Variety (September 1911)

8 VARIETY CHICAGO, PRODUCING CENTRE, SENDIN G OUT M ANY SHOWS While Few New, the Western Producers Are Duplicat- ing Many Successes, with the Shows Ranging from Classy Musical Attractions to Stock. Open- ings So Far Reported as Very Good. Chicago, Aug. 30. About the busiest set of people in the amusement field of the middle west these days, are the producing managers, who make this city the cen- ter of their activities. So far the season has opened up auspiciously, with the exception of one "stranded" company, which venture was launched under conditions too impracticable to admit of the possibility of success. The early autumn gives promise of even greater doings In the way of "openings." Both in point of num- bers and quality of entertainment, the attractions that are being launched out of the "Windy City" this year are calculated to cause the American the- atrical world to sit up and observe, and Incidentally win indisputable rec- ognition for Chicago as a producing center. In former years the Mort H. Singer musical shows have been recognized as the productions of real class, so far as the west Is concerned, but this season the "spotlight" position on the producing stage is shared by more than one other firm of impresarios. Up to the present time only four shows are registered out of the Singer offices. This number is not likely to be increased unless the season, la- ter on, shows evidence of being an un- usually prosperous one. These at- tractions are Harry Bulger In "The Flirting Princess," "Miss Nobody From Starland," with Olive Vail in the stellar part; Henry Woodruff in "The Prince of Tonight," and "The Heartbreakers" with George Damerel as the star. All have had their openings, reported to have been un- usually successful. Bulger is routed to the Coast for the first time in eight years,-and the "Starland" show en- Joys the distinction of being the first big attraction to open out there this season. A good routing of central time has been allotted to the Wood- ruff and Damerel shows and there Is a possibility that the latter may In- vade the east later in the year. When asked about the opening plans for the new City Hall theatre, which is in course of construction on Clark street, near the Grand Opera House, Manager Singer stated that the house is expected to be ready for occupancy about Feb. 1, and in all probability will bo formally opened at that time. He added that it is un- certain whether his company will per- sonally direct its management or whe- ther the playhouse will be leased to outside parties. This, he said, will be determined in the near future. Harry Askin will limit his enter- prises to three attractions this year. Two of these are his last season's successes, "The Sweetest Girl in Paris" and "The Girl I Love." The third is the new LaSalle Opera House production "Louisiana Lou." The latter had its premiere Sunday at the Davidson, Milwaukee, and comes to the LaSalle, Sept. 3 for an extended run. Great things are expected of it. Trixie Frlganza is to be featu#h in "The Sweetest Girl in Paris" in- stead of her last year's vehicle, "The Girl I Love," and the show, which opened Aug. 27 at Appleton, Wis., will be sent through to the Coast. The personnel of "The Girl I Love" company compares favorably with those of the other attractions. This show is scheduled to open Sept. 3 at Racine, Wis., with a routing of the middle west to follow. An important change is announced in the Askln executive forces, to take place Sept. 1, when Otto R. Henkel, business manager of the LaSalle and the road attractions, bids farewell to the show business, and will migrate to some point In the northwest where he proposes to embark in a commer- cial line. There are three producing firms in the Masonic Temple which must be reckoned with this season. They are the United Play Company (formerly George Amusement Co.), Rowland ft Clifford, and Gaskell ft MacVitty. The first named concern is send- ing out a total of five companies, all playing popular royalty pieces. In addition to these the United Is di- recting the business affairs of the Grace Hayward Stock Company, which starts on the second year of its existence Sept. 2, at the Warrington, Oak Park (suburb of Chicago). The opening play will be "The Marriage of William Ashe," with "The Great Divide" to follow. Three "Third De- gree" and two "Lion and the Mouse" shows will constitute the United's road attractions. Sarah Padden, for- merly on the salary list of Henry B. Harris, has been cast for the star part in the "No. 2" "Third Degree" company, which is booked on the big city time. This company opened Aug. 19 at Rockford, 111. The "No. 1" company opens Sept. 3 at Hammond, Ind., and will be sent to the Coast, with Franklyn Gale In the stellar role. The latter show will be piloted by Lee Parvin, two weeks In advance, and with S. E. Grady as the "second man." Both of these agents were ahead of "The Squaw Man" last sea- son. The third company opens Aug. 31 at Freeport, 111., and will feature Grace Lord, understudy to Miss Pad- den last year. This company is routed through the east and south. One of the "Lion and Mouse" com- panies is to play the mlddlewest and the other goes south. Hedde Lau- rent, last season's star in the United's production of "St. Elmo," will be fea- tured in one of these shows, and Gertrude Richie, last year with this firm's "Paid in Full," will head the cast in the other company. The for- mer attraction opened Aug. 24 at drown Point, Ind., and the latter starts the season Sept. 3, at Clinton, la. Rowland ft Clifford will have a rep- resentation of seven shows on tour. The