Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-25
MORE AMATEUR THEATRHCALS.
Sketches Of the Blackstone and Grover
Dramatic Associations.

MORE AMATEUR TMEATR1CALS.
Sketches Of the BLACKSTONE and Grover
Dramatic ASsOciatiOns.
PLEASANT PERFORMANCES GIVEN ny THESE
ORGANIZATIONS, AND WHO WERE THE PAR
TICIPANfs-wHERE HARRY SARGENT, THE
DIscovERER OF MoDJEsKA, MADE HIS FIRST
PROFESSIONAL VENTURE.
Among the amateur dramatic associations
which have flourished in the District, the
Buckstones furnished some excellent enter
tainments and included In its membership
some Of the most prominent amateur actors
that have been developed. The club was
organized in 1876 under very favorable
auspices and with the following officers: Gen.
Allan Rutherford, president; d. d. Cine, vice
president; John B. Randolph, secretary; Ralph
Walsh NJ. d.. treasurer, and James P. Scott,
stage manager. The club was organized for the
mutual improvements and enjoyment OF its
memberS, and res >lved t. give public perform.
;shces only in behalf of charity. 1t made its
Iirst appearance october both, 1876, for
the benefit of the Home Industrial school, the
program consisting OF "Nfiran's Crime and
The Loan of Il Lover The cast OF the drama
was a. follows: Miriam West, Miss saliie Town.
Hfsynotds, Walter l.: Dennis; X"gta "a laWyerl,
James I. Joyce; Biles Ia lo,cyer's clerk), II. +.
Masrd fiy Il i 5Ss b. kanae'ph D
Kaufman took the role OF Gertrude. intro
ducing several songs with excellent effect, while
Erncstine; c. +. Mailard, Capt Amersfot: jyH
Rathb2ne, Sryset: II. F.. Leach Peter Spyk, and
jaime Is fhi:p, Deirc. The performance was
very successful, ana the new club at once
SPRUNG INTO POPULAR FAVOR.
The Childrens hospital next received the
benefit of the Buckstone's talent, January I'd,
1877, when the melO-drama entitled 'Thc Col
den Farmer, or Jenny Twitcher in England"
was the principal attraction, the characters
Joyce, ]: H: Rathbone, j. Il. Randolph, H. f.
Leach, e F. Mallard and 7: s. Shine, and
Misses Edna Townley and Jessie Burgess. "rhe
Loan of Lover" which had caused the most
favorable comment at its first representation,
was repeated on this occasion with the same
On the Goth of the same month the Buck
stones participated i'll an entertainment given
at the National theater for the benefit OF the
farce of "a Regular Fix" with Mr.. james +.
Joyce as Hugh De Brass and Miss Kate Goodnli
as lfrs. Surplus, both of whom received mcrited
commentator for the finish OF their imperson
ations. The remaining characters were: Mr..
SSnp,,.s' Il H. p Leach n4rtes Snp.us w. L
F. Mallard: Emily, Miss Emma Kaufman; s Mis:
Deborah Carter, Miss Gabrielle Randolph; Ma
tttia Janc. Miss Hattie Towney. This farce
at the st Elizabeth opera house, and on April
9th at Ialmadge hall for the benefit of the
Nuns Of the Visitation;
entitled "a Widow Hunt" Us adapted by John
Sleeper Clarke, was given ut Ford S Opera House
in aid OF the poor of st. Dominic's parish to a
honors were carried Off by Miss Kate Goodall
as Is. ;Mrs Stcnnsdowa, Miss Annie Ware as 1lrs.
De Boots and Walter Dennis as Fsiir Featheriu.
though all the characters were well sustained.
WHERE THEY STARTED
Many other plays were produced by the Buck
stones, who had a prosperous existence of about
five years, and Messrs Dennis and Joyce and
Ni-c To
upon the professional stage, feel that they laid
the foundation of their present success during
Their membership in this club. Perhaps the
the auspices of the Buckstones was that of
Led ;Astray.,.' which was produced as q esti-
manial to Mr.. James f. Joyce. The cast was
some non-rnembers. was sufficiently distinctive
to be recognized as club performance The
beneficiary played Hector Llaciuc. while Mr..
alter Dennis did RudOlph Chnadoce: E. B.
Hay, Mount Gostin": ]. b. Randolph, George De
!Hes IaC "a; E, Leach, Major O,Haro; Miss
lace, -HoH;ide: Cordelia Levy, Suso,,ne o. Hura:
Annie Ware. the Countess; Gabrielle Randolph.
the Baroaess, and Lula GOodall, Sophie.
The Grover Dramatic Association.
Back in the sixties, say &c or 81, there ex-
lsted a dramatic club which was, perhaps the
pioneer of these organizations in this District,
and was called, The Grover Dramatic Asso-
ciation' 1t held its meetings in the old Union
League hall, on 9th street, which was fitted up
with stage and scenery, and all other appliances
not only for proper and effective rehearsal, but
also for the giving of performances, many of
W mons Were sS presented to good audiences
Ten Eyck, William Mcdowell, Ed I.oomis.
2. a Protois. W. Wilkinson, 7. Harry Donohue,
Scott, Charles l.. Hulse, Mrs. Holt, Mrs.
Eddy and Mrs. Carter. Mr.. Charles L. Huise was
Protois was the stage manager The first pub
nc performances were given ut the old WASH
iing si, theaier, now the Theater Comque, and
Included two representations of "The Lady Of
Lyons and one of Romeo and Juliet" It will
thus be seen that this club had a lofty ambi-
its represent ation. !ully justified the selection
OF the difficult plays. In Bulwer's beautiful
drama Mr. Ten Eygk played Claude: Mr.. J. r
Z. Townsend, Gashen, and Mrs. Holt, Puuiiae
subsequently the club rented Growers theater
and gave Il weeks season OF legitimate perform
anceS. among the plays presented being Loves
Sacrifice" "fhe Hunchback ;" and those which
had been before given Mrs. Ere 1. Meek, a
great personal beauty, was engaged to sustain
the leading female roles, and acquitted herself
with great credit.
AARRY sARGENTs BEGINNING.
Ofthe old members Of this club, which, by
the way, was named for Leonard Grover. who
at that time managed the National theater
MIR. Ten E,;y-c.> has been professional actor for
many yeas under the name of f ebert Messrs
Loomis AM Mac DOweil both became profes-
SIGNALS, and Mr.. Fl. Sargent Jones is the H. J.
Sargent who had such /, brilliant career as the
uiscoVerer and manager of Modjeska and sub.
sequently as the representative of Dion Bouci-
cauit- but whose star has been under All eclipse
for some lime.
Jones, who Is a Boston boy, was at that time,
q clerk IN the Post Office Department.; but the
humdrum of official life was too slow for his
aspiring genius, and so he dabbled in amateur
theatricals and practised leserdemain unit! he
should be prepared to swoop down upon :; con.
hiding pubic. He made his first venture as a
magician in Seaton hall, at the corner OF 9th
ana ID streets, being the first to occupy tnat
building after its completion. While he did
not make much money in the seven perform.
ances That m gave at this time, h, considered
ms skill sufficient to warrant his giving I'D his
government office and going on the road as
"frof II. j Sargent" For several years he was
successful coniurer, revisiting WASHINGTON
twice IN his professional capacity, performing
once at Odd Fellows hall and, afterwards, play
ing an engagement at the National theater
ms subsequent career Is known to the public,
aud, with III, energy and inlomitable pluck, 1t
Is not Impossible that he will again occuuya
prominent position in the theatrical world at
no distant day.