The Billboard 1903-06-20: Vol 15 Iss 25 (1903-06-20)

nen ‘ | i i : ; i / ; : i ; { : { f t s ' wuaneenpens ms a IRE ra ee a a = : Sey ee IEE i if i i Hl] i SIE OEE AO IE POP TIP ie 7 THE BILLBOARD JAMES O'NEILL May Star in a Shakespearean Production Next Season. Years ago, James O'Neill played Mercutio to the Juliet of Adelaide Neilson, and he bas often expressed the desire to take up that part again. When, at the close of the New York engagement, May 30, Miss Eleanor Rovson broke down to such a degree that her physician ordered a complete rest tor several days, word was at once given to all the members of the company tiat te tour would be suspended, but not for ioowe than three or four days. ‘hue ouly member ol tue cast to take exception to this was Eben iiyaupton, who promptly hied himself to Silver Lake, in Massachusetts. George C. Tyler said: “Plympion’s action amounts to sheer ingratitude. ror four years be has been drawing a fat salary from us, and we have put up with a peood deal of nonsense simply for the sake o peace. He had a tat part in In the Palace of the hing.” and after the long engagement in this ¢iiy it was Looked tor five weeks of onenight stands. iympten at once declared that Le would net go on tue road under such concitions and wiidrew from the cast."’ When Viympton'’s recent declaration was received, O° Nei was in Mer. Tyler's oifice, and, in expressing is sympathy, referred to tie days when lhe played Mercutio. Tyler proposed that O’ Neill s.oud take the part but he declared that: he didn’t remember the lines in the first place, and that, he meant to sail for Europe next week. Tyler coaxed, and finally O'Neill told him to send the part to his hotel. As a result of this, one of the obects of Tyler's visit to London next week will be to secure, if possible, a woman whom he can star with O'Neill in a Shakespearean revival in the fall. There is no_play available for the actor, and he is more than anxious to try his hand at Shakespeare if the proper arrangements can be made. Tyler will spend but five weeks on the other side, being forced to return here by August 1, when rehearsals for his seven new productions will begin. KILTIES’ BAND HOME. Belleville’s Famed Touring Organization. Pride of Canada. After the longest tour in the history of any musical organization in America, The Kilties’ Land (Gordon Highlanders, Bellville,) bas returned to Canada for three week’s rest. The dozen Hamilton members and Bandmaster William F. tobinson were met on arrival in that city by a number of their old associates in the 13th Regiment Band, relatives and friends, and at Toronto, where the majority of the Kjities reside, a proportionate number of enthustastic friends awaited the Band’s arrival. The remainder of the musicians, drummers, pipers, etc...who are froni Montreal and Belleville, proceeded to Belleville in their private car Thistle. The men came home loaded down with curios with which they were presented by admiriag enthusiasts in Old Mexico, Arizona, California, British Columbia, etc., and the fact that the forty-eight weeks’ tour has included Canadian, United States and Mexican cities, has made the men's collection varied and interesting. During the year over 300 cities have been visited from coast to coast and south to the gulf, and 32,000 miles have been covered. Remarkable to state, not a single concert was missed nor delayed by accident or otherwise, which was a _ record in itself, and every man came home the picture of health, despite the varied climatic conditious and the arduous task of giving t'vo concerts every day in order to cope with the demand for The Kilties’ services. ‘The tour closed in Boston, being the fourth appearance in that city. Cameron Brown, owner of the Band, and T. P. J. Powers, director of tour, are now in Belleville compleung arrangements for the next tour, which begins after four weeks’ rest, on July 1. The chief summer engagement will be at Willow Grove Park, Philadelphia, where the Band will appear fifty strong the greater part of July. The Kilties’ attendance record of 150,000 at that zreat resort on July 4 last having led the park lanagement to at once engage the ‘Pride of all Canada’”’ for this year. The AN INNOVATION, The Corwin H. Spencer, an excursion steamer of St. Louis, Mo., has been equipped with a stage and auditorium where vaudeville acts are put on, the bill changing weekly. PLAYS AND SKETCHES COPYRIGHTED. ALEXANDER, THE GREAT; by Victor Mapes. New Rochelle, New York. A BLUE GRASS CAVALIER; a comedy in four acts by