The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-03-08

The return 10 this city Of the farce-cora-
edy production, the ~Pro5lSal Father"
marked an event and possibly crisis IN
the affairs of the Seattle theatsr. X was
not the general excellenc@ OF the perform
ance nor the merit that attaches 70 the
individual efforts OF the ceuparys nern-
bers. but another feature that character
3zes the affair az unique. This feature was
the trfumphal entry into this city Of Man
sger Cal HeiEig as the dictator OF the fn-
ture OF the Seattle theater p popular
price house Manager Heilig announced
that he would play cheap attractions in
the Seattle theatsr: hs started the ball
rolling last night with inc 'Prc1igal
Father a farce comedy that attracted
most favorable comment when il played
a weeks engagement az the Third Avenue
thestsr. commencing February q. Mr..
Heilig states that ne Is satisfied; the MEN,
bers OF the orchestra and the stage at
taches looked happy With two days
notice the company succeeded in drawing
a good house. everything considered
There was a 1ne gallery sale. full bal
cony and good spTinkllag OF people
down stairs" The difference between the
audiences OF the two theaters was re-
marked last night. It was a strange as
semblage In the respect that IL was not a
Third Avenue audience. nor was Il a char
aetertstic Seattle theater audience Local
Manager Hyner stated that fer every APP
plicanf for a ticket that he knew. there
were ten people thar he did not know. The
demonstrations in the theater were con-
vincing that the people who witnessed the
"PrOdigal Father last night had not seen
it before. al least not many OF them. The
piece went with It's usual hurrah, and the
encores were frequent There was no ua-
usual JOLT or jar IN the transition from a
regular price theater 10 a popular price
theater; simply a new element OF theater-
goers, whom the newspaper talk had
warmed up 10 the idea OF seeing whether
there would be a mob demonstration or a
riot attendant upon the change. II such
were expected, then there was disappoint-
ment slr HeIlig. Immediately dressed,
beamed upon all with whom he came in
contact. A few hahitues OF the house
stood in the foyer between acts and passed
the usual comments upon the perform
ance.
And nov In connection with ID al comes
The funny part OF the story. The fea-
lures OF this romance. all the managers
agree are az represented, and there is
nothing in the way 10 prevent the public
partaking Of some of the joiHty that "a
not contemplated by the progTa NINE. A
week. or less ago Matt Smith, the man
aEer Of the "Prodigal Father" company.
wired 10 Manager William II. Russell. OF
the Third Avenue theater. asking him 10
play the company last night. Manager
Russell answered mo" Then Mr. Smith
communicated again with Mr.. Russell. un-
folding a plot that Is revealed below. Stll
the manager OF the Third Avenue theater
remained oodurate. and answered no"
Then Mr.. Smith wired Mr.. Heilig for the
night al the Seattle theafer. Mr.. Heilig
waited and so lost sensational attrac-
ten. He did. however, accept Mr.. Smiths
terms for the company. and leaving only
two days 10 work up the business was de-
MED anything but the straight perform
ance OF the comedy. For this Mr. Smith
blames AR. Hellig. and says he could have
packed the theater to the doors had he
had more time
The plan was this: In the "Prodigal
Father" company there are two particu-
iarly talented people Mr.. Frederick WaiZ.
VINO plays the part OF Catesby Duff. and
Miss jeanette ArdeHe who assumes the
character of Tacv n daughter OF Stanley
Dodge These young psople are engaged TO
be married. and Il IS unnecessary TO add.
are very much in love with each other.
Something in their contracts with Mr..
Smith, however. prevents their marrying
unless ne sanctions such move, and he
seems 70 control their singularity the
same as he does their appearances at re-
nearsa.s. This claim Mr. Smith would
waive couditional,y. and that condition Is
a queer mixture OF business and sentiment.
Mr.. Smith proposed 70 Mr.. Russell (who
said "no'D that Mr.. WaiZ and Miss Ardelle
should get married on the stage during
the performance. Then the audience
should be invited up 10 congratulate the
newly married Mr. and Mrs walz II
could have put $500 in the house
with the announcement. said Mr..
Smith. Now I viii give that feature %
the snow TO Spokane. where We play next
Saturday night. Wen turn them away"
ne continued enthusiastically. 'and that
al might have happened here In Seattle:
talk about being married in a balloon or
on the Ferris wheei-it wouldn't have been
IN it,
Mr. Henig comedies that his delay lost
him a good thing. In the meantime Mr..
Wax and Miss Ardelse must go on sigh
ing under the terms % the contract until
Mr.. Smith takes It upon himself 70 say.
bless you. my children This he says.
viii occur at Spokane. az the end OF this
week. but business reasons may cause a
posi- ponerent and the parental consent
viii be again withheld.
The lite romance with the check rein
and the curb bit reminds ore strongly OF
the marriage In this city few weeks ago
OF Mr.. MeCsiluu1. the manager Of NC
Sorseys Twins and Miss Daisy Gehrue
of the company. Mr.. McCalium. as
manager. granted himself and Miss Geh-
rue the necessary privilege 10 marry, and
IN order 20 accomplish this end they
eIoped for a couple of blocks where The
ceremony was performed. II is suggest
"a that Afr. WaIz and Miss Araeils might
also elope. Had their wedding taken place
here Seattle would have been In fair
way % become a thea tricai rnatrirncnla l
Mecca. a sort Of Grefna Green for love
lorn thesplaus. which would have adver-
tised both The city and the climate OF
Puget Sound.