Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-02

again. Anu IudI IL great ucai iol o
Baldwin audience to do.
#*%
Pinero's beautiful play, Sweet Laven-
der, which was given in Los Angeles
during the Lyceum company's visit two
years ago, was presented last night and
will be the remainder of this week.
The last week of the company in this
city will be divided between The Char
ity Ball, The Idler, The Wife, and new
piece by Comyns Carr, entitled Nerves.
They are going to do we'll by you in Los
Angeles, as l am informed by their
manager that you are to be given The
Charity Ball on Tuesday and Wednes-
day nights and Saturday afternoon.
The Idler en- Thursday and Friday
nights, and Old Heads and Young
Hearts on Saturday night, the week OF
August 11th.
Lewis Morrison, supported by mem
bers OF his own company and by the
Alcazar stock company, has been giving
the Strangers of Paris this week at the
Alcazar. had never seen the play be-
fore the other night, though had heard
OF it often, and always supposed it to be
a melodrama of the most lurid type. 1t
turned out to be rather a different
thing 1T is melodrama, it is true,
and it is sensational, but it is not lurid,
though it might perhaps become such
in weaker hands. The character of
Jagon, the stranger, is immensely
strong, and as interpreted by Mr.. Nor
rison it is something worth seeing and
remembering. Morrison is powerful
actor. His support is good, especially
w. II. Owen, a young actor who was
out here before Rhea last season, with
whom he played the son OF Josephine
and also Napoleon's Mameluke.
**x
A gigantic operate scheme for this
city is on the tapis, and with every
probability OF a. successful consumma-
ton. 1t is being engineered bv j. Frank
Burrill, formerly business manager of
the Tivoli here. The scheme is to be
backed by stock company which has
been incorporated in St. Louis, under
the laws of the state OF Missouri, with
three hundred thousand dollars capital.
The Grand opera house will probably be
secured, but if necessary new theater
will be built. Grand and comic opera
will be produced on alternate nights.
Negotiations have been begun with
prominent operatic artists and it is ex-
pected that the grand opera company
will include Nine. Fursch-Mahdi, Nine.
Nikita, Marie Geistinger, Jean de Reske,
Herr Won Dyke, Herr Richman, Will
liam Ludwig, Emil Fisher, w. H.
Rawlins and L. Marius. Sybil Sander
son will be the prima donna. The
comic opera organization will probably
comprise Tom Paulton, Arthur Roberts,
George Lauri, Hubrt Wilkes, Charles
o. Bassett, Henry Peakes, Martin
Pache, Thomas H. Persse, w. H. Nc
Laughlin,. Douglas A. Flint, Trevette
Maffit, Tellula Evans, Lilly Post, Mari
eta Nash, Patti Stone, Helen Bertram
and Nine. Cottrelly-all these, with a
chorus of sixty. The scheme is expect
ed to materialize into performance on
New Years day. It will be great
thing, and l hope it goes through all
right.
The City Directory is getting on pros
perously at the California. This is the
second week of the skit, and, by way of
variety, enough new business has been
introduced into the performance to make
it almost new show. There is more
fun and enjoyment than in dozen
ordinary farce-comedies.
William E. Beach has returned from
his northern tour and will probably be
the leading man at the Alcazar again
the coming season. Manager Stockwell
secured number of new people for the
Alcazar while on his eastern trip, and
also large bundle OF good plays. The
season of 1912 promise tc be one OF
the most notable in the history of the
theater.
Once on time 1 heard or read of an
instance OF rare presence of mind on the
stage. An actor was playing star part,
the business OF which required him to
find the leading lady dead upon the stage
in the last act, to be overcome with
grief, and to take her in his arms and
kiss her. The leading lady, for some
inexplicable reason, had taken a
dislike to the star and objected
to his caresses. During the scene
one night, while he was fondling
her she hissed between her teeth, "You
kiss me again and l will spoil your
scene" Nothing daunted, he kissed
her again, whereupon the supposed
dead woman jumped to her feet and
fed from the stage. What moment,
but the actor wasn't even phased. A
look OF glad surprise came into his face
and ''She lives! thank God, she lives J"
broke from his lips. have often won
dered when and where this happened,
what was the play and who was the act
or. happened to be taking. supper
last night after the theater with a
number of "slow folks" and related the
story and asked for enlightenment, and
received it from Walter @. Bellows, the
clever stage manager OF the Lyceum
company. II was there" he said. 'The
actor was Newton Beers. The play was
The Strangers OF Paris and it happened
in Providence, R. L., about six years
ago." A pretty story, think.
By the way, was guilty of mistake,
or rather slip OF the pen, couple Of
weeks ago, when spoke of Bellows as
having been with Sothern in Los An
geles. Bellows was with the Lyceum
company when it played in Los Angeles
two years ago, but Tully Marshall was
Sothern's stage manager.
HENRY L. MERRITT.
San Francisco, July S1st.
NOTES.
Russells City Directory follows the
Lyceum company at the Grand.
A Fresno man, advertising for Uncle
Tom people, says he wants good tuber.
Luke Schoolcraft, the ex-minstrel man,
is now playing the Little Elevator Boy
in Russell's Citv Directory