San Francisco dramatic review (1899)

December 23rd, 1899 Sidney Drew has been discharged in bankruptcy. Esmond's play for Xat Goodwin has been called Pals. Clay Clement , with Nance O' Neil, is winning fine notices in Los Angeles. Willie Collier secured a hit in Chicago in Mr. Smooth at the Grand Opera House. In Los Angeles they are talking of L. R. Stockwell as the only "natural born comedian. " Willie Collier will probably have two new plays for presentation in this city early next year. The James-Kidder-Hanford triumvirate of stars will follow The Christian at the Columbia Theater. The advance sale demand for seats for The Christian is the largest in the history of the Columbia Theater. Len Behymer, treasurer of the Los Angeles Theater, has returned from the East, having left the Lombard] Opera Company on its feet and making money. Jane Kknnark, who is the leading lady of the stock company at the Auditorium in Kansas City, while playing Henrietta in The Two Orphans, was severely injured on the stage last week. On the first night of The Ameer, at Wallack's, Frank Daniels made such a clever speech that the reviewers quoted from it. At the second performance the audience demanded it again. Blanche Walsh last week was lucky enough to encounter in Montreal some of that kind of demonstrative adulation which is far bygone in most cities. The Mayor went on the stage to present a floral wreath oratorically, and her carriage was drawn from the theater to her hotel by young men. Filson and Errol are preparing to spend next season touring the country with a farcical comedy by Frank Bouman, called for the present A General Bluff. The title is, however, subject to change, but the comedy is an assured fact and the starring tour is also to be. The early debut in New York of Sarah Truax as a star is an assured fact. The young actress, who is described as "a beauty chuck full of talent," will be seen in what is professionally called "the Mary Anderson repertoire," which includes Juliet, Rosalind, Beatrice, Parthenia, Portia and Galatea. We are sorry to chronicle the illness of genial Bob White of the California. In the music hall scene of The Christian, Effie Ellsler sings the Glory Quayle song. Anton Schott, the robust Wagnerian, is giving very successful concerts in Portland. De Pachman, the renowned pianist will appear at the California next Tuesday afternoon. Charlotte Thompson has just finished two plays that will be produced in New York in the near future. There is some talk of Horace Ewing reopening the Grove Street Theater and producing popular priced plays. Lucille Ulmer Thorndike has been specially engaged for the Christmas week production at the Dewey, Oakland. Akchie McKenzie, for many years manager for Fannie Davenport, comes here in the same capacity for The Christian. Antoinette Trebelli, arrived in this city last week, from a most successful concert season in Australia. She is considering several offers for a few appearances here before going East. Fred Belasco, the popular lessee of the likewise popular Alcazar, leaves for his European trip in February, remaining until April 3d in New York, then sailing for the other side. Mrs. Belasco accompanies him. Reports come in from the road that L. R. Stockwell and My Friend From India are having a very prosperous time. Charley Thall, the youngest treasurer in the business, is with the company, and is holding his end up like a veteran. Peter Studehaker, Jk., son of the Indiana millionaire, died last week at the Sivoy. He had just finished two plays, one of which was to be soon produced at the Fischer Opera House, vSan Diego. It was said that Eugene Ormonde was to have originated the leading part. Friends of Camille D'Arville crowded her last days in this city with social attentions. She had as many invitations as there were days in the three weeks of her stay here. There were breakfasts and dinners in her honor and many other delightful social attentions. Sol. SMITH Rtssbll will shortly begin his Coast tour. He has two newplays for presentation here. The Columbia Theater will have a fine list of leading star attractions beginning with James-Kidder-Hanford, and including Nat C. Goodwin, Maxine Elliott, Sol. Smith Russell, Willie Collier and Denman Thompson. The Christian \X7iien The Christian, which logins its limited engagement at the Columbia next Monday, was running in New York, Hall Caine made a reply to certain critics who charged the play with "carnality." Said he: " There is no carnality in the relations of John Storm and Glory Quayle. The critic who makes this statement ought to be disvoiced. A religious enthusiast," he went on, "built on the lines of the early Christians, counting the body as nothing and the soul as all in all, conceives the idea that a girl whom he loves is being demoralized by association with certain men. He tries to rescue her from ruin, and she will not be rescued. Then a voice seems to come from heaven, ' Save her at all costs. She is tottering on the brink of hell. Better a life ended than a life degraded and a soul destroyed.' He resolves to kill her body to save her soul. Only she consents to marry him, so he changes his mind." The Lodge Section I T was plainly to be seen she was * from the country as she ambled up the steps at the New Alhambra theater and put her head in at the box office. "Say, young man, I want two good seats in your lodge section." " In our 'lodge section,' courteously inquired Treasurer Empey, "you mean you want two seats in one of the loge boxes, don't you ? " " I know what I mean," snapped back this vision from Petaluma, " I'm a member of the Rebecca lodge and I want to go where you put the rest of the lodge people." New Leading Woman TThE new leading woman for the * Alcazar, who goes on after the first, is in town, having arrived Tuesday. She is a handsome young English woman and her Alcazar debut will be her first appearance in America. Her name is May Blayney, and she is said to be a winning and accomplished actress. Grau Opera Company THE Grau Opera Company plays Christmas week in San Jose, after wards playing in Sacramento and Stockton, then down the San Joaquin to Los Angeles, where they play a long engagement at the Burbank, having played successfully there last year. cMarried I p you didn't know her by her stage name, but only as Anna M. Fiedler, you would be none the wiser in reading of her marriage Tuesday afternoon. She was married at the groom's residence by Justice of the Peace Kerrigan, l>efore a few intimate friends. She has been a popular actress here and has many friends in and out of the profession. To end the suspense, we will announce that the bride was most generally known as Edith Hall and the groom is Supervisor William McCarthy, the young capitalist who owns the Langham. Side Lights Phil Hastings announces that a series of five Symphony Concerts have definitely been decided upon. » Three De Pachman Concerts are announced for next week on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons, at Sherman Clay Hall. A great success is assured, as the opening-day sale Tuesday amounted to $1,200. A GREAT ENDORSEMENT "I notice that Murray and Mack are booked at the Alhambra. The show was here last night and it's the best thing I have seen in along time. All young ladies, good looking, well dressed, not a stick in the bunch, and the show goes with a bang from start to finish. What's the matter with a couple of Irish comedians that take you back to Scanlan and Cronin, or the Kernells, when they were it? An Irish woman (by a man 1 that is a star? A shapely soubretle that has about a dozen changes of costume, and is not still a minute? A negro comedian who can sing coon songs? A quintette of boys who can sing in harmony? A couple of song and dance ladies, not far behind the Hengler sisters? A tramp who puts it all over the rest in this line for he is not through in ten minutes? There's an Irish Cakewalk that's the neatest thing you ever saw, and a burlesque on Sousa'sband that will take you away from the front of the house. You might notice that the leader of the orchestra can knock a piano silly with one hand and beat time with the other, and stands np — no stool." — A Letter from San Jose. ALCAZAR BREVITIES. Lady Windemere's Fan will be the production at the Alcazar Theater next month. * • * Florence Roberts will make a coast tour next season under the direction of Belasco and Thall. Chimmie Fadden will be the Christmas and New Year's attraction at the Alcazar * * Irene Everett has been specially engaged by the Alcazar management, and will open Tan. 8 in The Mysterious Mr. Bugle.