Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-02
FUN FOR THE BOYS
How the College Lads Enjoy
Wild Sports at School
THEIR BURLsSQUE AND FARCE
Al the Great Seats of Lsarn.ng-P.eAs-
rses Derived From Private Thsstri-
Gals and Dramatic Nonsenses.

College students eserywhere are ~
noted for fun and music 80 for him.
icry, 90 il 10 not surprising when they
blossom out into thestrlcals. And tfais
seems the universal tendency. Nearly
every large institution today has its
dramatic scciesy. aud some az them,
like the Harvard Hassy Pudding club,
have enjoyed more than local fame.
But the pre-emiaence OF the Harvard
club 10 n thing OF the past. when the
New York and Philadelphia papers con-
tain such notices as the following: The
Mask and Wig club of the University
of Pennsylvania is certainly the best
amateur theatrical company IN the
county," and "'Mr. and Mrs. Geo.
patra' Is the prince among recent bur-
lesques." AT any rate the Mask and
Wig. or the Wiggers. as the Pennsyl-
vanisns call them. are achieving some
fame and not little fortune.
Strongest in Existence.
This club Is now one o: the strongest
institutions al Pennsylvania. II began
operations with '.Lurline" four years
ago. and made a decided hit, though
performances were given only IN Phil
adelphia. Ben Franklin, Jr.," was
given in 1880. 'Miss Columbia" last
spring, aud this year the now famous
"Mr. and Mrs. Cleopatra" These last
three burlesques are all written by F.
B. Nelson, '9s, q member OF the club,
and with the last he took first prize
among one hundred competitors in a
recent contest. The program calls il a
"farc,al-mnsical acknowledgements
reau-hallucination," and that IL about
as near as title can come I'D II. But
IT 10 immensely funny, even to the av
erage CITIZEN, and to the colleg!au II Is
irresistible.
Eighty In the Cast.
After their four successful seasons
the "Wiggers" are Justly proud Of
their achievements, but these ale their
chief boast: they stage their plays
without professional aid. they never
utter word conveying . doubtful sug-
gestion. and the cast, from elead-
ing lady" down 10 chorus and
"supers," are all bona fide students Of
the University of Pennsylvania. And
when you think that the cast had this
year eighty men and thirteen speaking
parts this last boast means something.
An idea of the way IN which the Penn
sylvania boys do things may be had IN
the expense of the "Mr. and Mrs.
Cleopatra" production, which was
$4,000. the scenery and costumes
alone, which were specially prepared,
costing over 5000. But the receipts
will more than cover this. The play
was given in Phlladelphia for the whole
of Easter week, drawing the largest
houses of the season; 80 great WAS the
demand that three extra nights had to
be promised for May. Among the
other dates for May are the perform
ances IN Washington and Baltimore.
On the 18th of April the club was
warmly received by the Yale students in
New Haven, aud appeared in New
York on the following day.
Attractive Dancing.
While the grotesque fun of the clubs
burlesque is always taking, the main
attraction rs the dancing. Ifyour have
never seen college athlete in tights
| and abort skirts you may think ht
would cut poor figure in the ballet,
but that's where you are wrong. The
| "Wiggers," as girls, are distinctly good
looking. and their dancing is beyond
reproach. The premiere dsnseuse this
year 10 G.. w. Kendrick, '93. who dos
an intricate serpentine dance, severa
skirt dances. and q regulation ballet
You wouldn't believe that the fairy
who poses 40 gracefully OH her dainty
toe tips can play rafting game q
football, and is fine third bsseman
but it's fact. And what is the use Of
it, do you ask? That is q hard question
to aswer seriously. But 1t attracts new
friends to the university, swells tn,
atheletic funds, and the boys enjoy IL
And they might do worse. At any rat
there 10 no doubt that the "Wiggers'
| have come to stay.