The morning call., 1891-01-18
The Adaptation Of the Stage to the
World as a School.
ELEVATE IT OR DESTROY IT.
What Amateur Associations Are Doing in The
Way Of Presenting Acceptable PlayS-ThG
San FTalSCiSCalS as WeTGK Of The
BUSkiI- Biographical Sketches Of Some
Of the Performers.

7 Ii the worlds a stage" and
I. good, bad and Indifferent, there
on are a great many actors on it.
- Tie mimic stage, whose end,
II both at the first and now, was
Il C9aud is to hold, as 'twere, the
mirror UP to nature; tC show virtue her own
feature, SCorn her own image, and the very
age and body of the time his form and
PRESSURE" has become so grated upon the
economy Of our natures that nothing could
root it out. Tile love of the play is in
eradicabe in the very nature of things, and
in some form or other its influence is felt
wherever humanity exists. Not always the
cultivated. polished stage Of civilization. but
in some rude form, among the civilized and
the barbarian, mimic scenes are TO be found,
suitable for all ages, from the cradle to the
grave The stage is a world Of its own. 1t
shows life in all its phases. And the more
naturally and lifelike the actor or actress
can delneate the passions the more success
full they are in their profession.
The stage IS also a school-it may be for
good or evil When the tendencies are coed
too much announcement cannot be given il,
That the stage is becoming more and more
elevated every day is a fact too patent to
admit of contradiction or discussion. 1t
need not be professional. The amateurs are
doing yeoman's work in bringing about this
great desideratum, and 1t is always pleas
ing task to chronicle their endeavors to pre-
sent good and wholesome plays foT the
delectation of their friends
The "San Francisco Amateur Dramatic
Association" is considered to he the strong
est and most popular organization in the
city. 1t was organized March I, 1880, and
is managed differently from other amateur
ORGANIZATIONS. There are three subordinate
managers under one general business man
ager. who, in conjunction with the stage
maEaEer. attend to the production of plays,
etc.
The first performance given by this organ
ization was at the Orpheum Theater at a
Saturday matinee April 2G, 1880, on which
occasion Miss Nellie Reddan made very
successful debut as Hazel Kirke in the ster-
ling English melodrama Hazel Kirke," as
sisted by the following cast:
DunStau Eirke..-........ Mr.. T. G. Woodward
Arthur Carrngford. .................Mr. w. Il. Hun
Squire Rodney Mi. william Ogt vie
FittacuS Green Mr.. Arthur Hrsch
Barney oFlyun. nm. Mr. David Mclaughlin
Met AugSlus Mr. }. J. Cathcart
Joe--------- -.-.-.---- Mr.. g + Slnkwitz
Ian. Mr.. T. Il. Pope
Dolly Duttou -.......-.-..N Miss Mary Albert
Lady CaTrIusfOrd ............. Miss Grace Appleton
mercy hIrAe....... Mss Pau Inc tohn
Mis-, Nellie Reddan as .-.......---.....H aze1 Krke
The performance as a whole was consid-
cred one of the finest amateur ones ever
given in the city.
For second series ofperformanceS Hazel
Kirke was reproduced at the Standard
Theater seven consecutive times, commenc-
ing Thurday evening. July 80, and closing
Sunday evening, July 9th, including three
matnees, with the original cast, meeting
with the same success as at the Orpheum
The third production was Uncle Toms
Cabin at the Orpheum ThPater at Sunday
matinee given November 3Oth, the talented
young amateur, MI \. W. Belasco Jr., ap-
pearing as Uncle Tom, assisted by the fol-
lowing members of the association: