Variety (August 1911)

20 VARIETY ACTOR-MANAGER'S COMPANY. Donald Meek, actor-manager, is or- ganizing a stock company that wil" become a permanent feature at Hath- away's theatre, Lowell, Mass., next month. Meek will manage it taking a prom- inent role in each production. STUBBS NOW MANAGING. Harry Stubbs, identified with the Stubbs-Wilson Players at Olentangy Park, Columbus, has left to become director of the Southern theatre, Co- lumbus, this season. "JINX" DOWN AND OUT. St. Louis, Aug. 23. The Wilbur Highby stock company, at the Garrick last Spring, has suc- ceeded the William Jossey Stock Com- pany at West End Heights, and will play a three weeks' engagement. Business has been very good at the Heights, ever since the "jinx" was put down and out early this summer by 'Three Weeks." STOCK COMPANY TRANSFERRED. The Poll stock company, holding forth at Waterbury, Ct, was trans- ferred almost bodily to the Scranton house this week. The cause for this was the manner in which they presented "The Man Who Owns Broadway" at the former house last week. The company has been appearing in the usual run of dramatic successes available for stock. The Cohan piece was one of the first musical come- dies attempted. It was so successful the management decided to transfer the principals, including D. Howard, John Robb, Florence Chapman and W. Tucker, to Scranton and play the piece there for a week. CHANGE OP COMPANY. New Orleans, Aug. 23. The Gagnon-Pollock Stock Com- pany will open at the Lyric, instead of the Myrtle Harder Company, as at first announced. L. E. Sawyer will manage the thea- tre. NEW AMERICAN STOCK. Philadelphia, Aug. 23. The new American here, with James Wall as manager and Charles E. Bla- ney as the power behind the house, will open Sept. 18 with Blaney's Spoon- er Stock Co. Edna May Spooner will head the company supported by Arthur Behrens, leading man; Florence Hill, soubret; Harold Kennedy, comedian; Harry Tldmarsh, Clarence Chase, Harry Sed- ley, stage director. ALTERNATING IN BAY CITY. Bay City, Mich., Aug. 23. The Alvarado theatre has changed management, the Bay City Theatre Co., comprising W. S. Butterfleld of Bat- tle Creek, W. A. Rusco, Saginaw, and J. D. Pilmore of this city, assuming charge and renaming it the Lyric. Stock companies will alternate with one night stands, the Ideal stock com- pany opening Sept. 3. Harvey Arling- ton will be resident manager of the house. QUIT AFTER READINGS. Laura Jean Libby and her own play- ers are announced to open Labor Day and tour the New England states. Laura assembled the actors at her home on President street (Brooklyn) a couple of weeks ago. For three hours she read plays announced for her repertoire. One was "Love or Bough Consci- ence." Another was something of "The Girl From Martini" type. The third was very touching and romantic. After'the reading ended, six actors, out of the eleven signed, called all bets off, giving no particular reason for quitting. One of the plays is going to sizzle with dramatic action. Right away the villain is found pacing the stage at the rise of the curtain on the first act. The heroine's doting papa enters. Im- pulsive, unscrupulous heavy man would marry his darling daughter. He fails to obtain daddy's consent and threatens to crush him in the end. Afterwhile a child with a contagious disease is refused admission to a hotel. Servant is Immune. So is the daddy who carries the kid boldly into the inn just as the mother, who has never seen the inside of the hotel appears and exclaims "Thank God, they will take the baby in!" Undaunted by the withdrawal of half of her company, Laura is trying to engage others and expects to open on time. Cameron Clemona and Victoria Montgom- ery were signed through the Betts A Fowler agency to play the leads with the Portches- ter, N. Y., stock company. TAKING STOCK OUT. Scranton, Aug. 23. The stock company now playing at Poll's will be withdrawn immediately and the house will remain closed un- til Oct. 2, when vaudeville will be reinstated. Pictures and popular priced vaudeville will be continued at the Academy of Music. This house is also owned by Poll. The only Poll houses to open Sept. 4 with regular vaudeville are those at Bridgeport and New Haven. "At the Mercy of Tiberius," with the prin- cipal roles played by Eleanor Montell, Louis Thlal, Lawrence Atkinson, Lew Warner, Vir- ginia Bray and Dorothy Lobdell. opens next week at Erie. Pa., with other eastern terri- tory to follow. Francis 8. Segerson will manage the troupe, which Is backed by Vaughan Glaser and Stair & Havltn. Phillips' Lyceum stock, Brooklyn, which opened its new season Monday night, has Harold Claremont and (Miss) Gery Morey playing the leads. Claremont was with the Scranton (Poll) stock this summer and Miss Morey was at Wheeling. West Virginia. J. M. Holllcky will do the heavies, while for- mer members of the company will be as- signed the other roles. The Mary Emerson Players, headed by Miss Emerson and Franklyn Ramsey, open Aug. 28 at Lewlston. Me. MAKC LAGEN'S BOOKINGS. Marc Lagen, the New York man- ager, has placed Anna Hull, the Swedish soprano, with the Aborn Opera Co. for a tour of nine months. He has Fay Cord booked for twenty concerts in the west for the winter season, her accompanist on the trip being Clarence Adler, a piano