Variety (July 1912)

i2 VARIETY MINSTREL TROUPES GROWINO TO VE RY LARO E NUMBERS Thirteen or Mure Blackface Organizations in the Field for Next Season. Spitz & Nathanson the Latest. Melntyre & Heath Report Unconfirmed. The number of minstrel shows which will be in the field next season is making the show people who route and manage houses stand agape. Thir- teen or more blackface organizations will be on the road, an unprecedented number. The latest to organize a minstrel show are Spitz & Nathanson of Provi- dence. A report about that Mclntyre and Heath will have their own black- face troupe can not be confirmed. The famous team were under contract to Klaw & Erlanger for a number of seasons. The agreement expired with the ending of '11-'12. In the prospective for minstrelsy, there are the Neil O'Brien Minstrels, Primrose and Dockstader's Minstrels, Al Fields' Minstrels, Spitz ft Nathan- son's, Evans' Minstrels, Coburn's Min- strels, Vogel's Minstrels, Fox's Lone Star Minstrels (playing Texas only), Tommy Donnelly's Minstrels, Boyer's Minstrels, Richards ft Pringle's Min- strels (colored), Roscoe ft Holland's "Dandy Dixie" Minstrels (colored). "TANTALIZING TOMMY" CAST. Rehearsals will start this week for the "Tantalizing Tommy" show which A. H. Woods will first present for a big town showing at the Chicago Opera House, Aug. 30. Geo. Marlon is directing the rehear- sals. In the company are Geo. Ander- son, Harry Tighe, Robert Pitkin, Dal- las Welford, Harry Clark, Donald Hall, Elizabeth Brlce, Dorothy Webb, Peggy (Hattie) Forsythe, Elsie Ward, Jean Iver, Edna Munsey. "The Fascinating Widow," which the Woods office will start on its sec- ond season at Atlantic City, Aug. 26, will have besides Julian Eltlnge as the star, Ed. Garvie, James Spotts- wood, Gilbert Douglas, Chas. W. But- ler, J. J. Sullivan, H. A. Pearson, Car- rie Perkins, Audrey Maple, June May- her, Louise Orth, Nellie O'Hara, Will Lorraine, Frank Mack, Ted Davis, J. J. Pierce, John Montague. LAMBARDI IMPORTED SINGERS. Los Angeles, July 24. Charles R. Baker, who is here in advance of the Lambardi Grand Opera Company, announces the personnel of the organization that is to be heard at the Auditorium Oct. 27. Only one of the old favorites, Signor Michele Giovacchini, baritone, is retained. The list of those who will be brought over from Europe include: Sopranos, Mines. Tarquinia Tarquini (prima donna at Covent Garden in London), Amina Martini and Maria d'Oria; mezzo soprano, Mrae. Aida Zinolfl; tenors, Guiseppi Arminini, Gulseppe Giorgi (engaged last season by Mas- cagni to sing In "Ysobel" in this country) and Signor G. Agostini; baritones, Giuseppe Giardinl, Fran- cesco Nicoletti (also a singer last season in "Ysobel"); basso, Giovanni Martino. Another artiste who will be placed alongside Mme. Tarquini is Mme. Melvini Pereira, the distinguished Italian coloratura soprano. Signor A. Patrizi, representative of the organizatiion in Italy, informs Manager Baker that he has also se- cured the services of Manlio Bavag- noli, who will be the general musical director, and G. Colucci, assistant dir- ector and chorus master. The Lambardi season will open in San Francisco this year with the Los Angeles engagement to follow. SHUBERTS IN LEXINGTON. Lexington, Ky., July 24. The work of decorating the new theatre being built in the heart of Lexington by John B. Haggin, the race track man, is now being pushed to completion. The house, seating over 1,720 and costing about $150,000, will be ready for occupancy by Labor Day. The Shuberts are understood to have acquired the booking of the house. No name has yet been accepted. KLEPTOMANIA FARCE. Atlantic City, July 24. Next week at the Apollo Cohan & Harris will present their second farce offering for the season of 1912-'13. It is "Stop Thief!" a three-act show by Carlyle Moore. The subject mat- ter is kleptomania. . In the cast are John Webster, Rob- ert Dempster, William Boyd, Frank Bacon, Thomas Findlay, Andrew Buckley, Charles Moore, Edw. J. Ma- guire, Daniel S. Gallon, Mary Ryan, Edna Baker, Ruth Chester, Vivdant Martin, Maude P. Terrell, and others. TWO "QUAKER GIRLS/* The two "Quaker Girl" companies will open early in September. The eastern (Ina Claire featured) opens in Boston Sept. 4. The western (with Victor Morley) starts on its way to the Coast Sept. 7. The opening stand has not been sel- ected as yet. NOT STRONG FOR MEADEVILLE. Meadeville, Pa., July 24. The owner of the Academy of Mu- sic expects to have the bouse upon his hands when the lease held by M. Reis expires. He has been writing New York booking agents for infor- mation regarding bookings. M. Reis informed a Variety repre- sentative his lease on the Meadeville theatre does not expire for one year yet, but if the owner is anxious to have the house back again the agree- ment could be immediately cancelled by mutual consent. "FOLLIES" REHEARSING. Although the chorus of "The Follies of 1912" started