The Billboard 1904-03-12: Vol 16 Iss 11 (1904-03-12)

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THE BILLBOARD correspondence should be directed to the Grand Opera House. The Des Moines (lowa) City Council has passed a theatre ordinance that is to govern the erection and condition of playhouses in that city. Asbestos curtains are not demanded, but may be installed by the Managers us un extra precaution against fire. — The opera house at Kingsley, cently destroyed by fire. ing a tire in the house preparatory to a rehearsal had a narrow escape from the burning wuilding, making an exit by smashing a window aud dropping to the ground. lowa, Wags feA Wan who was start Mr. Bud Manty, treasurer of the Olympic Theatre at St. Lowis, Mo., was married on Mareb 1 to Miss Rica Voss After the wed ding repast the couple left for an extended tour of the South. ‘The bride is very promiuently connected in St. Louis. The Menominee New Opera House has closed indefinitely The Turner Opera House in Menominee, under the management ot Alien B Be Dell, however, is open for business. It has a seating capacity of Su, with new scenery sud it has been newly decorated. The new theatre at Seattle, Wash., to be kuoWn as the Orpheum Theatre, is being built it will have a seating capacity of 600, and will be a first-class vaudeville house. It will be managed by Arthur Marks, manager of the Grand Upera House in Butte, Mont. The Globe Theatre at St. Louls, Mo., was opened Sunday, March 6. It is to be a straight continuous vaudeville house, and is under the management of Rice & Crawford, of the Rice & Crawford Theatrical Agency. The new venture is well backed and promises well. Mr. F. Cazelles, who was recently given a three-year lease of the French Opera House at New Orleans, La., sailed from New York on the French steamer La Champagne [or France on March 3. The opening of the house of next season has been fixed for Oct. 15. The Orpheum Theatre Company, of Minneapo lis, Minn., have secured the permit from the ollicials to erect their proposed $200,000 theatre on Seventh street, near Hennepin avenue in that city. The building when completed will have a ¥4-foot frontage on Seventh street. fhe Echols Opera House, at Decatur, Ala., was destroyed by fire Friday morning, Feb 25, about 2 o'clock. The Sanders Entertainers were playing the week. They lost some things but their wardrobe was saved. A much larger and nicer house will be erected at once. A technical flaw in the building ordinance re cently passed will probably secure the opening f Sum T. Jack's and the Masonic Temple Theatre in Chicago. It seems the section restricting the height of auditorium floor is worded 60 as to affected theatres to be hereafter constructed Mr. T. F. Kirke. of Pittsburg, Pa., who has months and his many friends hope his re« will speedy and permanent. Mr. Kirke is the Ident manager of the Nixon and Alvin thea of the uv tres. Nash Burrows, Unique Theatre Duluth, Minn., theatre in and expect to secure control Fargo, N. D. These houses, with a new vaudeville house to be built ‘bp Winnipeg, will be for the new circuit to be controlled by this firm, Nearly twenty ittended a issociation manigers of Ineeting Feb, 26. Chicago theatres to form a protective After the meeting it was secret announced that it had been decided to forn a social and business organization similar <o ene in New York. George Warren, of MeVick ers, Was chairman of the meeting. It is reported that the Madison Square TheaNew York City, may be abandoned as a theatre and become part of a big building t erected in that neighborhood. It is said that the improvements upon the house will necessitate a much larger sum of money than the own. rs or the Shuberts are willing to put in it The Jobn heirs of Knoxville, Tenn, and Mr Massengill, of Bristol, will soon let the contra t for the erection of a $10,000 opera house at Knoxville. It will be situated on Spring street renting the Seuthern depot. It will be stylish and up to date, and will have a stage large enough to accommodate the scenery of the largest troupes that tour that state. Managers of Chicago theatres and of the com“nies now playing there have protested to Acting City Electrician