success of "The Rosary" last sea- son, seem8 to have warranted the sending out of five companies play- ing that piece this year. In addi- tion to this, the firm will tour one company each of Ed. Rose's new play "Rock of Ages" and "Don't Lie to Your Wife." Jessie Arnold, wife of the author, will be starred In the for- mer play, which opened Aug. 20 at St. Louis, and will be seen on nothing but the best of the big-city time. Dave Lewis will again bo featured in the other piece. The attraction goes in the best of the Stair ft Havlln houses, opening at the Imperial, this city. The "No. 1" "Rosary" company oyens Sept. 3 at Springfield, 111., and will also play the city time. Another "city" company of this play opened Aug. 27 at Grand Rapids. The Coast company opens Sept. 3 at South Chi- cago, the eastern show opened Aug. 27 at Michigan City, Ind., and the southern company commences the sea- son on the same date at Benton Har- bor, Mich. Gaskell ft MacVitty are satisfied with a complement of three attrac- tions this year. These are "Rosa- lind of Red Gate," which opened Aug. 14 at Indianapolis; "The Rosary," opening Aug. 20 at Waukegan, Wis., and "The Servant In the House," starting at Jamesville, Wis., Sept. 4. Rowland & Gaskell have formed a combination, and are touring a com- pany of "The House Next Door" and also "The Cowboy and the Thief." The former opened Aug. 6 at Colum- bus, and will be seen in the popular priced houses of the Stair & Havlln circuit. The other attraction opened Aug. 27 at Kenosha, Wis., and will go to the Coast. Among the producers of lesser note may be prominently mentioned Kllmt ft Gazzolo, lessees of the new Im- perial, on West Madison street, and who are sending out two melodramas on the Stair ft Havlln time. These are "The Boy Detective," opening Aug. 26, at Kansas City, and "The Girl of the Streets," which commences the season Sept. 2 at the same point. Charles M. Baker, another western producer, is starring his wife Bertha Gibson in "Merry Mary," a musical play which suffered a "frost" last spring at the Whitney, and which is now enroute on the best of the Stair ft Havlln circuit. Lincoln J. Carter, the ex-king of melodrama, is back, taking a "flyer" with "The Cat and the Fiddle" and "The Man and the Moon." Both at- tractions are already on tour. E. J. Carpenter, formerly identified with Gaskell ft MacVitty, opened "The Convict's Daughter" Aug. 27, at the Alhambra, Chicago. He pro- poses to send the show over the Stair and Havlin circuit, playing the "pop" priced houses, and also on the Jake Wells time in the south. In the east this impresario has "The Blue Mouse" and "Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway," both scheduled for an early opening in New England, and subsequently west and south. Beulah Poynter will be seen In a new play under the direction of her old managers, Burt ft Nlcolal. It is entitled "Mother's Girl." This show opens to-day at South Bend, Ind. The reopening of the Marlowe The- atre Stock Company, Chicago, is an event that occurred Aug. 28. The Initial play Is "The Charity Ball." Comparatively few changes have been made in the personnel. Eugenia Blair Is to scintillate in "The Light Eternal," which opened Aug. 26 at Fort Wayne, Ind., under the management of M. E. Rice, repre- senting the Stair Interests. Harry Chappell, erstwhile treasurer of the new Blackstone, this city, is directing the business affairs of a road production of "The Traveling Salesman," which commences Sept. 2 at a point near Chicago. He is rep- resented "back with the show" by Walter Harmon. Robert O'Connor, a Milwaukee actor, Is the leading man. Interested In the venture in a finan- cial way is A. S. Stern, a wealthy business man of New York City. When "Knighthood Was in Flower" opens Sept. 16 at Benton Harbor un- der the management of W. K. Sparks, and will go to the Coast over the John Cort circuit. Anna Day will again be featured. Frank King has the Shubert pro- duction of "Billy" and will essay the titular role in the play. The open- ing took place Aug. 26 at Esther- ville, la. The show is routed through the middle and northwest, with Coast time to probably follow. "The Three Twins" and "The Gold- en Girl" have been in active rehearsal here for an opening Sept. 2. They both will play the mlddlewest, with a trip to the Coast later In the sea- son. Frank Wade will direct the tour of the "Twins" show. J. Caulfleld will manage the other attraction. Cal Stewart, a former vaudeville entertainer, has commenced rehears- als at Cedar Rapids on a new play entitled "In Politics," and will take it over the one and three-night stands in the west and south. An opera company is being organ- ized here under the direction of James F. Roach and under the auspices of a local lyceum bureau. It will be used to play lyceum course enter- tainments throughout the mlddlewest. The opening date Is Sept. 24. This Is harvest time for the book- ing agencies. As a consequence the offices of A. Milo Bennett and Harry Sheldon have been fairly besieged for the last few weeks with producing managers or their representatives. Mr. and Mrs. John Petrie have been here engaging people for a stock com- pany, to open at Muskegon, Mich., Sept. 9. Htflden Brothers have round- ed up a company for "The Denver Express" and "The Angel and the Ox." Kennedy and Rapier gave "Tel- egraph Station No. 21" an opening near here recently. Frank McWat- ters is putting out a company of "The Little Homestead," and the O. 1) Woodward Stock Company is organiz- ing for an early first performance at the new American theatre, Omaha. Clarence Bennett's "A Royal Slave" (Continued on page 9.)