rehearsing upon the New York Roof Monday, no date has been set for the opening of the show in the theatre downstairs, nor has the full cast of principals been assembled. Among those nearly certain of being placed in leading roles are Leon Erroll, Harry Watson, Bert Williams, Rae Samuels, Bernard Granville, Harry Kelly. Raymond Hubbell will write some of the music for the production. A clever lyric writer, hitherto unknown to Broadway, is reported as collabor- ator with Mr. Hubbell. Many of the musical numbers will be interpolated. Harry B. Smith is at work on the book. The show is scheduled to appear at the New York, Labor Day, though that is likely dependent upon the con- tinued success of "A Winsome Widow," which now occupies the stage of the Moulin Rouge (New York). Monday night Mollie King replaced Elizabeth Brice in the "Widow" piece, also taking Miss Brice's part in the numbers formerly sung by Brice and King (Chas. King is her brother). BIG INCREASE FOR SMALL HOUSE. The Toy theatre, opened last fall for the purpose of producing plays desired by the critics of the drama and of a sort written by well known authors (not produced before) will be. increased in seating capacity, from 129 to 264. GOING OUT EARLY. Walter Messinger will be the first of the A. H. Woods road agents to start out, Messinger leaving here Aug. 1 ahead of Dustin Fa mum in "The Littlest Rebel." This show is expected to open a three weeks' engagement at McVick- er's, Chicago, Aug. 17 and then pro- ceed by easy stages to the Pacific Coast. Fred Fleck will act as man- ager. William Farnum in the same piece opens the latter part of August and will play eastern territory. Campbell Casad will be the sea- son's pioneer of the Werba & Lue- scher advance guard. He leaves Satur- day for Atlantic City to pave the way there for the opening of "The Spring Maid" Aug. 12, which company will embrace Gene Luneska, J. H. Gold- smith, Dorothy Maynard and Charles McNaughton. After a week and a half with the show, Casad returns fc> take out the first of the "Rose Maid" companies which opens at Portland, Me., Aug. 26 and goes south for a tour. Casad will do considerable jumping in and out ahead of different shows. His right hand bower will be Elliott Forman. "THE PRICE" GOING OUT. The Henry B. Harris play, which starred Helen Ware, is going out next season with the same title ("The Price") under the direction of Clar- ence Bennett & Co. The Aarons' Associated Theatres will route the show, which is billed to carry the original New York cast. DOLLY SISTERS AT CASINO. "The Winsome Widow" lost the Dolly Sisters last week. They will next appear in New York in "The Merry Countess" under the Shubert management. The piece op -jus at the Casino Aug. 15. Immediately upon the return ot Mile. Dazie from Europe last week, the Shuberts informed the dancer she Jhad been assigned to "The Merry Countess," where she will have a dance or two with Martin Brown, be- sides solo work. Maurice Farkoa and Michal© Far- raday, who are engaged for the "Countess" production will arrive In New York on the Caronia July 27. OAVANAUGH'S LEADING ROLE. Htobart Cavanaugh has been en- gaged by William A. Brady to play Frank Craven's original role with one of the road companies in "Bought and Paid For" next season. THE GARAGE POLICY. The old Empire theatre, Brooklyn, owned by Richard Hyde, is being re- modeled and transferred into an au- tomobile garage. The Empire is on South Sixth street near the Williamsburg Bridge en- trance. There has been no use for it since the erection of the new Empire. The garage transformation will cost $40,000. NO EXCLUSIVE SCHOOL. The proposed school of the ballet which the Shuberts want Emile Ag- oust to open in New York, may not eventuate, unless the managers per- mit M. Agoust to receive pupils un- restricted. The Shuberts would like the school for the use of their own productions. Agoust, who staged "The Ballet of 1830" at the Winter Garden, is willing to undertake the venture, but has set a high figure for a guarantee if it is to be a personally conducted enter- prise. As a general proposition, with the Shuberts' support, the foreigner favors establishing it. COLONIAL'S OPENING SHOW. Chicago, July 24. "The Merry Widow Remarried" will reopen the Colonial Aug. 4. The operetta will carry in its cast Adelaide Norwood, Lillian Crosman, Reba Dale, Josie and Ethel Antro- podi, Charles Le Seur, Alonzo Price. Lew Dunbar, John Kearney, Curtis Cooksey, Alonzo Price and several others. GEO. H. MURRAY "COMMERCIAL." Sunshine is dull alongside the glow on the face of Geo. H. Murray, since he gave up the show business for a side line. Formerly an agent who knew Broadway backwards, Mr. Murray is making use of the knowledge gained boosting shows, while acting as repre- sentative for the Morgan Lithograph Co. WEBER CIRCUIT "DRAWS." The drawings for opening stands on the L. Lawrence Weber "pop" circuit were held Wednesday.