The Billboard 1903-06-13: Vol 15 Iss 24 (1903-06-13)

THE BILLBOARD class of musical comedies with which Lederer has long been associated. The managers in Gotham are having a real nice, brotherly time of it. When the Shubert brothers reached the end of their lease of the Herald Square Theatre they figured that they had not been well treated by Hyde and Behbman, who they allege, had privately expressed the willingness to turn over to them the theatre, but which instead was leased to Klaw & Erlanger and Charles Frohman. To “get even"’ the Shuberts removed from the structure everything in the form of brass trimmings, glass door panels, and draperies that they had added to the house during their occupancy of it. The removing of the seats was prevented only by some concessions granted them by the owners. It happens, however, that the Shubert’s have leased the Madison Square Theatre for a term of years beginning the first week in October. Frohman now hag the theatre, and his occupancy of it will last until just four days before the Shuberts take possession. It is understood that when the new lessees come into their own they will find that not only all the draperies but the decorations and all the seats will have disappeared, and the house wit be found in the ex The above is an excellent nicture of Georgia Gardner, the popular actress well known to the vaueeviile world. Miss Gardner has been on the stage since childhood, making her first appearance with the famous Baby Pinafore com pany Later she was leading lady with tbe late J. K. Emmett and later with Charlies Frobman. appearing in Tfhermidor, Held by the Enemy and the original Jane company. She has been very successful in the vaudeville feild and in company with Joe Maddern, recenti) produced two new sketches in New York City. eutitled, Jimmy's Marle, by George Henry Trader and Alice ©. Ives, author of The Villaxe Postmaster, and Actions Speak Louder than Words, by Willard Holcomb, author of Gringore, the OiPoot hunger, ana Mer Last Hehearsal. act condition in which ft was when Frohman took charge of it several seasons ago. The new Colonial Theatre which was recently opened at Annapolis, ad., is up-to-cate in all its accommodations. There are six boxes on the ground floor, 190 chairs in the orchestra and stv chairs in the orchestra circle, all antique mahogany, veneered In the baleony are 232 chairs of the same material. The gallery will comfortably seat 390 persons, and is located above and back of the first baleony. The theatre has a proscenium opening, 30 teet wide and Q feet high, back of which is a large stage. equipped with beautiful scenery from Lee Lash’s studio, New York. ihere are twelve dressing rooms. The curtain was painted by W. i. Labb, of Philadelphia, The scene is taken from Holland, and includes a rustic stone bridge and sparkang streams, The fresco work of ine walls and ceilings was designed and ex ecuted by Charles Hummel, of Baltimore, Md. The Colonial Theatre Company of Annapolis ts incorporated with the following officers; President, E. D. Wolffe, Norfolk, Va.; vice-president, ©. BE. Pord, secretary, and treasurer, J. P. Hor sey, of Baltimore, The directors are the above wticers and John F. Waggaman and Charles Kk. Neff. The resident manager is W. A. Holle baugh. The building was erected by Wells & Ward, of Annapolis. Neff & Thompson of Norfolk, are the architects. oan MUSIC AND MUSICIANS. A French band led by Henri Movin will be heard in this country next season. Manager Conried bas engaged the soprano, Milka Temina, for the next mecropelitan opera season, the Princess of Wales will be made an honorary dector of music by Londen University this month. Manager Conried writes that he has engaged Milka Ternina, the noted soprano, for the next Metropolitan Opera House season. bh. W. Bromilow visited Chicago las week to witness a new musical production which the firm of Bu‘terfield & Bromilow have an option on for next season. Fred Sanger, orchestra director of the Ner Gilmore Theatre at Springfield, Mass., was recently elected assistant secretary of the Ameri can Federation of Musicians. John Kendrick Bangs has resigned from the editorship of the Metropolitan Magazine and will devote all his time to writing beoks for comic sentte. The position paid him at the rate of $10,000 per year. The cast of the musical comedy in which Edna Aug will star next season includes Madeline Beasley, Carrie