The Billboard 1904-03-05: Vol 16 Iss 10 (1904-03-05)

THE BILLBOARD A PREDICTION FOR THE WEST. San Francisco, Cal., Feb. 8, 1904. Editor Billboard. Dear Sir—I trust you will pardon my _ boldness in expressing to you my individual views as to what result the present Japanese-Russian War will have upon theatricals in this country. Being a Westerner, perhaps I am enabled to see the situation in a different light than one from the Bast would, but I believe that the present war will have an influence upon the atricals, and I would not be surprised if it is not felt in the West even this season. To begin. Since the beginning of the year the atricals have picked up considerably in the West in the way of box office receipts. I state this to show that the West is not at the present time dependent upon the East from a financial standpoint. All through the West busibess is picking up and theatrical matters are in a more stable condition than during the first part of the season. The Eastern war is now attracting the attention of the world. I believe that it will result in that Oriental country being put in a position of more importance than ever before conceived of by mere man. It will make Eastern Asia a world factor, and certainly our Western States will become the open door to this newly aroused country—aroused to the fact of her importance and her power. This being so, why will not San Francisco or some western seacoast city become the metropolis of the United States by reason of her commanding position commercially and financially, and consequently theatrically. But of course this pre-eminence of some western city could not be desired at the present time because we would have te take Broadway physically and plant her in that western town in question, and it would be better to wait until the magnificent theatres adorning that historical avenue wear out by time, but then time is short in the twentieth century. How would a theatre party of the elite of the Golden City dress while going to the Greater Metropolitan Opera House to see the latest importation from Japan. What dainty novelties were worn at the special matinee; what cute Oriental romance is now taking San Francisco by storm and is eagerly sought for by our now Broadways and Wall Streets of the East, as well as what prima donna is making her last farewell trip, beginning at Frisco and touring those Eastern States which could afford the extravagance once a year? These would be exploited in the columns of the greater theatrical magazines of Frisco, and the Japanned Thespian would take the place ef the painted trouper of today. There is no politics in this, but perhaps my imagination can only be exceeded by the wrath that New Yorkers will take these paragraphs. But reilly, the present war can not but help influencing theatricals wonderfully in the West. Business generally is bound to grow irrespective of which country shall be victorious ino the struggle. I have no fear but that tuose companies booked in the West next season will “have good business. They deserve it and are paying for it now, especially in the East. Let us all be sanguine anyway. Yourg very truly, A TROUPER. A CHARACTERISTIC LETTER FROM PUNCH WHEELER. Toronto, Canada, Feb, 24, 1904. Editor Billboard. The meanest manager I ever traveled with once made the 1000 island tour and as he only counted 964 went to the captain and got a rebate on his tickets. I am the first agent up here to wear an asbestos vest, and the wagon shows are all on runners. A foxy agent is offering writers six passes for the best story about his leading lady running away in an automobile, and the comedian leaving a roll of stage-money with the hotel clerk and then running up an immense bar bill. A ‘‘Parsifal’’ lecturer struck a Canadian town and the billposter dated all the Paracamph paper he had just put up. An enormous new theatre has just opened at Quebec. The lobby is bigger than the whole Crawford circuit. It is so cold up here they put up paper with long haircurlers. A friend of mine here has a flat with such smal] rooms he is training his dog to wag his tail up and down instead of sideways. In one town the local armory is over the hall, but the soldiers only drill on show nights—that is, they begin to drill, and after 600 of them **ground arms’’ for fifteen minutes the manager sends up word he will let them all in at 25 cents per head if they want to see the show. The duty on agents is 15 cents a pound, while sausage is 20 cents. The printer must have on my dates, for when w« nsed tomato cater t out to see how the show was billed, tiiad faded so it looked like the date w: acelled. Fondly ‘T) ine, “>. .CH” WHEELER, 1206%4 Simeoe Terrace. |’ ‘adilly Roads, Royal Alley Back Yard, ( . Save the King, To ronto, W. C., Canada THOM/S W. ROSS. (See First Page.) The picture on