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

OCTOBER 7, 1905. The Billboard ll ap Za Fat-Chats = Chicago Office, Suite 61, Grand Opera House Bidg., % 87 S. Clark St. | Nes y, BY WARREN A. PATRICK EO. ADE was one of the many severe critics of Glen MacDonough’s Bird Center last season. The other day when Mr. Maclon ough heard that Mr. Ade’s new play had been banished from New ‘York to the ‘“‘road."’ he wired thus: “Dear George: When does The Rad Samaritam play Bird Center?’’ GEORGE LEDERER LIKES CHICAGO George W. Lederer, the new man ager of the Colonial Theatre, has announced that be has come here to take up his residence permanently. “I am here to stay, and they can not drive me out,’’ declares Mr. Lederer. ‘“‘Chicago is my old stamping-ground, and I wish to heaven I had never left it. 1 made barrels of money here before New York ever heard of me. 1 never liked New York or its people, and it was due te an incident that occurred in Chicago that eaused me to take up New York management. But that is another story. “New ‘York is a good town to keep away from, and I am out of it for good, except to send my shows there, the same as I would to any provincial town. Chicago and London in the future for mine. “New York is a jay show cess of a plece produced largely upon audience. Nine-tenths town, the sucthere depending the digestive conditions of the of them fill up on heavy French dinners, and come to the theatre in a lethargic condition. I have often stigmatized a first night New York audience as a death watch, each person being a selfappointed eritie and fearing to applaud or to see any good in anything, because he was afraid it might not be good form. “In Londea, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, and, in fact, almost everywhere with the exception of New York, the theatregoing public is loyal to its favorites, though critical. In New York they are hypercritical and disloyal. My trouble in New York was the same as the rest of them. They all live beyond their income, and the conditions are such as to make it almost unavoidable. “Now, as te the New Colonial Theatre, it will be eonducted as a high-class production and combination theatre. I have got one million dollars back of me. It has been demonstrated beyond peradventure that Chicago Is a theatrical producing center, and the biggest musical successes that New York has seen within the last five years came from Chicago. Last season I demonstrated that New York was not mecessary as a producing center. I have a theatre in Philadelphia named _ the Casino where I made several big productions, all of which made money after leaving Philadel. phia, thereby proving conclusively that the old theory that a New York reputation is necessary to make money with a play on the road is a fallacy.”’ Mr. Lederer has established a reputation for keeping faith with the public in the matter of theatrical entertainment of the lighter sort. In announcing that it ts next to impossible to receive fair treatment in New York and declaring his intention to make the Colonial in Chicago his base of operations in Chicago, Mr. Lederer has shocked the eastern contingent of managers, but in all probability be will succeed in his latest enterprise. Many changes have beem made in the Colonial (known last Season as Mvde & Behman’s), and that Fay Templeton will appear in George M. Coban’s latest efforts, Forty-five Minutes From Broadway, may be regarded as an assurance that the quality of attractions booked will be worthy of the attention of the public. Mr. Lederer has had ample experience as a producing man ager, and if the theatregoers of Chicago respond it Is certain that novelty will not be lacking under the new management. RISE OF A CHICAGO GIRL Miss Frances Cossar, who appears with Rose Melville in Sis Hopkins, is a Chicago girl who left Chicago Musical College ® year ago with high honors, and at once took a place as leading juvenile comedienne with Miss Melville, and made such a success that Manager Sterling re-engaged her for this season. Miss Cossar is called upon to ‘ing In the performance of her part, and her niezza-soprano voice is heard to good advan tage Several box parties of her northside friends welcomed her to her home city during the past week. TOBY CLAUDE SUCCEEDS KATIE BARRY A change has been made in the cast ef Fantana, current at the