The Billboard 1902-07-26: Vol 14 Iss 30 (1902-07-26)

\ THE BILLBOARD {NADA BAAAALAAAAN ZAZA ial | DRAMATIC VAUDEVILLE MUSIC, MINSTRELS BURLESQUE, @PERA:* | Creek, Mich., last week. This week they }' are at Cadillac, Mich, Mme. Kejan, the noted French actress, will make a fifteen weeks’ tour of the United States, season after next. The Kennedy Repertoire Company, playing at Marquette, Mich., are giving splendid satisfaction to play-goers in that city. Benjamin Howard, who recently closed — SET-TO Between the Great Lafayette and His Manager. The Great Lafayette became engaged in & haud-to-hand set-to with his manager, George Spittall, on Young’s Pier, Atlantic City, recently. ‘The trouble arose over a question of money growing out of Lafayette’s recent engagement with Spittall in the Empire Theater at Atlantic City. The men clinched and Lafayette struck Spittall iu the face. Spittall had Lafayette arrested. He was held under $300 bail for court, CHANGED Is Date of Backman Comedy Company’s Opening. Mr. Rhinehart, the manager of the Backinan Comedy Company, intorms us that he has changed the date of their opening to Aug. 11, instead of Aug. 25, as was previously published in “*The Billboard.’”’ The reason for the change of dates is owing to the fact that all the engagements and preliminaries have been consummated earlier than the management had hoped for. HENRY ARTHUR JONES Will Write a Play for John Drew. John Drew is to bave an original play written for him by Henry Arthur Jones, Charles Frohman has signed the contract with Mr. Jones to write the play, the production of which will be made at the kmpire Theater, New York, by Mr. Drew in September, 1903. it is stipulated in the agreement that Mr. Jones is to personally attend to the production. He will leave for New York in Avgust preceding. In the event of the piay succeeding Mr. Drew will have an option on creating the part in London the following spring. This will be the first of Mr. Jones’ plays to receive an original production in New York. LIVELY MIX-UP. DeWitt Clinton Brought into Court-— Gave Bond. De Witt Clinton recently appeared in the Dayton (O.) Police Court to answer to the charge of fighting. The other man in the affair was W. W. Hales, whose daughter keeps the hotel at which Clinton was stopving. s ‘The trouble is said to have been given s inception by the fact of Clinton’s passBig un uncomplimentary remark to Mrs. McDonald, who is keeping the hotel during the absence of her husband from the city, because he claimed her rates were excessive. Hale approached him on the street and a fight, less scientific than professional, followed. Both men were arrested and both gave bond. OPERETTA Being Written for Al. Field by Indianapolis Composer. Louis Weslyn Jones, professionally known as Louis Weslyn, an Indianapolis song writer and newspaper man, has been commissioned by Al. G. Field to write a musical burlesque for the latter's organization. Mr. Jones returned to Indianapolis last week from a Columbus (O.) trip, where he had a consultation with Mr. Field. Work on the burlesque was begun a month ago, and Mr. Field is highly pleased with the musical numbers already completed by the young composer. The burlesque is entitled “Filipino operetta,’’ and is a complete departure from the usual run of minstrel afterpieces. The tuneful melodies running through it are sure to make it a hit. JOHN ROBINSON To Enter Theatrical Business in Cincinnati Next Season. John Robinson, the circus man, is considering entering the theatrical field in Cincinnati, with a stock company at Robinson's Opera House next season. John Davis, Robinson’s agent has been negotiating with managers for some time, but no company or manager agreeable to the Robinson interests bas been found to open the house. Robinson, in conference with Davis, recently announced his intention of opening the house himself with a first-class stock company, if no responsible manager shows up before the next season opens. The house was put in excellent condition for Rainforth & Havlin when the season at the Grand was cut short by the fire at the latter theater, and is now in good shape. Decorations will be gone over and the temporary work at the sides of the ~ ——— — . <a stage put in to lessen the width of the very wide stage will be made permanent and more substantial. An effort to rent the theater is still being made, but will be