Hyland against the order prohibiting the use of are lights on theatre stages. They assert the rule has materially impaired the successful presentation of many plays ind has practically made impossible in Chicago ther productions in which light effects play a most important part. The roster of the opera house N. B., Canada, reads: A. O. Harry Clark, treasurer; Joseph Taylor, stage carpenter; Fred Trifts, electrician; W. Trifts property man: Fred Sweeney, head usher: Fred Dorman, fivman; Harry Delay, Frank Winters, T. Williamson and Harry Georgeson, scene Morton L. Harrison, leader of orches Y., was John, at St. Skinner, manager; shifters; tra. The Wilson Opera House, Oswego, N. burned to the ground Feb. 27. L. M. Hill. a tenant on the floor under the theatre, is under irrest in default of $2,000 bail, on the charge of arson, second degree. He says that two men wearing false faces and armed with revolvers ‘oke him and made him dress and pack his trunks, after which they poured oil on paper and set it on fire. The French vpera House, New Orleans, has been leased to F. Cazelles, the former stace manager, for three years He left for Parts Feb. 29 to engage a French stock company in comedy drama and vaudeville for one year. The other two years will be taken up by a new opera company to be organized by F. Cazelles The present French Opera Company, under F. Charley's management, begins «a three weeks’ engagement at the Casino, New York City. The war between the theatrical and music hall managers of London, England, is waxing warm. The theatrical managers object to the production of sketches on the music hall stage, and as the Iatter have no License to produce stage plays, a number of prosecutions have recently taken place. The Tivol! is the latest vietim, being mulcted in the sum of £80 for producing The ..oon Spell. The London Entertainera Soclety appeared as prosecutors against the Tivoll. The Lyceum Theatre, one of the Rels ciremt of houses, and owned by Colonel D. C. Robinson, Wag totally destroyed by fire at Elmira, N. Y. Mareh 6. Loss, $68,000. The rest of the block was badly gutted, and the losg will he over $50,000, The Elks’ lodge rooms were destroyed. Henry RBoulle, a stage manager, was nearly suffocated by the smoke when reseued. The Mamie Fleming Repertoire Com pany lost its trunks and scenery. Audi. torlum acrosy the street was also damaged by the fre. MUSICAL. Jucques TLhebaud will return to this country in 1906. George Edwards has secured Hayden Cotlin for another three years. Miss Lilllan Balbain, of Tiffin, Oble, bas com posed a two-step, entitled Lou Dillon. The Moffatt Concert Co, has been formed in Seattle, Wash., ang will tour the state. The Pollards, the juvenile opera company, sailed from Seattle for Australia March 4. The Love Birds are reported to have had a very successful opening at the Savoy Theatre, London, England. Mrs. Edna Wallace Hopper will star under the Shubert management in a new musical comedy late in the season. e Innes is reorganizing big band in Indianapolis. He will play at the World’s Fair and has bookings for fifty weeks, The New Orleans French Opera Company pliy a three weeks’ engagement at the New York Casino beginning March 21. My Hoosier Home is the name of a new song by Earle C, Jones, of New York; music by Nina Naugh, of Tipton, Ind. Pixley and Luders, authors of Prince of Pilsen, have written a new comedy called Woodland, which has been accepted by Henry W. Savage. told Robin Hood slosed a two months’ run at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, England, Feb. 20. The entire engagement is reported a success, Richard Strauss, of Berlin, composer and director, is now in New York. Hig engagement will keep him in this country until the end of April. The new musical comedy which opened Daly's “heatre, London, Eng., Feb. 27, was Sunny Ceylon. It is said that the spectacular feature is extraordinarily surprising. Violet Moore, of the Pretty Peggy Company is reported to be in St, Joseph’s Hospital, Ft. Wayne, Ind., suffering from bloodpolsoning, which resulted from the scratch of a pin. The Star Operatic Company, of Chicago, is giving a decided novelty in the Northwest in The Emigrants a portion