Perkins, Josie Sadler, Louis Harrison, Arnold Daly, Mobdert Paton Gibbs and a large chorus, Miss Jane Maria, a St. Louls girl, for three seasons leading soprano with Henry W. Savage's opera company as Josephine Ludwig, recently made a successful debut in Gounod’s masterpiece as Juilette in Paris. Rumor has it that Francis Wilson has determined to abandon comic opera and the — entirely. The impossibility of getting a t able production for next season ig, it is said, to a large degree responsible for his decision. It is sald that the Maurice Grau Opera Company in the last five years has earned total annual dividends amounting to 200 per cent. for that period. The average sum made each year Was $00,000. Last year just ended it was $120,UO), Another complete upset in summer plans has been handed to Sam Bernard and Miss Hattie Williams, both of whom have been ordered to report to Charles Frohman in London as soon as possible. They sailed on the steamship Philadelphia on June 3. The Candy Man, a musical comedy in three acts, by Kandolpn Hartley, critic and librettist, and Arthur Nevin, composer, has been delivered to R. L. Giffen, the manager, who will produce it in July. Next season the piece wiil be presented in New ork City. The Walnut Street Theatre Company of Philadelphia have secured control of Al. Aaron's, Miss Knickerbocker. The cast will be strengthened 80 as to have the production in readiness for the opening at the Herald Square Theatre, New York City, June 15, for a summer run. Before sailing for London, ‘“Teddy’’ Marks told several of his intimate friends that when he returns to this country he will bring with him a genuine Irish band, which be claims is now ftamous throughout Ireland. He will give it a trial in Canada and if successful will tour the United States The roster of the Aosenthal Opera Company alternating between New Bedford and Fall River, Mass.. is as follows:—Nace Francis, Charles Deland, Emile Barrangon, Will Sheerer, Ilenry Vogei, Lester Reeves, Misses Kuth Fraycis, Pauline Johnson, Rhoda Bernard, Sadie “ucDonald and a cuorug of twenty people. The success of The School Giri, with Miss Edna May in the title role, has been of such proportions that Messrs. Charles Frouman and worge Edwards have deciued not to produce the play in New York in October, but to continue tee run in London for at least a year and then bring the whole company across. The sale af seats is $50,000 abheao. Joun Harrington, a New York newspaper man, who has written some very clever children’s books, bas tried bis Land at comic opera with so much success that William G. Stewart is to woduce his Tne Golf Girl at the Grand Opera House, New York City, early in July. The principal sceme is laid in Cuba, and touches in a satirical way upon the invasion of that island by American tourists. The London Musical Standard has an article of considerable length on Paul Juon, the Kaussian composer. He wag born in Moscow in 1872, of Swiss parents. At home he studied composition under Aversky, and in 18%:, studied at Berlin under Bargiel. He twice won the Mendelssohn scholarship, and two years ago was awarded a prize by the Franz Liszt Institute of Weimar. His themes are Russian, bis technic German or Brabmsian. Attotr Weie, tue leader of Florodora and fhe Silver Slipper orchestras, who was married o Jane Peyton recently in Philadelphia, was he victim of an odd mistake. In his burry to get over to the Quaker City with the marlage license he did not scan the document he surriedly picked up, and arriving there was waite upset to discover that he had brought along with him a copy of his lease on a cozy lat imstead of the required license. The marclage bad to be put off for a cay while Weld ustled back to New York to secure the genuine article. miss Virginia Earl bas a very uncomfortable uuminer ahead of her. Inactivity for a year as resuited in much flesi.