The Portland daily press., 1898-06-13

BARLEY McCULLUM.
turned another milestone, 80 to speak, in
it's dramatic history and formally opened
neat and attractive theatre to it's list of
amusement resorts, over which floats q
flag bearing the name of him in whose
honor it was named-Bartley McCullum.
No ceremony marked the opening, but
in simple business-like way the curtain,
at the appointed hour, was rung up, after
a few selections had been rendered on
the piano which were quite in harmony
with the patriotic colors seen ON every
side of the theatre.
The play, happily chosen, was Myron
Leffipgwell's "The Dawn of Freedom"
a Cuban drama of contemporaneous in
terest with the characters distributed as
follows:
Major Jackson Breese, U. S. Consul at
Santiago, BARLEY McCullum
VIM. Il. Pascoe
Miguel Rodriguez, wealthy sugar
planter, = John r. Armstrong
Jose Rodriguez, his son, James Horne
Antonio Lopez. a patriot,
Norman u. COnnlorS
Philip Gordon, a young American
speculator, James w. Bankson
Col. Manuel Guzman, Of the Spanish
Army, Stephen Wright
Sancho, soldier, VIM. Il. Garfield
Corporal LARGE, AlVtnskennedy
Antonio Mendos, Peter Lang
aquita, an Octoroon, Lisle Leigh
Julia Rodriguez, Cuban heiress,
Estelle Dale
To n q Mar KnmAn
Beatrice Ingram
Mrs. A. jackson Breese, May Davenport
The play is latter-day melodrama and
not the old time race between vice and
virtue, with the distressed heroine, at
10 to against her, winning out hand
somely at the homestretch amid great ap-
plause 1t is strong in every respect, the
interest is sustained throughout, the
dialogue is good, the characters are firmly
drawn and the climaxes logical. The
scene is laid in Santiago and vicinity.
The scenic effects of this play are ad-
mirable, not in one but every act, at
times they are gorgeous, and other access
series such as fern plants, etc., are called
into requisition. The play is fittingly
costumed while Spanish soldiers, U. S.
troops, insurgents, etc., all find appro-
pirate spheres of action and give a color
of realism to the whole.
The play was acted excellently, for
as the cast indicates Mr.. McCullum has
surrounded himself with old favorites of
a Portland audience and each of them as
they appeared before the footlights re-
ceiyed the warmest kind of welcome
and deservedly SO. Miss Lisle Leigh
shows growth In her art. She is earnest
and her keen methods bring out the very
soul of her character; she knows where
to use the lights and shades; her facial
expressions, her mobility of features are
notable.
Miss Estelle Dale made her first bow to
a Portland audience Saturday and the
prophecy is made that she is destined to
be great fayorite-her pathos and pas
sion found dramatic vent in her i'm
personation. She has an alluring person.
aIity, q most graceful stage presence.
Miss May Davenport was effective and
played her part in a dignified and con-
sistent manner. Miss Beatrice Ingram is
as cute and winsome as ever-her vivaci-
ty. pithy short sentences and fetching
manners still abide with her. BARLEY
McCullum fits about every character
which he assumes and the passing years
have dimmed in no way his broadly
humorous fashion. When he first appeared
the audience broke into loud and sponta-
neous applause. Mr.. Conniers acted his
role like melodramatic actor to the
manner born with skill and at times with
great force. Mr.. Bankson did clever
piece of acting willis Stephen Wright
portrayed the Spanish colonel in an
artistically brutal way in no wise ex-
aggerated, however Mr.. Pascoe is al
ways good and his finished acting was
quite up to the standard which he set
many summers ago--and that is saying a
good DEAL Mr. Armstrong; acting was
cut short too summarily to suit his ad-
mirers but what he was allowed to do
was done we'll. James Horne is worthy
of the warmest commendation, his voice
is resonant, his acting natural and
his speech when he refused to be an
executioner was cleverly done. Though
absent for some time, he at once re-
stored himself to his old time popularity.
Subordinate parts were rendered to ad-
equately fill the cast and with such happy
auguriss for the future was BARLEY