The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-28
Brown Opera Season Will
Begin Tomorrow.
Opening Performance viii
Be Given This Afternoon.
A Clever LibrettO and Lots of Pretty
Music are Promised.


give their initial performance Of "The Game
King" the new comic opera, at Keiths
Opera House. Rehearsals have been in steady
progress for the past month, and without
doubt this years production by the boys OF
the college ON tLo hill will be the best they
have yet attempted.
The opera is tho work Of Borden ID. Whit.
ing and Frederick ". Arnold. Jr.. both mem
bers Of the junior class and residents Of this
city. The music was written by Il. W. Cor
Hiss 'a5. who has an enyiable reputation a
composer. The lines Of the play are snid to
be- bright and funny and the situations
laughable. Those who have heard the music
say that Mr.. Corliss has far exceeded any OF
his previous efforts. IL is light and catchy,
and some OF the selections are very artistic
The plot OF "The Game King" has for its
foundation the game played by young people.
Going to Jerusalem" ON an island in the
sea at some time long since IL Is the law OF
the realm that this game must DO played
every year. King Lud, the monarch OF tho
island. deaf but sly old fellow, always ar.
ranges with his musicians to stop playing at
certain moment, and thereby always wins
the game and keeps the kingdom. But the
court jester brides the musicians and wins the
element is supplied by the suit Of the deaf
king, his blind chamberlain and the fool for
the hand Of the Princess Edyth Complications
are introduced by the attachment which tho
mother OF the Princess Elyth, who Is Queen
Mar. .aret, has for the chamberlain, and
which the Lady Gertrude has for King Lud.
The Lady Gertrude is n woman with II past.
She has driven her husband into exile and he
"A fFa al, hoe grty
the king deaf. In fact she il his beto nor
for she is constantly. demanding his hand or
an immense sum Of money which she has
previously loaned him.
The cross threads in the love plot, of course,
become tangled. Eventually they are straight
ened out. King Lud once nore plays "Going
to Jerusalem" wins back the kingdom and
wins the Princess Edyth. too.
From this brief account of the plot il will
be seen that opportunities are offered for
bits OF comedy, and, as 4 matter.of fact, the
authors have well taken advantage Of them.
The piece will be staged under the direction
Of Mr.. James Gilbert, who had charge of
Priscilla" and FLORIDA Water" Mr.. Gil.
bert, 1t will DO remembered, staged "lsql"
This year he has produced "Alico in Wonder.
land" at Coploy hall, Boston, Fools Gold"
WI th' liza VI uhNdIu, anu
Flying Dutchman" for the Hasty Padding
Club Of the same institution.
The chorus is under the direction Of Mr.
Walter S. Hawkins, who is an old Brown
man and who was director OF the glee club
WI on in college Mr. Hawkins was the orig.
inal Jack In Jack and the BeanstalS." and
lately made another hit as Tom Tucker In
simple Simon" He will take a part in
The Game King"
A ature of THE Game King" will bo the
dancing. This has been arranged under the
supervision Of Mr.. John Coleman of Boston,
who helped to produce "lia2' 'Tobasco,"
injured Innocence" Excelsior. .lr., ;" Jack
AMI the Beanstalk' and Simple Simon"
without doubt Mr. Coleman's services will be
efficient in making the Brown opera the sue
coss which it promises to be.
The cast OF the opera is better this year
than II has ever been and the chorus is cspec.
tally strong. An extra performance will be
given this year, matinees being given on
Thursday and saturgay afternoons and rcgu
lar performances on Thursday, Friday and
Saturday evenings. Saturday night will be
yale night"
Tho cast of cbaroctcrs 10 n folIou-u