The evening world., 1892-04-23

FRANCIS VAN DYKE.
The MOlpomene society was organized In
1881. 1t has been fortunate In its choice Of
officers from the start. The first President
was MI. q. f.. Bradford, who served two
terms. Then followed IN the order named.
Virgil T.. iopcs, Fred COW VerthwGite, Fred &.
Randall, Thomas g. Hayden, and James Van
Dyk, the present Incumbent.
Each year has noted q marked advance In
prosperity ana artistic strength, ana the OIL
ganzatlOn has done much TO raise the
standard Of amateur acting to It's present
high degree OF excellence.
The membership Is limited to sevCnty-nvc,
but there arc now about thirty honorary
, members in excess OF the regular member
ship. one Of The pleasant features OF tho So
ciety is that ladies are admitted to the hon
orary list AT the present time there are
| about fifteen honorary lady members.
| The Mclpomene gives SiX regular per-
| formanCcs each season. Each Is q matter OF
much moment In social circles. Tickets to
| the representations nrc sought eagerly they
are all complimentary" Each member OF
| the society receives his share OF admission
cards TO performance, and distributes them
! among his friends The season begins IN No
vembcr OF each year and ends In April. The
Criterion Theatre is tie house patronizcd by
] the Society, ana all their performances are
/ given there.
/ The plays are gotten up in elaborate style,
which, of course, costs money. The expenses
OF tEe Society are met by monthly dues. paid
into the 1rcasurer's hands by each member.
The home OF the Society IL at 10s Living
ston street, where II has roomy and elegant
quarters. II was formerly al 305 Flatbush
avenue.
Among tho first OF the long series OF sue
ccsses OF the Meipomene was the perform
ance or "Mly Blossom" on May IA, 1881.
BY permission OF Gustav Frohman, Ernest
| SterEer, who played Eph, the negro, In the
| original production, was allowed 10 take the
management OF the amateur representation,
he playing the part he had created.
MelpOmenians, when 4 Hundred Thousand
Pounds was played with great cast Fred
Randall wa, the Pennithorn, Charles Le
Barbe the Gerald Goodwin, viTgn Lopez, zoe
Marlowe; Ed Rover, Mr FluEer. A unique
feature OF the performance was the Tlvairy
between Misses Lizzie Wallace and sadie
hicks, TO see which could look the most "Old-
ma!tish in their spinster parts
! one OF the old-lin members OF the Society
whose memory deserves TO be kept green was
/ Fred Randall. His general excellence was
such that IL Is hard " say which was his best
character. Ills greatest success was proba-
bly, as remit HON Ill "A Hundred Thousand
| Pounds"
Another great success was " Tho Cricket
| On the Heart H." played on Feb. l, 1850. Miss
Julia w. Reed, Mrs Matilda DAVIS, Miss Ella
| Stnr NOW editors OF the woman's page iu
! FTo.k Lrslie's u uSGatrd Wtekiu), Miss liz
| zlc Wallace, Miss Jean Cochran, douglas
Montgomery, w. Phelps, Mcfarland, DenIc
/ lratt ana James Van Dyk, VINO took part IN
lho production, are names we'll known 10
those Interested Ia amateur theatrlca!s.
Little Emily" produced Dec. ~, 1883,
scored another hit Tor the Meipomene. lt
was at this time that Miss Libbie Healy iirst
made her appearance In the Sccety's ranks,
| playing the title rule. Frank j. Oliver was
the David coppefncld, and William 81. Camp
bell on that nlsht made an impression in The
| part VI Mr hicawbsr that Is sLill reInenl-
bertd in amateur circles James Van Dyk
played StCcrfOrtn,
The season OF lSs9-9O was very ercourac-
Ing one FOR the s0lietS. 1t was George v.
McCaiih hy's lirSt year as Chairman ~ the
Dramatic Committee, position which he
and Fred suydam were stage managers. The
MelpOlnene society was practically Il stock
company Tor the season. The players were as
Greene and Lizzie Wallace; sounretteS, Misses
Libuit Hcaly, Mabel g. smith, Minnie bowen
old women, Mrs. H. w. Dunkley, Misses Edith
Ellwood, stella ElmOre, Mamie SloaG; juye-
niles, thomas 4. HAYDEN, Bert Andrus;
heavy, James Van DyE; old men, Harry A.
Gardinet. Charles T. Catlin; comedians, Al
bert Mefoy, Ernest Jacobs Among The pays
Bankers Daughter" "oli Heads and Young
Hearts " The Galley slave" The DanltcS
and " Two Orphans"
The same seasOL 4 Hero to Order" n COM
edy written by MIR. Virgil Lopez member Ot
the MelpOmene, was played with success by
| the Society.
one OF the prime favorites OF the organizn-
tlon Is Miss Mabel Smith, who made her debut
al the performance VI "Pinafore," given by
the Brooklyn Amateur Opera Association.
She was heard by william Il. Parsons, the
! beau OF the society, who engaged her 70 play
Psyche Gay In "Thc Galley slave" since
then shG has taken, with unvaried success,
the parts OF Grace HaTkaway In +" London
Assurance" Mathilde In Z" Led Astray," Kate
Olirign In Periec, ion" ana Enid Ihurst0n
IN "Onr Regiment" She Is a petite charming,
graceful uCIrCsS.
Alice shepard. former member OF the So
ciety. IL now In Daniel FrOhman's Lyccun
Theatre stock Company.
Tho present season, the eleventh OF the So
cicty, has shown moro raarked improve
mcnC over the season previous than any
other. The i've plays presented SO lar are ):
eida," :" Pride OF the Market -" Young Mrs.
winthrop" fhe sixth and last OF the season,
20 be given Monday evening, April ~, Is Dion
BouCkault's threc-act drama, "shaugh-
raun." The cast Will be rs follows;
Captain MOlineuE. John y, Brennan
Hebrrt nl?iIloV' FRANK j. Higgins
iGthei !Do'a ChArles L. Catlin
tofry hllcLeG' shatFe J. StpRun
Harvey DuH Thomas q. Bsll
Iohn ''.''''...',,.,. DeAne Pratt
Sergeant Jones yohn j. A,eksy
nu!Eeh''''' illAH walter
ne,.il iArtS sahn IN
ManlgRu,. Joas T. PtugsBn
lose uo. opAr
llonos an Charles Arthur
Gare iio iott....., LiEne Wallace
SiTH' Annie Hyde