Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-06-27

oketc0 OF the Career Of q Prominent
Amsse0r Dramatic Association.
THE PLAYS PRESENTED DURING IT'S KxIsrENcE,
AND TILE MANNER IN WHICH THEY WERE
GIvEN-DrsTfNGuIsHnDc CONTRIBUTING Mex
BERsAMENHGRs WHO now ORNAMENT THE
PROFESSIONAL STAGE.
Among the amateur dramatic organizations
In the District none were more successful during
Its period OF existence than the ITALIAN club
IL was organized by former members Of both
the Joe Jefferson and Shakespeare clubs SO
that its material was effective from the outset.
Its aim was to be q purely dramatic association,
differing In that respect from the Shakespeare.
who devoted the greater portion OF their time
TO the reading and study Of the plays Of the
great dramatist, and whose public representa-
tons were exceptional Incidents in their career.
The Italians had . more lofty ambition than
the Joe !etersons. selecting Tor representation
plays OF higher order aud more difficult to
properly present.
IT'S ORGANIZATION.
The ITALIAN club was organized on November
2Sth, 1875, and its originators, as the social
standing of its honorary or contributing mem.
bership was to be feature Of the new associa-
among these contributing members. The other
officers elected to start the new club were as fol-
lows: Vice president, w. c; Murdoch: secretary,
stage manager, Thad X. Sailer. The original
membership included the following ladies and
Katie Frye, Lois Mygatt, Nina Dovfluers, Helen
a. Bartels, Lottie Swallow and Mrs. " l.. Bram-
ball Messrs. W; c. Murdoch, c. A, Winner. Jno.
X. 0sburne, Thad X. Sailer, John Tweedale
James f. Bangs, Charles Warren, Ralph Jeffer-
son, Howard &: Nyman. VIM. l.. Argue, 9. w.
Many Of these had already gained reputation
as successful amateurs, and SO the new club
started Under favorable auspices.
Efforts in the direction OF contributing men,
bership were promptly made, and with SO much
success, that when the first entertainment was
given given, on February 10, 1877, there We're over
were Hon. Lot NJ. Morrill,, then Secretary of the
Treasury, Gen. w. I. Sherman. Judge Fuller
Willard, DIR. Richard Joseph, ex-Gov. Henry %.
Cooke. Hon. George c. GOrham, then secretary
OF the Senate, and the Marquis de Chambrun
THE INITIAL PERFORMANCES
of the ITALIAN club took place I'm Fords Opera
House on February 10. 1877, when Tom Tay.
ior's drama. entitled "Plot and Passion" and
the laughable farce of ''rhe Two BonnycastIes, y
were presented. The cast of the drama was as
i9i ss,S:r. fSache. Mr. 8 w Keen: Desmarets T.
Prince. Berthier, W. c. Murdock; Henri de Nem,,
riRe, Harry F. Taylor; Jabot, I. Kimball, jr;
G, , c; H: Story; Madame De Fontanyes,
In the farce Mr.. John r. Gisburne did Mr. Bon
nycastte; DR.. Warren, Ih. iSmuggins. and jim
female characters of Mrs. Bonaycasile, Helen
and Patty were sustained respectively by Mrs
liers.
This performance was a decided success. It
was complimentary affair, were in fact all
the entertainments of the Thaian club this
association being distinct I'm this respect from
other dramatic organizations here. The sur
prises OF the evening were the positive dramatic
talent displayed by Miss Story, who completely
captured her audience by her forceful acting
and the successful debut of MFR. Harry Taylor
who Exhibited an ease Of movement. a distinct
ness of enumeration and comprehension of his
character That in Ain i'm fa
novice. Mr.. John Gisburne's reputation as a
comedian was fully sustained by his excellent
representations, and, in fact, all the ladies and
gentlemen acquitted themselves with deal of
credit; The principal play was excellently
placed upon tt the stage, and the performance
showed the Italians intended to pay the most
careful attention to every detail necessary for
the perfect presentation of play.
PROMINENT CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS.
After the inaugural entertainment ITALIAN
stock rose several points, and application both
for active and contributing membership were
very numerous. Among the latter were James
A. Garfield. Gen. H. E. Paine, Gen. H. L.
PelOuze. Gen. A. d. Hazen, Rev. Mr.. Watkins,
Postmaster General d. NJ. Key, Hon. A. A.