of which is given in German and a rortion in Russian language. Krueger's Orchestra in the Rathskeller under the Atlantic Hotel, Norfolk, Va., have a mer-y crowd singing the choruses of Cole and Johnson's Under the Bamboo Tree and Congo Love Song. Press notices from San Francisco speak of Mr. Henshaw’s success in singing Waldron an. Sloane's Littie Street in Heaven That They Call Broadway in the Western Chinese Honeymoon production. The total receipts from Parsifal were $1586, 0 more performance will be given as 4 testimonial to Heinrich Conreid on April 23. The Metropolitan Opera Company will fill engaegments in Chicago. It is reported that Mme, Lillian Blauvelt has entered suit against the Philharmonic Club, of Minneapolis, Minn., for $600, for alleged brea of contract. whereby she was to appear at a ~oncert given by that club. Nellie Howe, who is doing a living Marionette act with the Robinson Carnival Company, writes that Eddie Munson’s song Ida secures tive encores at every performance and that she will retain it as a feature. Willie Ward, of the Olympia Minstrels and Vaudeville Company. is featuring H. W. Petrie’s ballad, Where the Sunset Turns the Ocean's Blue to Gold, and claims it is one of the best songs of its kind he has ever used. Henry W. Savage and his general stage man ager, George Marion, bave begun organizing a company to present George Ade’s latest play, The Sbogun. Christopher Bruno hag been engaged to play the leading comic role. Malle Little and Louis Pritzkow have movel Proctor’s 3th Avenue to their 23d Street Theatre. The feature of their act is Monroe H Rosenfeld and Alfred Spelman’s ballad called Upon a Sunday Morning When the Church Bells Chime Richard Strauss, the musician, refused the invitation of a box by Herr Conreld to witness the production of Parsifal. Mr. Strausa_ believes that Wagner's wishes should have been regarded and Parsifal should not have been produced The selections from Ranken and Kerker’s Winsome Winnie and Smith and Englander's Office Boy with Cole and Johnson Bros,’ Congo Love Song continue to be the favorite numbers with Charles Binhak’s Orchestra at the Bucxingham Hotel. The Terrell Grand Opera House at Bluffton. Ind., The Asphalt City, is nearly completed and will be ready the latter part of March. The house will be one of the finest modern playhouses in the state and has cost to date something over $37,000. Its seating capacity is 1000. Frequent request numbers with William H Seifried’s Orchestra at the Marlborough Hotei inclue Clare Kummer’s June, Cole and Johnson Rros." Save It for Me, selection from Smith and Englander’s Office Boy, Muriel Nelson’s Wizard March, and Max S. Witt’s Danse Antique Henry Vv from Mrs. Nellie Wallace, who ifs filling an engagement in The Forty Thieves at the Princess Theatre. Manchester, England, has been en gaged for the next pantomime to be given at that house. She Is reported to be making a hit in her songs, Down by the River Side and I Was Born on a Friday. Mr. Matt Barton has just finished a musical comedy. Midnight Under the Mistletoe, for the Leonerd Company, of Kansas City. Onetia will play a principal part. The first performance will be given In the West early in the fall. Mr. Barton will personally direct the comedy the coming season. ‘’. L. Erlanger left for Europe on Feb. 24. In London Mr. Erlanger will have a conference with Arthur Collins concerning Humpty Dumpty and other Drury Lane productions, and will take In some of the plays now running in the Eritish metropolis, with a view to presentiog them on this side of the pond. Baron Humbug fs the musical comedy thet the Minneapolis Roosevelt Club will present as its annval dramatic offering in that city on March 12. The author of the piece fs R. A. Barnet, of ‘'1492"' fame. The piece will be given elcht performances, two In St. Paul, two in Duluth. and four in Minneapolis. James W. Morrissey, business manager of the Adelina Patt! Company, brought suit, Feb. 29, through his counsel against Robert Graa. incorporated, and Adelina Patti Company, for breach of contract for the sum of $1,700. and has Instituted separate action Mr. Grau as an individual for $25,000 for defamation. The Gennett Theatre Co. was