The Portland daily press., 1871-06-19
Amateur .Theatricals.

man or woman who has not been seized, at
some time or other in their lives, with an un-
control,able desire to appear upon the mimic
stage. We find this fact exempted especially
in children in their infaDtile representations
of married life with ''baby houses" for scenery
and properties, and their elder brothers and
sisters long dresses and stove-pipe hats for
wardrobe. AS they grow older a garret is dig
nified with the name of theatre; a bedauilt
answers the purpose of curtain; odds and ends
OF wall paper, carefully pasted together on
long, tall cothes-horses, represent equally well
forest, drawing-roOm or banqueting hall I;
cambria and gilt paper are jngeniousy manu-
featured into gorgeous court-dresses or the
military panoply and magnificent banners of
medieval times; and combs, bones, and drums
form the grand orchestra. Who does not re-
cal to mind the tim. when, as the fierce Blue
beard in turban composed of bright colored
bandana handkerchief, a gay fowered dress
ing-gown and red knickerbockers, and flow
ing white cotton beard of alarming dimensions,
with uplifted carving-knife, he threatened the
life Of the pretty Nellie Snooks, who clung to
his knees in the most terrified manner, attired
in cheap costume consisting of bed-gown and
back.hair, forming a tableau that brought
down terrible storm of applause from the
juvenile Audience that had paid the enormous
price of four cents apiece for tickets, and con-
sidered that they got good deal more for
their money than whom few years afterwards
they squandered their four dollars to hear
Nilsson. Why, we remember to have read
somewhere, at some time or other, that long
before Roscius was an actor, Thespis's little
brothers and sisters at Rome performed trage-
dies in go-cart, not in socks and buskins but
in socks and pinafores; the Atrium was fitted
up draped with borrowed togas; the patres
conscripti sat in the front row and the nadtres
conscripti behind Among them the mother
of the Gracchi, thinking the performances Of
her children the most wonderful in the world,
and turning up her patrician nose at the dra-
matte efforts of Marcus Antonus Lepidus,
aged nine, and at pretty little Livia Ottila, the
great heiress-whose cruel papa wanted her to
give up her large fortune towards the expenses
of the Punic war and become vested virgin
but who couldn't see it, and ran off tt
Brudusium with Sextus Quintilinus-or think
ing what catch the young cockney FlaviuI
would be, who pronounced vir, aoir, aud drop
ped the b in horridd
While the actor is born in most OF us, al
though only developed in a few, kings and no
bles, statesmen, men of wit and learning, hav'
through succeeding centuries been fond o
histrionic follies. And if such has beeu thei
caes, how much greater has been the pleasur,
derived from such innocent amusements b!
ordinary mOrtals In these later days it ha
been the custom for ladies and gentlemen t.
display their talents for the benefit of worth.
charities. One of the most deserving will
which we are acquainted is the Portland Fra
ternity. 1t reaches in its operations youne
men and women of every Sect provides then
with comfortable place to pass their evenings
furnishes them with instruction and amuse
ment, and removes temptation from thei
path. In aid of this society onr best amateu
talent presents the charming play of "Dol
Cesar de Bazan" tomorrow night at Portlan'
Music Hall. The new scenery by Lowe viii
be exhibited for the first time; the best cos
tunes of Mrs. j. r. Vincent. the celebrates
costumer of Boston, will be worn; the origina
music, lent by Mr.. Koppitz, musical conducto
of the Globe Theatre, Boston, will be sung b.
a large and excellent chorus, the princpa
parts sustained by Misses Fanny Chandlel
Ayres and Leaiy Chandler, and Messrs. Nun
roe, Haskell, Ross, Stanwood and Shaw, Will
the Portland Band will accompany them. Th
Portland Cadets will take the part of th
guards. Mr.. Hawes, organist of State Stree
Church, will preside at the organ behind th
scenes. In truth the arrangements for pe,
feet performance could not be excelled. At
rehearsal we attended on Saturday Afternoon
everything went off, as it should, witbou
hitch; and we trust that our citizens will Civ
these ladies and gentlemen the hearty suppo,
to which they are entitled for their efforts
behalf of noble charity. The sale of reserve
seats commences this morning at Hawes
Cragin's, and tickets should be secured at tt
earliest possible moment. Subjoined is Il
cast Of the play: Don Casar-E. G. Swet
Don josef. E. Bacon; Charles II.-Frar
A. Smith; Marquis de Rotondo-W. Goul
Lazarilo-Miss G. Drinkwater; Maritana
Miss Peters; Marchioness de Rotondo--Mi
Bryant. w.