The New York Clipper (May 1904)

DRAMATIC. VAUDEVILLE. CIRCUS. Copyright, 1804, by the Prank Queen Publishing Company (Limited) Founded by FRANK QUEEN, 1853. NEW YORKrMAYJ7,"1904. VOLUME Lll.-No. 11. Price 10 Cents. M155 0ipp^ r '5 knowln' what It's for, you bet!" Then put- ting hie bead Into the window, he said, "what sort of a show does this vaudyvllly troop give?" lal worm, bad turned, and wai burling at the big scoundrel words of defiance and hate. "Yon are right," he exclaimed, "we come of a family who kill, " CONCEBNINO STAGE FOLK and Sometimes OTHERS BY JOSEPHINE OHO. A story Is told among the professional friends of a popular comedienne whose rap- Idly Increasing nosh was to her a year or two ngo a source of deep regret, as well as the excuse for good nctured banter on the part of her Intimate friends. Since then, however, plenty of exercise and dieting have reduced her former excess In weight to that which Is more desirable for stage requirements. Sbe Is the favorite annt of a small nephew upon whose young mind the frequent references to ber fleshiness made a deep Impression. One Sunday this little five- year-old came borne from Sunday school crying bitterly. On be- ing asked the cause, he threw himself In his aunt's arms, and sobbed forth: "Ob, I'm so 'frald, Auntie, you won't go to heaven I" "Why do you fear that?" asked his aunt, wiping away the child- ish teara. "'Cause, Auntie, dear," explained the lit- tle fellow, "the teacher showed us pictures of angels with nice white wings, an' ebe said that we all got 'em when we died, so ll to fly to Heaven. I didn't see a pair big enough to bold you op,—an' that's what I'm crying for." win- the bad the This same little chap was born in California, and laat Spring was bla first visit to the Bast. One day be was much Interested In watching some men placing squarea of grass sod In one of the down town public squares. That the sight made an Im- pression on the young mind was evidenced late laat Fall, by a re- mark he made while curiously watching the falling of the first snow. The hotel dow overlooked square where be previously noted process of sod laying. "Oh, Auntie 1" be ex- claimed, "Isn't It time to take In the grass? It'll get all spoiled If they don't hurry." * Marshall, the Mystic. of vaudeville fame, overheard a conversa- tion between two fisher- men, during his engage- ment at Gloucester, Uses., In reference to his performance, which tbey had seen. One of them remarked: "It beata all, don't It —how auperstltlous them actor folks be." "What makes you tli Ink so?" aaked tto- other. "Why I didn't you see that Juggler put salt on his bat wben be dropped it?" •• A member of tbo vaudeville team of Marlon and Dean re- lates an Incident happening during an en- gagement at Lorain, O., where a new vaude- ville venture was started, but which lasted only a few weeks. Two of the townsmen approached tbe box office window with tbe Intention of patronis- ing tbe show. "I'm goin' to Had out sometbln' 'bout this show 'fore goln' in," aald one of them. "I ain't a-goln' to pay out good money without "Well," began tbe treasurer, "We give seven vaudeville acts, and " "Gee wbli!" Interrupted tbe countryman as he turned away, pocketing tbe money he had In bla band, "I ain't a-goln' to pay my fifty cents to ace the same thing seven times over,—come away, Bill." Tbe gallery god of these days, in tbe new But class theatres where melodrama Is In- frequent, la not tbe noisy and excitable per- son that be used to be. One of bis claas however, forgot himself and broke ont last Tuesday night during a performance of "Tbe Two Orphans" by an "all-star" cast at tbe Amsterdam. It was during tbe scene between the two brothers, Jacques and Pierre, Impersonated by Cbarlea Warner and James O'Neill. The latter as tbe cripple brother, like tbe prorerb- "Olve It to fain, Jlmmlel" exclaimed aa excited voice from tbe gallery. Thus, tbe thrills among tbe audience at (bis tragic In- stant was suddenly changed to tbe opposite emotion of laughter, which utterly spoiled tbe scene for tbe actors. Eleanor Bobeon, the young star, now near tbe close of a most successful season In tbe piny, "Merely Mary Ann," once related bow one of her emotional scenes was ruined by one of the gallery gods. It was daring an act In "Shenandoah," when Mlaa Robson, as one of the young girls of the cast,—I forget the name of tbe character,—utters an Indig- nant remonstrance at some speech or act of one of the men. "Obi" she exclaimed excitedly, "oh. If only I were a man I" "Oh I if I" feelingly responded a boylah voice from tbe gallery, which quickly dis- pelled all emotional effect on both audience and actors. A prominent actor who Is now successfully •tarring, did not always wear his costumes aa becomingly as he has done these latter days. At one time he waa acting aa "super" In Lawrence Barrett's company, producing Shakespearean tragedies. The tragedian noted tbe Inartistic draping of tbs young actor'a toga, aa be waa about to make an en- trance with tbe others. "Before that aspirant goes on In another scene," ha aald Impa- tiently to tbe stage msnager, "see that you show him bow to put on a toga. Why I" ha continued, "he looks like a tore thumb tied up In a rag." Peraonal Interest must be eliminated for Just criticism of a per- formance. "How did you like the performance?" waa asked of a prominent wig maker who bad made tbs wlga for a big comic opera production on Broadway recently. "I Ilka It all but the aecond acene of the first act," waa lbs reply, "What waa tbe mat- ter with that?" aaked his friend, who waa tbs company's boot maker, "1 think that scene went much better than the dark one that peo- ple applauded a» loud- ly. The low lights spoiled tbe effect of all those handsome shoes Of mine." "And those big bats In tbe acene covered up all those beautiful wigs of mine," Indig- nantly exclaimed tbe wig maker wbo criti- cised the Mens from bis own Interested view point. "You look as If you hsd lost your best friend," said tbe lata Jerome Bykee to ont of the "Billionaire" com- pany who waa peering aadly Into bla satchel, shortly after boarding the train on tbelr out- ward trip laat season. "I have," was tba rueful reply. "Too bad I" sympa- thetically exclaimed Bykes. "How d<d It happen?" "The cork fell out." "Hero's tba 'prop' list," said the stage manager to the Janitor of tbe "onory house" where tbo company waa to glvs a one night performance. That the man was, new In the theatrical business waa shown by the way be met the requirements of tbe afore mentioned list. "I kin git everything but the thunder sheet snd crash box," he said after looking the list over. "They're easy to get," said tbs manager, "the thunder sheet Is a flat piece of thick tin, and tbe other Is Just a box wltb broken glaas In It." "Ob, If that's all, I can flx you all right," replied the man, wbo s moment later disap- peared la tbe basement, where a vigorous hammering was beard. A few minutes before tbe curtain rang up, ibe atage manager seeing neither thunder