Gertrude Andrews, Brooklyn, New ork. CAPTAIN BARRINGTON; an American drama in four acts. KING OR CONVICT; Maurice O’Neal, Milton, Mass. A MODERN PORTIA; a drama in one act by Esther J. Ruskay, New York, New York. A WIFE FOR A DAY; melocrama in four acts by Hal. neid, Chicago, Il. THE WISE MR. CONN; a farce in one act by Robert Carter, New York, New York. THE NEW STAR OR A MID-LIFE DREAM; a dramatic opus in four acts, three tableaux and three scenes, Albert Ratel de Rostaing, Chicago, Il. DRAMATIC. The Lillian Dowd Company banded at Hagerstown, Md., dates unfilled. Katherine W-..ard will begin her season in The Power Behind the Throne, at Plattsburg, N. Y., Sept. 2. The engagement is announced of Lionel Barrymore to Angela McCall, a daughter of the late duon A. MeCall. Mother Goose wjll follow the Rogers Brothers at the New Amsterdam Theatre, New York City, in December. James O'Neill succeeded recently disleaving further Eben Plympton in Liebler & Co.’s production of Romeo and Juliet at Boston, Mass. The Pike Theatre Company of Cincinnati, opened at the West End ‘Theatre, New York City, June 8, and have been playing to good business. The orchestra at the Salt Lake Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah did not suit E. H. Sothern who cut it out entirely retaining ouly the pianist. Olive Louise Barry was recently awarded an interlocuiory cegree of divorce from henneth waerbert who appeared with Blanche Walsh in fhe Resurrection. The Sleeping Beauty and the Beast, which has already enjoyed two extraordinary success ful seasons, Will Open its third tour, August 10, at Manhattan Beach. Henry Savage Las engaged Maclyn Arbuckle to play the leaaimg role in The County Chairman, George Ade’s pew rural drama, waich has been renamed several tins. ‘ue company wuich will present Way Down East next season is composed of aluost the jiuentical members who have appearea ln lie play ducing the past eight years. VUnoto Watanna’s popular novel A Japanese Nightingale, which has been dramatized by William Young, will be presented as a dramatic spectacle at Daly's Theatre in November. Mr. N. C. Goodwin will begin his season as *Bottom’’ in an elaborate production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, at the Knickerbocker Theatre in New York, October 12. Harry Woodruff, who scored a bit in Fisk's, Mary of Magdala, will next season pear in the tithe rele in’ Ben Hur when prouuction reappears in New York City long run. Mr. Forbes Robertson and Miss Gertrude Elliott, in The Light That Failed, adapted by George Fleming from Rudyard Kipling’s novel, will begin their American tour in Buffalo, September 21. Mr. Join Crawford Fowler is now resting at his home in Bradford, Pa., having closed his season as leading man with the Desperate Chance Company. He is now booking bis moving pictures and Passion Play. a Harry Bulger, the comedian who played ‘King Bardout’’ in The Sleeping Beauty and_ the Beast during the past two seasons, will be presented as a star under Klaw and Erlanger’s management early in January. Liebler and Company’s all star company canceled their dates for the presentation of Romeo and Juliet at Springfield, Mass., and Hartford and New Haven, Conn., on account of the indisposition of Eleanor Robson. gichard Buhler will star next season in a new play by Wm. M. Johnson, entitled, Paul Mrs. upthat for a Revere, under the management vf Henry B. Marks. He opens at the Columbus Theatre, Chicago, August 23, with a well-equipped production. ¢ The following people are among those now appearing in Channing Pollock’s melodrama, A Game of Hearts, which was produced at New Haven, Conn., June 1: Minnie Church, Alexander Pollock, Fletcher Harvey, Frank C. Hartwell and Mary Karr. Quite a number of theatrical people sailed for Europe recently on the steamer Philadelphia. Among them were. Mr. George Arliss and wife, Julia Marlowe, Frank Worthing, Mr. Joseph Herbert and wife, Harry Woodruff, Sam Berrard and .Miss Hattie Williams. Mr. Bluebeard, which made tie record run for attendance in the history of the Knickerbocker Theatre, New York City, will begin its season at the Alvin Theatre in Pittsburg, September 21. ‘This attraction will open the Iroquois Theatre in Chicago, October 5. Ten years ago Annie Ward Tiffany starred in a drama called The Shadows of a Great City, under the management of Charles B. and Thomas Jefferson. Next season the Jefferson brothers are to revive the old play, and have offered Miss Tiffany her original part of Biddy Ronan. W. A. Brady received u telegram