San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-09-14
SAN ANTONIO MINSTRELS.
Twelve Hundred People tor an Au-
dience--All so Well Pleased
That They Want IL
Repeated.

That They Want 1t
Repeated.
The actual opening of the Grand
opera house was effected last night,
by the San Antonio Rifles Ministries,
TO packed house. The professional
debut of the Grand, will however, be-
made on the 23rd.
The house looked pretty and the adj
ditiOn of tropical foliage and several
statuettes gave the place a pictur-
esque appearance. Everything was
nice and clean, too, and went Oft with
click and snap as if it had been
creased. Mr.. Willard Simpson was in
the ticket window and DR.. Teele on
the door. Manager Mullaly was
everywhere receiving congratulations
of his friends OH the suspicious OPEN
ing and seeing that everybody was
comfortable. Every seat was filed,
chairs were put in the aisles, and all
the standing room was taken. The
curtain went up at $50, little late,
but there were no distress
ing waits afterward and the
performance was over at ii o'clock
The grand spectacular first part set
ting was immense, and is the best
that has ever been seen in this city
by amateurs. The boys were we'll
trained with bones and tambosr
their sentimental songs were very
well rendered. and their gags and
Jokes very new and decidedly local.
Billy Rote's topical song hit off the
administration of this city, very
closely and struck the great audience
lust right. Both Rote and Gordon
con attributed great fun on the end.
TIE performance consisted in a
grand first part, followed by solos
from Mr.. w. Taylor, tenor, Mr.. Gill
bert Schramm, basso profundo, Mr..
Rote, Mr.. Goodwin Mitchell and a
quartette. Gilbert Schramm's fine
basso voice, with very low register,
caused great applause. After this
came selected overture from Prof..
Frank Halls 10th infantry band or
chestra. Frank looks immense
in black face. Mr.. GOogerly
next came on in what was
at first thought to be a farcical
slack wire act, but he soon showed
his audience that he could walk the
slack wire, unaided by balance pole,
as well as any fairy of the circus ring,
The double turn of Gordon and
| Hertz, as black face comedians, was
next. 1t possessed great merit, and
| their singing, dancing and capers
were decidedly good. A musical and
| meritoriOus cOrnet solo, by w. Town
send, was next introduced, after whicA
a fine musical sketch by Messrs. Day,
| Shook and Elliot was given. The
skill of these boys with their guitars
| is well known, and they had three
recalls. The Zouave drill by Messrs.
Green, Watts. Muenzen berger, and
Holt was not so we'll rendered, several
breaks being made in this difficult
drill. But the boys received lots of
| applause.
Hines and Grundy contributed some
very fine banjo sketches next, which
pleased the audience, and then the
entertainment concluded with farce,
really laughable, entitled 1.-THE Hotel
Bum" or the Hash House Tragedy
In it there was some fine comedy and
| lots of fun.
NOTES.
Mitchell looked well in burnt cork,
| but he did not cork his nose.
Herff forgot TO blacken his hands as
the dude.
Holt, as the stuffed man, in Cor
don's ventrilOquial sell, was as linn
Der as possible. He completely sur
prised the audience by getting up and
walking off. Everybody thought he
was really a straw man.
Claudon and Gallagher got the
brunt of the gags of the end men,
Rote and Gordon, who both received
handsome bouquets from Claudon,
which were made of carrots, cucum-
bers, ca bbage, etc.
Alderman Schreiner, Charley Green,
and the whole city council, not for
getting even Maury, also received
some funny hits.
In the farce. the burly form of POI
liceman Sefiel, appeared to the aston
| ishment and wonder of the audience.
who cheered themselves hOarse. How
! Seffel was cOaXed 10 thus make his
| theatrical debut is a mystery, but Mr.
Gordon was the successful caioler. He
talked two days TO get him, spared no
expense and even bought grapes at ID
| and 20 cents per pound.
The gallery was we'll behaved.
Mic Tengg's clerks occupied one
box. -
Rote's topical song, "What Would
Do, " was composed especially for him
by Mr.. Henry Ryder-Taylor.
The performance ought to be re-
peated.
Only This GLOW" 10 Injure 1t.
! General Ben Butler.