The Billboard 1905-10-07: Vol 17 Iss 40 (1905-10-07)

ii OCTOBER 7, 1905. The Bi liboard 7 , business manager; Rolland Wallace, stage anager; B. A. Kelley, master of properties | Edward Thomas, stage carpenter. James H. Thorne, of the Thorne vmatie Co., writes that in spite of many .wdowns and other annoyances his company \. been doing good business under canvas. oy will shortly open in the opera house, and ‘ve a number of good ones booked. The ater is as follows: James H. Thorne, man‘ver: Bonnie Meyer, Tarra Brooks, Louise rysle, Ingram Kyle, Ed. Y. Laird, Roy Grey, Walter Ward and Tom Garrett. J. W. Kel‘on and wife join next week for leads, genoral business and specialties, and Joe E. Carle ss agent and business manager. Notes from Steelsmiths’ attractions: Roth our repertoire companies are getting their share of the business. Our one-night production of To Be Buried Alive opens at Moberly, Mo., oet. 2. Thia company is equipped with a full line of scenery and paper. We also have in preparation for next season one night produc‘ions of A Missourlt Boy, and The Shiners’ Gal. Clifton Steelsmith has closed contracts by which he now has exclusive control of all the dramatic and vaudeville writings of Dr. EB. B. Crane. This will place a large number of plays under Mr. Steelsmith’s direct control. Notes from the Lillian Mason Co.: We opened our season at lola, Kan., to capacity business. Both public and press acknowledged it the best show in Iola this season We are booked solid through Kansas. our roster includes N. M. Vedder, manager; w. K. Lindemuth, business manager; Harry Hoffman, musical director; James Martin, carpenter; Chas. Lander, property man; George H. Melford, James Bosen, Kemper, Ed. Mack, Paul C. Clifford, Chas. Cunning, Louise Woodson, Katherine Ritchie Bonnie Lombard, Marie Kennett, Genevieve Cunning and Lillian Mason. Robert Meyers, manager of Davis & Hugene’s A Poor Relation Co., writes as follows: ““‘The press of Ft. Wayne and Marion, Ind., Janesville, Newark and Springfield, Obio, as well as all other cities visited this season, are unanimous in proclaiming this season's cast far superior to any ever seen in the play. The production is put on in the same lavish manner as characterized the original Sol. Smith Russell presentation. Business Manager Clifford Wodetski bills towns like a circus. His advance work is causing the public to open its eyes. Business has been better than we had expected for such warm weather.”’ Following is the roster of the eastern Train Robbery Co.: A. E. Davidson, proprietor and manager; Benj. LeRush, business manager; Harry Gardener, musical director; John Connors, stage carpenter; Wm. Stuart, property man; Thos. H. Krueger, H. George Dagelen, Pete McNamee, James Taylor, Edw. J. Piel, Sam Waldron, W. H Young, Joseph Whiting, Mabel Henderson, Jessica Cross, Marie Lozay and Florence Baker. James E. Warde, with two assistants, is in advance. The company carries a complete line of scenic effects and a full line of excellent paper. They have played to good business since opening, August 17. Following is the roster of Stetson’s western Uncle Tom’s Cabin Co.: Wm. Kibble, manager; M. F. Luce, general agent; Morris Field, programer; J. D. Barnes, Joseph Barnum, Taylor Davidson, J. F. Henry, Chas. Vinton, John Henry, Del Voche, John Sterling Phillips, Frank Boyer, Fred Schnich, H. 8. Willard, Wm. Smith, Mrs. Mamie Kibble, Mrs. Alice Zillman, Fay Zillman, Baby Rose, Gus Collins, Geo. Massey, James Boland, Tom Bryant, C. Crosby, Edward Betters, Sam Zucas, Amanda Cassell, Myrtle Demas, Mable Green, Hattie Owens, Bertha Houts, Armanda Wallace, Ida ae Jennie Smith, Miller and Geo. ariow. Frank W. Nason writes: “The season has opened up wonderfully bright. I had beth my shows en tour all summer through the Maritime provinces and they played to excellent business. My regular season for the big fun show, Neighborly Neighbors, opened at Manchester, N. H., Sept. 4, for a three days’ engagement. We broke the record of the house, receipts on Labor Day alone being over $1,000. Tom Waters as a comedy star is big. We carry twenty-two people, a chorus of show girls and a car of special scenery. Neighborly Neighbors will be one of the big hits in the comedy world. When Women Love is duplicating its business of the last two seasons. The No. 1 company, with Sol. Browning aS manager and his charming wife, Louise Mitchell, playing the title role, is booked west Reports from the Glick Stock Co. state that they the Webb Theatre, Peru, Ind., Sept. 25, to the largest house in its history, and were forced to turn people away Manager Webb is quoted as saying, “You have one of the best repertoire companies on the road, and I will be perfectly willing to guarantee you first money at any time you should