the t..le page is that of Thos. W. Ross, the star in Checkers. It has proven to be one of the few money-makers of the New York season, and Mr. Ross practically unknown has been made a successful star. Mr. Ross has been on the stage ten years, and during that time has had experience in over three hundred reles. Mr. Ross, who is but thirty years of age, began his career in 1892 at Boston as a member of the celebrated stock company of the Boston Museum. The-season after he joined the Grand Opera House Stock in the same city, and afterwards played stock engagements in Denver, Kansas City, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Brooklyn, and for a number of seasons was with the famous Grand Opera House Stock of Pittsburg. In 1894-95 he supported Chas. Dickson and also Robert Edeson during his New York engagement of Soldiers of Fortune. It was during the latter production that Augustus Thomas, the celebrated playwright, selected him to succeed William Collier in On the Quiet, in which piece he played for fifteen weeks. It was then that Kirke La Shelle, ers, which was written for but rejected by who had accepted Check Collier, signed Ross for ten years and gave him the title role in this production. DRAMATIO, Leon Washburn was in Cincinnati last week. Ermete Novelli will make his first American tour next January. Clay Lambert, in advance of Arizona, stopped off in Cincinnati, 23. The National Stock Company disbanded recently at Chanute, Kan. Anne Ivers is reported to be making good in Resurrection in the Northwest. The Orchid has passed its 100th performance at the Gaiety Theatre in London. Joseph Jefferson begins his annual tour April 2 in Jacksonville, Fla. Oliver Broyles has joined the John Fay Palmer Stock Co. as principal character. Mrs. Sarah Cowell Le Meyne will appear this spring in Browning's Pippa Passes Michael Strogoff may be revived “in the ..est owing to the Japanese-Russian war. Walker Whiteside missed Iowa Falls, Ia., 17, on account of bad railroad connections. James K. Hackett has announced that there will be no change in his method of booking. Paula Edwardes will copyright her photograph and intends it for use as a trademark. Mme. Rejane will begin her second American tour in October. In her repertoire will be Zaza. Jane Brooks has been engaged for Clara in Dr, Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Eduard Waldmann. Miss Elsie DeTourney is to resume ber tour in Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots, next season. Gordon & Bennett will have out three Royal Slave and two Holy City companies next season. Stanley Murphy and J. W. Ashley have been engaged by Ernest Lamson for Young Tobe Lloxie. Richard Mansfield moved into the New Amsterdam Theatre March 1 for a four weeks’ engagement. The new play, Bigamy, by Morton Powell, proved a success at the Theatre Royal, Corydon, England. A special concert tour in Europe has been arranged for June and July next for Miss Van Studdiford. Amelia Birgham, in her costly production of Olympe, is touring the large cities of New York State. W. B. Patton, now leading man in The Minister’s Son Company, will be seen in a new play next season. The Other Girl, at the New Empire Theatre, New York City, will reach its 100th performance March 14. The Admirable Crichton recently reached its 100th performance in the New Lyceum Theatre, New York City. The F. E. Long Stock Company is booked solid and will close the season at Duluth, Wis., the first week in June. A new play, When a Man’s Married, by Murray Carson and Norah Keith, will shortly be produced in London. Eduard Waldmann, the German-English actor, will appear next season in The Merchant of Venice and Hamlet. Mistress Nell was given its first Pacific Coast performance recently by the Baker Theatre Company at Portland, Ore. Creston Clark, a nephew of the late Edwin Booth, hag joined Amelia Bingham to play a leading role in Olympe. The Secret of Polichinelle is reported to be playing to overflowing houses at the Garden Theatre, New York City. George Hammond, William Clifford, Joe Williams and Ben Lander have closed with the Walker Whiteside Company. The Never Never Land, by Muriel Foster, of London, England, is reported to be making a successful tour of the provinces. George Foster Platt, the manager of the Academy at Wilwaukee, Wis., has written another drama, The Rich and the Poor. The Franklin Stock Co. is now organizing at Port Huron, Mich., for a seventeen weeks’ tour under the management of A. A, Jack. Edward Ledger, proprietor of the Era, of London, England, recently underwent an operation for appendicitis. He is convalescing. The Fakir of Kokomo is the title of a new production by Harold McGrath, of Kokomo, Ind., which will take the road next season. The Arm of the Law is a new play that was produced for the first time om any