dropped and a company engaged before time of next season’s opening. NEW CORPORATION To Control Stock Company Business of Pacific Coast Territory. A corporation to be known as the Neill « Frawley Stock Companies has been organized under the laws of the State of California. The capital stock is $100,000, and of this amount $50,000 has been subscribed. Among the stockholders are Senator Clark, of Montana; Alfred Bouvier, of San Francisco; James Neill, T. Daniel Frawley, Oliver Morosco and George H. Broadhurst. Senator Clark has taken $15,000 worth of stock, Mr. Bouvier is down for $10,000, while the others are subscribers for lesser amounts. The purpose of the new corporation is to operate stock companies in Pacific coast territory. Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles are the chief cities covered in the plans. In San Francisco the companies will play in the Bouvier, the new theater now in course of construction, which Alfred Bouvier will direct. The in tention is to maintain ten companies, which will divide their time between the various points on the circuit. Charles Astor Parker—now Mr. Neill’s manager—is to be the general manager of the new organization, and Mr. Broadhurst will act as its Eastern representative, Hitherto Mr. Neill’s and Mr. Frawley’s companies have been rivais in California and the West. Both actor-managers have built up excellent reputations and the trade-marks of their names have become valuable. Under the conditions imposed by the plans of the single company they will work together in harmony, and it is expected that advantageous selections of plays can be made. They mean to control virtually the entire stock company business of the Vacific coast territory. GERTRUDE HAYNES. Her Rise from a Simple Country Lass to One of the Highest-Priced Vaudeville Artists. Miss Gertrude Haynes, the little vaudeville actress, has set an example of what ambition and perseverance will amount to. Sbe was born in Huntington, Ind. Her parents were quite poor and her youthful days were not happy, for she had to work too hard for that. Her youthful ambition was to get a silk dress, and she began teaching music at the age of eleven. To one pupil she was required to walk 2% miles, and she did it a whole winter. But opportunity comes to everybody, and hers came with a musical family that was giving little town-hall concerts. She promptly called on the father of the family and asked to play for him, and she was engaged to take her place among the children. At this time she played the organ, as her father was chorister in the town church, and she had this advantage. During her engagement she played at concert halls, taught music lessons, and, quoting her own words, “‘I worked, worked, worked.’ Six years ago she was offered a vaudeville engagement and has been playing vaudeville houses ever since. Next summer she will tuke her choir act to Europe. Miss Haynes has never employed a manager, and her business ability shows what a bright and common sense young girl can accomplish. That she “‘got there’ unaided is entirely due to her own efforts. She has a wonderful knack of controlling the twenty boys she uses in her “Choir Celestial.”’ She can tell of many experiences encountered in drilling these boys. Both Miss Haynes and her sister say that the most strenuous moments in their life are those during which they try to corral a choir of boys in a dressing-room. At Detroit she was handicapped in a serious manner, and she realized that her choir was not heavenly, but just boys. It was Friday night, all the boys were paid off, and Saturday only five of them reappeared. Gertrude cried softly in her dressing-room. Big Pete Dailey smelled the rat and swore the act should go on. And it did. He promptly went to all the vaudeville artists playing the city that week and to the stage hands, and they all volunteered their services. Lizzie Evans was the first to put on a surplice, but Pete Dailey split four of them in his efforts to get in, and had to give up. The choir that day excelled any ever under Miss Haynes’ direction. DRAMATIC. The Carner Stock Company closed in Parkersburg, W. Va., for a short vacation. Charles Feleky has been re-engaged for the fourth season as musical director of “Ben Hur.” Dr. Rucker’s Big Repertoire Company under canvas is at Ft. Dodge, Ia., for an indefinite stay. The Post Stock Company closed at Battle his season with the Frawley Stock Company at Seattle, Wash., is spending his vacation in Milwaukee. Frank McKee, prior to his trip to Europe, purchased from Romray Morris the American, English and French rights for his new play, called ‘‘Judith.”’ anager Stouder, of the Masonic Temple, Ft. Wayne, Ind., returned from New York last week, where he has been making bookings for the coming season. Gus and Max Rogers commenced rehearsals July 14 for their new production, “Rogers Brothers in Harvard.’ Season opens at Knickerbocker, Sept. 1. Louis Mann and Clara Lipman are back home from their long European trip, their hasty return being occasioned by the serious illness of Mr. Mann’s father. Walter S. Baldwin appeared at the head of his own company at Buffalo the past week in “‘The Black Flag.”” He can act aus well as manage, and he is good at both. Verne Ramsey, the popular treasurer of the Columbus (O.) High Street Theater, has been promoted to the position of assistant manager of the Dixon & Talbot Theaters in Columbus, Ada Zell, lately connected with the Hopkins Stock Company, of Chicago, fell recently at Put-in Bay, O,. where she was s8ojourning to recuperate her lost health, and broke her ankle. A London corespondent writes that Wm. Faversham’s recently-divorced wife denies the report that he is about to marry Julie Opp, who was his leading lady during his last tour of America. James K, Hackett will open his starring tour in Philadelphia, Sept. 15. He wil pilot the company for a few weeks and then send it. on its way, transferring his own seryice to another company. “Lost River,’’ Joseph Arthur's scenic melodrama, will commence its third season next September under Jules Murry’s management. At present the author is _ rewriting several scenes of the play. Klaw & Erlanger’s London production of “Ben Hur” has been drawing immense audiences to the Drury Lane Theater. Both the play and General Wallace’s book have — wide attention throughout Eng. and. Lester Lonergan, who has done good work with Modjeska and the Kansas City Stock Company, will join the forces of Baldwin and Melville at Buffalo and open his first stock engagement in that city in “Blue Jeans.” Owing to the continued prosperity of the BaldwinMelville Stock Company at Buffalo, N. Y., they have taken a larger theater, the Teck, which has been rented for the balance of the summer season, and will be opened July 28 with “Blue Jeans.” F. F. Procter is said to be seriously considering the stock star project in connection with his circuit of theaters. Such action on the part of managers controlling the number of playhouses directed by Procter would set the scheme in motion at every high pressure. The veteran theatrical manager, Mr. Hubert Heuck, left Cincinnati last week for Les Cheneaux, Mich., where he has a charming summer home. Mr. Heuck was accompanied by members of his family, and intends to remain at the Michigan resort the rest of the summer. Mr. Charles B. Hanford’s tour the coming season will be under the direction of Mr. F. Lawrence Walker, who has been associated with Mr. Hanford for the past ten years. The route will be practically over the same territory as last season, and will include a trip through the South and Texas, also the Middle West and a trip to the Pacitic coast, Daniel Frohman is spending a few weeks in Paris. He will visit Baireuth, accompaned by Ossip Gabrilowitsch, the young Russian pianist, who makes his second American tour of fifty recitals, beginning early in October. He and Mr. Frohman will meet Jan Kubelik, the violinist, at Baireuth, and the three will attend the Wagner festival, to be given in that city. Dorothy Usner that was and who is now Mrs. George M. Baxter, is the proud mother of a girl baby, who was born July 12. Mrs. Baxter was a member of Nat Goodwin's company, which went to Australia several years ago. She left Mr. Goodwin before the end of the tour, and when he returned to this country she sued him for alleged defamation of character. The suit never came to trial. Corse Payton has completed the selection of the players who are to be in his stock company at the Park Theater, Boston, next season. Among those to appear besides himself are Walter Wilson, Tony Cummings, Cliff C. Storch, Joseph W. Girard, George B. Berrill, Joseph Redman, Clande Payton, Will L. Wilkin, Fred. B. Rose, Chris. L. Landry and Una Abell Brinker, Pearl Landers, Dora Lombard, Minna Ferry, Elizabeth Morgan, Beatrice Lippincott, Jennie Austin and Clara Austin. The business manager will be David J. Rammage. VAUDEVILLE. The Columbia Vaudeville Company made a hit at the Old Orchard (Me.) summer theater. Hal. Reid has written a playlet for use in vaudeville entitled, “In the Days of King Herod.”