pupil of Oodowsky. Inga Hoegsbro and Charlotte Lund go to the coast for a two months' tour, visiting Canada also for a short sea- son. The Hahn Quartet, which is under Lagen's direction, makes a tour of the New England states early in the spring. Lagen is negotiating with Julia Allan, the prima donna, to remain in America this season. Frieda Lang- endorff, contralto; Corlnne Rider-Kel- sey, soporano; Gina Ciaparelll-Via- fora, prima donna; Marlon May, con- tralto; Charles Hackett, Arthur Hack- ett, tenors; William Simmons, Claude Cunningham, baritones; Isabella Bea- ton, Jeanette Durno, Charlotte Her- man and Betsy Wyers, pianists, are also on Lagen's list this coming sea- son. SOPRANO-COMPOSER. Emmy Destinn, the famous soprano, is said to have written an opera, "Li- bussa," her first work, in which she expects to play the leading role when presented. ROUTE ARRANGED FOR CHOIR. Salt Lake City, Aug. 23. George D. Pyper, manager of the Salt Lake Theatre, has returned after a trip east arranging a route to New York for the Tabernacle Choir this fall. The choir will make its first stop on the eastern trip at Cheyenne, Oct. 24, and will have engagements con- secutively as follows: Omaha, Chi- cago, Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, Rochester, Syracuse, Scranton and New York. They will remain in New York ten days, singing at the big land show to be held in Madison Square Garden. On the return trip to Salt Lake, leav- ing New York, Nov. 19, they will visit Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Richmond, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, In- dianapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, To- peka and Denver. "On the Suwanee River" Is scheduled to run through eastern territory this season under the direction of H. R. Jaoobs. LOMBARDI OPERA GOING. * San Francisco, Aug. 23. Signor Lombardi, the Italian im- presario, who has brought many noted singers to the Pacific coast, and whose many operatic seasons in this town have been of educational value, has arrived from South America with his latest organization. He opened at Idora Park theatre Sunday afternoon with I'Cavalleria Rusticana" and "Pagllacci." The Presentment was favorably received. The prices of admission have been set at one dollar. CONDUCTOR WORTH $40,000. It is almost a certainty that Arturo Toscanini, for three years the first conduct6r at the Metropolitan Opera House, will not return to the "Met" after next season. It is understood he has an offer to spend the season of 1913 at Buenos Ay res, returning thereafter to his old post at La Scala, In Milan. Toscanini will receive more money for the Buenos Ayres job in three months than he would receive in six months in New York. During the coming season he will get more than $40,000. DIRECTING GRAND OPERA. Arthur R. Moulton, who directed the orchestra during the run of "Every- woman" in New York, has been chosen by Henry W. Savage as one of the conductors for his production of "The Girl of the Golden West" in English. Moulton has already gone to Milan to attend the rehearsals of the show at that place. FIRST TIME HERE. "The Legend of St. Elizabeth," Liszt's famous oratorio, will be per- formed, December 11, Carnegie Hall, by the MacDowell Chorus, under Kurt Schlndler. This will be the first time it has ever been presented in New York. For St. Elizabeth, prominent solo- ists will take part and the chorus en- larged. Mme. Gadski has been secured as leading soloist for the Cincinnati Music Festival to take place In Cincinnati May 6-11 of nex' year. Alfred Plcaver, who sailed abroad Aug 15 goes to Vienna to All a three years' comraci at the Royal Opera there. Ella Hlrschberg, the Newark contralto. Is putting New Jersey on the map through her engagement to sing one of the leading roles at the Municipal Opera House, Bremen, de- buting there next month. Michael Elliot. Interpretative dancer, and her own string orchestra, opens her season at Wllllamsport. Pa., followed with a concert at Reading. She appears In Newark. N. J.. Nov. 25. Clarence Adler, the American pianist, and Anton Hekklng may likely appear in concert together In America during the season of 1912-13. Tetrazzlnl opens her annual British con- cert tour in October. Early In November sne comes to America, being scheduled to make her first appearance in Philadelphia in "Lucia dl Lammermoor " Josef Lhevlnne, the Russian pianist. Is ex- pected to arrive about Jan. 1 to start his fifth annual season. His first appearance will on with the New York Philharmonic Society. There doesn't seem to be the slightest chance of Richard Strauss coming to Amer- ica. He hasn't forgotten how "Salome" was received In the United States. Strauss has been engaged to conduct a scries of orches- tral concerts in South America during the spring of '12. The Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra is announced to Inaugurate Its ninth season Oct 20, lasting twenty-three weeks In all Emll Oberhoffer will be the conductor. Arthur Philips, the American baritone, en- Raged for the London Opera Co., will sing In this country In concerts between stage sea- sons. Clarence Whltehlll, the American baritone, will sing the role of the Sheriff In "The Girl of the Golden West." to be given In English In London, beginning Oct. 1.