return.” This is certainly speaking highiy of the company. The aggregation numbers fifteen, among whom are Harry Glick, manager; Harry T. Smith, advance rep.; Chas. Harris, press agent; Owen Bartlette, stage director; Geo. Salisbury, Miss Murry, J. Sheridan, Edwin Barrett, Mr. Morris, Lew Kraner, Etta Arthur, Lelia Glick, Luella Salisbury and Lottie Glenmore. They carry some —— paper which is bound to fetch the people. Manager R. J. Ravencroft, of The Denver Express Co. writes as follows: Our season opened Aug. 21 at Garrettsville, Ohio, to excellent business. We spent three weeks in southeastern Ohio, giving satisfaction everywhere. Managers who had the show last season are unanimous in saying it is one hundred per cent. better this year. Over ninety per cent. of them are asking for return dates. We have an exceptionally fine company of players—no knockers or disorganizers—and anticipate a long and pleasant season. We are making arrangements to stay out until the middle of July, 1906. Our roster embraces R. J. Ravencroft, manager; Freeman Fiske, advance representative; Harry C. Banister, Geo. W. Wright. Thos. L. Rolfe, C. C. Ravencroft, W. Earl Guthrie, Crystal Wizzard Bannister, Zella Dawn, Blanche Wright, Genevieve Poalson, and Rose Flint. We have some good Specialties, and, considering all things, have the best production of The Denver Express ever pat on the road. We carry our own scenery and mechanical effects. PREACHER-PLAYWRIGHT GIVES WORK’S GENISES Wrote As Ye Sow to Create New Stage Type— Work Begun on Play After Conversation with Sol. Sm'th Russell—Author Plain Country Pastor— Once Newsman “I have tried to write a play with a genuine, flesh and blood minister of the gospel as its hero. I have tried to create a new dramatic type—a clergyman typical of the thousands of hard-working, God-fearing pastors, who labor quietly, but effectively in a thousand obscure fields in the United States. This is the Rev. John Snyder's estimate of his play, As Ye Sow. Wm. A. Brady and Jos. R, Grismer, who staged it, say it will ‘‘act.’’ They are putting it on elaborately. “Playwrights have always caricatured the cloth,’’ said Mr. Snyder. ‘Sometimes, it must be confessed, these caricatures have been funny. I believe the real clergyman can be translated from his pulpit to the stage and made an inspiration.”’ Mr. Snyder is pastor of a little Unitarian church in Wellesley Hills, Mass. He is sixtythree years of age and a living refutation of the Osler extermination theory. From head to foot he looks the country clergyman. He could step REV. JOHN SNYDER on the stage and play the hero he has conceived In As Ye Sow without changing a garment. After the play was put on Mr. Snyder returned to his flock. “Sol, Smith Russell gave me my first suggestion for writing the play,”’ said Mr. Snyder. “We were at dinner together at my house, which was then in St. Louls. We were talking bout the stage and I asked him why it was clergymen were alwaye caricatured on the stage. eit may be because of the ancient feud between the church and the stage,” replied Mr. Russel. ‘But I believe the chief reason is that no playwright has ever created a type of minister that wasn’t a caricature.’ “I said: ‘Mr. Russell, you woul make a splendid clergyman of the type I mean. Why don’t you have someone write the part for you?’ ‘Tl wish I had the play,’ said Mr. Russell, eagerly. Then he added, with a laugh: ‘Why don’t you write it for me? You know what I want.’ “I began work on As Ye Sow within a week. Just after I had finished the first act Russell was taken with his last illness. He never returned to the stage. Robert Melville Baker, author of Foxy Grandpa and several other pleys, was a member of my congregation at that time. I showed him what had been done and he liked it. It was several years after before I finished the piece, and then I showed it to Wm. A. Brady, who immediately accepted it for production."’ The title As Ye Sow is taken from this verse of the Bible: “God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.’’ The scene is laid at Cape Cod, and many of the characters are fishermen. Mr. Snyder is the author of several children’s stories. He has also written a sociological skit, entitled The Wind Trust. Before he entered the ministry he was newspaper man, writing semi-editoerial articles for the St. Louls GlobeDemocrat. VAUDEVILLE Will R. Rogers, lariat expert, opens in vaudeville at Toledo, Ohio, Oct. 8. The Dayton Sisters write that their act is a hit over the Lubelski Circuit. Ollie Martell and Dollie Williams report success on the New York Circuit. The Musical Russells are delivering the goods with the Roth-Moore Stock Co. Jim and Celia Welch write that they are meeting with success over the Shayne Circult. Franzmathes and Lewis, expert