* The Burt Cummins & Gore's “Warm Match” company will take the road Aug. ~ playing summer resorts until the late all. Kathryn Osterman will be seen in vaude ville next season. She opens at Detroit on Sept. 8 with the new sketch, ‘To-morrow at Twelve.” Having closed with Robinson, the Melton Twin Sisters will open with Stetson’s Big Double “Uncle Tom's Cabin,’ to do double Topsy and their specialty. La Julian, aerial gymnast, is meeting with great success in his new act on the silver frame. July 4 he appeared before President Roosevelt at Schenley Park, Pittsburg, ’a., and was greeted by the President. The Marvelous Kane’s wire act is meeting with big success everywhere. He will yay Kline’s Pavilion Theater, Flint, Mich., week of Sept. 1, with a number of fairs to follow. He will have two styles of paper the coming season, John G. McDowell met with success the week of July 13 at Lake Michigan Park, Muskegon, Mich. He has signed to play a coon part and do his specialty in the Montana Autlaw Theater Company. Rehearsals will commence July 28 at the Lyceum Theater, Detroit, Mich. e Mr. and Mrs. Frank Shade, of Kendalville, Ind., are the shortest married couple in that part of the country, both being considerably less than four feet tall. Mr. Shade is the proprietor of a confectionery in Kendalville, but has made a_ contract with a vaudeville company, and both he and his wife will return to the stage. MUSICAL. A tour of forty weeks has been booked for the Castle Square Opera Company. Phinney’s Chicago World's Fair Band will give daily concerts at the Lexington Horse Show, Fair and Carnival, Aug. 11-16. Miss Mary Cornwell, a young Washington society girl, has been engaged for the Kogers Bros.’ Company in ‘The Rogers Brothers in Harvard."’ Jean Joseph Botts’ $5,000 Stradivarius violin, which was stolen eight years ago, and the loss of which killed the owner, has been located in a New York pawnshop. Klaw & Erlanger have sold to Ben Stern their preduction of *‘Foxy Quiller,”’ which he will continue next season with a large company, headed by Richard Golden as the comic detective. Leila McIntyre has been engaged to play Princess Beauty, in “The Sleeping Beauty and the Beast.’" She is a very attractive girl, and will be “Princess Beauty” in fact as well as in the character of the play. Miss McIntyre entered upon her stage eareer When but four years of age. Manager Frank EF. Edwards, of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, has contracted for concerts next season at Oxford, Portsmouth, Columbus, Piqua, Marion, Toledo and Cleveland, O.; Ypsilanti, Detroit and Ann Arbor, Mich., and Indianapolis, Ind. Other negotiations are under way. Augusta Glose, who was with “The Liberty Belles” last season, has been re-engaged for a prominent part in that organization for the coming season. Miss Glose AGADEMY OF MUSIC READING, PA. A TRUTHFUL STATEMENT WORTHY OF CAREFUL REMEMBRANCE BY MANAGERS OF THEATRICAL COMPANIES. Stage much larger than any ether theatre in Keading. First floor much larger, Balcony much larger. Only theatre in Reading which has a separate gallery. Many more, much larger, clean and better dressing rooms. Only theatre that has a ten feet wide outside passagewny entire length of bailding on both sides. (Safety and comfort is of the utmost importance to all thoughttfal ople who patro. nize only high-class performances.) SEASON 1902-’03—-OVER $5,000 now being ex pended for all new scenery —new seats new aute-rooms front of auditorium—frescoing, carpets, etc. (@Academy of Music ander the personal MANAGEMENT of , JOHN D. MISHLER Managers, agents and actors who have visited Reading since 1872 have a very pleasant recollection of what this management means. It is to say the least unkind to circulate the report that [ would not manage the Academy. Thanks to true friends for the information of the report. Since 1804 President of the Pennsylvania Billposters and Distributers Association. Member of, Associated Billposters and Distributers of the United States and Canada. Mention“ The Billboard” when answering ads.