The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-09
SIXTY WOMEN MINSTRElS
eITE a sHOW ar 1HB BRo0KBTE
ACADEMY OF MUsTG

the Chor-s r. Rsa saa Orange Gowns,
ana the other Hair Il orrsss sna niaek.
For sweet chsrity's sake sixty clever Brook
lyn girls blaeked their comely faces with burnt
cork last night and appeared on the big stage
OF the Academy OF Music as negro mipstrels
The Brooklyn folk turned out By the hun
dreds to see what the bellies Of the town would
look like when BACKED un
All the seats In the big play house were sold
out before half past seven. and long before the
curtain went up the theatre was iammed full.
Women were standing wedged against the
walls, and the ushers couldn't move about
without upsettinz some OF the persons who
were standing.
The sirls got to the theatre at ~ o'clock
and BACKED ND with the help Of an artist In
theatrical makeup.
They rubbed their faces and necks with
grease paint. and rubbed powdered burnt
cork literally over the paint until their
faces were as black as the proverbial ace
OF spades Then they put on minstrel
costumes. It was apparently great sport for
them to go through the WORK Of this
odd transformation. Pesls Of laughter
echoed and reechoed through the dress
ing rooms over which the women
managers OF the Brooklyn Memorial Hospital
for Women and Children. for whose benefit
j. H. Burtis. the President at their
head. stood guard. Miss A. NJ Ames
OF Boston. who originated the idea OF
the young women minstrels Amounted her
own face with grease and burnt cork. and
kept a critical ere on all Of the sixty per-
formers.
buzz OF expectancy ran through the
audience Just after the overture. and there
was great burst OF hand clapping when the
green curtain slid slowly upward and revealed
the sixty black faced girls
The chorus was ranged In three tiers. one
above the other, and the principals were seated
alongside the lower procenium boxes. Every
one Of the girls wore q kinky black wig. Halt OF
these principals were in orange gown and
tied over their wigs. The chorus was dressed
half in gown OF red and orange and half in
The gowns were Just short enough to show
the small feet Of their wearers Hall OF the
girls had red slippers with red silk bows atthe
instep, and the other half were shod with
orange slippers with orange silk bows. All the
girls had long. black gloves.
orange with white cap. The five principals.
who sat on the left Of the stage had tambor-
ines. from which hutteTed tan e lS rib;
Although tho burnt cork efrectually dis
contour. II was instantly apparent that all of
the s ranssd rom to 20 or 25 The
principals all bore names that burlesaues the
cognomens OF well-known actresses. thus:
Interiocutor. Miss Marian Anderson
D.y we're July a.rioss. asorsis Gsisyas: s.".
russell P' Marion Jensen. Rosy tOEs.' 'N'
The entire .sssmblage was. vas called The
Charity Great sSEs Ts made sS to
Miss Ames was quickly recognized by Joke
she perpetraIed as Rory pokrs
pals arose and formed in line and DANCED and
SANG twice. The hrst selection was Bellies
r. s full brSnsnt t fnd S ss Sn
tsmbourines into effective play. 49,. 49,.
=, It became evident few minutes later that
on the amateur dramatic and church choir
talent Of the City OF Churches. July Marlowe
a deal Of comic spirit the plantation melody.
THE Watermillion;"
The first Joke OF the evening was fired OF oy
hit with the aid Of Miss Kellogg. the inter
why are young ladies' always bad gramma-
couldn't say. Why are thsyT'.
because they can never decline matri-
Then Cismatis De We're brought rich mszzo
voice to bear on the song On Promise Me,
muItuous encore. Sorry Bsrnhardt tried her
hand In q Joke on the newspapers. and sang
sSst sorfg pats lie Wa.
S Ss Sass t..p: Ss % the s:
Clemstes De We're, who was BY this time rec
lated another Joke that tickled the audience.
Why are we girls IKE roses In the wilder
ness 2 shs as, asked d SaddsniTh
"i because we are born to blush unseen" and
Fanny Davenport had her turn at at a comic
song and dance next Her silk shoestring be-
and e oil sfrGs ss
and ripped itoif. Two thusand pairs of hands
aPPlsaasd thi. BIT Of by, Play aay;,. III
2 friend In . private box. She never loses
plsmsntsd with a graceful dance. followed.
~ w, Nam Am IiGs young and charming
ing ifS aO ar i Know "; Why You are fs
%Why. because I won't wear this black
vhas shs oEsr The
All the sixty girls took part In q comic
medley made up Of Jingle Of popular airs
first part OF the show was over.
The Kentucky Banjo. Club. made up Of
had to sntss
tain the audience. and their two tiny
pickeninies came upon the srage and danced
a laughable Virginia break down. winding up
with adouble sommersault
Flowers rslned from the boxes upon the
wee artists. and they disappeared. They re-
turned ia white dresses to DANCE anew. II
was then seen that they wern't piekaninies at
ALL hut two tiny Brooklyn girls aged respec-
lively and q years.
They danced medley with a skin that was
dance was a diversified rendering OF
the hornDips. the glide. the rocking stems,
notable hit Of the night Thirteen grown girls
soft music.
The Fleet street Quartet handsome girls
with sweet voiees-sAng and Fanny Dayen-
port brought the funny entertainment TO de-
cidsdly successful close.
New Workers in the throng said that IL the
sixty girls would cross the bridge and repeat
the performance in Gotham the managers OF
the Memorial Hospital would have money to
burn.
FRAMING AT THE q. or PA.
Candidates for the Varsity Crew Csz-