Newspaper Page Text
OLD FAVORITES TO (iDEFT ATIONTA PLAYGOERS TUES WEEK
Al G. Field and His New Minstrel
Troupe Come to the Atlanta,
While Bessie Wynn Is the Head
liner at the Forsyth.
By TARLETON COLLIER.
IT will be a week or two of old friends and reunions for the city’s
theater patrons. After more than a week of darkness, the At
lanta Theater opens with the show of Al G. Field and his min
strels, who will count their twenty-eighth annual appearance here.
And the week after there will be ‘‘Robin Hood,” DeKoven's well
known opera, and real music.
Bessie Wynn will eome to the Forsyth this week as headliner
of a pretentious bill. Miss Wynn, with a record of a number of
successful performances in Atlanta, claims a considerable local fol
lowing.
At the Lyric, ‘‘The Confession,” a daring play that was con
structed by James Halleck Reid around a typically modern sit
uation, will be the week’s offering, and at the Bijou the ‘‘Call of
the Woods,” a companion play to Eugene Walter’s “The Wolf,”
will be presented.
Everything, then, will come with a substantial basis made of
success and appeal in the past. There will be no unknown ven
tures in Atlanta’s theaters this week.
And yet, oddly enough, there is no threat that the theater
goer will be bored by the repetition of old features. The fact that
Field's Minstrels have been coming and coming for twenty-seven
years now, and each year with renewed popularity, gives promise
that this year, too, the show will be worthy and entertaining. An
opera like “Robin Hood” is never old. Vaudeville folks, however
much they have entertained you in the past, have always a fresh
appeal. Personality’s the big thing, after all, in vaudeville stars.
One change in.the booking is announced by Manager Homer
George, of the Atlanta, who offers a substitute for the Anna Held
show. Owing to the short time in which preparations have been
under way, a change was made in the plans of Anna Held and the
John Cort Jubilee Vaudeville bill announced for September 29.
This attraction will reach Atlanta later, but on September 29 and
30 the Atlanta will offer “Ready Money,” a bright farce that
counted a long run in the big houses last season.
With “Officer 666,” and "Within the Law,” the show “Ready
Money” was classed as one of the three really big hits of the
season.
Immediately following, Henry W. Savage’s operetta “Little
Boy Blue” will come to Atlanta, for performances October 1
and 2. »
Altogether, there is promise of good things in the city’s
theaters.
Al Field to Appear With New Comparty;
Other Attractions Follow at the Atlanta
About this show of Al G. Field which
will be at the Atlanta Thursday, Fri
day and Saturday of this week. Re
ports have come of an attraction this
season well up to the old Field stand
ard, with an appreciative attendance
everywhere.
Al Field himself, of all the orig
inal company of 27 years ago, is the
only survlvor. He will appear in
the role of interlocutor. Time was
when the minstrel leader was one of
the most active of all his vivacious
crew. But now there is only his
cheery face and smile and conversa
tion, with younger mi n to sing and
dance.
A number of the younger recruits
Bessie ll T ynn and Hermione Shone Will Be
Headliners in Bill at the Forsyth This Heel
Bessie Wynn will head the bill that
will be the attraction at the Forsyth
this week. Among the special fea
tures will be Hermione Shone and her
company in a little play that is said
to be thrilling, and the Avon Com
edy Four, recited the highest sala
ried quartet in vaudeville. _
As to vaudeville attractions. Atlan
ta is fortunate beyond other cities
of the South, obtaining the same fea
tures that appear In the metropolitan
variety houses —not in so great num
ber, probably, but selected as to qual
ity from the bunch.
Bessie Wynn is known to Atlanta
showgoers as indeed the “lady
dainty" of vaudeville. In legitimate
Capable Company in ‘ Hie Confession ’
Is Next Offering of Lyric Management
“The Confession," by James Hal
leck Reid, which had a successful
run at the Broadway Bijou Thea
ter, New York, for six months and
played two successful seasons en tour,
will be seen at the Lyric this week,
with matinees Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday.
“The Confession" has a dramatic
story of power and truth, using for Its
theme a vital subject. A priest’s duty
to his church, n.-i opposed to his duty
to his State, is its basis. It Is a story
that runs the gamut of every human
emotion, but withal It is clean.