—so much, in fact at she is unbecomingly steut. It is part of her contract with the Shuberts that in their aew production she must appear as a bey, and in ber present condition this is absolutely jmwesibie. Miss Earl bas“made arrangements for daily lessors and private practice in a gymnasium, and with careful attention to an antial diet, she hopes to become sylph-like before he fall. Her agreeinent with we Suubert’s woes not call for her appearance as a star at mice. She will have te leading role in a nusical comedy, and if all goes well will be ut at the head of a company next year under he same manager. The new Drury Lane production, Mother Goose, which Klaw and Erlanger are to produce here next season, will be slightly Americanized with some bright new songs which Mr. Fred. Solomon, the composer, bas just placed with his eubvlisners, M. Witmark and Sons. Mr. Selomon has also sent the above house two new Ougs tor air. Bluebeard, entitled When the soldiers March Away, a stirring martial love ong, and The Rose of the Orient, a ballad; both of which will be sung by Adele Rafter aext season. Auother «f this versatile com poser’s latest numbers, is a dainty ingenue soug “alled I Can't Guess Whom It's ler, which will be introduced in The Sleeping Beauty and the Beast, by Mise i‘la McIntyre. Hi Henry's Minstreis cused the season at Janesville, Wis.. May 30. Billy Van will be featured with Haverly’s linstrels next’ season, after Many years” asselation with the West minstrel organization. i. > torts, agent of John W. Vogel's Minstrels, discovered a young swede in the wilds of northern Michigan who plays a selo on a double bass violin and draws a tove from the in strument richer and fuller than a cello tone. Ilis instrament is a full sized four string bass. His barmony is as clear as a bell and he will be one of the features with Vogel's Minstrels hext season. Bush Temple Church Choir Minstrels, a company recruited from the principal cuoirs in Chiage and vicinity, will commence a short summer engagement at Bush Temple, Chicago, June is. A tour of the Central Western States will ollow. W. L. Bush, proprietor, and George C. Dent, manager, have already placed a number of very stecessful engagements in and around the Windy City. VAUDEVILLE. May & Miles are playing parks this season. The Flying Lenos bave sigeed wiih the Hall Carnival Company. Estrella Gorman has joined the Star Dramatic Company to do specialties. Hotel Lexington at Baltimore, Md. has opened a roof garden and will present high class vaudeville acts. Pelot, the juggling comedian, introduce a new act. ern parks. Kertha Rels and A. B. Lewis have joined hands and will have a high class va ville sketch for next season. Fudge & Stafford’s vaudevztle show under canvas, opened June 4, at Fairlawn Park, De will shortly He is now playing west eatur, DL, for the summer, Edua Aug, the Cincinnati vaudevilie performer ill star next season in a musical comedy under the management of Leander 8. Sire. The bouk was written by A. Baldwin Sloane. Marie Wainwright will desert vaudeville next season to appear in Twelfth Night, Much Ady About Nothing, As You Like It, Amy Mobsarf, — Sehool for Scandal and Francesca de Kimini. You Turkey, an oriental acrobat, while making bis ‘“‘slice for life’’ at Baltimore, Md., on a high wire, feil thirty feet to the ground. He was given immediate attention in tne hospital on the grounds. Sam and Lucy Lingerman, magical, musical and ventriloguial entertainers, report splendid business in Prof. Lingerman’s Palace of Amusements at White Marsh Valley Park, Chestnut Hill, Va. Prof. J. Fink, and his wonderful troup of educated mules have cancelled their dates for the month of June on account of a misfortune which befell one of the animals at Stratford, Park, Obio. His July dates will fi 5 ‘There are to be more black stars in the field next season, as it is now a current report that Cole and Johnson will have a big company of ebon-hued entertainers to support them in an Afro-American musical comedy that they wil write fer their own use. The Tuson Sisters, fancy rifle shots, and the Ottes, Nick and Lena, comic acrobats and Spauish ring artists, have signed for fifty-two weeks with the KHlectric Star Company, to open Aug. 1, at Corydon, Ind. There are openings for two more good people in the company. Benj. H. Brown, last season orchestra band leader for Forepaugh-Sellg show, closed an eight mouths’ engagement as musical director at Maloney’s Vaudeville Wheatre, Omaha, Neb., and opened May Sv to direct the orchestra at Matt Kusell’s West End Park, Champaign, ills. J. M. Russell is organizing a small company to play western Penn., and eastern Uhio. The show will open in New vasue, Pa., about June 15, carrying a Gv ft. top and a 40 ft. middle piece, with 18 people doing vaudeville specialties. This is a class ef attraction that has not yet been attempted in this section. Orin G. W. Monroe is booking a new company to be known