June 10, from Elizabeth Marbury, stating that if he would come to London to assist in the rehearsals, Beerbohm Tree would produce Pretty Peggy at His Majesty’s Theatre on the August bank holiday. Mr. Brady hurried to New York from Asbury Park, booked his passage on the Furst Pismarck and sailed June 11. David Belasco has completed a play which he will produce in his theatre in New York the coming season. It will have no star, but a very strong general cast. The louse opens with Rlanche Pates in The Darling of the Gods for five weeks: then Mrs. Carter in Du Barry for the same length of time. After that Martha Morton’s new play, The Truth Tellers, and then telasco’s new drama. The company which originally produced Ben Hur at the Broadway Theatre, New York City, four years ago, and which has since been touring the country, will begin its fifth season in Grand Rapids, Mich., September 14. Up to this time Ben Hur has only been seen in thirtyone cities in the United States. The tour of this organization will include the principal western and Pacific Coast cities. Mr. J. C. Lewis, (Si Plunkard) wife and baby Lewis, are spendirg the summer at St. Joe. Mich., and have as their guest Will Il. Snyder, treasurer for Mr. Lewis. Mr. Bob Mack is busy at Indianapolis, getting matters in shape for their 18th annual tour which will begin at Benton Harbor, Mich.. Aug. 28. The show is booked solid in the best houses. Mr. Lewis is sparing no expense to make Si Plunk ‘ard one of the foremost rural productions for the next season. Channing Pollock, who left a newspaper posttion in Washington to venture into theatricals, as press agent with W. A. Brady, has just produced a melodrama called The Game of Hearts, which was well received at Asbury Park New York City. It is a modern blood curdler with a sensational scene in which the heroine jumps upon a power belt in order to reach the hero on another belt that is carrying him to an ore crusher. A duel in the dark is another bit of sensationalism that is incorporated in the play. PLAYHOUSES. F. W. Blood will manage the opera house at Guthrie, Okla... next season. The new Majestic Theatre at Grand Rapids, Mich., is now in course of construction. The Grand Opera House at Louisville, Ky. will remain open throughout the summer. Preparations have been made for the build ing of an opera house at Marquette, Mich. The new $23,937 vaudeville theatre at New Bedford, Mass., will be completed by October | of houses in Mags. the P. O. S. of A. Opera Hlouse at Berwick, Da Harry J. Howard has resigned his position as manager of the Lyceum and Burt Theatres at Toleco, Ohio. M. L. Crawford & Co., win Theatre Springfield, Brook & Tlouston. Gillrun, Falls, BaldMessrs. have leased the Mo., from manager of Minn... bands. that Niles, Mich is to have a ‘homas H. MeKone having refused the old honse. : the Opera Jlouse at Little would like to hear from companies with It is rumored new theatre, ° to teanage or lease A deal is now being consummated for a new theatre in Cincinnati. The deal will involve an expenditure of about $200,000 W. E. Smith is building new dressing rooms and adding a few other improvements to the New Theatre at Missouri Valley, Ia. A representative of the Orpheum Circuit was recently in St. Joseph. Mo., looking for a location on which to erect a new $100,000 theatre. Mr. N, L. Hackett is manager of the Port Gibson, (Miss.) Opera House, a progressive town situated just thirty miles south of Vicksburg and forty miles north of Natchez, This is Mr. Hackett’s second season with this house, the management of which last season having proved a perfect success to all who were coucerned. This genial manager is also Alderman of the city and manager of the Postal Telegraph Co., of that city. During his career as manager, he has made a host of friends and all the professionals that have visited that locality can testify to his liberality and business integrity. This house is booking independently this season and expects big business. It is settled that if Jake Wells wants a theatre in Mobile, Ala., he will have to build it. se has not been able to secure a ready made ouse. H. J. Rowe, manager of the opera house at Athens, Ga., writes that The Billboard is a paper that no one in -his business can afford to be without. The Iroquois Theatre, Klaw & Erlanger’s new house now in course of construction in Chicazo, will be opened October 5 with Mr. Blue Beard as the attraction. It is likely that the opera house at Princeton, Ind., will remain closed all next season, as Manager