Freeman, Commissioner of Pensions Bentley,
samuel .. Shellabarger Hon. Horatio King.
Hon. VIM: Hunter, Mrs. Fasseti the artist;
wife Of Gem Rekes seq Col 1rsh Messrx TIE
$. Noyes, T.. Z. Ever, Henry Semken, W. scott
Smith, Lewis Clephane, James Anglim, N. w.
Burchell. A. I. BrittOn and h. II. Warner At
the second performance of the club the pro-
gram consisted of the one act military dr:Ima
called THE Midnight Watch" ana the two act
comedy, Marriage a Lottery" and the first
season of its existence closed with a brilliant
representation of Boucicaults comedy,
taxes the ability of the best professional COM
panies and its attempt by the Italians was
decidedly ambitious. Its performance, how
Npanker Of Miss Annie Story, Charles Courfiy
OF Mr. J. f. b; Dts, Dazzle of T. Sailer and Sir
Harcoaat C1ur.y OF Dr. Warren being fine exhi-
Dltons OF high comedy acting, while the come
dams, Messrs. w. C. Murdoch and |. KimbaIl.
jr, We're quite successful In the characters OF
Lottie Swallow gave a graceful and pIeasins s
Improvisation OF Grace HarkaWdy The re-
manning members of the cast were .Md1 Harka-
,gay, 8 w. Keen; Solomon Issacs, NJ. Herndon;
Cool, c. Il. Story; James, Rudolph Kaufman;
Martin, Herndon Morsell and PERT Miss Agnes
Kennedy.
DURING IT'S SECOND SEASON,
the Italians presented .World and Stage"
"How She Loves Him. "secret Service" and
"The Swiss Cottage" and the following year
Caste, 100000, 1.-THE Irish Lion" and"The
Poor Gentleman" were given, and at the last
entertainment given by the club which took
plays were .'Sttll Waters Run Deep" and my
Neigh6or's Wife" BESIDES these the excursion
to Norfolk by the club, and the performance at
in the so Of The euS was cn nStaSs
offered by the Thalians to be rowed for bv
the AnalOstans of this city and the Elizabeth
crew Of Portsmouth, Va, at Norfolk, and the
excursion occupied about three days. The
members of the club were accompanied by
numerous friends and distinguished guests,
among whom was the Secretary Of the Navy,
and everything passed Off pleasantly except
that the Analostans did not win the cup The
plays given in Norfolk were Marriage a Lot
terry" and "Swiss Cottage
MANY NOTABLE ENTERTAINMENTS
were given by the members, among them being
a complimentary testimonial to Miss Minute
Frye, when the Clouds was produced; "Caste"
in Alexandria and also at Annapolis: "Cox and
Box Sullivan's Operetta and the "Swiss Cot
tage," at Annapolis; "Sweethearts and Wives,
as a testimonial to MrJOhn II. Gisburnc: "Ours's
as a testimonial to Mr.. Thad Sailer and Shaks.
peares "COmedy OF Errors" at the National
theater, for the benefit OF All Souls church. The
last named performance was of such q charac-
ter as to warrant the presentation of the east
which was as follows iSotinus, Duke Of Epic
Sits, II Is! Hay; 4isyeoa, father Of the Antiphof J.
3. Randolph; Antiphot,s Of Ephesus, James E.
Bangs; AnfiphOtns Of Syracuse, G. s. Voorhees,:
DromtO Of Ephesus, ]. r. Gisburne; DrOmiO Of
Sy'GcMse, w. c. Murdoch; Angelo II. X. Will
lard; Or: Pinch, I Kimball, lr.; Chares, G. W.
First Officer, f. b. Olds Adriaad ,pife to Amtfph-
0lus Of Ephesus, Miss Minnie Frye Luciana her
sister, Miss Lottie Swallow; 1Emuiid, db6ess and
1cve to tfEgeOn, Miss c. Louise Johnson Luce
Miss Anna Herttord; Lesbid, Miss Mamie VIII
son. e
Beside the original members who have been
mentioned above the active membership of the
Ihalfan included Messrs Alfred and Edward b.
Briggs, +. H. Smell Charles l.. Hughes Clarence
D " Charles E. Bailey, Charles I. Mallard,
smith, Med. Douglass, H. X. Willard, 1. Kim
bell, tr., HerndOn Morseil, 8. G.. Elliott f. r.