Garrick. Miss Toby Claude has assumed the part of Jessie, which "Pp to a few weeks ago was played by Miss Barry, and later by Miss Georgia Bry Katie ton. Miss Claude followed Miss Barry in the part of FI-Fi in The Chinese Honeymoon, and scored a success in the part. Last season Miss Claude was in vaudeville, but the Messrs. Shubert persuaded her to cancel her vaudeville tour to assume the role in Fantana. A NEW PRIMA DONNA the Chicago public in relation to minstrelsy, and he refused a tempting offer to defer his engagement. The engagement will be interesting to watch, as minstrelsy has been waning in Chicago for some years. WESTERN PLAY BY A TAMMANY EDITOR is the young woman who | Texas, the new play which is being | revealed for the first time at the Great North ern this week is a drama of ranch life in the southwest. ;}as “Texas’’ West. She is the daughter of a ; ranch owner of Val Verde County Jack Dallen, a cowboy and ranger. An English nobleman tries to win her from Jack, and so there are troublous complications. play is by J. M. Feigi, editor York Tammany Times. Mabel Dixey, a daughter of Henry jin the title role, and Sidney Dallam, and Miss Harriet | Broadhurst and Currie vf the New E. Dixey, as Jack It is a Ayres Broadhurst. venture. Fred. C. Whitney has discovered a’ new prima donna. spring to understudy Mme. Schumann-Heink ina Love’s Lottery. Miss Maentz joined the company this fall. When Schumann-Heink became ill a few days ago, and was unable to appear She is Miss Clara Maentz, | a Chicago young woman who was engaged last | GEORGE COHAN—KLAW AND ERLANGER Following the announcement that |George M. Cohan and Sam. H. Harris are | jointly interested with Klaw & Erlanger in | Mr. Cohan’s new play, Forty-five Minutes From | Broadway, comes the further announcement MEN OF CHICAGO THEATRICAL AFFAIRS NO. 5 Ty “ ome we F. C. EBERTS and scored so already has bringing her out Julian Edwards. was called that Mr. Whitney announced his intention of next season in a new opera by Miss Maentz graduated last year from the Chicago Musical College. She was a pupil of Herman DeVries. In amateur performances of Carmen and Romeo and Jullet she did such creditable work that Manager Whitney's attention was directed to her. Miss Maentz has a commanding personality and a contralto voice of wonderful range. A MANAGER'S TESTIMONIAL Of the really remarkable engagement of As Ye Sow at MeVicker’s, George Cc. Warren says “The play unknown—a first effort of an unknown dramatist, and a preacher at that Miss Maentz successfully upon, was was —the cast, which proved excellent in the acting, was not brilliant in name, and the opposition of unusual out-of-doors weather and attractions, and yet the receipts for the four weeks were between $39,000 and $40,000. The managers of the company and the _ theatre made an effort to shift Mr. Dockstader’s time to give the melodrama another week—the Boston engagement does not begin until Oct. 9— but the minstrel wanted to feel the pulse of Zhe that contracts have been signed between Mr. Cohan and Sam H. Harris, his manager, and the firm of Klaw & Erlanger, through which the latter becomes interested in the largest of all the musical productions that have yet been made by Mr. Cohan, George Washington, Jr. DOCKSTADER TO INVADE EUROPE It is announced that Dockstader’s Minstrels will go to Eurepe uext spring when their American tour ends, negotiations to that end having been started during the past week. This will be the second big American minstrel company to tour Europe. J. H. Haverly and his organization being the first. WM. NORRIS AND THE LAND OF NOD When The Land of Nod takes to the road Miss Anna Laughlin will not be in the east, but William Norris will continue to give the leading comedian’s role. Mr. Norris has been referred to as the William Dean Howells of musical comedy. MARIE CAHILL’S CHORUS In Moonshine, which Miss Marie Cahill is presenting at the Illinois this week, there are no “‘broilers,’’ ‘‘Sextettes,’’ or The cast includes Miss | | | | the Vaudette Theatre Company, “squabs,”” but just a_ refined, sweet-looking group of girls; good singers amd@ pleasant te see. THE ADVERTISING SHOW A new departure in the field ef commercial expositions is the annual advertising show which is to be launched in Chicago this month, the Coliseum to be the seene ef deminstrated methods of