to the book. Doc of Buchanan's critics excuses this ou the grounds that the young author reveals In bis product the -essential elements of a masterfnl playwright. The author is but a younc man and with his years his work will nnuuestlonablr mature. 'Altbougb tbe structure of the plaj- t« in part similar to many .others. Its treatment and collateral development gives It a freshness, even if morbid, that lostlhes the prophecy of metropolitan appreciation. The Sun accords Brad.v'B latest production which had its premiere at the Playhouse, Fri- day, September 15, tbe following criticism: "After much secrecy, variouii: t>ostponementa and other incidents that should have piqued pub- lic interest In the play, William Brady pro- duced at tbe Playboose, The Back, which is described on tbe microseo^ bnt otherwise ad- mirable program ot this new dramatic instiln- tlon as 'a play ot social Inquisition.' Its au- thor is Thompson Buchanan, one of tbe moi^t promising of the younger writers for the Amer- ican stage. "Mr. Bncbanan, In A Woman'^ Way and TbeCub, proved the possession of undoubtcil talent. The play last night marked his Srs; effort In such a field. He again achieved a de- cided measnre of sacoess. But It 1b not certain that his melodrama gained for him the right ttt be considered more than promising. The talent he reveals still seems unrlre. If it wore ma- ture his material last night would - have pro- vided bim with a success of long duration." Tbe Herald terms The Rack sordid bnt grip- ping, saying In ailditian: "A play of 'social inquisition' as the program described It, was offered at tbe Playlrause last night, when Mr. Thompson Bnchanan's Tbe Rack was gtven its first performance here. "Tbe evening did not pass without a speech from the reluctant author, who first mutely re- fused, and then said; (Coatlnned Od page 51.1 Mr. Mackey played leading roles during tbe second half of tbe season with the Forepaugb Stock Co., Cincinnati. His Queen City engagement won for -him the admiration of many Cincin- nati piaygotfis. as well as a numl>er of Kentucky's fairest daughters, from tbe surrounding Cin- cinnati suburbs. This season be will head the Southern Company of Tbe Gamblers. Ex-Balloonist Drowned George Bridges, an aeroplane mechanic, em. ployed by the Aero Exhibition Co.. was drowned In the Ohio Biver near Cincinnati, September 13, when a skiff in which be was conveying dis- mantled parts of Aviator Jean Naaly's aero- plane, which fell into the river last Saturday, was run down by a towboat. Bridges was 32 years old and a former well- known balloonist and parachute Jumper. He leaves a wife, wlio is also an aeronaut, and two small children. ENTER THE AMUSEMENT FIELD. Albany. N. T.. Sept 16 (Special to The Blil- boatd) ^The Hudson Valley Agricultural and Hortlcultnral Society of New York City has filed' articles of Iiu»>ri)or8tlon with the Secre- tary of State to conduct fairs and carry on a general 'tiieatxlcal and amusement business. It has a capital of (25.000. and the following di- rectors: Orasmns B. Lent,: Montrose, N. Y.; Jen SmnlUng, Newark, N. J., and Heaiy WU- son, Kew Xork City. Pink Lady For Europe New York. Sept. 12 (Special to The Billboard), —Klaw Erlanger have entered into a con- tract with Felix Bloch Erben of Berlin, con- templating tbe prodnctlon of Messrs. McLel- lan and Caryll's The Pink Lady In all parts of Europe with tbe exception of Qreat Britain, where they will produce Tbe Pink Lady ttaem- •elves next January. Within a short time fol- lowing the production at the Globe Theatre, London, Tlie Pink Lady will lie seen In Berlin, Paris. Vienna and Budapest. It will receive Its lidtia] performance in Prance at the Apollo Tbeatre, Paris, and Its first presentation in Germany at the Theatre des Westens In Berlin, contracts have already been arranged with I. C. Wllliacdson for its production in AastrBlia. This Is probably- the first time that a musical comedy originally prodncrd in the United Staiea will be seen in so many cooDtrtes, , AGENC^ir. j'N NEW QUARTERS. The NIxon-Nlrdllnger TandevIIIe Agency has moved to Its new offices in the Forrest Theatre Building, PhlUdelpliU, Pa. Alt-mall should b« addreHca to 133 8. Btoid street. His First Broad- way Indorsement Edmund Brecse aptly admitted that A Man of Honor, which enjoyed Its premiere perform- ance at Weber's Theatre Thursday night, Sep- tember 14, was the first Broadway opening he had ever been featurr.' la. This remark started the brains of tbe Individuals in the audience to thinking and tbe play by -Babbl Isaac Landman continued them In their edifying, thoughtful mood. Tbe play proves Itself pre- eminently suited to the manly qualities of the Weber star. who. until last Thursday, had opened only In metropolitan playhouses on streets that run at a tangent from the gay white thoroughfare. Breese's new vehicle is designated as a purpose piny—this evidently l>elng the demonstration of the evil9 of par- ental indulgence. The paterfamilias of the play happens to be a judge m> pecutlarly placed as to have to make a decision which. If ren- dered one way, will destroy tbe happiness of his only son. tbe other way will remove the hope and hanptness ot bis mly danidlter. Landman has handled the plot with considerable ingenuity and displays material that promises much Hhoulrt the rabbi devote future time to the field of dramatic literature. To Joseph Weber must be extended a full quota of prabe for tjie carefulness with which be launched bis attraction. Fenonally. tbe producer ex> pressed satisfaction at the piece and has evi- dently concluded to bouse A M"an of Honor at the namesake theatre for a good run, as seats are being sold for many weeks In ad-- vsnce, Tbe audience will uodonbtrdly respond to the new Weber offering, Tlie meatiest sections of the reviews of several Now York daily publications are giv- en herewith: Tbe Sun—"When the excitement of the op- ening night la passed and when the actors tone themselves and tlielT pflrts down several de- grees. A Man of Honor will be a pretty good play." The World—"A serious purpose lies behind the drama, as it attempts to show that the modern man of wealth in rearing his family often wenvens the charnctrr of his children by over-Indulging them.-" ■, Tbe Ev» ning TeJrgram—**Mr. Breese. In the role ot the Jndge. has what - la known on Broadway as a 'strong part,' to which he docs full Justice." MISS DUOEL8ACK CAST. New York. Sept. Id (Special (o 1!he Billboard) —WcrbB and Ltiewher Tiave completed the c«»t ot the Miss nudelsnc Comnany by engaging Har- ry Davies. the lonor. for the part; of Hwry Parker. The comimny'supporting I.uin Olaser in this new Viennese opera will Inclode Thomas Richards, Anna Lnchtcr. Bertha Tlolly. Davlil Torrence, Josenh Herbert, Jock McKay, Harry Davlea. Carl Snnermnnn, John Heath. .Arthur Hyde. Irene O'Donneli. Grace Walsh. Nfargaret Lnncdon. and Alice. SnlllTan. Mr. J. n. Oolds- wnrtby has been engaged as stage manager. The date of lain Olaser's opening in Mlas Dndel- sack was changed from Fridsy. October IS, Waterbnry. Conn., to Tuesday, October 10.' in Hartrord, CMin. Tbe cqmpsMT will also appear In Xeriden and Waterbnry, Conn., iKtOra open- ing at Soston tor an Indennlte run.