Kelser and the proprietors can not agree on a price for the lease. __R. L. Cresey recently leased the Marlove Theatre at Chicago, It will be booked by Messrs, Stair & Havlin. Sol. Brauning Las been engaged as local manager. It is said that three companies are planning to build a new theatre in St, Paul, Minn. One of the new houses is to cost $75,000 and nego tiations for the site are now pending. It is announced that Messrs. Stirling & Cornell, through their representative Harry C. Ferren, have been negotiating for a site on which to build a theatre at Batavia, N. Y. For the fourth time in four years rumors of a new opera house come from Stelbyville, Ind. This time it ig the Independent order of Odd — who intend to build and are looking for a site. Wenger's Theatre at New Orleans, La. will be converted into a modern playhouse by Henry Lehman. It has been roughly estimated that the improvements will require an expenditure of $45,000. Crump’s Theatre at Columbus, Ind., will be thoroughly renovated. The interior is also to be redecorated and improved. Manager Gottacbalk is also considering the advisability of a new curtain, J. E. Rodgers, of Minneapolis, Minn., announces that the syndicate 1s negotiating with him for the purchase of property belonging to him in Minneapolis. He claims that they intend to build a theatre. The Lyceum and Academy of Music, two new temples of amusement now in course of construction at Harrisburg, Pa., will be completed about September 1, if the expectations of the managers and contractors are realized. Manager Ed. Franzheim, of the Court Theatre, Wheeling, W. Va., is now in New York City accompanied by representative Wahlnaker. They will engage a stock company to appear through the summer at the Court Theatre. The construction work on Ramsdell Theatre at Bear Lake, Mich. has been completed and the decoration begun. The seating capacity is 1.200. An asbestos curtain will be used to sews the drop. The flies are eighty feet in eight. Wm. Foster, manager of the opera house at Des Moines. Ia., is defendant in a suit for damages filed by a Mrs. Raisbeek. who claims that on January 1, the ticket man at the Grand Opera House in Des Moines declined to sell her a ticket. The contract for a new vaudeville theatre at New Bedford, Mass has been awarded. It calls for completion by October 1, and is to cost a little less than $25,000. The new theatre will belong to Mr Sheedy proprietor “of a circuit Messrs. Miles and Ulmer are having plans “Work has commenced on the new addition to | drawn for a new $15,000 opera house to be bullt at Miles City, Mont. As soon as plans are completed the work of excavation will commence. Work will be pushed on the house so as to have it ready for opening January 1, The London Drury Lane production Ilur will the recoustructed New York Theatre early in September. Nothing now remains of this house but the four walls, the plans for its rebuilding and new decoration leaving nothing of the tuterlor of the old structure, One of the Wheeling, W. Va., Dailles recently stated that a new opera house costing $150,000 would be erected in that city and designated the location The ground is now occupied by a bowling alley and pool room on which the proprietors have a two year lease, hence the report is without foundation. Il., of Ben rhe new $40,000 theatre at Charleston, is rapidly nearing completion and will be opened August 12, by eley and Shannon in Sherlock Holmes, Bookings are being rapidly made and the house will be under the management of J. A. Parker T. G. Chambers will be business manager. The Home Theatre at Iutchinson, Kas., was recently badly damaged by the flood, The entire northwest corner of the building, which is stone, was piled into a mass. The Lyceum Stock Com pany Was beoked for June 15, so preparations were immediately made for repairing tue damaged building Fred Felton, manager of the Bell Opera House at Denton Tlarber, Mich.. writes.