The herald., 1894-03-11

The attractiveness of the leg show In
sugurated 20 years ago by the Black
Crook has been evidenced by the re-
vival of that spectacle at the Los Angeles
thester this week. 4 generation age
women stayed away from the perform
ances and men went with sort OF
shame -facedness. On Thursday, the
first night, there were more women at
the thester than men, and fashionable
women at that.
Life is too short and the solution too
impossible to enter here in discus
sion as to the ethics or morality of a
performance of the kind, but if liberal
patronag ge and delighted audiences be
any ind icaton, the reign of the leg in
theatricas is as powerful now as ever.
###
Patrons OF the Los Angeles theater
who we're on hand before the curtain
went up during the Black Crook en-
agement ere treated to selection
from the opera, The Prince OF CASTLE,
the music Of which is being written by
Signor Romandy and the book by Mr..
H. Grattan Donnelly.
Romandy and his admirable orchestra
played dragon march, which was a
charming composition, permeated with
the joyous, pquant spirit OF comic
opera, If the rest OF the score is on a
par with this the work will 60, beyond
peradventure.
~
Thester goers will remember Yrela
Fotx, who made success here in The
Wolves of New York company. She is
daughter of Clara Foltz, the woman
attorney OF the coast, who has achieved
q high reputation at the bar.
With Clay Clements company this
week will appear another daughter Of
Mrs. Foltz, Miss Beatrice Foltz, who is
credited with possessing equal talent
and attractiveness with her sister. She
is a graduate OF Hanna college OF this
city.
A case OF Foltz without faults.
-
After q weeks good business in the
Southern California towns, the Calhoun
Opera company leaves for tour east.
ward through Arizona, New Mexico and
Texas. The success of this troupe. which
has played to crowded houses here for
four nights (and could have played to
as many more if it's management had
to new departure in management.
There are no stars and no sticks, and
for that reason the interest never flags
when the leading characters are off the
stage. There has been no better
"Mikado" given here since that opera
was written; the "Black HuRsar" wac a
marvel OF good stage management and
fine ensemble; and as for its "Said
Pasha," it Was by far the largest fourth
night performance given here in 18
months. 1t is one of the best of all this
company's presentations, showing that
beautiful woman and well schooled
vocalist. Laura Clement, at her very best.
George Lyding is superb as the Mexican
Adventurer, as is also William Schusts
as Hassan Bey. But the fun of the
piece lies in the still comedy OF Kirkland
Calhoun and the broader humors of
Douglas Flint, who are excellent come
dians, but as widely opposite in style as
can be imagined.
The orchestra is strong, and as for the
choruses they are given with furore
that is worthy of the best days of grand
opera. The Calhoun Opera company
gives everything smoothly and with
finished touch, and we predict for its
members cordial reception.
~
Mr.. Stephen Fiske, the dramatic edi-
tor of the New York Spirit, gives the
following interesting account of Steele
NAckaye:
Steele Mackaye, who died in Colorado
last Sunday, on his way to California,
was genius-and with genius madness
lie allied. Most of his projects were too
vast to be practicable; but he has left as
substantial monuments the miraculous
Madison square thester, the lovely Ly-
Oeum and the most successful play ever
produced in America. He was born at
Buffalo in 1874 his father was Colonel
Mackaye, U.S.A., and he received q
liberal education and was sent to Paris
to complete his studies. There be be-
came the pupil of Delsarte, who pro-
fessed to have discovered the science of
expression, and this decided his career.
Returning to New York. during the
civil war, he went to the front with the
Seventh regiment and gave amateur en-.
tertainments for the benefit of the sick
and wounded soldiers. His first public
appearance on the stage was as Hamlet,
at Federal hall, Baltimore. Determined
to become a professional actor, he
studied the theater practically as a
supernumerary at the old Bowery, and
u ubAllbJ 41uH NJ wy lnpiCs III 1000
he went back to Paris to take lessons
from M. GARNER, and the aacendency
of Delsarte over him was re.estabIished.
The outbreak OF the Franco-Prussian
war sent him 10 this country, and &is
professional work began.
After delivering lectures in New York
Boston and at Harvard in aid of Del
sarte, Steele Mackeye turned Ferrero's
dancing hall into the st. James theater
now the Fifth Avenue-and attempted
to demonstrate his dramatic theories in
play called Monaldi, adapted from the
French, the hero OF which was
sculptor, VINO moulded life.size statue
Oh the stage. The play failed and the
audience laughed at the exaggerated
movements of the features of the actors
according to the Delsarte system. In
1878 he went to London, and Tom Tay-
lor, then a prominent playwright and
critic, introduced him as Hamlet. at the
Crystal Palace, and sent him into the
provinces. In 1875 he produced his
adaptation of Rose Michel, at the Union
Square. Other plays followed, and in
1880 he built the Madison Square theater,
inventing the novel plan OF the house,
the decorations and the elevator stage,
and producing Hazel Kirke, which is
III l.