The morning call., 1894-12-30
EVERYTHING OF VALUE TOOK
But Second-Rate Attractions En-
countered a Frost.
MARKED THEATRICAL REVIVAL.
Herman Shainwald Talks Entertain.
ingIy on What Plays San Fran
cisco May Expect.

Herman Shainwald of this city, who has
just returned from trip to the Eastern
States, furnishes THE CALL with the fol-
lowing notes as the result of his observa-
tons In New York City. They will be
found interesting TO those who like to
study events in the world of amusement:
al spent ten days in New York on bust
ness" says Mr.. Shain valid, "yet during
that time l had an opportunity to observe
the condition of the theatrical market
New York seems to be the only city in
which theatricals are always booming,
only at some periods the interest is
stronger and more lively than at others
During the hard times last year everything
OF merit and value did well; second-rate
attractions and the old attractions suffered
from the depression in business. The
same conditions of things prevails in New
York and in the East this year, yet the
general revival of theatrical business is
most marked, but it is in favor of the
novelties. In many cities outside of New
York learn that The first-class stars who
have Few plays and the new plays that
are sent out by the metropolitan managers
are doing splendidly.
"In New York City November is the
high-tide month. The opera is then in
full blast and the local stock companies
begin their autumnal season. The Metro
pOlitan opera season, while not so striking
in its results as last year, will about equal
the receipts. the management having
wisely shortened their season, thus con-
densing the business upon and producing
the very best of the operas. The De
Reszkes and Melba and Nine. Emma
Eames-StOry are the lyric stars. Tamagno
has also made a great success, but his
methods are regarded as some what of the
ultra-1talian school. Zele de Lussan has
done fairly well as Carmen" though in
this opera the absence OF NINE. CalVe is
pOignantly felt, and all followers of this
great artist in this particular role naturally
suffer by contrast.
THE most important houses In New
York are those in which the local stock
companies play. Augustin DAILY has
ceased % be the manager of a stock COM
pany, however; Ada Rehan has become
his full-frdged star, both in New York
and on the road. and he Is now presenting
her in series of her old-time successes.
'tAt the Lyeeum Theater Daniel Froh-
man has now the best organization he ever
had. Sard0u's play, "A Woman's Silence
written for that theater, played to four
weeks good business, and following this
comes the first comedy that the famous
Henry Arthur Jones has ever WI tten. 1t
is called The Case of Rebelhous Susan
and much is expected from it. The de-
parture of Georgia Cayvan from that COM
pany, while much regretted. leaves no
void, as she has outgrown the juvenile
character OF the leading parts re.
CURED in that Organization. She is,
therefore, in good position now to star
in stronger parts, as she is to do next year
under Frohman. Miss Isabel Irving has
made her mark already In the position of
leading lady of the Lyceum. The other
new members of the company are also
excellent and have made marked impress
sions. l observed this particularly in
view of the fact that the organization is to
visit the coast again next July.
AT the Empire Theater the biggest
success of the season so far has been
achieved by Charles Frohman's company
in Henry Arthur Jones' play. The
Mssqueraders.' 1t is one of the most
gorgeous of stage productions that have
been seen for long time in that city of
productions, and full justice is being done
TO it by the younger Frohman's company.
"a play Of supreme Importance in the
theatrical world, however, is Sardou's
'Gismonda,' the last play that he wrote for
Sarah Bernhardt and for which Fanny
Davenport has the American rights. The
production of this play has surpassed
everything in the way OF stage scenery
that any star has yet attempted IN New
York. The play ranks next to Fedora
Ii is far more effective, fuller of human
and 'Theodora,' and | am fully convinced
that when Fanny DavenDor gets through
with this play she will retire with a
fortune as the result
"a. NJ. Palmer's stock company has been
somewhat unfortunate this year, as the
new play by Gus Thomas did not score,
nor was Sidney Grundy's New Woman"
a success; but On New Years eve he will,
by arrangement with Charles Fr0hman,
present an English melojrama, viii ch is
full of digni6ed dramatic interest, and 1t
is expected that that will see him OUT the
rest of the season. 1t is called "a Fatal
Card" Next year Palmer will give up
his regular stock company.
"Outside of these houses. the local stage
runs principally TO lighter work. Comic
operas reign supreme. The best of the
legitimate comic operas is Rob Roy" by
de KoveD. author OF robin Hood" This
is performed by the new Whitney Opera
Company. "The Bostonians." who are
now playing in New York, have been
rather unfortunate; they not only refused
Rob Roy" when ii was offered TO them,
but they accepted a piece called Prince
Anauias" which has not done well, and so
they are going back again to their one and
only success, the perennial robin Hood"
The defectlons from the ranks Ofthis COM
pany have also somewhat affected the per-
sonnet OF that organization.
Lillian Russell, beautiful and resplen-
Queen of Brllliants," and is retrieving her
self little with ''The Grand Duchess" at
Abbey's new theater.
1.-The musc-halls are doing well; and it
Is now left TO Messrs. Frohman ana
Augustin DAILY TO maintain the dignity of
American drama by their efforts to keep
their stages devoted to what there is best
in the dramatic field.
New York bears one position in its
relation to San Francisco; we are next
season to see the best results of the metro
politan stage upln our own boards. Thus
San Francisco benefits by che New York
managers' explorations. LII other words
New York is the dramatic dog" ON which
all that is new dramatically or operatically
is first tried. San Francisco will see some
high class results from these experiments
next season, tho first important company
10 come being the Lyceum Company with
lis fresh list of plays"