The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-10-21
REID TELLS A STORY
About Topeka Amateurs He Net
in Missouri.
EDMUND COLLIER WAITED HIS PLAY
Of Human Hearts," but Couldn't Get
Backing to Put 1t On-Karl Gardner
win Sing Apple Blossoms.

Of Human Hearts," but COuIdn't Get
Backing to Put 1t On-Karl Gardner
VIII Sing Apple Blossoms.
During the matinee performance of
Human Hearts" at the Grand Saturday
in the closing scene where tramp stands
with uplifted hand to stab a sleeping
child. girl in the parquet cried audiDly,
Don't strike, oh, don't strike" This re-
venls the character of the play. 1t is a
melodrama.
"As ye SOW, so shall ye reap" are the
last words of the play. 1t is the spirit
of the piece. The drama has message
to deliver, lesson to teach, a wholesome
song to sing.
Hal Reid, the author, star and hero,
does some bad things. His gestures are
poor and he uses the same ones too
he changes his voice too perceptibly.
For all this most OF his acting is excel
lent
Mrs. Reid, as the wicked confidence
woman was very good.
"This is my seventeenth play" said
Hal Reid, land l have been on the stage
off and on IA years 1 wrote Human
Hearts five years ago and called it
'Logan's Luck 1t took me five days,
LdhlQR Oub llLll0 lOE LuOdlSg dU0 SOtnS
to bed about II.
Edmund Collier wanted a play to star
in and wrote me saying he would come
on to see me and asking me to have
synopsis ready. He was surprised to see
the play completed when he arrived. But
the reason was that l had had the piece
pretty thoroughly planned out in my
mind for some time. Usually one word
leads to another and one scene calls up
another until when your play is finished
it isn't at all what you started out to
write.
"Collier and l made arran gements, but
when the time expired he was unable to
get backing and had to return the manu-
script me. l had it in New York last
spring and thought would put it on
s'Being in Topeka reminds me Of two
Topeka girls and boy l met over in
small Missouri town two or three years
ago. I was in the place on business and
heard there was going to be an entertain
ment of some kind at the theater. l con-
sidered this a gOdsend and hurried down.
| The manager was tiCkled to death to see
me. He said, Hal, you'll have to give us
some recitations, or something. Some of
my people refuse to go on
II went back and met the young man
He said, My dress suit hasn't arrived,
and positively will not go on without it
So gave something in his place.
"a day or two afterward 1 met
them standing on the depo: plat
form in town number of
miles closer to Topeka. They said
that was as far as they could buy tickets
l questioned them and found out the
| young man had uncle keeping hotel
about 80 miles from there. l said strike
straight for the uncle who keeps the
! hotel and bought all three of them tickets
| Afterward l received a letter from the
mother of the girls thanking and bless
ing me. 1 don't suppose they ever told
their Topeka friends of this
The young ladies mentioned were the
Misses Simpson, daughters of Ben Simp-
| son, and the yong man was VIII Kelly
I'VE are doing fairly well. Our ex-
| penses are $3.50 a week. One the one
night stands we are losing money, be-
cause the people don't know whA the
| play is. On week stands l am making
/ from $500 to 800 a week. The audi
/ eRces get larger every night. We Ger
tainly ought to do good business when
we come through here next year"
Nj. Reid is j large, handsome young
looking man of 81 He weighs 1S9
pounds and is over feet tall His hair,
which is black and curly, is worn very
long.
Human Hearts" plays this week at
the Ninth street theaier in Kansas City.
"The Prize Winner" next Friday at the
Grand will present the German dialect
comedian, Chas. A. Gardnar, in a play
new to Topeka people. Gardner will be
remembered in Prince KarP' and others.
This is the second season of The
Prize Winner" Mr.. Gardner has com
posed several new songs for the piece
He has made a hit with one called
"AppIe Blossoms" The plot of the
piece turns on the athletic games of the
Turner's. the funniest.
George Mauderback, Gardnee's adj
vance agent, was in the city Saturday.
He says the season opened auspiciously
/ i'll Chicago on the LIST Of September, and
the company has been doing a good
business.
In the Topeka letter of recent num-
Der of the New York Dramatic Mirror,
| the CORE spondent advises all companies
to keep away. He says business is poor
and suggests that companies which are
coming here had better come with we'll
filled pocketbook and few trunks.
This is an injustice to the place. Be-
cause deluge of Bowery plays failed to
draw here, is no reason why good pro-
auctions should stay away. Upon read
ing this article Lillian Lewis and other
attractions wanted to cancel
John Griffith played to but $275 here
on Wednesday night. but he considers
Topeka very good town. 1t has been
played TO death with "Faust" Griffith
said. Topeka is considered pretty
good one night stand among the profess
sion" This is 4 good town for good plays,
The people will stay away from poor ones.
BY and by the theatrical world will find
this out and the sooner the better.
Sol Smith Russell the quaintest come
dian of them all, is one of the winters
attractions
"Side Tracked" comes to the Grand