recently organized at Indianapolis, Ind., by the owners of the Gennett Theatre. The incorporation does not change the ownership of that house, but the proceedings Were merely for the purpose of forming 4 company. fhe Incorporators were Henry, Mrs, Heury and Clarence Gennett. Col. C. M, Futterer, manager of the Academy of Musie at Hagerstown, Mad., enjoys the distinction of having not a single fire or mishap during his twenty-four years us manager of that house. The house wag inspected Feb. 13, and Was found to be in excellent condition for the publie. \ tew niiner changes were suggested. Notes from A Hot Old Time Company: After a successful trip West and South we are now on our way East and everybody in good health and happy. The starring bee is around several members, and no doubt A Female Boiler Maker, Mooney the Expressman, Lena, and Casey the Fireman will be seen early next season. Mignon Phillips and Mamie Bebar are the latest additions to our company. The new Ade-Luders comic opera, The ShoGun, has been started in preparation. The chorus was selected in the Studebaker, Chicago, March 1, and rehearsals begun. The principals are being enguged from Manager Savage’s New York office. The Sho-Gun will be produced in the Studebaker at an early date. under the supervision of George Marion, general stage director for Manager Savage. Miss Edithe Walker, the prima donna soprano of the Metropolitan Opera Company, gave a $50-a-plute banquet at the Majestic Hotel, New York. Among the guests were Herr Zolteu Doeme, Mme. Nordica’s recent husband: Mr. and Mrs. Walter Clark Lunvon, Mr. and Mrs. Emil ‘. Boas, Mr. and Mrs. Henry T. Finck, Mr. and Mrs. Ferdinand von Inten, Mrs. Leslie Cotton, Mrs, Charles Reynolds, Miss Laura Moore, Herr Felix Mott]. Herr Anton von Rooy, Dr. Harry Stokes and Mr. Alfred Reisenaur. The movement to build a music hall and make the Chicago Orchestra permanent, the crowning achievement in the life of Theodore Thomas, has succeeded, and the concerts are to become a perpetual institution. Information to this effect has emanated from unquestiona”! authority, although the trustees themselves say they are not yet ready to make definite announcement. A.s.uough the new hall is an assured fact, the entire amount needed, $750,000 hus not been raised. The subscriptions have passed the $650,000 mark, according to friends of the orchestra, and the total is so near the required sum it is believed there will be no question in regard to raising the remainder. Helen May Butler’s Band has played Florida and Georgia to the b.ggest business ever done by the band. Manager Spahn says: ‘‘The past four weeks were the most pleasant I have ever had with any set of people. I know of no better state than florida and will play that state again next winter, having now forty-two offers of guarantees and can get about ten more. After my summer season I will make for the Coast and will play all the Western States and return by way of the South, through Texas Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, ete. I will open with the big band about May 2, and will then go from Massachusetts to California, covering every statein the union but North ang South Dakota and the states in that vicinity. I leok to put in about eighteen months of works without a layoff, and then | think I will take a well-earned rest I have not had a week to myself for five years (since first taking the band) and don't look for any now, at least not for the coming twenty months. will give you a call this spring—in April— when I will go through the State of Obio and see what can be done with the big bandin the big cities in your state."’ MINSTRELS. The Al G. Field show is still doing capacity business, giving the public what they want. Frank Squiers, formerly with wJockstader’s, West's and other minstre] companies, died at his home in Scranton, Pa., Feb, 27. The Al G. Field Greater Minstrels played Kalamazoo, Mich., Feb. 20, the home of their general agent, Will J. Donnelly, to standing room only. The house wus completely sold out before the arrival of the company. Mr. Field has again joined the company, and wil] ac company it on its tour to the Coast. Edmund F. Dixey, a once famous minstrel. died, March 2, at his home in Philadelphia, Pa., o. congestion of the lungs. Mr. Dixey was formerly associated with Jolin L. Carnecross ‘n the ownership of Carncross and Dixey’s Minstrels, and for many years the combination gave performances all over the country. Mr. Dixey retired from the stage nearly twenty years ago. Will J. Donnelly, general agent of the Al G. vield Minstrels, writes that he was the gr ost of Fred Busey, late of Forepaugh-Sells Circus. He ig now a full-fledged hotel man at Champaign, Ill He is adding an addition to his hostelry, and when finished will be the finest in Illinois. He says, *“*‘No more circus for me. All I have to do ig to say: ‘Room with bath,’ ‘Will you be here over night’ ‘Front, the gentleman in 22 wants some ice water.’ "’ He certainly is the king of good fellows and no doubt will succeed in his undertaking. He filled my pocket with good 10cent cigars, drove me down to the depot behind his 2:25 stepper, and bid me good bye. It was eertainly an oasis in an agent’s life. Don't forget Fred when you make Champaign. Alexander Bros.’ Plantation Minstrel Show fs now on its way to California from Oregon after a tour of twenty weeks. The company numbers thirty and travels in their own private car Ben On New Year's Day, at Palouse, Wash., Mr G. W. Alexander was presented with a goldheaded cane. Mr. Alexander then invited th company to a spread in the private car. The roster reads: G. W. Alexander, proprietor and manager; Mrs. G. W. Alexander, treasurer: Robert Taylor, geners! business manager; Harry D. Monroe, agent; George Miller, in charge of band and orchestra; George Taylor, master of transportation; Billy Miller, Bud Claybrooks, Willie Shields, Ed Anderson, Lou Morgan, Geo. Harris, Ed Tucker, Geo. Williams, Jack Ross, Pohn Pamplin, king of all black jugglers: H. Allison, Ben Collins, Gus Wilson and Ben Alexander. Doc Waddell, general agent of the Ted F. Faust Minstrels, writes: ‘‘We will close the Season about May 15 with the greatest record ever made by a first season minstrel show. Before we started we knew what we wanted. and enjoyed accordingly. As a result our company was complete, honest and clean at beginning, and will remain intact to the end of this road season. Our second season will be several steps in advance of this year. Manager G. D. Cunningham will engage two more big vaudeville acts tu addition to the Seven D’Arvilles, the Faust Family of ten and the Herald Square Quartette. He will also sign twelve sung and dance men to werk tn big dancing act. He wants a clever song ani dunce team to feature and the best mnsictans and singers obtainable. No salary wil) be too high. Rehearsals will commence Aug. 1. Season will open Aug. 15. We will travel over the cream territory of the country.” An unlooked and unsought for honor was recently conferred on Mr. Al. G. Field by the Columbus, Ohio, Board of Trade when they se lected him as one of a committee to represeat that city at the last sad rites of the lamented statesman, Mr. Mark Hanna, at Cleveland. Mr Field is once more with his show in the very best of spirits and good health. Everything seems to move with clock-like precision and the daily result remains unchanged—packed everywhere. Mr. Field was certainly der a lucky star as the tinancial and artistic success he has achieved is simply phenomena). The advance forces in charge of General Agent houses born un Will J. Donnelly, with J. FE. Hatfield as’ advertising agent and Hanly Ragan press agent, certainly do their work to perfection, as the show is bilied in every stand a la cireus. Mr. Edward Conard looks after the financial end of affairs for Mr. Field, while J. M. Sane is the manager and press agent with the show. The company is all in good health and anxious for the Western trip, which commences next week. Easter Sunday will find the minstrels at the Tabor Grand in Denver, Col.. from there to the Pacific Coast and return via the Northern Pacific. back VAUDEVILLE. Ada Blanche is reported to have ovation upon her return to the London halls. Mr. Chas, Leonard Fletcher opened hig Enzlish tour at the Empire, Leeds, England, Feb. 15 received an ow. The famous Herbert Family, aerialists, have signed