business promotion ac The heroine is a girl knuwn| cording to the most advanced ideas and prae tice. Messrs, Parker and Bieder, who have and loves| the promotion of the show im hand, have se cured the ready co-operation ef representatives of the the advertising leading business The, throughout the country, and many of the most unique, novel and striking projeets yet evolved in this fleld are being prepared for the eoming show, which fs to be held Oct. 11-18. The lectures by men and women prominent In this school of commercial progress will be among the most interesting and valnable features and novelty concerns, and various publications devoted to these things are employing every ingenious means to provide something entirely new for display and demonstration during the week. UNIQUE THEATRE CHANGES HANDS The Vaudette Theatre Company of Chicago has purchased the Unique Theatre of South Chicago from Messrs. Lowenstein and Cornfield, the playhouse being the second of five which the Mills-Ryan-Tracy Syndicate proposes to secure in the outlying districts of Chicago. The name of the theatre has been changed to the South Chicago Vaudette, and it will be booked in conjunction with the Vaudette Theatre at Sixty-third and Halsted streets. Two vaudeville bills will be givem each week, the changes to take place Monday and Thuraday nights. Herbert S. Mills of Chicage ie president of F. M. Tracy is secretary and Joseph FB. G. Ryan treasurer and general manager. Harry M. Wilson will be the resident manager of the new playhouse, which has been redecorated and _ reseated. THE BOSTON FADETTE ORCHESTRA A re-engagement of the Boston Fadette Orchestra was made whereby this organization, under the direction of Caroline B. Nichols, plays at the Haymarket this week while en route to the coast. The aggregation numbers twenty-two artists, whe were enthusiastically received when they played here last season. While this important feature is a big factor on the programme, it does not, however, monopolize the entire interest, as there are other stars. Mazuz and Magzette effer their eccentric acrobatics, and Fred Powell proves bis claim as an astonishing illusionist and conjuror. Shepp’s trained canines and equines prove interesting performers, and Dick Lyach offers his monologue and parodies. Kherns and Cole appear in The Baron, a farefeal absurdity, and Aurie Dagwell {s a vocalist. The Kates Brothers are clever acrobats and Blanche Sharp sings popular songs. Estelle Churehil! presided at the drums. THE COLONIAL’S ADVERTISING George S. Wood, one of the best known theatrical newspaper mes in the United States, is director of publicity for the New Colonial Theatre. He will be assisted by @ eapable staff. Louls Wolf, advertising agent for the Colonial, has one of the strongest banner showings any Chicago theatre has had i years. The advertising forces are alive to their duties, and Chicago’s ‘“‘Theatre Beautiful’ opens with every indication of heavy patronage. The advance sale for Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway is big. Manager George Lederer is stirring up things in Chicago theatrical circles. He is one of the most aggressive men in* the business. GEORGE COHAN RETURNS George M. Cohan and his play, Little Johnny Jones, is back in Chicago, this time at the Anditorium. The engagement is for two weeks, and the performances will be given for the benefit of the Policemen’s Benevolent Association, which means that Chicago's biggest playhouse will be packed during the stay of this musical comedy. The Little Johnny Jones Co. remains the same as seen at the Illinois last spring and summer, al! the old favorites, Tom Lewis, Sam Ryan, Jerry J. Cohan, Helen F. Cohan, Adele Rafier and Ethel Levy being still in the cast. MARLOWE MAKES A CHANGE James C. Marlowe, who scored heay fly as one of the thieves in The Geezer of Geck, retired from Manager Block’s organtsation at the end of the Chicago engagement, and is succeeded by Henry Norman, who was seen last with Nat. Wills Mr. Marlowe bes joined Alice and The Eight Princesses. A TRAGEDY IN VAUDEVILLE Sunday afternoon, Oct. 1, Mr. Edward Davis and an adequate cast gave a professional performance of a one-act piece ™ the Chicago Opera House All the vaudeville managers in there te witness it, as Mr. Davis is offering something new, a tragedy town were (Continued on page 319