Much of the claim which this Reia
‘ The Cal lof the Woods, 'a Drama o f Wilds
Os Canada, To Be Presented at the Bijou
The breath of the bi? outdoors, the
primitive tone of the Canadian woods
will be the spirit of th*' play at the
Bijou this week. It is "The Call of
the Woods,” a plav with a tense ap
peal like that of "The Wolf.” Eugene
Walter’s great play. In fact. The
Call of the Woods” is something akin
to the other, and is hailed as its com
panion play.
It will be a play in which the primal
emotions’ of love and hate will be
displayed, in which will be depicted
the virile characters that are made in
the big, open stretches of the free
uiugds, almost beyond the pale of civ-
of this season are said to be bright
stars in the world of minstrelsy. A
promise, too, is held out with the an
nouncement that William Walters’
Gold Band will accompany the Fieid
show, giving free musical concerts
during their stay In Atalnta.
After the minstrel show, for only
one night will the Atlanta be dark,
and that Sunday night. The Mon
day following “Ready Money” will
open, and immediately after “Little
Boy Blue.” And the same week
"Robin Hood” will come, with the
same company seen in New York for
the first three weeks x of this season.
The company numbers SO persons, in
cluding a number of grand opera
singers of known name.
musical comedy and in vaudeville sh -
has won plaudits. And descriptions of
her wardrobe promise much that is
■ spectacular about her show.
Hermione Shone and her company
will present "The Lust Hope,” which
bases much of its claim on excep
tional scenic effects. The Avon Com
edy Four will present their sketch,
s “The New School-Teacher.”
The Nedevell’s Jockey Monkey,
l which can ride a pony and a bicycle
as well, will interest the juvenile ele
ment in the audience. Norwood anl
Norwood are a comedy pair; Rother
and Anthony will be seen in a s!n%-
l ing and dancing act, and the Great
r Richards are billed for a "novelty
* act."
play makes for attention is based on
its frank portrayal of a life interest.
The company that will be at the
Lyric th in week is hailed as one of
merit. Richard Sterling, who is play
ing the leading role, has been com
mended for his work with the charac
ter of the Rev. J. J. Bartlett. Charles
Canfield, playing the attorney for the
defense, has won recognition already
this season. He has been here before
in "Ben-Hur.” and with William Gil
lette. in "Sherlock Holmes." Boyd M.
Turner’s work as Joseph Dumont, a
French Canadian, is said to be clever
His last important engagement was
with Otis Skinner, in "Kismet."
ilization. The situation is one to pro
duce thrills, an i the promise of a
good show is held out by the Bijou
management
In the selection of a cast to por
tray the various roles. Manager Kel
ley has cast his company to the very
best ■-< 1 vantage, and several new play
' ers have reached Atlanta and will be
seen in the play this week Eddie
Black and Earl Higley will have
splendid comedy parts, which insures
that the comedy element of the play
will be well taken care of. Matinees
will be given every day at 2;30 and
night performances at 8:30.
HEARST’S SUNDAY AMERICAN, ATLANTA. GA.. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 19*13
A TTR ACTIONS of the week in Atlanta theaters. Bessie Wynn, who comes to the Forsyth <
with new songs, is shown above. Al G. Field, whose minstrels will appear at the Atlanta, i
> is pictured below.
- ■
/ L . Jf
' W ’ wbß? < wßwl
1 /%. I
\ \BBfcte ■'
\ \@BBk
Jr
fiffi 2- it
K /w f W\\D
W x /u7 A\ \ z«3 ” \ 7
x - 7aAti x
/ \ Jt j .
\ >' yT
\ ■
; Gossip ot Stage l = oll<
Theodore Roberts, who was
recently a member of the ali
mony club at the Ludlow Street
Jail, has invited the turnkeys, keep
ers and other employees at the jail to
witness a performance of "Believe
Me. Xantippe" at the Thirty-ninth
Street Theater. The invitation is ap
propriate, as Mr. Roberts plays the
part of a Western Sheriff in the com
edy.
• • •
"The great number of Shakespear
ean companies that are to be '-een on
the American stage this season," ob
serves Agnes Elliot Scott, herself an
interesting and experienced Shake
spearean actress, "has prompted the
theatrical reviewers to designate this
season as one marked by a revival in
interest in Shakespeare. This is not
correct. There has always been an
interest in Shakespeare, and when hu
plays are produced with a competent
cast they have been successful. It is
because so little attention has been
given to the details of the Shake
spearean production in the past by all
save a very few managers, that these
plays have not been supported. In
stead of calling this a revival in the
interest of Shakespeare, it would be
more appropriate to say it was a re
vival In the interest of competent act
ing.”