rifle shots, are resting at their home in Kansas City, Mo. Archie Levy is arranging to extend the Sullivan & Considine Circuit both north jand south. | Frank Walsh, monologue comedian, opened upon the Churehill Circuit Sept. 24 for ja three weeks’ engagement to be followed by a | fourteen weeks over the Bijou Circuit. Chris. Christopher writes that he has just completed a very successful season over the Davis and Churchill circuits. Berger Brothers, comedy acrobats, closed with the Lord Baltimore Co. and joined the Gaskill Carnival Co., at Ft. Dodge, Ia. Leroy and Grant, comedy bar experts, are laying off in Kansas City, Mo., preparatory to opening on the western vaudeville circuits. The Four American Trumpeters)| with The Adelaide Herrmann Co. write that | they are booked solid until May, and are meeting with success. Butler and Sliker have agreed to work single in the future. Ray Butler writes that he will appear in his slack wire and single trapeze act. Prof. H. S. Jamison, having closed his park work at Avon Park, Youngstown, Ohio, sigued to open with the Bryant & Swain Vaudeville Co., Oct. 18. Lewis and Harr, travesty sketch blackface artists, write that they contemplate a trip to England to play the Moss Tour under the direction of Frank Allen. After a season of forty-five weeks on the Pacific coast, playing for John Considine and Wm. Weston, Danny Mains and Lolo Haines are coming east. Bert Lemon writes that his new impersonation of James A. Hearne is the talk of Louisville, where he recently opened his season on the Hopkins Circuit. The boat used by the Rice Floating Theatre Co. struck a snag at Mount City, IIl., and sank in six feet of water. The show will be laid up for about two weeks. Schepp’s Dog and Pony act is now a feature attraction on the Orpheum Circuit. It is booked over the Kohl & Castle, Anderson, Hopkins and the Interstate Circuits, The Great Lynch, sensational wire artist, and who has scored big this summer on the park and fair circuits opened his winter season this week in the east. The Ross Sisters, who have been appearing all summer in the parks with big success, will open upon the western vaudeville cireuits next month in a refined singing act. J. B. Mack, of the team of Mack and Tosca, arrived in Chicago last week from the Texas circuits. They will rehearse a straight singing act for this winter’s work. VIOLA ALLEN Rehearsals of the Toast of The Town, in which Viola Allen opens at Bridgeport, Conn., this week, are being conducted under the personal supervision of Clyde Fitch, author of the play. Miss Allen’s metropolitan engagement will follow that of Lulu Glaser In Miss Dolly Dollars at the Knekerbocker Theatre. She is represented above as Viola in Twelfth Night. Jas A. and Cecelia Welch write that they are meeting with success. They are playing the Churchill & Davis Circuit for Edw. Shayne, and have not lost a week in a year. Mile. Zingarella in her sensational Globe-Spiral act has finished the circuit of northern fairs with marvelous success, and opens on the southern circuit at Athens, Ga., Oct. The Sharplies—Gus and Mattie— write that they opened at the Crystal Theatre, Detroit, Mich., Sept. 18 and scored a hit. They are playing Weast’s Theatre, Peoria, Ill., this week. Pete Connelly has just completed an engagement of seven weeks over the Crystal Circuit, during which time he was the laugh ing hit on every bill. Connelly will play the eastern houses this winter. |; promote this kind of amusement. aad Ethel Whitesides and her picks; Washer Brothers, boxing midgets; Rawls and Von Kaufman, sketch artists; Georgia ©. Lewis, Jack O'Toole, and Constantineau and Lawrence played the Bijou Theatre, Des Moines, Ia., week of Sept. 22. Business was fine The Original Bootblack Quartet, writes Manager Arthur Cariton, has been engaged by Kiaw & Erlanger for their Home | Folks Co., in which they are making a hit. These musicians have spent the summer in playing the Keith and Proctor circuit end a few parks. EDWARD SHAYNE (See First Page.) On the front page of this issue of The Billboard appears an excellent likeness of Hdward Shayne, of whom it may truthfally be said that he conducts one of the largest theatrical exchanges in the country. Mr. Shayne’s experience is as varied as it is interesting. While his theatrical career dates back several years, his entree into the managerial field covers a period of lew than five years. Starting as a call boy in the opera house of his native town—Quincy, Ill.