The herald., 1896-03-01

Los ANGELES THEATER. - The Macon,
Co., correspondent of the New Orleans
Picayune has the following: "The first
company of genuine negro minstrels ever
organised in the world was organized in
Macon. In the latter days of the war there
was little to amuee us. Edmond r. Dalton
and John A. Davis had company on the
SDad and SO did w. H. Crisp, put they were
20 much in demand in the South that they
were kept on the run all the time. John
Templeton, with Alice and Isabel Vane
(Fay was not born until after the war;,
paid occasional visits, but they were al
ways short ones. In spite of the stirring
times the people wanted amusement.
There were regiments of soldiers scattered
around Macon, and each man had a sweet
heart, and these would make up good
audience at any lime, even if a single
ticket sold at So. 70 fill the aching void,
some of the town boys gathered together
the colored musicians OF the city and gave
performances in concert hall. The per-
formers were natural born musicians. And
by reason of being of high grade of slav.
cry. the majority of them trusted servants
about poker rooms and club rooms.
They had ample time for practice and
were encouraged by their owners. just af-
ter the war ended, w hen the people began
settling down to the new life, the scattered
minstrels, now as free as air, gathered into
Macon with Gen. Wilson, and when he
heard of the extraordinary talent of Ma.
cons darky minstrels, it did not take his
Yankee shrewdness long to corral them.
He found ready partner in Geo. w.
Simpson. Simpson was printer and had
worked in Macon for several years. He
was q fine talker, and when Lee proposed
to organize the troupe and take it abroad,
the plan suited Simpson admirably. With
. personal acquaintance with every men,
ber of the now disbanded company, it re-
Quired only promise of an opportunity to
travel to make any contract with them
that was desired. They had never seen
the outside world, and now that the
shackles had been stricken off, they.were
only too glad to go. For several weeks
Lee had the company in training. He had
had long experience in minstrelsy, and
having apt scholars: the company came
cut from rehearsal full-fedged minstrels.
The opening night was fixed for July 4th,
1865.
The theater was packed that night and
the black boys made a hit. In a few days
they we're bundled off to New York, and
shortly afterward went to Europe and
made great success in London. On their
return to America in the fall of 1869, DR..
Calender reorganized them under the
name of Callender's Georgia Minstrels.
John H. Haverly took the minstrels from
Calender and put out two shows under the
MtI0 VI hdNCEly 0COISld IAlllStIcl6s OUo
OF these shows was sent to Europe.
Charles Frohman, now the famous man.
Ager, was then the treasurer of the
European show. On the return of the
European show Charles Daniel and Gustave
Frohmau put out the Georgia minstrels.
Then Richards and Pringle took the
Georgia minstrels and have kept them on
the road for number of years. Billy Ker-
sands, the most famous negro comedian
that the stage world has ever seen, was
originally New York bootblack. He at
tracted the attention of DR.. Calender, who
made him member of his company. His
big mouth, fine voice and awful laugh soon
made him famous, and today he is as big a
fsvorite as he was years ago. He is still
with Richards & Pringle's Famous
Georgias. who appear at the Los Angeles
theater for two nights only, tomorrow and
Tuesday nights.
Los ANGELES THEATER.-For ability to
Amuse no comedian enjoys higher repu-
tation than Ezra Kendall, whose persona
tion of the old countryman character has
in the past ten years. in a Pair of Kids, de-
lighted theater-goers from one end of the
country to the other and who will appear
at the Los Angeles theater on Friday and
Saturday. March 9th and 9TH. 1t is indeed
doubtful if another comedian has retained
his hold upon the public in single charac-
ter SO long. Coming TO the front at almost
one bound soon after entering upon the
stage, dozen years ago, as the "old horse
doctor in We, Us e Co.. which he had
just then written, his same old rustic
character in his later play, A Pair of Kids,
would seem to possess all the qualities that
belong to the Survival of the fittest," for
1t has not only maintained its hold upon
the public in the midst of lively competi-
tion in farce comedy, but is evidently as
popular with amusement-seekers as ever.
There is no class whose opportunities for
S,rdr Nf Tho nr,t. Sc, r<~f..
play are better or so favorable than those
OF travelling men, whose jumplng about
the country enables them to see the actor
or the play under all possible conditions.
Compliments from critics like these are
very pleasing to the actor because of their
value in an artistic sense, and because
also, of their effect upon the box office.
Mr.. kendall's reputation as an amuser
like that of most artists as well, is no doubt
due as much to this fact as to any other
mere advertising agency. His old hayseed
character has become as familiar to thea
ter-goers as the perennial Santa Claus OF
the patriarchal whiskers of Rip Van Win
kle, and every body who enjoys an evening
of solid mirth knows he will get it with
Ezra Kendall on the stage. The en-
gagement will include a matinee on Sat
urday.
THE BuRBAN K.-This evening Froh
mans greatest of all melodramas, The
Power OF the Press. will be given with al
extensive cast, and it will be one of tn,
highest priced attractions ever presented il
this city. The scenery will be unusuall,
good, being especially prepared for the oc
casion, and will include the exterior OF th
Manhattan club, the ship yard and th
chip Mary Vale at anchor. The latter is
strong realistic scene and is from the brls
of Scenic Artist Mckeune. Miss Ma.
Nannary will be seen in her noted role o
Annie Carson, in which sine has ample op
portunity to display her emotional ability
The plot is an excellent one and abound
in many exciting situations, as the follow
ing plot shows:
Stephen Carson, young ship builder an
skilled mechanic, has fallen into evi
habi's and companionship. He is bein
prosecuted by Turner Morgan who was
suitor for Annie Carson's hand. Findin
Carson in company with notorious thieves
Morgan fastens the crime of theft on hiT
and he 10 sent to Sing Sing for five years
There he meets DE Witt Norwood, tn
younger brother of Harold. and they bt
come fast friends. Both are released n
the same day (Christmas) ard Will
Stephen goes to "a comfortable dime
at home his wife has provided, De Wi
goes out into the cheerless world. Carso
Immediately seeks work in the old shiY
yard and the majority of his old cor
panIons welcome him back, but the ne
corners file strenuous objections and tn
new union issues orders through its wall
ing delegate who is backed by Morgan