The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-13
WATER STREETS IHEa TIRE
The Grand Duke Variety Company from Bax-
ter street Opening n New House.


ter street Opening n New House.
A dense mass OF boys congregatcd about n
narrow and dlmly lighted doorway on the north
side OF Water street. near Roosevelt last even
ing. marked the spot selected for the opening
show Of the reorganized Grand Duke combIna-
ton from Baxter street The proprietors. Peter
Conners and John Cavanaeh. have vcntured
upon the bold stroke OF changing their place OF
entertainment from the Sixth Ward to the
Fourth. three-story tenement. with n green
front. was leased and fitted up with scenery.
lights. benches and properties generally. 1t
was originally intended 10 have opened on
Monday last. but leak in the roof caused a
postponement TO last night.
There was at least $50 in the house when
Stage Manager George Hawthorne rang up the
curtain. Tho floor Of the auditorium-about 25
feet by ls-was liberaY sprinkled with saw
dust. while tho walls were ornamen,od with tall
kerosene lamps. from which smoke and flame
assembled in equal quantities. About 100 per-
sons filed the parduette. balcony. sofas. or
chestra stalls. &C. The orchestra stalls were
pine benches ranged at right angles to the
stage. The proscenium boxes consisted OF
settees which had done duty in some Concy
Island steamer long ago. The parquette and
balcony existed entirely in the Imagination OF
the occupants. The ordinary scale Of prices
ranges from to 25 cents. but last night quar-
ter Of dollar admitted to any part OF tho
house. Over the stage beamed the motto in red
paint: Welcome to all !" while the drop cur
tain depicted what looked like the struggles o I
Thirty-fourth street ferryb ~ to steam up hill
to Hunters Point. The fidelity with which tho
artist under the thin disguise OF castles oh the
Rhine had portrayed the bone boiling rstab-
lishments was the theme of general admiration.
At 500 promptly the curtain rose. and dis
closed the three leading mon Of the cnrlnna-
tion. Mrssrs. Hawthorne. sullivan und Miles.
in the splitting sketch Gaily de- Trouba.
dor" A stage negro and white variety motor
were in the act Of hiring out To a manager. Ono
OF them spoke OF newspaper rs "iewspa-
per. and when corrected said u was AN tho
same. as he had borrowed It of jew" lioars
Of aughter.l The ncgro's terms wore $1,000 a
lock on IT, to and from the theatre and seven
bushels OF bouquets, He finally compromised
on half dollar. The fsrce was followed by
Master Barnet in a comic song. whereof the
rmno fighter.
But I'm an educated iri,h iintle-rn-a-n-ni
| Then the orchestra-a piccolo. an ACCORDION.
| and two guitars-pnyrd lrlnnigan's Band"
until the music was drowned in overwhelming
| applause and " Iigersi'
The rise OF the curtain upon Mr.. Paddy Niles
| in his Excelsior jig revealed stlg" scene of
vnriegated beauty. On the first Of the WINS was
| painted peach tree in full bloom. on the =.c-
| ond a Iornthlan column of marvellous exact
| ness, and on the third Icy Of mutton huna up
| by the tendons The drop curtain bore a
| striking perspective Of the dark aileywav up
which Mr.. Tamage takes his hearers every
sunday morning m search ~ burglars. Its
| yard of an oyster smack. when the bell tink led
It numbered down on the floor in way that
made the boards tremblc II narrowly escaped
| Master Miles : head. and each succeeding actor.
as he capered and sung underneath. eyed it
| apprehensNely.
/ negro sketch entitled The Eccentric
| Four. or the Dizzy Hams was hailed with tu-
multuous cheers. Four burnt cork comedians
sang. danced breakdown chewed pieces Of
paper. and did other surprising feais to the
| music Of" Way down upon the Suwanee Rib
paved the way Tor Master Winnie. the boy con-
| tOrtionist. who earned "a handsome sum by
| standing on his head and picking up iO-cent
| pieces and quarters with his mouth. A success
| sion Of poses plastique' followed. in which
| three members Of the company, in worn dus-
| ters and tarry overalls. depicted Ajax defying
| the lightning. Alan and Eve discovering
| Houston street. and other iavorite Subjects
AZ ~ rueH thc iuprNll y7.ri iumprr"d up
and disclosed the opening scene OF the i've act
| emotional society drama. Ambition" The
authorship Of ths play ~ + contested, but il is
the dramatist Of the company, adapted ii. The
cast OF characters is as follows
Hon. James CASEY, a rammAn, Hall politician.
Arthur Pembroke sport ... Mr. Gcof.e Hamthe'ne
Mr. Nav eolored gemman IN search Of SOM one VINO
limmS Lush. always looking Tor il ..'... Nj De ne
sweet Alice the heroine by...... ..'.. The Unknown
Scene FIEsr.-Intrrlor Of fashionable club
H'uhe III lLc NtAAt hNI lIlnklhE anu gam
ing going on To- an alarming extent. Jimmy
Lush. III. hero with a weakness ior beer. de-
lending sweet Alice from the insults OF Hon.
jim Casey FEht. with first blood for Mr..
Lush. Alice fainta In his arms. and curtain
falls 10 slow music
SCENE SBcoND.-Attic Of fashionable club
house IN Sixth Ward. The Hon. jim Casey dis
covered striking Principal OF Grammar school
No. 10 Tor election expenses. Principal refuses
At first. but cuGs by handing over one Honth's
salary Tho Hon. Jim drinks Jamaica rum
until he falls On the floor, and Is carted off 10y
his heclcrs."
SCENE THIRD Cellar of fashionable club
house. jim Casey coucoeting plot Ia chloro-
form and abduct Sweet Alice. Plot overheard
by Jimmy Lush. who warns Alice 10 be Oh her
guard.
SCENE FouITH-Woodshed OF fashionable
club house. Jim Casey arranging dynamite
cartridge 10 blow up the nome Of Alice. May.
the cOOrod gemman. overnears CaseYs re-
marks. and warns Alice. Arthur Pembroke
neienty warned the scene changes, with light
ming rapidly. 10 the roof OF fashionable cub
house. jim Casey having been defeated for In
spectOr OF Dumps and fOled IN his murderUus
scheme 10 blow up Alice. seiles the heroine.
aud Is in the act OF pitching her INTO The street
below, when ho Is shot through tho heart by
the fearless Jimmy Lush. who catches Alice
Just in time 10 prevent her failing. The other
characters drop down from the flies and in at
the wings. LUSH takes the pledge. ana prom
ises to forsaks tho fashionable club house and
attend Talmagu every sunday morning here
after. and the happy couple Join hands. while
an extempor2eI clergyman in nlgntgown
besses them. and a super burns red fire at