• • •
A year ago, on September 9, “With
in the Law," Bayard Veiller’s melo
drama was produced in New York,
and it has run uninterrupted for that
period. Nearly persons have
been entertained and thrilled by this
play. Not only in this country is
"Within the Law" the play of the
I hour, but it is enjoying the same
I prosperity in London and Australia.
The play will be seen at the Atlanta
I this season.
• • •
“Potash and Perlmutter.” the dram
atization of the characters in Mon
tague Glass’ famous stores, has made
a rencational success at the Gen rare M
(’ohan Theater. New York. The en
gagement opened August 16, and
Manager A. H. Woods has already
arranged for special matinee per
formances in order 10 meet the ap
parently inexhaustible demand for
1 seats.
• • •
Olive Briscoe, the vaudeville artist,
i was a member of several dramatic
I companies before she graced the
vaudeville stage. Miss Briscoe was a
good actress, but decided early In life
that as she was her own best friend
she would first please herself and
afterward, if it did not conflict with
her own ideas of propriety, she would
please others.
In this mood she met a stage man
ager once who disagreed with her
artistic temperament. After two or
three rehearsals Miss Briscoe came
to the conclusion that the stage man
ager did not know his business, and
thereafter he entered no longer into
her young life.
It was a few days later that her
elder sister. Lottie, also an actress, in
quired .
"Is the new stage manager hard to
please. Ollie?"
“I am sure I don’t know’." was the
nonchalant reply. “1 never tried.”
♦ • •
Maude Leslie, a clever and attrac
tive young English comedienne, visit-
I ed the utflee of one of the theatrical
’ exchanges recently for the purpose
of engaging some artists for a comedy
playlet she is to produce.
"I did not know there were so many
actors and actresses in the world,”
'he exclaimed a'ter her visit. "The
offices are crowded, and they seem
to grow in number every minute.
Some of them were pathetic in their
despair, and as 1 watched them I was
unconsciously reminded of the pathos
of the little girl who was overlooked
at the dinner table. This little miss sat
next to her mbther, who was so ab
sorbed in talking to her neighbors
that she omitted to give the child
anything to eat After a long v*ait
the liti < one. unable to bear it any
• longer, held up her plate for obser
i vation.
" Does any one at the table.’ she
inquired, ’want a clean plate?’"
Although Charles Udell, of “The
Merry Countess” company, is univer
sally admitted a clever comedian, he
claims all the fun is not inside the
theater.
Mr. Udell relates a humorous incl
‘ 1 dent of last season. For two hour* 8
one afternoon an excitable French
man stood at t e stage entrance. He
I talked loud and long, and refused to
• move until 1 . nad seen Mr. Udell The
crowd t ; at gathered understood him
to say that Mr. Udell was the finest
• man ever born. Mr. Udell escaped bv
a ’-ide door. and the Frenchman was
grieved. Later in the day Mr. Udell
, explained.
"A friend of mine," said he, “per
-3 suaded me to leave my hotel and go
to a private place kept by that
Frenchman. I found It about the most
uncomfortable house I had ever been
in, so I left. The Frenchman keeps a
little book, in which his guests are
supposed to write their impressions of
the house. He pushed this book up to
me as I was leaving, and this is what
1 wrote:
“‘I have stopped in many places
of entertainment throughout the
world. But I have never struck any
thing like this house.’
’ And I meant it, too. It was the
limit.
■ But it Mcems that the Frenchman
decided that this was the finest rec
ommendation ever written. And now
he is looking for me. trying to get my
authority to reproduce my credential
In rnv own handwriting on his letter
heads.’* ,
> * WM I II !SH
j ■ iSjl ini l ** i ~ ClinPmflfVrni 1 m
lOOiWI w 1 IB Eg
wr OEM
> .\v of Purity
BW'/ z - ."Z -
z /////f I** * '
mm
GREAT REVIVAL
OFRDBINHDDD
Misha Ferenzo Will Sing Title
Role Here October 3 and
Frothingham in Cast.
The DeKoven Opera Company is
responsible for the revival of "Robin
Hood,” which will be heard at the
Atlanta Theater Friday and Saturday.
October 3 and 4 This organization
has been formed for the purpose of
reviving an interest in the master
pieces of the light opera stage. The
first work selected was the little
classic that Reginald DeKoven com
poses! over twenty years ago, and
which still maintains its freshness.