—My season promises to be a good one and is practically booked up to Feb. 1 My greatest difficulty being to supply the demand for open time. TI jonly play two per week however, thereby not |} surfelting my patrons Negotiations were closed for the sale of the Titusville (Pa.) Opera House, to the | Verbeck Amusement Company June 5. The Verbeck Amusement Company was formed this spring with headquarters at Of City, Pa. The company proposes to establish a circuit of | Increased to over G00. A opera Louses through northwestern Pennsylvania. Improvements to the extent of $15,000 are to on the Capital Theatre at Little Rock, Ark Six hundred new opera chairs are to be installed, aud the dressing rooms, auditorium and entrance are to be remodeled. The new chairs will be used on the first floor and balcony and gallery are to be fitted up with the chairs which formerly occupied the orchestra. Manager W. A. Miller is having the Rogers Opera House at Rogers, Ark., entirely remodeled and enlarged. The seating capacity has been new stage is being also a new balcony. Some scenery is being painted and new furniture has been installed. The building is lighted by electricity. Attractions are booked by The New York Booking Agency and Stair & Havlin. In Havana, Cuba, the civic authorities wanted to tax something for the purpose of raising ready money, so they settled upon the theatres, and laid on an imposition of five per cent, on the entire receipts of each house. The Council needed the money, but the managers had the sume ardent desire to retain it. FYnding that they could not in a legal way escape the tax they promptly closed their theatres. Then the city fathers, in response to public clamor, were compelled to yield the work or remodeling the Tiome Theatre at Hutchinson, Kan., has commenced, Much damage Was caused by the flood, water covering tue entire auditorium within a few inches of the stage, ruining the chairs, carpet. furniture and all the apnaratus which was stored under the stage. One wall of the opera house caved in and Mr. Casner, proprietor of the house, who was at work on the stage with a gang of men trying to save whatever could be moved, narrowly escaped injury. Mr. Casner bas ordered 1150 new seats and the entire house except the gallery will be reseated. The house is almost built, booked solid for next season and Manager Loe has reserved a few open dates for extra good attractions which he hopes to secure. The Lyceum theatre company is booked tor an indefinite engagement during the summer. MUSIC AND MUSICIANS. Jerome Sykes. In The Billionaire, will open his second season in New York, September 21. Arthur Gillespie and Louis Lehban have written a very pretty ballad, entitled, In Georgia. It will soon be published. George K. Fortesque and May McKenazle were recently secured to support Fay Templeton iu The-Infant Prodigy, by Clyde Fitch. Burt and John Swor have been engaged to play the roles of the scarecrow and the tin woodman in The Wizard of Oz road company, which wil! open some time in August. Manager Conried bas engaged Miss Josephine Schaffer of Brooklyn and Miss Estelle Harris, principal soprano of the church of the Divine Paternity. The Chaperons will under a new management. and Charles MeCall have from Frank L. Perley. The report that Paderewski fs in bad health has been confirmed. He is suffering from acute neuritis at his home in Switzerland, and has canceled all engagements for three months. After a successful season of 40 weeks the Canauian Jubilee Singers will close at Beeton, Ontario, Can., June 17, for a much needed rest. They will again take the road in September. The Shuberts have engaged Helen Redmond, W. P. Carleton, Tom Daniels, Clarence Harvey and Joseph ©. Miron for their production of Winsome Winnie in which Paula Edwardes will star. The be sent out next season George H. Welty obtained the rights Candy Man, a new musical comedy in three acts by Randolph Hartley and Arthur Nevin, has been delivered to R. L. Giffen, who will produce it in July. Next season the piece will be presented in New York. Rumors that the Philadelphia Orchestra ts to be abandoned for lack of support are denied by Jehn Ingham, secretary of the board of uignagers. There is every expectation of tncreasing the guarantee fund from $40,000 to $80,000 or $100,000. Contracts with all the members of the orchestra have been renewed. It is said that Mabelle Gilman has not been entirely satisfied with the way her tour in The Mocking Bird has been handled by the Sire Brothers. As a result there is talk of a split, and Miss Gilman may next season venture forth under different management. Frank Robinson, a capitalist. who has figured In theatricala befo will finance the tour. Richard Golden has signed a contract with Ilenry W. Savage by the terms of which he will be under Mr, Savage's management for five years Ile will be starred next season in one of the King Dodo companies and the year following he will be seen in a new which is now being written composer and writer, comle opera by a well known Walter Jones will star next season In a new comic opera entitled, The Sleepy King, by Geo.