— nearly twenty-five years ago, Mr. Shayne gradually worked his way up into the profession, until now, after appearing behind the footlights for twenty years, he has found a branch of the amusement business which has net only given him opportunity to retire from active Stage work, but has placed him im the front rank of theatrical promoters. Mr. Shayne will be remembered as one of our best Light comedians, when, some fifteen years ago, he starred in many of the then leading farce comedies, such as Skipped by The Light of The Moon, The Kindergarten, ete. Later he appeared in vaudeville and for ten years toured the leading houses. Mr. Shayne’s first visit to the west was an uphill fight. There was no Coney Island, Brighton Beach or Atlantic City to which the publie could go for outings, ete. This appeared to him strongly. He saw the future ef the summer parks in the west, and he began to He found a number of parks in operation, but, with the exception of the larger parks of Chicago and St. Louis, he found that the amusements of these resorts were limited to a band concert or occasionally a sensational outdoor attraction, while a few were offering mediocre vaudeville programs. By personal interviews with the heads of the different traction companies, Mr. Shayne was able to convince them that there was a good opening for high-class acts. How well he succeeded is evidenced by the fact that Mr. Shayne is now furnishing the vaudeville attractions for over twenty parks, and, where formerly there was not sufficient inducement for the better class of acts to make long jumps westward without sufficient bookings, he is now contracting to play the highest class vaudeville acts a season covering from twelve to sixteen weeks. The success of Mr. Shayne can be traced to his watchfulness and to his keen insight into theatrical matters. His continued expertence on the stage, and more especially in vaudeville, has revealed to him the desires of the manager and the wants of the performer. Mr. Shayne’s new offices at 79 Clark street are a credit to Chicago. His theatrical exchange ts filling a long-felt want. MUSICAL Herr Conried has declared against Boston, The Hub City won't see his grand opera company this season. J. Locke Warwick, a colored singer who was a member of the original Georgia Minstrels in the seventies, will take ont a company of colered vocalists and musicians Oct. 1, and will play the small towns of the Dakotas, Nebraska and Iowa. Richard Carle and the members of The Mayor of Tokio Co., while playing in Philadelphia ran over to Baltimore to see special matinee performance of The Maid and The Mummy, Sept. 21. Many other professionals in Baltimore attended. Ernest Rose, who has recently completed a course at the Royal High School of Music, Berlin, Ger., and more recently connected with the Damrosch forces of New York City, has opened a school for the teaching of plano and violincello at Wausau, " Mrs. Florence Pendleton Scarborough, engaged for Henry W. Savage's Grand Opera Co., returned from Europe last week. Miss Scarborough will be heard in the title role of Aida, as Elizabeth in Tannhauser, and as Marguerite in. Faust. She makes her debut next week in Brooklyn in Tannhauser. Miss Dess McClaren of New York City closed a very successful four weeks’ engagement Sept. 16, as soloist at Findley Lake Park, N. Y. Miss McClaren is said to possess an extraordinary sweet soprano voice, which, together with her fine stage bearing, won for her many close friends at Findley Lake Joe A. Sanderson who has been identified with the press of Sioux City, Ia. for the past six years, severed his connection Oct. 1, to become business manager of a band that will tour the northwest. He will be associated with Bert Murphy, the well-known vocalist, who will be featured with the new organization. Mme. Morioara Serena, a handsome young Roumanian woman and pupil of M. Jean De Deszke, arrived in New ‘York from Paris Sept. 18 to become a member of the Henry W. Savage Grand Opera Co., which opens its season next week at the Montauk, Brooklyn. N. Y. This will be Mme. Serena’s second pro | Harry Burns, the phenomenal bag|}puncher, is highly elated over his success at |the Bijou Theatre, Des Moines, Ia. Manager | Buchanan praised very highly his act, and the | hewspapers gave him some nice writeups. Frank Murphy and Jack E. Magee wish to inform their friends that they are meeting with success with the Dinkins’ Yankee Doodle Girls, doing their original specialty, entitled The Contractor and The Laborer. fessional season, she having sang in Europe last year. J. H. Harlow, manager of the Walker Opera Co. when that attraction played the northwestern states and western Canada, has lbeen engaged by J. E. Cosgrove as booking agent for the Cosgrove Grand Concert Or chestra. Mr. Harlow is now en route west ever the Unien Pacific, booking the attraction | to the coast Harry Wood its managing the Cosgrove Orchestra Mr. Cosgrove carries a number of musical novelties, and he ts ably assisted by Gertrude Charles soprane, aod Virginia Keatin, elocutionist