Originally written for the Boston
ians and produced by them only be
cause of the lack of other available
material, this work of Reginald De*
Koven’s found an immediate success
and has been performed over 5.000
times. It Is safe to say, however, that
no revival of "Robin Hood” has ever
attained the dignity of the present
one. For the cast the best singers
from the grand opera stage were en
gaged. The keynote of the entire
production has been artistic sim
plicity without overelaboration.
The scenes are faithful reproduc
tions of old England when Robin and
his merrie men roamed through Sher
wood Forest. Tile costumes are in
keeping with the period of the opera.
In the list of singers who will be
heard in "Robin Hood" the one domi
nant figure is Enrica Dilll, a dramatic
soprano, with that rare tiling a range
of two and a half octaves, each note
of an equal force and value. She was
secured by Mr. DeKoven from the
Roval Opera at Genoa, and she speaks
perfect English. Another Importation
is tliat pf Misha Ferenzo. who will be
heard in the title role. He is a grad
uate of the Imperial Opera at. St. Pe
tersburg, and has sung in "Robin
Hood” for two seasons. George
Frothingham, the original Friar Tuck
of the famous Bostonians, hns been
engaged to re-create ills favorite part
and he has played it upward of 5,000
times.
Others in the cast are Jerome Daley
as the armourer; Joseph Parsons, as
Kittle John; Sara Ma»on, ns the jeal
ous Alan-a-Dale; Helena Morrill, as
Annabel, who teases him; Tillie Sal
inger. as the buxom Dame Durden;
Phil Branson, as the wily sheriff of
Nottingham, and Sid Braham, ns Guy
of Gisborne, his confederate and dupe.
Seats on sale Tuesday. September
30.
MORE DIXON FLAYS.
"The Sins of the Father.” drama
tized by Thomas Dixon from his book
by the same name, had its opening
last week, with Ethel Wright In the
principal role. latter In the season
"The Leopard’s Spots," also drama
tized by Mr. Dixon from his own book,
will have Its premiere, when Miss
Wright will be transferred. “The
Leopard’s Spots,” it is anticipated,
will repeat the sensational Interest
first aroused by "The Clansman,”
which was the first b6ok and play by
this author.
‘Sweethearts’ Is Sweet-Yes,
Vent, Very Sweet
BY ALAN DALE.
NEW YORK, Sept. 20—She’s fn
charming! She’s so very, very
sweet, the characters in “Sweet
hearts” at the New Amsterdam
Theater, say persistently of Chris
tie MacDonald! And you know that
she Is; you simply can’t forget it.
Nor can she. Her sweetness, at
times, amounts almost to a malady,
and her charm to an obsession. In
“Sweethearts” Miss Christie Mac-
Donald is terrifically sweet —always
smiling beatifically, seraphically
and angelically—so coy, cute and
cunning that even a momentary
grouch would have been gorgeous.
In “Sweethearts” Miss Christie
MacDonald is everything—and then
some more. After her success in
“The Spring Maid”—almost an
epoch-maker in its way—Miss Mac-
Donald must have said to heraelf,
“If they thought me sweet in that,
thi& time I’ll be sweetissima.” The
big stage of the New Amsterdam is
scarcely big enough for Miss Mac-
Donald’s sweetness. She sits right
in its center, all alone, and simply
gusnes sweet melodies. Nothing
particular happens to justify tills.
The little lady simply feels the
need of dispensing her sweetness,
and she has to do it. The "funny"
man is there —well, just because ho
is there; a story telling how people
are hunting for Miss Christie Mac-
Donald because she is a missing
princess is there —well, just be
cause It is there. Ladles and gen
tlemen “of the chorus” dash on and
are there —well, just because they
are there—but you know, for the
reason that you can’t avoid know
ing. that Miss Christie MacDonald’s
sweetness is the unalloyed delicacy
that you are asked to swallow. And
you do try!
She’s so charming! She’s so very,
very sweet. She comes on, attired
in baby blue anu other things, pre
tending not to know how sweet she
Insists on beln and she sings to
them. All the “fat” of “Sweet
hearts” is hers. Nothing and no fel
low conflict w ith her sw’eetness. It
is let loose on the stage. It fills
the crevices of the big playhouse.
At about 10 o’clock you feel the
sugar in the air. A sort of saccha
rin*' haze envelops the atmosphere.