as the Electric Star Vaudeville Company and will carry 25 or 30 of tue best people. He bas selected a route of 122 towns which are fast being booked to play three night stands, opening at Corydon, ind., August 1. He has engaged the Tuson Sisters, in fancy ritle aunooting and has a few vacancies for ftrst-class vaudeville people. He can be addressed at Valley City, Ind. FARCE COMEDY. The Southern Peck’s Bad Boy Company will take tue road from Ashtabula, Ohio, early in sugust. Their time is booxed solid. The show Wiit carry a special line of new paper. Thompson's Wives, a very lauguable farcecomedy written by Arthur L. Robb of Baltimore, was recently produced in that city at Chase's Theatre. An auspicious audience Was present which seemed to greatly enjoy the comical situations. it is reported that John Henry, Dan Daly's new comeuy, is a Mat failure and if it were not | for the star the production would be nil. Tue salle source states that Mr. Daly's health is so poor that he is scarvely able to drag himself from his hotel te the theatre. A search is being ade for a new play in which be will star next sexson. May Vouses, now appearing in A Fool and iis Money at the Madison Square Tueatre, New } York, and Géorge Broadhurst met at a luncheon recently and engaged In conversation about the possibilities of a servant girl as the star of a comedy. Miss Vokes was enthusiastic on the subject. and said: “it's net only in the home that these girls are humorous, for only today im a car across the wuy arom me sat two types of the servant girl, each evidently enjoying her day off. Tuveir clothes were much better than mine—one of them had on a swell tailor-made suit and the other a covert coat that made me wish 1 owned it. But their hats gave them away, and it was a circus to watch them try io talk and act like the people they worked for. Outside. of the slavey a chorus girl is th funniest thing on earth, and I'd like to play a real high-toned servant role or one of those haughty chorus ladies that Fay Templeton imitates so cleverly." Here Broadhurst broke in with this statement: ‘I've just thought of a better part for you than either of these, and s wul write a play for you in which you can star as a slavey and then, by a sudden unexpected fortune, as the mistress of the house. che fun will come in your trying to cover your lavey sins with multitude of second-hand dresses and manners."" “It's a go."’ replied Miss Vekes. and apparently her immediate future is settled. Bromilow & Butterfield are now located in their new quarters, Suite 10, New York Theatre Building, booking and arranging for their attractions for next season. The wife of Richard L. Crescy, the wellknown Chicago theatrical manacer is suing him or divorce, naming his stenographer as corespondent. She asks for $150 per month alimony. President Samuel Spencer of the Southern Railway Company says that the road will be fouble-tracked between Washington and Atlanta and $25,000.000 spent to betterment, including double trackage. kK. 2. Fox opened his store room show in Brazil, Ind., to geod business. He plays Vincennes, June 1-12. He carries one wagon, two orses, ten dogs, one lady slack wire walker, me lady hoop roller, one lady juggler. The stage doorkeeper of the Londen Lyceum, a post which he has held for twenty-seven years ately made the somewhat suprising remark that he had never seen a play in his life. never avine been able to quit his station during a performance. Miss Lauretta Jefferson, a granddaughter of Toseph Jefferson, made her debut as an amateur actress at Montclair, N. J., recently, appearing as Enid Thurston in Our Regiment. Miss Jefferon showed much cleverness and was highly complimented by her. friends. Mrs. Elizabeth McNeill, who is said to be one f the original Floredora Sextette girls, was recently granted a divorce from Neill MeNeill, ‘ate of the Anna Held company. She was given the right to marry again. The divorce was obtained on the grounds of continual drunkenness ind cruelty. The report that John Wilkes Rooth died recently at Enid, Okla., is strenuously denied by persons familiar with the case who sey that it is positive that Booth was buried in Raltimore Md., and his remains were identified by mauy persons on their exhumation and removal from Washington to Baltimore. All Paris is humming, whistiing and singing American songs just now. ‘‘Rag time’’ tunes are @specialiy popular and one of the favorite selections is thus entitled, ‘“‘Attim in ze ole totien ternite."’ Translated into the vernacular this represents ‘“‘Hot time in the old town tonight.’’ In a certain New York theatre a card on which the following is printed is presented to ihe women who do not remove their hats: Could you take off your hat? It’s rather in the way. It may be I am cranky, but—! I paid to SEE this play. W. H. Pilcher writes as follows from Chandlerville, Ills.:—We have been traveling the rocky road for six months here on account of rain. Crops are late but with fair weather from now on we ought to have an average preduction and good business in ai: lines. We have the biggest little town in the state for shows. We need a new opera house badly, however. The chorus people of the Savage companies must have the reputation among the sneak thief fraternity of being well to do. It was in Chieago at the Studebaker that the girls of the grand opera company were robbed during the time they were on the stage assisting in the giving of a sacred concert, and on May 18 in New York tue men of the Sultan of Sulu company were, during a performance, similarly relieved of all their spare cash by some light fingered individnal who entered the dressing rooms and rifled the clothing found there. At the Libertad Theatre, Manila, a number of Americans in the audience stormed the stage and stopped a seditious play which had excited and incensed them. In the piece was a climax in which the heroine throws to the ground the American flag and raises in its stead the banner of the Katipunan Secret Society. It was at this juncture that the Americans rushed to the stage, while the actors and the audience took to their heels. Colonel Tolentino. a former insurgent who wrote the piece, will probably be prosecuted The above is a very good picture of Mr. George N. Buchhalter, the popular and efficient manager of the Park Theatre, Butler, Pa. Mr. Buchhalter is a hard worker, always has bis ear to the ground and is constantly laboring to please his patrons. For two years he was manager of the Park and for the past eight years has been lessee and manager, and has brought that house up to its present high standard. Mr. Puchhalter numbers his friends by the hundreds, beth in and out of the profession. FOREIGN. ’ Manager Conried has engaged the soprano Milka Ternia for the next Metropolitan opera season. Tee Princess of Wales will be made an honorary dector of music by London University this month, The Germans have erected a theatre in Kiao-Chow, China, where they will present Geérman plays in their mother tongue. Ellis Jeffreys. the English actress, has been granted a diverce from the Hon. F. G. Curzon. Curzon is a son of the late Lord Howe. Mr. James T. Powers and his wife Miss Rachel Booth, are at the Victoria Hotel, Loudon. Mr. Powers says he is arranging to take A Princess of Kensington, to America. Signor Guards Bassi, May 30 at Covent Garden, London, confirmed the report that he had been engaged by Mr. Conried for next season at the Metropolitan Opera House. Alfred Austin, the Poet Laureate (7?) of England, has written a play called Flodden Field. It is in one act with lyrics and interludes and is to be produced by Beerbohm Tree on the occasion of the benefit for Guy's Hospital. It has been arranged that Mme. Sarah Bernhardt’s season at the Adelphi, London, shall begin on June 16. Among the plays in which she will be seen are Werther, Theroigne de Mericourt, La Dame and Camelias and possibly La Tosca. The Strand, from the Cecil to Trafalgar Square and the Haymarket, up to Conventry St.. in these days looks like the Rialto section of Broadway wiih theatrical managers and theatrical stars of greater or lesser magnitude, who are to be seen about. At the 200th performance of The Admirable Crichton at the Duke of York's Theatre, Londen, Charles Frohman gave as a souvenir, a handsome portfolio, containing eleven colored pictures of characters in the play, and a map of the imaginary island on which the story deve lopes. Director Foscanini, of Scala, Italy, has taken a stand against encores in serious operas. refused to grant one in The Masked Ball. which was recently revived. and went out the house, leaving his assistant to gratify the clamorous if he chose. Mme. Adelina Patti, left London, May 30, for Mont Dore, France, where she will take the waters, and thence probably go to Switzerland, ee eee ——