The Billboard 1902-06-28: Vol 14 Iss 26 (1902-06-28)

08 er rit. ‘oe fHE BILLBOARD ~~ VAAN ant at CROWDS Visit Springfield’s Summer Theater. Springtield, O., June 23.—The Fernberg Steck Company had a successful opening at the new Casino, Spring Grove Park. It played to the largest crowd that ever patronized any theater in Springtield. The play house was built by the American Railway Co., which controls the local street railway. Felix Blei is the manager. The Fernberg Company will hold the boards for six weeks, changing the bill every Thursday night. The opening Dill was “Ked Cross Nurse,”’ and was changed to Hal Reid's “‘Roanoke.”” To make — performances continuous, specialties were introduced. REMODELED. The Standard Theater, Pekin, Iil., Undergoing a Metamorphosis. Pekin, IL, June 23.—The Standard Theater, of this city, is being remodeled. The scope of improvements is broad, and will east between three and four thousand dollars. In the first place, the stage will be enlarged from sixteen to forty feet ip height; the width between the fly galleries will be enlarged enough to accommodate any attraction that may desire a date. A new balcony will be put in, and an entirely new scenic equipment will be instituted. The entire lower floor is to be reseated with up-to-date plush-covered chairs, and, as a whole, the theater will be a modern house. ENJOINED. Supreme Court Forbids Use of School for Opera House. In the celebrated case of Sugar Brothers versus the City of Monroe (La.), better known as the “Opera House Case,’ the Supreme Court has handed down findings in favor of the plaintiffs. The sult was brought to restrain the city of Monroe from using, leasing and operating the city high school building as an opera house. The decision shared the hearty approval of the citizens, and Mr. Sugar, manager of the Sugar Theater, has received many congratulations. Henceforth no theatrical performance of any nature can be given in the school building, and managers of companies who have contracts for the coming seuson will have to seek other places to fill the time in Monroe. NEW COMIC OPERA To Be Written Conjointly by Ade and Lorraine. Geo. Ade and William Lorraine recently signed articles with Henry W. Savage to collaborate on a musical comedy, to be produced by Savage next year. The name of the piece has not as yet been chosen, but inuch of the book has been sketched by the Chicago humorist, and Lorraine has a few —, which he thinks are suited to this effort. Lorraine is engaged at Atlantie City, conducting his musical comedy, “A Trip te Buffalo,’ which is being produced there under the direction of Charles Salisbury. Ade is well known as the author of ‘‘Fables in Slang,’’ as well as the librettist of “The Sultan of Sulu,’ which enjoyed a run at the Illinois Theater, Chicago, this spring. Lorraine’s “A Trip to Buffalo” was his first plunge into musical comedy. MINSTREL COMBINATION. Lew Dockstader and John W. Vogel Have Joined Hands. John W. Vogel, of Columbus, has formed a combination with Lew Dockstader, the famous minstrel, and the seasons of 1908 and 194 will see a newly-born Dockstader Minsttel Company on the road, under the very competent management of Mr. Vogel. Both gentlemen are very well known, and the news of their combination will be hailed with delight by every one who loves a minstrel show. As every lover of black-face fun already knows, George I’rimrose has announced his intention of retiring from the stage at the conclusion of the coming season. Primrose has for some time been minus a singing voice, and only a pair of extraordinary nimble legs have kept him in minstrelry. Dockstader, his partner, set about forming plans for his business future, and has finally hooked up with John W. Vogel, the proprietor and manager of Vogel's Minstrels. Mr. Vogel managed the Primrose & West Show for years, and Dockstader went fo him as the man of all others to handle a hew company for him. Uniess something happens to upset their plans, it is understood that the season of 1908 and 1904 will see Dockstader’s Big City Minstrels, with the largest company ever organized. DRAMATIC. VAUDEVILLE MUSIC, MINSTREL: women URLESQUE, OPERA: Mr. Vogel confirmed these statements recently, stating that the name agreed on for the company, is Lew Dockstader’s Big City Minstrels. ‘‘While we have not yet settled our plans,’’ he said, ‘‘the company will be the largest minstrel organization ever put on the road. The triple Olympian first part will seat upward of eighty-five peop‘e alone, and I do not know how many others will make up the company. The olia people will count up not less than twenty more, and the consolidated band and orchestra, the stage hands, electricians and business staff will bring the total up to 120. The partnership will be for an indefinite period, beginning with the season of 1903-4, and only the larger cities will be visited.” WILL HEAD HIS OWN COMPANY. Coming in connection with the recent statement of George Primrose, to the effect that the coming season would be his last on the professional stage, is the announcement that the season of 1903-04 Lew Dockstader, his present partner, will star at the “Trapped by Treachery,” a comedydrama in four acts; written by Mark E. Swan: copyrighted by Stewart Lithgow, New York, N. Y. “X Rays of Society,’ including animated pctures; written and copyrighted by Hattie Dolaro-Barnes, New York, N. Y. “Young (The) Man from the Country,” written and copyrighted by Carles Edwin Vallance, Elkhart, Ind. DRAMATIC. Kighty-six fair dates in our list this week. Read the crop and industrial reports on the editorial page. Burk’s Uncie Tom's Cabin Company reports fine business. We list in this issue nineteen new street fair dates. When routing, always consult “The Billboard.”’ “A Colonial Girl,” a play by Miss Furness, will be produced in the autumn by Bertha Creighton, who will head her own company. . D. Newman, business manager of the Gentry Dog Shows, will branch out into the theatrical business again. Last year he ran an ‘Alvin Joslyn” show. This year he will manage “The Road to Ruin’? company. A new play by Grace Livingston Furness will open Wallack’s Theater on Sept. 1. The production will be made under the management of Henry B. Harr's, and Alice Fisher will be featured in the leading role. Marsh Bros. will take out a show next season, opening Nov. 2, 1902. They will The above picture is that of the new Great Eastern Theater that is to be erected in Columbus, O. Mr. Clark C. Doughty, the well-known young promoter, organized the company, with a capital stock of $100,000, all of which has been taken. The theater will have a seating capacity of 1,700. In connection with the theater there will be an _ electric light plant capable of supplying 5,000 lights. The company now has an ordinance pending in the City Couneil asking for a franchise to do electric lighting in the territory known as the Mt. Vernon section. The council will, no doubt, grant the company’s request. head of his own minstrel company. Early last season Primrose made known his intention of retiring from the stage, and Mr. Dockstader set about preparing for his future in the minstrel world. Negotiations were entered into between John W. Vogel (preprietor) and Dockstader, and as a result Mr. Vogel will procure an entirely new company for Mr. Dockstader for the season. of 1908-1904. The two gentlemen will form a partnership in the minstrel business for an indefinite period. Mr. Vogel says they expect to put a company on the road that will eclipse anything ever attempted in the minstrel line. The name of the new company will be Lew Dockstader’s Minstrels. PLAYS AND SKETCHES COPYRIGHTED. Wasington, D. C., June 23.—‘*Hamilton Station.’ a drama in four acts; written and copyrighted by W. G. Ruskin, Chicago, “Hypatia,” in six acts; written and copyrighted by T. D. Beasley, Berkeley, Cal. “It Micht Have Been,’ in three acts: written and copyrighted by Helen Chelenen, La Grange. IL. “King Bastus.”’ a musical farce; written and copyrighted by E. H. Gourney, Chieago, Ill. “Little Miss Sherlock Holmes,”’ in one act: written and copyrighted by J. J. Searle, Dawley, N. Y. “Vioneer; or, a Game of Hearts: written and cpyrighted by A. Z Chipman and Dallas CC. Dodsworth, Chicago, Il. “Room Forty-five,” a farce; written and copyrighted by W. D. Howells, New York, Ne = . “Star (The) of Cuba; or, The Yankee Hern” in five acts; written and copyrighted by Fred. L. Griffiths, San Franeiseon, ““Tosea,”’ an opera in three acts; written by V. Cardon, L. Illica and G. Giacosa; musie by G. Puecini; copyrighted by G. Ricoridi & Co., Milan, Italy. carry fourteen people, and have all special scenery and paper. C. Marsh will have charge of the front of the house, and Edw. Marsh will have charge of the stage. Contracts have been signed between David Belasco, manager of David Warfield, and George V. Hobart, author of the Dinkenspiel papers, whereby Warfield will personate the character of Dinkenspliel hext spring at the close of his second sea son in “The Auctioneer.” Belasco will have sole direction of the “Dinkelspiel” production. Isabel Irving has signed a contract to star under the management of James K. Hackett for fuur years. Her first appearance under the new management will be as Virgmia Carvel, in ‘The Crisis... Mrs. Irving was the leading lady of the Lyceum Stock Compuny for several years, and appeared with Mr. Hackett in “The Prisoner of Zenda.” Since then she has been leading woman for John Drew. Peter Armstrong, whose electrical ballet was such a feature with Yale’s “Evil Eye” Company the past two seasons, has com pleted and invented a new divertisement, entitled “The Festival of Light,” which he has booked for twenty-eight weeks on the Castle Orpheum Circuit, beginning Aug. 2. In the act he uses over 2,000 miniature electrie lights, together with the services of eight singers and dancers, who render ‘‘The Duchess of Dahomey,” ‘‘The Social Lion” and other musical numbers, especially written for this act by O'Dea & Hutchison. MUSIC AND MUSICIANS. The approach of the fair season maketh the musician's heart glad. Nineteen new street fairs are listed in this issue, and they all want music. Don Harold Rosenthal, the expert vionist, sailed for Hamburg, vermany, June 24, on a concert tour of the European countries. Every bandmaster in the United States and Canada reads “‘The Billboard’ every week. Ergo, if you are at liberty advertise in ‘The Billboard.” Mrs. Innes, wife of Fred. N.