Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-09-16
FOOTLIGHT FLASHES.
ATTRACTIONS BOOKED At THE RICH
MOND PLAY.HoUSES.
"spider and tho Fiv," "Louis xi.," and
"Jane" Among Them-Testlmoniai
BenefIt-Dramatic Notes.

NJ. d. Leavitt's spectacular production,
Spider and Fly" will constitute the bin
at the Academy next Tuesday and We'd
nesday. This piece may certainly he
classed as novelty. containing, az 1t
does. the latest and best things in spec
tacse parpmime comedy, opera. and
high-class vaudeville.
Since last season the play has been
entirely rewritten, and IT Is said that
scarcely anything remains. Of the first
teAt hut the name and framework OF
the story. In its new shape. however,
It contains more interest, however. and
probabilities for the display OF specialties,
ballets. sumptuous costumes and superb
scenery all Of which are said to have
been supplied. The company to present
1t here numbers fifty people. and includes
I some OF the prominent operate. panto-
mimic, and vaudeville stars. The bur-
lesque will be supplemented by carefully
prepared series of living pictures repro
/ duced at considerable expense after the
famous Kilanyl groupings.
Ab.iAe AtdutUlN or MUSIC next
evening Air. Thomas Koene and his
! company Will present Louis XII" for
the first time in this city. The story of
the drama. woven from the fortunes or
| the Duke de Nemours, whose father,
/ Louis. was executed when the Duke was
/ but u boy, has much OF romance, and,
strangely enough. a happy ending. Ne
mours, grown TO manhood, comes to the
French Kings court as an envoy from
| Charles OF Burgundy. but under a false
name. He Ia the lover of Marie. daughter
of the court historian, and her recogni-
ton OF him betrays his identity to Louis.
Nemours is sentenced TO death. but eS-
capes. and in the chamber of the
King for moment holds II dagger at
the heart OF his parents murderer, and
then leaves him TO the punishment OF
Fate. AZ the cruel, crafty, monarch,
weighed down by years of crime. hated
and desplsed by all about him except
his youthful heir, living in mortal fear.
and dying with scheming in his heart and
murder on his lips. Mr.. Keene is said
TO enact role which demands his highest
powers, with unequivocal success. In the
gslexy surrounding Mr.. Keene are the fol
lowing wcll-nown persons Edwin Arden
Frank Henning, Carl Abrendt. Thomas
Eagleson, George Buckler, Lawrence
Lowell Lillian Lawrence. Gereyleve
plomon, Juiiettc Downs, and Mrs. s. \.
Baker.
Jane" with a carefully-selected cast
win be the attraction at the Academy Of
Music for two nights and Saturday
matinee. beginning Friday, September list.
This piece has had perhaps the most
remarkable and successful career Of any
farce-cOmedy entertainment in recent
years. Four years ago Jane" was im-
ported to the Madison Square Theatre. in
New York. from London. where it had
already completed u highiy-prosperous
year At the very hottest time of an
unusually hot summer Jane" made her
bow TO the Now York public, and con-
vulscd audiences That sat In melted coll
lars and found themselves finding COM
pensation in the novelty and brightness
of the new piece. The comedy has been
presented with phenomenal success all
over the American continent, and has
stood the test Of four protractod New
York engagements. and to all appearances
has not worn itself out yet.
testimonial benefit will be rendered
to Miss Mayme Leahy. the talented
young elooutionist Of This city. az the
Young Mems Christian Association Hall
next Tuesday evening. Mss Leahy, VINO
has for years been an ardent student Of
mnemonlcs and elocution, lately gradu-
ated with high hOuors from the Boston
conservatory. and viii undoubtedly make
her mark in her chosen profession. ON
Tuesday Miss Leahy willTdve an evidence
OF her requirements and ability. She will
he heard in fire pieces. calculated to IL
lustra,e the various points Of elOcutiOn-
airy art She viii De assisted in the en-
tertaipment by Judge Farrar the we'll
known reader, Miss Ida Robinson. the
soprano Of tho Webb Qu9rtette which
lately won the first prize In the memora-
BILE competition given under the auspices
OF the Mozart Association. while CAP
tain Cunningham viii render Il selection
from his time-honored repertoire and Miss
Elizabeth Pattee, a rising young paniste,
Will be heard in a solo.
Professor Emory Shaw and Mr. Edward
Peple have decided to change the name
OF their new opera, which was noticed
some weeks ago n these columns from
The Doge Of enice" to "Violette." after
the prima donna role.
Wilson Tanner. the young boy actor,
who has successfully played Hamlet in
the South. will be- a member Il tire Fred
erick Warie-LCuis James company this
soiron Mr.. Warde is 10 play Cassius
Instead OF Mark Anthony in Julius
Caesar this season.
The gross receipts Of the Paris thea
tres and music halls for 1898 and 1891 as
published by the Society OF Authors'
Rights amount t. $iO5i.320. out Of which
the sum Of Si3L9D was doluced for au-
thors' rights. this being an increase Of
nearly $4,000 in the receipts and OF $1,000
In the authors rights over the previous
year.
The new comic opera which Mr.. Rurnand
and Sir Arthur Sullivan are engaged in
preparing IS said 10 BE- nearly finished
1t is founded upon the same authors and
composers contrabandista originally play
el in ISL. The now piece will be- an
ampliied version Of the original opera.
Athena 10 Mer Mrs. W. y. Curtis en-
Joys the reputation OF being the best /.
dressed actress on the American stage. |
She possesses a large fortune IN jewels !
Charles Bernard. tho author of the /
County Fair" AMI other plays, is writ /
ing new comedy for Sol Smith Russell, F
which viii be produced before the end Of
the scIaln
young man was shot while whistng
sweet Marie" In Buffalo the other day +
II the case had reached jury 1ustinab,e .
homicide would assuredly have been a .
fair verdict
Edwin Arden who manages Thomas .
Keene. also rlsys the parts Of Bucking-
ham in Richard Ill.," Rassanio in THE |
Merchant ~ Venice" De Alauprat IN /
"Hlchelicu." Gago end Cassie in "Othello," |
and Laertes in Hamlet"
katherine Kldder, who is to play the
leading female part in Augustus PitOu's /
forthcoming production Of Sardou's /
Madame Sans Gene returned from Paris |
last Monday where she has been studying /
Reiane's methods for some months
Alexander Salvini is expected to return /
from Europe to-day. During his tour he
met VI. SarIou. and arranged with the
great playwright for a new, romantic !
Ii,,r.ir.,. tLn rrnennf 700 snr mimi