Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-02-15

lND
5A-n-@ rr *
Bilou Theater.
Duquesne Theater. .......... see. Primrose & West
Grand Opera House. ....McCaul Opera Company
Williams Academy. 1890. Rentz-Santley Company
laws Museum.... Curiosltles, etc
Worlds Museum. Curiosities, etc
Harris Theater. 8. Wood
The above are the theatrical attractions for
this week.
Manager David B. Henderson is in town.
He came in yesterday morning and left last
night. Of course he was delighted with the
wonderful success of ''The Crystal Slipper"
which for the second time within a month
has done a business of nearly $40, 900 on the
week. Mr.. Henderson said: Business in
the West has been very much better, the
atrically speaking. than in the East this
season. In Chicago, especially, all the
theaters have done well, and from Cincin-
natl, st. Louis and on the Pacific coast I
have equally favorable reports. I cannot
account for this, for In the East, and In New
York and Philadelphia particularly, the
theaters have not done remarkably good BUSH
ness"
The reports about Davis new theater are
conflicting, as they always have been since the
first plans were announced. The preparations
for building continue, and Mr.. Davis and all
his friends and agents persist iu declaring that
the new theater will open in September next.
t the same time, it is said by many theatrical
people, that there is no evidence in New York
that attractions are being booked for the new
house. 1t is probable. however, that Mr., Davis
is proceeding quietly and that the theater Will
open its doors at the time named.
r.#
Matt. Smith. manager for "Kajanka." did
some extraordinary advertising last week. All
the country around for so miles has been
covered with the picturesque posters
of the spectacle. Mr.. Smith tells me,
Hammond, of the bill posting firm OF Murray
& Hammond that such extensive billing has
never been done in Pittsburg before. Giving
adyertisine .Kaianka" in Pistsbure and the
surrounding country the following paper: 100
stands, each stand containing 40 sheets; 6OO
three-sheet posters. 10000 one-eighth sheet
snipes, 1000 one.thlrd sheet snipes. 5000 one
sheets and 5000 books, or in all 1900 pieces of
paper. Barnum's show has never put out more
than 5000 or 5000 bills in the same territory. In
addition to this the Bliou management put out.
200 lithograph three : sheets, 1000 one
4 IL wo all ct dRis oI paper BE- ooo s sensre PUT feet. s o4 moes
than half a square mile. To put up this paper
80 hogsheads of paste were used for which go
barrels of -four were needed. We have done
some big advertising before in this way, and
when we opened in New York. at Ntblo's, for a
six weeks run, we spent Sig. 600 for bill posting
alone. You may be inclined to think that such
advertising is extravagant, but l assure you
that we have always got our money back. In
the cost of advertising the newspapers must
also be reokoned, and you know how mpch That
is that you cannot advertise q good thing too
much"
t.*
Mr.. Francis Wilson has no reason to com.
plain of the reception accorded him and his
opera by the Pittsburg public. and it must be
admitted that very few performances OF comic
opera have more thoroughly satisfied the the
ater-going public. The fact that the musical
side Of the performance was extremely weak
did not prevent the audiences from enjoying
the excellent comedy of Mr.. Wilson, Mr..
Plunkett, Marie Jansen and their associates.
Mr.. Wilson has certainly discovered the secret
of compromising the elements of farce.comedy,
spectacle and the hghtest OF light opera to the
liking of the American people, and It is likely
to prove almost as valuable as a goodssized gold
mine or a gushing oil well. I understand
from T0OQ auLlOrlLy CnaC D1T. WILSON'S
receipts this season, bis profits that is, already
amount to over 10000, and that means that be-
tore the season ends The Merry Monarch"
will have put 500, 900 to MIR. Wilson's credit in
bank. In this case more than any other actor l
know almost, the credit is due to Mr.. Wilson.
He leaves nothing to the librettist or composer,
but shapes their course to suit his conceptlon OF
the public desire, and from the smallest scenic
detail, from the very shoes of the chorus girls
to the arrangement of the lyrics, Mr.. Wilson's
hand is plainly v, fell, ..r, he S.- described @dDe1 oh fo
was evolved. He got the quaint idea which
actuates the plot from a French comic opera
which was played some years ago and failed
dismally. He made a rough translation OF the
libretto, which he gave later on to Mr.. Cheever
Goodwln: then he found out from competent
sources what the principal causes of the operas
opera was too dismal in its general tone. Then
he took the plot and relnodeled it, put In the
finale Of the second act, and made the very
comic situation where the king strives to hide
the horror of his impending death
from his subjects by feigning jollity.
and wound up with that extremely
the locale of the piece to India, in order to get
the brilliant color and variety of dress for
which that eastern land is famous. He showed
exactly where he wanted the lyrics put. and
arranged almost every line of the dialogue as
it now stands. 1t will be seen, therefore. that
he can rightly , Sia, =. the ae. cseei !, o. 81 m AZ 1si, sI me
that he has two operas now In course of manu-
facture under the same conditions. By this
means he thinks an actor can alone expect to
retain that very evanescent thing, popularity,
IS
The attractions for the coming week are
pleasantly varied. McCaulrs Opera Company
will give us .'Clover," 1.-The Seven Suabians''
and the .Black Hussar." 1.-THE Seven Suabi-
ansn alone of these Is new. But Pittsburgers
in the past have been very fond of Glover"
which was last given here with De Wolf Hop
Der. Marion Manola and others of note in the
cast. Primrose and West Minstrels and the
spectacularg lories Of "Kajanka" will sup ply
entertainmentfo for a large class of theater-goers
NO doubt.
MI. O,Neips work in 1.-THE Dead Heart is
artistic, and the play is doubtless possessed of
a certain strength, but after all Pittsburgl likes
him better in the old, old, monte Cristo." as
the big audience at the only performance of
that play last night proved
HEPBURN JOHNS.
Bijou Theater
Miller Bros magnificent spectacular produc.
ton will be presented at the Bijou Theater,
commencing tomorrow evening, with the usual
Wednesday and Saturday matinees. At an ex.
ira matinee which will be given Friday each
lady attending will be presented with a large
souvenir box of bon bons. Il Is but Just to say
at once that the managers promise that this
presentation is in no sense to be compared with
that of the same piece last season. The per-
sonnet of the organization. the specialties, the
details throughout have all undergone a change
as thorough and complete as though the wand
e - ~-zd fa;rv had roal1v haan opp1faA %p