for the season at Luna Park, Coney Island. Miss Helen Bertram, the well-known opera singer, made her debut in vaudeville in De troit, Mich., Feb. 29 Ollie Young and brother are playing the Koh! & Castle Circuit and open April 4 at Hammer stein’s Victoria Theatre. Robert W. Baker bas been meeting with great success for the past twelve weeks over the Crystal and Edison circuits. Harry Burns and Lillian Hilton have about tinished their Western work and are heading Eastward for the summer to work parks and fairs with their boxing and bag punching act. Brothers Rossi have signed a contract for ten weeks on the Orpheum Circuit for next season in Omaha, St. Joseph, Kansas City, New Or leans, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver and ‘anneapolis, making this a return engagement on the Orpheum. Henry Ellsworth Feicht, formerly manager of the Dayton (Ohio) Opera House, begun « series of Lenten lectures at the Vaudeville Theatre, New York, Feb. 29, on Oberammergan, 'ts People and its Play, accompanied by moving pictures and music of the passion play. C. L. Edwards, the owner of Bonner, the trained horse, has just concluded ten weeks on the Orpheum Circuit. He put in four weeks in London Hippodrome and toured England, Ire land and Scotland to the satisfaction of man agers. Mr. Edwards was pleused with his travels and favors received from managers Miss Isador Duncan, a San Francisco gir!l, who has been giving Greek dances with much success in Berlin and other European cities, will be accorded the honor of taking the lead ing dancing role in the grotto scene in Ten: that is to be produced at Bayreuth in hauser, July. Miss Helen King Russell, formerly with Barrows-Lancaster Company, is meeting with great success as a monologuist. Next Miss Rusell will appear in a sketch, assisted by a well-known comedian, in which she will portray seven distinct characters Her time for 1405 ig nearly filled. and includes a four weeks’ engagement at tie Alhambra in London, Eng ind ten weeks on the Moss Circuit in the Brit ish provinces. Mary Black Hawk died in Chicago recenily while en route home from Paris. The lady was one of a company of Winnebago Indiang that went to Paris some months «go to appear in vaudeville. The woman's death was the result of an accident that occurred while in Pittsburg. The venture proved an unsatisfactory one as an epidemic of diphtheria broke out among the In dians. The band was taken abroad by Ermex<t Efner, of Sioux City, Iowa. The Marvelous Baums, James and Alfrett», high wire bicycle performers, who have had ‘harge of Lincoln Park in Jacksonville for the Street Railway Company this winter. left March 1 for their farm near Columbia, S. €C., for a few weeks’ rest, after which they will go to St. Louis for the World's Fair. They have been training their little daughter Leona to do a very c.ever and novel slack wire act, which they expect to put before the public this gesson. Season They will be known hereafter as the Thre Baums, champion aerialists. FARCE COMEDY. Chas. Hawtrey will begin a spring engage ment at the Lyceum Theatre, New York City. on Easter Monday in Saucy Sally. Miss Barbara Burns and Dorothy Warr have closed with Gus Hill's Happy Hooligan Co. and have been replaced by the famous Gibney Sisters. Their act made a big hit with the show and their costumes are elaborate. The show is enjoying great business in the North west, BURLESQUE. Pousse Cafe Company closed at Peoria, Ill. Feb. 21. kiudle Did He is the name of a new burlesque which was given at Watson's Theatre, Broo} lyn, last week. ODDS AND ENDS. The pianola first made its appearance on the stage in The Girl with the Green Eyes Louis Loeb ig at work on a full-length per trait in of] of Miss Eleanor hobson, the act ress, which he expects to heave ready for e. hibition at the spring show of the Soclety of American Artists. F Notes from Samuel and Lucv lLingerman’s Magical, Musical and Ventriloquist Entertain ment. We may open our new fireproof theatre on May 30 near Philadelphie. Our last year's outfit was completely destroyed by fire Aug 24. The new apparatus is newer. better an! grander than ever and like a rubber balk—the higher we fall the higher we bounce.