The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-03-21

old National Theatre, a variety OF busi-
ness-anything and everything for which
he was cast and showed considerable abil-
ity as a dancer. Indeed, in those days, an
actor was well grounded in all the
branches OF his profession, apd it was con-
sidered indispensable that he should be a
good dancer, a good swordsman and a
good singer-provided he had [" singing
voice"
During the summer OF 1880, Mr.. Mar
shall first tried his hand at management.
He organized small company, and gave
performances in number OF country
towns, doing a good business and re-
turned to the National for the fall and
winter campaign. For his benefit on Feb
ruary p, 1910, he played Virginius, Henry
Wallack, the eldest Of the Wallack family,
the father OF James w. Wallack, Jr., being
the Dentatus. During the summer, on
July 10, he opened Boylston Hall, in the
Boylston Market building, once popu-
lar concert hall-the place, by the way,
where the Handel and Haydn Society nrst
gave its oratorios, under the name OF The
Vaudeville Saloon, and for two months
did profitable business.
The success OF the Eagle made such
great inroads on the patronage OF the
National under Pelby, on account OF the
excellent character of the performances,
and the low prices OF admission, that
Pelby had recourse to strategy in order
to get even with his young and successful
rival. He, accordingly, purchased a
quarter interest in the property, and pro-
ceeded, under cover OF improving his por-
ton of the building, TO render the whole
useless.
The night of Wednesday, March %,
1913, proved to be the last of the exist
ence of the Eagle Theatre. The length OF
the performance-and they had long per-
formances in those days, and the patrons
OF the theatres got their moneys worth
brought il up to midnight, when the cur
tain finally fell. Then Pelby proceeded
to carry out his scheme for Improvement.
Under cover of the darkness, and accom-
panied by several OF the National carpen-
ters, the roof of the Eagle was gained,
and that portion of the roof directly over
the stage, and covering about one-quarter
of the building, was sawed away and the
lumber removed. OF course the building
was rendered useless, and theatrical
performances in it were abandoned.
Marshall, nothing dRunted by the de-
struction of the Eagle, took his company
TO Providence, where he opened on the
night of April 3. At the close of the
Providence season Marshall went TO New
York and played short engagement at
| the Chatham Theatre, then under the
management of Charles II. Thorne the
elder, after which he returned TO Boston,
| but did not act again until the fall OF 1874
! when ne was one of the company that
supported Macready at the time the
| Melodeon was fitted up for the perform
ances OF that great actor.
In 1S45 Marshall played in the old Chat
| ham Theatre, New York, and 1S47 at the
| old Bowery He later played at the Chest
nut Street Theatre, Philadelphia. In
| ls4S he returned TO Boston playing at the
| Federal Street Theatre. From that tins
ne played all over the country as well Al
Canada until 1852, when he became mana
ger of the Howard Athenaum, Boston
4 success attended him here until 1863
when he attempted Italian opera at tn,
Boston Theatre. He met with consider
able loss, so he relinguished the Athen
cum, intending to make up his losses a
| The Boston. The season which wa
Quite a profitable one was brough
to a close on the 18th of June, '64, with
complimentary benefit to Mr.. Marshall
and with it terminated his connection
with the theatre, and his career, long anC
honorable, as a theatrical manager. HI
had demonstrated his foresight in becom
ing the manager of the Boston, for he no
only recouped the $4,000 which he lost il
the preliminary season, but had withal {
handsome balance OF many thousands o
dollars.
From that time until the present Mr.
Marshall had been engaged in giving les
sons in elocution, and fitting pupils fol
the stage:
managers, actors, candle-snuffers, all
Yea, all who write or hiss or damn play
E'en little prompter boys, who players call,
sad thing to say, grow older day by day"