The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-09-16
richmond Thcatrscais.

SEPTEMBER 10, 1876.
Richmond Tbeatrscaas.
The Richmond reader will find matter of
interest In the following article from the
New York Tribune:
TIE SOUTHERN STAGE.-There are indica~
lions that the field OF Theatrical enterprise N |
the southern States will be worked some |
Whist more extensively and vigorously thss !
season than In previoas seasons for number |
Of years. 1t is an interesting. profitable, and |
important business and art domstu; ana
within Es precincts would I've ne.
cepted as a hsppy augury for the GOOD 1or- !
sune Of the South. In the cities which lie TO |
The south OF Washington and ST. Louis-if
we exccpa New Orlesns-thc theatres
annear 10 lack Vccal management, to suve
no stock companies, and to depend
On i,jpesant combinations. Thus they
are ogeue6 and shut spsSmodicaHY,
and their health Is precaT1oUs. Ta:s
was not al~ays so, for, VI years 6eterei
the war, Richmond, Charleston, Savannah
Montgomery, aDd Mobile were excellent
theatrical cities, aud good stock CON psnles
as we'll ns she leading. stars rarely failed to,
flourish IN all Of them. About the year
1875, for example, William Rafus BlaSEe, b.,
A. Perry, Charles Burke, games Stark. Will
liam Cb;ppendsle Qbe efder3, and George
.Jor6en were members of the STOCK COM
pang-eugaged and prosperous for the full
season-of the Richmond Theatre; and 'this
was 6 company that could not easily be
matched now 10 any city of the reEublic. In
1861 Joseph jefferson aod John A. Ellsler
mapaced in Charlestoa, aud frequently acted
in neiebboripg cities. In 1855 the stock
company Of the Redmond Tbeatre-then
managed BY John T. Ford comprised,
: amsug Others, Joseph Jefferson. Edwin
adams, and Mary DeFHn {wbe subsequently,
f,scame the wife OF Edwin Booth). DIT was
Ia tbyt season, at the Richmond Iheatle.
that Edwin Booth appeared az Henry the
Enb. Sbskespeare's historical play Of that
meme having been then prodacedfor them
time In the United States. These facts indi-
cate the class of players and the kind OF
dramatic entertain Dent that abounded 10
southern cities twenty years ago. NJ. w.
Canning at about that time managed ID Mont-
gomery, s. Il. DuffieId in Mobile, and John'
Green rs honest John =, IN A'shVlnc.
Twenty years ago Jarrett and Ford were
Young managers in Baltimore, and in their
stock companies and among their associates
were John z. Owens, Joseph Jefferson ,"John
S. Clarke, Edwin Booth. Edwin Adams. Z.
w. Tayleule, ard II. L. Bateman The Bal
timore bone of Mr.. Bateman was then The
Headquarters Of theatrical lite Ia that region.
The B,teman girls (infant prodigi:s tben)
already gave denOtementS of q bright future.
Old CoWell was about with his quips and
cranks. And from that Coterie have emerged
leading actors, famous nowadays on both
the English aud American stage, and man.
ayers who have succeeded alike IN Acw ork,
Washington, and London.
Since the War-whicb, of course, almost
killed the southern theatres-eforts have
been now and again made, particularly in
Memphis and Richmond, to maintain for
full season the old.iasbioned stock. c0mpauy
theatre: but they have not been encouraged
by success. The expenses Of carrying on
the business were found TO have increased;
and, 10 brief. whatever Of good fortune was
attainable has accrued TO star actors Of ac-
knowledeed reputation who travelled with
their own companies. In Charleston the
theatre was destroyed during the war;
but since then the Alger building, formerly
q dry.gOodS shop, has heen turucd into
IN "Academy of Music'; and this pro.
perty, which originally cost S20O,000. and
which was altered at an expense OF $780, 600,
was recently sold to John f. Owcns-tbe
admirable and distinguished consolidation
less than $4,000. In Savannah the old
theatre sill exists, which was built nearly
sixty years ago. In Augusta, Ga, Girardey's
Opera.House was lately advertised to be
sold at shcriti's sale. In Atlanta there is
u pretty little theatre which was erected by
the enterprise of a French resident Of that
city, NJ. Louis de Give, who certainly
bears very good name for public
benefactor. The Mobile Theatre is mau-
aged by well.known journalist and
dramutist, MIR. r. G. De Leon, who often
pleads The cause Of art in the co 'umnS OF the
Mobile Register The Richmond theatre
was both burnt and rebuilt during the war.
In Raleigh they have neat little opera
house; and iu Wilmington, n. c., part OF
the CITY Hall is set aside for the drama; but
in North Carolina the cost OF license TO
give theatrical performances is go great, and
the chances of doing Il good business seem
so little, that but few entertainments are
ever given in that State. The three needful
permits State, county, and town-lor one
exhibition, cost more in North Carolina than
in all the cities north of Richmond put to-
gether.
1t is reasonable 10 assume that quite as
much money is expended now as in any pre-
vlOuS season upon Theatrical entertain IDCutS
in the South; but this expenditure, both as
TO time and place, is IL ore concentrated than
before. Jefferson and Owens are especially
popular in The South. In 1873 the formers
average Of receipts was $1,000 4 night in
places where. twenty years earlier, be used
to rejoice II, both As manager and actor, be
got 5000. Edwin Booth has not acted in
any Of the Atlantic States south of Maryland
for over fifteen years; and the probability is
that his journey through the South this
season will be quite n triumphal progress.
Mr.. Raymond, as Colonel Sellers, is also going
to make the circuit OF the southern theatres,
and doubtless "they are waiting for him
now" Mr.. Booth will not appear in Wash
dngton, but will visit all the other South At
aantic cities. Colonel Sellers will be in Wash.
ington when Congress meets, and will
hold up to legislators a glass wherein they
may sac the inmost part of them. These, and
indeed all the prominent actors who visit the
South this season, 20 tbther under tie man-
asement of MIR. Ford, of Baltimore, BIO is a
preferred lessee Of the southern theatres, and
to whose enserprisinS pIaus is mainly due
the approaching revival of theatricals on the
southern stage.
An Frdsh Paradise.
TRAVELLING THROUGH COUNTY WICKLOW THE
SWEET VALE OF Av0ca - TIE SEVEN CHCRcHEs