The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-28
STARS WITH RIVALS"
Wonderful Cast for the Beloved Comedy In
Cnrioo. Tina

SpllHS iiAhSs
After much hard work and persistent
effort all of the arrangements for the con-
templated tour Of a company of stars in
s'The Rivals" have been completed, and
on May an organ ization which is with
out doubt the strongest ever gotten to-
gether VIII start out on what Is sure 10
be a memors BILE season. The cast OF the
play, except the part of Lucy, VIII be
as follows:
Sir Anthony Absolute. 80. MILAN III. Crane
Sic Lucius O'Trigger. Nat q Goodwin
David. Francis wilson
Captain Absolute. .,.............. Robert Tabor
Falkland. nd........................J Joseph Holland
rag ,.........'....,......s u. NJ. hoIIbhu
MIS-. malaprop. .......,.... -. Mrs. Johh DreW
Lydia Languish .Juha Marlowe-Inoer
The organization Of the company owes
its origin TO the Couldock benefit of last
spring, at the Fifth Avenue Thester, New
York, when "The Rivals" was given In
the same 'star" fashion and netted 5000.
During the performance some one said as
a Joke To a group of managers present
that an offer of 800, 600 had been made to
the company OF that day IL they would
go Ut for a four weeks tour. In the
group were Mr.. Charl s b. Jefferson, a
son of the acotr, and Mr.. Joseph Brooks,
the manager, and some time after these
two found themselves alone I'm a corner
OF the lobby.
"What do you think of that 800, 900
story?" asked Mr.. jefferson.
sit doesn't strike me as being so much
of joke now," answ, red Mr.. Brooks.
~ think there would be lot of money
in it il we could get the company to-
gether. Can't we arrange to repeat this
per rformance in Boston next week2''
Mr.. jefferson went back on the stage,
and before the matinee was over the ac-
tors and actresses had been obtained for a
second performance, and a matinee was
given at the Boston Theater, one of the
largest in the country, which was packed
TO the doors. Mr.. Jefferson ard Mr..
Brooks then set about making arrange
ments for thirty performances to begin in
May.
The difficulties in the way were enor-
nous, for Ii meant that the Jefferson,
Crane, Goodwin, Wilson, Holland and
other companies whose principals were
wanted for "The Rivals" must disbsnd
earlier than had been intended, and that
a good many people In these companies
who were under contract for full sea
SON must be paid even il idle. 1t meant,
too, that the receipts must be phenome-
nally large TO make 1t possible to give the
stars q good profit, and that III the mana
gers did not retire into the Forrest Home
or recline gracefully on the hospitality of
the Actors Fund after the season was
over the tour must cover as much OF the
country and as rapidly as possible and
turn such little towns as New York, Bos-
ton, and Brooklyn into tone night
stands" at high prices for single per-
formance.
Messrs. jefferson and Brooks bought an
atlas OF the world, and after a careful
study put dates afrer these places:
May 4, Springfield, Mass. 8, Hartford;
8, New Haven't, New York, matinee;
2, Brooklyn, night; 8, Philadelphia; 8,
Baltimore. afternoon; o.. Washington,
G ncinnati, matinee sn1 night; Ii, st.
Louis; 10 and 10. CHICAGO two nights and
matinee; Is, Milwsukee; 10, lndianapo-
lis; 90 Grand Rapids, Mich. n, Tol, do,
Ohio, afternoon; u, Detroit, night; %,
Columbus, Ohio; 20, Cleveland, Ohio rs,
Buffalo; 26, Rochester, ~ Syracuse, after
bany; 2s. Boston, afternoon; 20, Worces-
ter. Mass. night, 30, Providence, X. /.
No barn stormers or "fly by night
companies ever made more lively jumps
that are suggested in this route, and
when Mr.. Charles jefferson broke it z MT
ly to his respectel parent he was asked
what the unnatural son expectel would
be left OF his father by the time the / ip
was over. Mr.. Nat Goodwin is lively in
his own peculiar wy, and Mr.. Wi son
is not unaccustomed to marvellous feats
of endurance, but thirty performs nces
in thirty cities meant In and out of thirty
hotels.
That settled II. The performances. yes;
the thirty cities, poss bly,; but the line
was drawn at the thirty hotels.
This was finally arranged with the Pull
man company, and a special train is being
put together with sail the com orts of
homs." for the use of the company and
ftte with folding beds, bathrooms.
library, smoking room and everything
that can make II veritable hotel on
wheels, with steward and chef and full
complement of servants. On this train
the company will travel and sleep. 1t
VIII be known as "The Rivals Special"
and will have the right of way over all
the roads on which IL Is hauled.
The scenery, which has been de'iened
by Mr.. Jefferson, and Is being painted by
Mr.. Waller Bur- idge, vi go with the
train, rs well as all the properti used.
The expenses of the tr p will nee ssitato
high prices, and the public will have TO
pay the piper to the extent of % for an
oohostra seat, and but little less in the
balconies. That Is, IL the public has luck
and does not have 10 go 10 that early bird,
the speculator, who cobb es up the
Theatrical worm as soon as he hows
himself.