Birmingham state herald., 1895-11-17
THINGS DRAMATIC.

The Grau Opera company closed their engagement at o'Brien's last night, pre- senting the beautiful opera, 'eThe Grand Duchess" The audience was small, but appreciative, and the attraction all that could be desired
 Miss Randall sang in her usual exqui-. site manner and so was the singing of MT. Libby, MT. Frear and others good
 Indiana" was repeated at matinee.
 Theatrical Notes
 Miss Mary Henderson has been en- gagged as leading lady for MT. Charles Rohlfs during the latter's starring tour Miss Henderson was formerly prom inent member of the companies of Charles Frohmans and A. M. Palmer. She will play Portia in "The Merchant of Venice and Mary Leayenworth in liar well." Miss Henderson is the wife of w. T. Henderson, the celebrated musical critic of the New York Times. She is beautiful woman and comes of an old theatrical family. The many glowing accounts of the way MT. Salvini is staging his repertoire this season, and of the excellence of his sup porting company, is the best evidence of his artistic conscience and goes to show that he is willing to return to the publi a proper value for what he receives from it in profit. It has come to be generally COHceueQ lflat III a measure suI least ne faithfully reflected the lustre of his fla ther's genius, and as result interest concerning him is ever on the increase.
 Hanlon Bros. "Fantasma" Is billed for Friday and Saturday nights of this week.
 One of Manager Theiss attractions the coming week at O'Brien's opera house will be Creston Clarke, and the en- gagement promises to bs a brilliant one, as his appearance last year as a star created a most favorable impression. Among the Shakespearean reportory Hamlet" is the .one he has selected to play here. The critics agree that Tn many ways he favors his distinguished uncle, the late Edwin Booth.
 Creston Clark was born in Philadel- pha August 20, 1865. He was reared in Paris at the college of Notre Dame de St. Croix, where he first studied for the church, but abandoned his original in tention and decided to go upon the stage. He made his first appearance in England with Edwin Booth in 1882 in "Richilieu," after playing a round of parts in Mir. Booths repertoire during that visit. He was engaged at the Haymarket theater, London, and played a part in the original English production of Fedora under the Bancrofts. He next went to the stand with Jennie Lee. He then appear ed with the late Lytton Sothern in "Our American Cousin.' At the close of that engagement he again joined his father, this time as leading man, appearing in ''The Heir at Law" "She Stoops to Con- quer," and in various other roles. In 1886 he returned to his native land for the first time since his babyhood and played a stock season under the manage ment of Lester Wallack. In 1887 he open ed as Hamlet" in Richmond, Va, and subsequently, played the role in Balti- more, and a fortnight later in Philadel- phia. He was next engaged by Law renee Barrett to support Edwin Booth in Hamlet as Laertes, and in "Othel- 10" as Iago. Then followed an engage His engagement of twelve consecutive weeks in Philadelphia and his recent re- turn apnearnce at the same theater for sixteen weeks broke all previous Shakespearean records in America. Miss Adelaide Prince will support MT. Clarke the coming season in opposite star roles.