stage in the Garrick Theatre, London, England, Feb. q Salvini is not coming to the United States this year after all. The contract providing for his visit has been canceled by mutual consent. James Welch, who has contracted to produce a one-act comedy in London, will have a theatre of his own next winter according to reports. Leading dramatic and vaudeville people of London, England, are arranging to give a huge benefit for Clement Scott, the famous dramatic critic. The 100th performance of Sweet Kitty Bellairs at the Belasco Theatre will be given March 12. Miss Crossman is still playing to capacity andiences. Brandon Tynan will be under the management of David Belasco. His vehicle will be an Irish play which he and Mr, selasco are now collaborating upon. Two members of the Lennon — Company were married in Chamberlain, S. D., Feb. 6. They were Rex Leslie Kingdon and Beatrice La Veign. True James presented O14 Melody for its initial appearance at the Grand Opera House, Evansville, Ind., after rehearsing for three weeks at the Peoples. A movement hag been started by a number of players to discourage dramatists from representing the theatrical profession in a Iludicrous light in thelr plays. Cyril Hayward, of London, England, has written a new play called The Sadducee and the Sinner. It met its first production in the Royal Theatre, in Manchester, England, on Feb. 29. Franklin Fyles is going to rearrange his play, Kit Carson, for Ralph Stuart. e piece was used by a stock company at the American Theatre, New York, two seasons ago, for a trial week. Fiorence Roberts has moved into Montana, broken all her previous records at Butte and is now cheerfully contemplating the Colorado silver circuit where she always plays to capacity business spring Joe Jefferson, dean of the American actors. celebrated his 75th birthday Feb. 20, and all Palm Beach turned out to do him honor. A big French breakfast was tendered the actor at Bove d’Ete. Manager P. P. Craft hag engaged Sie Hassan Ben Ali's Five Whirlwinds as an extra feature for Conroy & Mack’s Comedians for the balance of yng The Arabs jioned at York, Pa., on Feb. 29. Gordon & Bennett, managers of A _ Royal Slave Company, have purchased the rights of Holy City for next season, and will open the same in Baltimore July 28, with a capable company of thirty-five people. Charles Edwin Inslee, of the Baker Theatre Company, Portland, Ore., has been loaned by Manager George L. Baker to Paul Gilmore to take the place of G. Arthur Yielding in The Mummy and the Humming Bird. Quincy Adams Sawyer recently reached its 2,000th performance at the American Theatre. New York. Copies of the book from which the play takes its title were distributed to the ladies in the orchestra and balcony. John Drew is meeting with greater success than ever before in his revival of The Second in Command, Captain Marshall's spirited military comedy, which Belasco, Mayer and Price have secured for White Whittlesey’s Pacitic Coast tour. Stephen Phillips has been commissioned oy Viola Allen to write a play for her use next Season, with Joan of Are ag the central figure. Scott Craven, Miss Allen’s former leading man, is now in Europe to make arrangements with Mr. Phillips. The Queen of the West Company is playing to good business in New Jersey under the management of Mr. Edward Evans. Mr. Evans has now four companies on the road: The Evans & Ward, Uncle Joshua, Colmer & Hutson, and Alice Cole, in Queen of the West. Frederic Belasco and his general manager, BE. D. Price, are going to New York shortly and are awaited with expectation upon the Rialto, as they will have some one hundred and twentyfive players to engage for their Pacific Coast stock' companies and traveling organizations. The Everyman Company followed Viola Allen into the Knickerbocker Theatre, New York, ‘n a Twelfth Night production in the characteristic style of this capable company of players. Edith Wynne Mathison characterized Viola. The role of Malvolio was taken by Ben Greet. Clyde Fitch’s Way of the World, written for Elsie de Wolfe, will soon have its first Western performance at the San Francisco Alcazar. The first act is very curious. The characters are all riding in automobiles in Central Park, aud the effect of motion is produced by a panoramic scenic device. Mack & Armour’s Comedians were forced to cancel several dates on account of serious sick ness in the company. They report people turn ed away at Fulton, Mo., and 8S, R. O. business at Jefferson City. Mr. Mack has been offered a great deal of time next year on some of the best city circuits. Miss Georgia Waldron, who for several seasovs has been associate star with David Higgins in At Piney Ridge and Up York State, owing to ill health will not play again this season, but will be seen next season at the head of her own company, an