The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-01-26
THE JUVENILE PINAFoRG.


How NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Manner In which
the children were Collected together
.Personnel of some OF It's Members. dc.
Hayerly's Juvenile Pinaiore Company
delighted Wheeling audiences Friday and
evenings Of last week, delighted
them by the excellence Of their playing,
the perfectness OF theirconception OF their
part, and theinimitable manner
in which each gave his or herconception Of
their part. An 1NrELMGEScER man en-.
countered Col. McGcachy yesterday after.
noon at the Mcclure House in the midst OF
his "pay day" duties as he calls them. The
whole party Of Juveniles were around him,
and such a pandemonihm could hard.
" be imagined. The salaries OF the chill
jren lie informed us, varied anywhere from
SIS to 800 and SIS per week, land. 1t was no
small job To give each his weeks pay, as.
for instance this" he said, producing q
niece Of paper on which were numerous
charges OF Sc, 10c, 25c and 81 against each
one, and which he said he bad advanced
them during the week. Each child as he
or she received his or her wages took II
looked at the charges against them, put 1t
up and went out to play.
Later in the evening we had better OPP
portnnity OF talking with Mr.. McGeachy,
and we asked him about the inception OF
the Juvenile pinaiore business.
at started" he said, Sin April, when
New York was wild over Pinafore. He
(Hayerly) had Just bought the Lyceum,
which had been sepulchre for former
managers. He projected plan to keep
The theatre open at all times, and also TO
give system OF matinees by children ex-
Clusiyely, but was at loss how to procure
a sufficient number to answer his pur-
poses; and while he was in this qusndary
| happened to enter the room, and, upon
being informed OF the necessity, told him
that | thought could easily arrange that,
and by little judicious inquiry in few
DAYS $50 children reported for engage,
ment, OF whom l25 were selected and at
once. put in training, and as soon as prac.
ticable they were brought out and at
once created Jurore in the city,
as II was q monster innovation
and the people came by thousands, aston.
ished at the excellence OF the childish
acting and the perfection TO which the
whole thing had been brought Thestage
setting was superb; six real cannon q mast
sixty feet long, shrouds, rigging, sails and
sailors on the mast and attending to their
duties; in short, 1t was the most complete
thing ever staged, We did not attempt
the night performances, as the Society
for the Prevention OF Cruelty TO Children"
would not for some time allow US the
privilege OF night performances Finally,
In the absence OF our regular Pinatore
Company, and seeing the splendid care
We took OF them, they never afterwards In
teriered. After the New York season
they were sent for six weeks TO the seaside
at Mr.. Hayerly'sexpense, and then the idea
OF putting them on the road first occurred,
and with many misgiyings they were
started and they have been successful
beyond all expectations. Through New
England and Canada they went and home
again, and then southwest and northwest
From this city we will 60 South and then
up the Atlantic coast home. Weare nov
reheaaing the "Iicket-of leave man,
which will probably be brought out al
Louisville two weeks hence.
We pay all doctor bills, have matron
who has constant supervision over them
and Is the ''mother OF them ALL"
swell, Colonel, can you not give US the
personnel OF your company, mean the
principalsH" ;,
"TheDunn children, Arthurand Jennie
are Hebrews. Arthur gave US q specimen
OF his acting and we cast him for "Dead
eye." His make up and acting in thai
character are his own ideas OF 1t, and We
have never interierred. Little Jennie wa
asked Il she could sing, she said she didn't
know, but when she opened her mouth
and sang a verse OF some song, We engaged
her as once. The other children we en-
gagged similarly"
"How about salaries; that is, what dc
you pay them"2
"Theprincipals get sFa dollars each .
week. The chorus average about $40, AMI
little Ernie Murdoch gets IS week, Dai
sy Murdoch, "Hebe," gets S45 u week, and
SO on.
"How do you govern them; repres,
their juvenile inclinations TO mischief 2
"very easily. By simple system o.
suspension and fines. The stage manager
controls this. L one misbehaves on the
stage he Is suspended from performing fol
one or more days and Of this punishment
they all have holy horror. We also fine
them from Us cents to IS for iriiraotions o.
rules; but either OF these punishments Ii
rarely resorted to. We have postmaster
'Deadeye' is our postmaster; q baggage
master, who attends to our baggage; 9
property man, who keeps the costumes, all
from tile company. We never need Q
bell boy on the stage. Zach one, knowl
his place and part and does It."
The Colonel also gave us some very in
teresting minutie about the conduct ofthe
company, their rehearsals, their DISPOSE
ton oil their costumes, their habits, the
rules which govern them, &C., DC, hen we
asked him to allow Us the privilege oil
meeting some OF the principals. Ger.
tainly. said he, and going to a room full
the "Hebe" OF "Pinafore," q beautiful,
graceful little child Of eleven years, came
running out, and being presented, received
US politely and in as stately manner as
belle Of eighteen or twenty. Proceeding
to another room we were introduced to
Mr.. W. II, Bishop, the stage manager, and
general director Of the children, and also
to Mrs. Bishop, q matronly lady, who has
charge Of the girls, who idolize her. Here
we met the admiral" Fannie Bishop,
daughter OF the stage manager, Willie
Newman, the Captain Corcoran, who is
destined TO make hismark as an actor, and
who attracted such general attention by his
graceful acting and the distinctness Of
enunciation. Others Of the company were
also present, and principally "Dick Dead
eye" little Arthur Dunn, lad nearly
fourteen years Of age, and prodigy in his
line. Hl has very decided. Hebrew, fea.
lures, and Is proud Of them, he says. He
is pleasant, manly little fellow aud at
parting gave Us bis photograph and card.
His sister, little Jennie, the Josephine, Is
thirteen years old, and Is also a wonderful
child. The whole party in this room were
engaged under the supervision OF Captain
Bishop ip rehearsing "The Hcket.oi.Leaye-
Man, laa
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