The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-04-26

sented At the opera house last night and
| there is no question but what it was de-
cided success. The attendance was hardly
as large it onght to be, but it was the
| first nights entertainments and people are
usually little disposed not to attend the
first of a series of performances. The in
dicatlons are, however, that 'Zephra"
will be largely attended during the
balance OF the week, when the universal
verdict that it is we'll worthy of public
patronage viii have gone out. The scenery
. is very elaborate and is pronounced by
critics 10 be much fiuer than that OF Ben
| Hur."
CAST OF CHARACTERS.
| Zephra, Queen Of Mythland Miss Anna Boyd
Neyera' adopted daughter of Deems
Recommendations. Madge Rogers
Unis, Fairy Godmother of Neyera.
-: .:...:....-. :..-........ Kate English
Decius. the Storm King ............. Bion Hull
! Juna, P'ince OF Mythand. $50. Robert Sweet
Alexis, Minister OF state. .ieorge Mold
Sir Scion. Casper Haynes
| Queens Guards-Lana Rossler, Ida English,
! Maud Mathews, Lille Bonn. Emma Hill,
Alice Hayes, r rn Bunker. Margie English.
| Clara l5ehring, George Parr, Jennie Hayes,
/ Jessie Tucker. fille Mack, Minnie Drake,
Marie Houk. Anna Drake, irene Ash. Eva
Hawley. Mamie AlcNair Bertha Shaw. Miss
Queens Attendants-Anna Corner. Gertrude
Hawley. Fay Packer, Maud English
| Statuary-Misees Seavers, Hettinger and
Sterns.
Observation-Disclosures Ross. Maud English,
Anna Corner Agnes CroSkey Myrtle Dea M
Gertie Lauk, Anna Croskcy, Carrie Winants,
Lena Bissantz, Lulu Benn, Fay Packer,
Ruby Wilbur, Albertina Bissantz, Maud
Cobb.
Orioles Maud Parks Jessie Harper Mamie Ault
Eva Peterson, Kate Harroun, May Hughes,
Grace Hough. Mamie Cramer, Mabel Sim
mons, Stella Wilson, Pearl Bennett, Mary
Simmons, Blanch Childs, Treya Alley, Bere-
nice Batter. Hettie VIM.
SPrites Getto, Pearl Read, Mabel
Fleeman, Edna Shaw. Mabel Eidridge. Elsie
Mesaerve, Donna Fisher. Ida Palmer, Flossie
Bennett. Jimmie English. Evan Eldrdge,
Waite: Hess, Gordon Oldham. Dicl; Hayes,
Edgar Hess, Roy Ault. Joe Allendifer.
Brownies-tieoree Fraser, Herbert Child. Ro-
mayne Eldridce, Leslie stevens, Mack Ed
dore Gerould, Robert Norris, Harry Housh.
Chorus-Harry Hill, Frank Craig Eugene
McCoy, Fred Ross, Bert Allison, John Wal
Ter.
Cavaliers-Herbert Childs, W. P. Cleveland,
A. b. Uuttmann, j. y. Haskns, Luther
Burns, I. S Renshaw, John Davidson, [. H.
Stice. \. r. Totten, j. i. Cain, William
Eckstein.
Medley n1adies)-Misses Ross. Corner, Bis
santz, Benn. Tucker. English, Packer. Ross
Ter. Mack, McNair, Benn, Mrs. Childs, Mrs.
Tiffany.
Medley Gentlemen -Messrs. Renshaw. Stice,
Haynes, Ross. Sweet HaSkins, Davidson,
Waller, Huffman, Cleveland, Child, Hull.
NOTES
When Bion Hull, as King Decius, ap-
peared on the stage he was presented with
d beautiful bouquet of flowers by his COM
rades in tie Coronado club. This incident
had a noticeable effect on his singing,
which was a revelation to those who had
never heard him. Mr. Hull has a beauti-
full voice, lie was given a very enthusi-
astc encore, to which he responded.
George Mold represented Alexis in a
very crepitabe manner. and his address to
the queen in the first act brought out gen.
erous applause.
One of the cutest features of the perform
ance was the brownies dance. 1t was
very nicely executed and provoked good
deal of laughter and applause. Their
makeup was perfect.
Though the audience was disappointed
in not hearing Miss Copeland's sweet
voice in the part of Neyara, Miss Rogers
filled the position most acceptably. Her
presence is charming, her countenance
most expressive and her acting far above
the average. Miss Rogers is the daughter
Of the Unitarian minister, Rev. c. H..
Rogers of Arkansas City, and
though q school girl in her
teens, shows musical and dramatic
ability of rare order. Her duet with
the prince WAS sung with feeling and was
perhaps, unsteady, the most artistic Sc
lection of the evening. 1t was fortunate
that Miss Rogers was prepared to take the
part at such short notice on receiving a
telegram from Wichita.
Mr. Bob Sweet, in the part of prince,
established for himself a reputation as a
tenor equal to that of anybody III the
southwest His voice is of the purest
tenor quality and he uses 1t well, though
he lacks force.
The clowns dance to the tune Of
Tara. I'd boom-de-ay took Immensely.
1t gave chance for some
clever clog dancing by Harry Hill. The
makeup revealed the skillful hand of the
professional costumer.
The Amazonian drill of the queen 8
guards was the finest and most elaborate
drilling ever seen on the Wichita stage.
Only once was there any indication of un-
certainty. Like clock work the guards
with their bright helmets and flow
ing Inglets went through their evolu-
tions. They received a well deserved encore
The grasshoppers, despite their odiOus
name, were as pretty set CT damsels as
heart could wish. The grace and the per-
feet time of their steps were noticeable
features.
a more difficult task did the blackbirds
have, but they performed their dance
movements nicely, appearing to good ad-
vantage in their black dresses.
Miss Maud English, "a dream of beauty
in her Turkish cloak dance, won the adj
miration of ali. Many will 90 to "Zephra"
a second time simply to see Miss English
a statement not meant for her eyes.
The decided novelty OF the evening was
the electrical dance. Imagine dainty
little maid dancing to tuneful music when
suddenly she appears as if on fire, her
crown and her sceptre, her girdle. wing and
shoes tipped with variegsted electric
lights. i murnur Of ''ohs" went over
the house when the vision burst uDon the
ewes OF the audience. Ofcourse she had to
respond TO an encore, in recognition OF her
dancing and as we'll as the unique cleo
trical feature.
The chorns did not start out
with much promise but in the
medley OF sprightly songs az the close it
achieved a genuine success, The tune was
good. the voices blended we'll and the parts
were evenly balanced. The audience de-
manded an encore, but tue lateness of the
hour prevented ii response. y beautiful
traI sfcrmation scene with fountain of
real water twenty feet high and 2llegorical
groups beautifully arranged closed one OF
the most ambitious entertainments ever