individual star, in a new play of Southern life. The French Society at Columbia University will produce Les Vivacites du Capitaine Tic, by Eugene La Biche as its play this year. Three performances will be given in the Brinckerhoff Theatre of Barnard College on March 14 and 15. William A. Tice, '04 college, has been selected to manage the show. The supporting company of John Drew, in The Second in Command, are as follows: Chas. F. Gotthold, Monroe Salisbury, George Howard, Reginald ‘Carrington, Ernest Glendinning, O'Kane Hillis, Albert Shay, Lewis Baker, Robert Schable, Sidney Herbert, Miss Margaret Dale, Ethel Hornick and Constance Bell. Frank Wallace, Lewis Morrison and Robert Downing, of Knoxville, Tenn., have organized a stock company, which will play in that city and Chattanooga during the spring and summer. Mr. Wallace has engaged a clever set of people, and will put shows on nightly, with two matinees, changnig his bill twice each week. Music lovers of Peoria, Ill., will have quite a few musical attractions’ this spring—a concert by the Chicago Orchestra in March, the April Festival to be given by Mr. Damrosch, three performances by the Savage Opera Company, a concert by Max Heinrich and his charming daughter, and a gong recital by the fascinating George Hamlin. Aubrey Boucicault has entered suit against W. A. Brady and Sam S. and Lee Shubert for approximately $50,000 damages for breach of contract. It will be remembered that the tour of Captain Charlie was closed abruptly, which Boucicault claims was due to mismanagement. W. A. Brady declares Boucicault terminated the contract himself. Edna Aug, of Cincinnati, attorney, A. H,. Hummel, Manager Leander A. Sire to recover $£10,™ damages. She believes she has suffered this monetary loss through the alleged failure of Mr. Sire to keep a contract with her which called for her presentation as a star in a piece by Martha Morton to be known as A Four Leaf Clover. Belle Gold was campelled to close her tour in A Colorado Waif at Lincoln, Neb., on Feb. 11. Her manager left her, ostensibly to buy new paper in St. Paul, Minn., January 30. The show was doing well and making quite a hit. Miss Gold left for New York, and was immediately engaged by Gus Hill as principal sou brette in MeFadden’s Row of Flats, and opened in Buffalo Feb. 22, without a rehearsal, Richard Mansfield is to do a dramatic version of Parsifal, but he will not be the first. Frederie Belasco, who has something of his brother David's daring, will make an elaborate Parsifal production at the San Francisco Alcazar March 14. Fitzgerald Murphy has completed the dramatization and the Wagner music has been condensed by Manuel Klein, director of Daniel Frohman’s New Lyceum eatre. Parsifal is a play dealing with the legends of the Holy Grall. lAebler & Company say that the Washington’s Birthday receipts from their six attractions were the heaviest in thelr careers as managers. Eleanor Robson, in Merely rey Ann, played to $2,764; Kyrle Bellew to $2,63 Ada Rehan and Otis Skinner; at the ian Opera House, drew $2,867 in two oo Out-of-town ‘performances were in yt so the managers say it can hardly i a bad season. Forman & Fleming’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin Company opened Oct. 10 with a swell line of paper, new foot car, and a novelty in the way of a U, T. C. parade. We have placed an order for all new Tom ecenery and band has instructed her to enter suit against which are the best money could buy. Mr. Fleming goes with the Pawnee Bill Show for the summer and Mr. Formin will attend to oftice duties A their suitr, 42 Lewis Block, Buffalo, N. Percy Herbert, with the Younger Brothers Company, closed the show Feb. 15, at advice of A. A. Jack, his manager. Several people claim to own the play and Mr. Jack declines Litigation—leaving the would-be owners to fight it out. Mr. Jack will reopen the old reliable Franklin Stock Company, now booked, and will use new peo; le—capable of specialty work anil willing to pliy parts. See ad. in want column of this issu White Whittics+y. who ctars upon the Coast next season, ig sha.ine with Lackaye the honors of The Pit, which haus created a sensation at the Lyric, in New York. !'> personates Corthrell, the aesthetic young arti<t, educated in Europe, with a soul full of poetry and music, Lackaye is the plain, blunt, bustling wheat speculator. Both love the typical American girl. The dramatic interest is tremendous. Whittlesey is commended for the elegance, poise and perfect art of bis personation. Gaston Serpette conducted the first performance in London of his comic opera, Amorette, Feb. 17 at the Comedy Theatre under the management of Frank Curzon. M. Serpette’s music delighted the audience. The Daily Mail says: “The piece is creditable, and the lyrics, for which Ernest Boyd Jones is responsible, reveals some facility in the making of ‘singable’ verse, but are not remarkable for humor. They serve, however, to carry Serpette’s exceedingly gay and tuneful music. Miss Mabel Gilman makes a charming heroine.”’ American players of ability never have to ‘rest’? long in London. Mabelle Gilman is playing the heroine in Amorelle, while Blanche Ring has a leading part In Love Birds at the Savoy. Meanwhile, Maud Hoffman, who was seen first by English play-goers in The Cardinal, with E. S. Willard, has been paid the compliment of selection by the Oxford University Dramatic Society to play Rosalind in its coming production of As You Like It. The patrons of the Academy of Music, at Baltimore, Md., who wished to see Frank Daniels last week had free transportation to the house from any part of the city. Mr. C. B. Dillingham and the management of the house established a bus line for the convenience of its patrons and named it the “Frank Daniels Bus Line.’ The car lines are still tied up, causing much inconvenience in reaching the theatre, hence the omnibuses. When Mr. Daniels arrived in the city on Suriday evening he Was surprised to learn that he had entered the bus business. The Zingarri Co., in My Uncle from New York (W. Y. Turner, Mgr.) is playing to good houses fa the Northwest. e company numbers twelve people and carry band and orchestra, and introduces new and novel specialties between acts. The roster of company reads: W. Y. Turner, Mgr.; Mrs. M. E. Turner, leading lady; R. M. Doyle, leading man; Cc. Townsend, juvenile lead; Miss Mayme Turner, ingenue. The roster of band is: Prof. C. A. Townsend, leader; Geo. Clotter, cornet; H. W. Beals, mellophone; A. L. Fletcher, trom bone; G. A. Kamrand, baritone: Albert Sohlberg, tuba; Walter Turner and R. M. Taylor, drums. Alfred Klein, comedian, died Feb. 22 in a sanitarium at Amityville, L. I. He had been ill for more than a year. He first suffered from nervous prostration and recently his mind failed Born in England in 1864, he came to New York as a boy and made his stage debut with Denman a in a comedy part in A Farmer's Daughter. He made a pronounced hit as Brother Pelican in Falka, a comic opera, and as Buttons in Wang and in El Capitan. His brother, Charles Klein, wrote the libretto of the latter opera. He leaves a widow and daughter and three brothers, Herman, Charles and Manuel Klein. who are well known in musical and theatrical circles. An eloquent tribute to the sincere, dignified and earnest work of the F. F. Proctor Stock Companies was recently paid by Mr. Augustus Thomas. After witnessing the performance of his pet drama, Alabama, at one of Mr. Prector’s stock theatres in New York City recently, Mr. Thomas said with the aa emphasis and deliberation that distinguished him: ‘‘This little company of players rehearsed my piece only five mornings I believe they did not even have the advantage of seeing the scenic sets in advance. They simply studied from my prompt book, under the guidance of a stage manager, who had possibly seen my play performed once before. When I saw this company produce the play on Monday afternoon, its very first performance simply amazed me by its smoothness, its intelligence, its thorough grasp of the situations and plot. I did not think that any company no matter how composed, could do work so well within so short a time. I say. without hesitation and without fear of contradiction, that in nearly all roles this piece was as well produced by Mr. Proctor’s stock company, within that remarkably short period of time, as it was originally at Yalmer’s Theatre. I take off my hat to the later day stock companies, and to Mr. Proctor’: In particular."’ PLAYHOUSES. The opora house at Terrell, Texas, has been permanent.¥ closed. The Chaiiberlin management fs to build a $50,000 thettre at Sterling, IN. It is an assured fact that Leavenworth, Kan., will have a new theatre next fall Arthur Duran has me treasurer of the Grand Opera House at Evansville, Ind. The Casto Theatre, at Lawrence, Mass., closed Feb. 57 for Lent, but will reopen A + It is proposed to turn the Moline Ill.) Indus. trial Home into a ground floor theatre Weber & Rush renewed the lease on the Park Theatre, Youngstown, Ohio, for another year. The Dalley Stock Company, of St. John, N. B. Canada, has gone to Halifax for a short season. The Pratt Theatre, at Fulton, Mo., will ve formally opened March 15 by Walker Whiteside. The Lyceum Theatre, at Syracuse, N. Y. still in Gorknese, and will be the rest of ‘me season. It is reported that the Wednesday matinee = Ang cut out by the New York theatres next _ are being made at the Meriden TheA Meriden, Conn., looking to the public sa The “om Philli Theatre, at Richmond, Ind., will be remodeled and made into a modern playhouse. seats installed in the Princess ‘Thetre “at hand. ea nstalled in re at 7