‘ Innes, the New York bandmaster, has obtained a decree of divorce from her husband. Mr. Innes has filed a petition in bankruptcy. Archille Albert!, formerly Patti’s baritone, signed a contract with kK. ik. Johnston to sing with Duss’ Band at the St. Nicholas Garden, New York. He opened his engage ment last Sunday night, June 15. “The Billboard” is in receipt of a program of Seymour's First Regiment Band, at The Cottage, Forest Park, and at Tower Grove Park, St. Louis, Mo., where the band has been engaged until September 21, after which it will make an extended concert tour. The program comprises many select numbers, which are drawing big crowds at every concert. John C. Weber, one of Cincinnat!’s faverite musicians, made a distinct hit with his band at Indianapolis last week. He played there at the popular Fairbank Park. Mr. Weber recently created enthusiasm in Louisville, and has secured a return engagement for that city. He is now negotiating for a return date to the Hoosier capital, and will, no doubt, succeed, as the management of Fairbank is highly elated over the success achieved there by Mr. Weber, for it certainly cofned the money for them. VAUDEVILLE. _ Elghty-six fair dates in our Ist in this issue. Five new parks in our list this week. Tell your friends about “The Billboard.” High-class vaudeville will be the attrietion at Wolfe’s Casino, Jacksonville, Pla. The Rustic Theater at Crescent Gatdens, Lynn, Mass., is now open for the senson. An ad in “The Billboard” secured dates for Gay, the Handcuff King, until Sept. 22. Col. Henry Ziegler, of the Columbia Theater, Cincinnati, is meeting with great success on the turf. Joe Edwards, the wire artist, has sfined with W. W. Allen's 10 and 20-Cent Shows, which opened in Chicago, June 19. Gay and Feddessas closed a two weeks’ engagement at Coney Island, Cincinnati, Q., and opened this week at Allen Park, Wellston, 0. Frank O. Hall, the baritone, is meeting with much success singing “My Mother Was a Northern Girl” and “Just to Kiss Her Tears Away.” : Marion and Dean were re-engaged at Hashagan Park, St. Louis, Mo. When they have finished the Western circuit of parks they will open on the Castle circuit about Sept. 8. Nellie V. Parker, who has of late commanded the attention of all vaudeville managers by her clever and artistic work, has added “Convent Bells’’ and the ‘Palone of Pleasure and Pride’ to her repertoire. “My Lily of the Nile,” “If Captain Kidd Were in the Business Now” and “I'll Be Your Rain-Beau,"’ are a trio of songs, published by Sol, Bloom, that are heing eagerly sought after by stage managers for production purposes. Marsh & Sartella are booked solid for the summer, and open on the Kohl & Castle Circuit in September. They play New York City, Toronto, Cincinnati, Cleveland, St. aa aamaamnane Toledo, closing in Chicago ct. 13. Blocksom and Burns, black-face comedians, recently returned from Europe, and are booked for the summer at the Blocksom farm, Fair Haven, N. J. Harry Blocksom has purchased a fast trotter. The team will return to London in November for a five months’ engagement. Dexter and Gray closed a two weeks’ engagement at the Buckeye Concert Garden, Cincinnati, O.. and opened at De Varos Pleasure Palace, Louisville, Ky., fot, two weeks, with Glendale Park, Nashville, Tenn., to follow. On July 7 they opén on the Western cireuit of parks at Peoria, Ill. “Down by the Summer Sea,’ the new Waltz song, just written by Max S. Witt ind Robert F, Boden, is evidently destined to make an immediate clean sweep of the ‘ountry, as every artist who hears it, falls in love with it at once, and sings it. Rita Redmond, Johnnie Carroll, Reidy & Currier, Frankie Williams, Favor and _ Sinclair, Midgeley and Carlisle, Drew Sisters, Clemence Sisters, Grace Mantell, Campbell and Dare, aaa eke Daly, Harry B. Lester, Lawrence and Goodwin, John a Kamp, Kitty Rampone, Carrie Thom&s, Trocadero Four and Lottie Gilson are some of the artists who sing it. MINSTRELS. Stella Mayhew, Artie Hall, Mabel Sisson and Mabel Hite are a few of the coon song singers using Bob Adams’ “That Two-Step Gal of Mine” song: we Harry Brown, “the coon right off the zriddle,”” has added “Didn't He Ramble” to bis repertoire of sneeess, which already contains such tried hits .as ‘My Castle on the Nile,’ “The Phrenologist Coon” und “There's No Use in Askin’.”’ The Quinlan and Wall Imperial Minstrels have the'r headquarters at Elmira, N.. Y. They also have branch bnreaus at Buffalo, Cleveland. Atlanta and San Francisco. Doc. Wadell, Mr. Quinlan’s business: manager, is in charge of all. The work that the publicity department is doing is bringing results everywhere, and the company is booked from coast to coast. Nearly every State in the Union will be visited. PLAYHOUESS. Sheboygan, Wis., has a new summer theater. The new opera house in Daleville, Ind., opened June 24. The theater at Boyd Park, Wabash, Ind., is now open for the season. A new theater, with a seating ee, of 600, has just been completed at Wolfe's Casino, Jacksonville, Fla. ee