It is almost fattening, and at first
you feel glad, in a pulverized and
granulated way. Later on, that !s
to say about 11:15, a wild and pas
sionate yearning for Worcester
shire sauce holds you imprisoned.
Oh. for Worcestershire sauce! Oh,
for paprika! Likewise, oh! for a
dash of Angostura! Then your
sugared eyelids begin to fall; the
sweetness has enervated and de
vitalized you. You slumber!
Os course, this is ai’ very nice.
Miss Christie MacDonald, with a
cast of people Who can do her no
harm, has a. splendid monopoly tn
“Hweethearts.” Even Mr Victor
Herbert, who composed the music,
failed to conduct on the opening
night—perhaps because he was
afraid of conflicting with Miss
MacDonald’s formidable sweetness.
It seemed a pity that the foremost
of American composers—one whom
The Better the Barley
the better the brew, is the reason why Anheuser-Busch only
buys the most costly Barley grown from which to brew and age
Budweiser
A Friend of Mine”
The ever-increasing demand fcr Budweiser
has been honestly won by its uniform Surer
Hop flavor, quality, purity and mellowness.
Bottlad only at the home plant in St. Louis
Anheuser-Buschßrewery-Stlouis
JAS. F. LYNCH, Distributor
Atlanta, Ca. W
we like to see, just because he
isn’t Franz Lehar or Leo Fall—
pinuld have omitted an appearance.
One can only believe that he felt
he might be the paprika in that
Sahara of sweetness.
Mr. Herbert’s music is tuneful
and gracious—not his best, by a
very long way, but still eminently
neat. The waltz called “Sweet
hearts” Is most affable. I W’on’t
say it will be popular, because it
is popular. A “sabot dance” is ex
ceedingly good. So are the num
bers called “Mother Goose,” “The
Ange! us" and “Cricket on the
Hearth.” It is very’ sweet music,
written to inclose the sweetness of
Miss MacDonald. It is not frisky
or perky or impertinent. You say
of nearly everything. “Isn’t it
sweet?”
The “book” is by Madame Fred
de Gresac and Harry R. Smith—all
about sweet little Sylvia, who Is
found in a Tulip Garden (a very
sweet garden), who is adopted by
a laundry lady, and who is really
the Crown Princess of the little
kingdom' of Silanla It would be
absurd to criticise this story or to
inveigh against Its irrelevant “hu
mor”—mostly interposed by Mr.
Tom McNaughton. Both librettists
know’ as well (or better) than you
or I know what real humor is. So
they are perfectly aware that the
brand found in “Sweethearts"—
isn’t! Moreover, real humor would
die In “Sweethearts,” martyred by
sugar!
Miss MacDonald sang very sw*eet
ly, indeed. She has a sweet voice.
Some of her notes are hyper-sweet,
super-sweet and extra-sweet. Oth
ers are a saturated solution of
sweetneML Furthermore, she look
ed very sweet; even her acting was
sweet. Christie MacDonald proved
In “The spring Maid” that she is an
artist. In this latter opera she em
phasiees the fact, but it is a harder
Job, because one gets too much of
her. It Is possible to have too much
even of a good tiling, though 1 know
tliat is a much-discussed question.
Tom McNaughton, made up like
George Graves in London, was in
clined to be funny, but his “humor”
was forced and not at all “high
class.” McNaughton, for flavoring
purposes, is a valuable person; as a
steady diet he is by no means as
valuable. That was the case in
“Sw’eethearts.” Lionel Walsh, as one
of those monocled “humorists” that
we know not wisely, but too well,
appeared to belong to another dec
ade. Miss Hazel Kirke was charm
ing until she sang; when slip sang
she chirped the note of disillusion.
Thomas Conkey had an agreeable
voice and did his best to avoid being
a stick. Edwin Nelson seemed to
regard himself favorably, and Miss
Ethel du Fre Houston had the fu
tile job of living up to that magnifi
cent name.
A DANGEROUS SKIRT.
Christine Norman, the svelte Ethel
of “Peg o’ My Heart,” sat, in a recent
midday, in the boudoir of a wo mail
friend who does not lead the fash
ions, but who makes them follow hen
The style creator had just donned
a three-ounce X-ray gown which, set
►between a beholder and the suni
would not have exercised the imagU
nation of a clam.
“My dear," said Christine to hel
friend, “don’t you think rubber glovel
would bo more appropriate than thosd
you’re pulling on?”
“Rubber gloves—why?”
"Perhaps I should have said ’safer!
That skirt i» so shocking."
9E