The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-30
OUR AMATEUR PLAYERS
Two Excellent Performances to
Be Given Next Month in
This City.

Dramatios are the order of the day; that
is. amateur dramatics. The Florence
Dramatic Club will produce "Our Regi-
ment'' next Tuesday evening, and the
PLAYERS will produce 1.-The Guardsmen'
ON May 20. Both these titles sound
patriotic. but names, as well as looks,
are sometimes deceiving. Both plays are
English. The Florences. however, are
ambitious. and under the direction of
their coach, Mr.. Douglas s. Houghton, Of
the Standard Theatre Company, have pm
dertaken to Americanize "Our Regiment
Tile Jersey City Clubhouse, where the
play IS to be held, viii be draped in
American and Cuban flags. Patriotic
music will be played by Cranrer and pa
triosic songs sung by Mr.. Sidoine s. Jor-
dan of this city. Van Houten Drum and
Fife Corps will furnish the marches for
the first act. The scene is laid in Chiea-
manga. and tie cast is as follows:-
Mr.. DICKINSON, retired merchant, Mr..
! Harry Moore; Mr.. Ellaby, his friend, Mr..
! Frank Feeny: Captain Featherston, 9TH
| Cavalry, U. 5. A. Mr.. Harry Russell;
Lieut.. Gerry Wanaener, Fifth Cavalry, U.
S. A.. Mr.. Robert beats; Rev. John Tai
bot. new curate, Mr. Alex. Churchill; Bat
tefS. pUDDfuSOE , Sci LII MI
Terwilliger: Mrs. Dickinson. Miss irene
A. H-igginbotham; Olive. her daughter,
Miss Violet Wands: Erud Thursten. Dob
binson's niece, Miss Veronica Stanton;
Maud Ellaby, Ellaby's niece, Miss
Blanche Swain.
The play is in three acts, and will be
given for the benefit of the Peoples Pal
| ace Day Nursery. A most worthy charity
r.z-- 4-ro 1af
to three or four years are cared for, while
the mothers, thus relieved, are able TO
earn their daily bread, the cost being five
or ten cents per day.. Mr.. Houghton
ranks among the very best coaches of
| New York., and as over 400 tickets have
already been sold an unusually large
crowd is expected.
1.-THE Guardsman." to be produced by
the Players, is also in three acts, by
George R.. Sims and Walter Raleigh. 1t
is one Of Daniel Frohnan's plays. And
| only through his courtesy are the Play
ers now in possession of the manuscript.
The most interesting point, however, lies
| in the fact that this piece has never been
produced on any public stage. The first
| scene is laid in an English park, by which
| the regiment passes, the GuardsInan at
! its head. Mr.. Eugene Leake takes this
| nart. He is perhaps a trif1e short for a
guardsman. but otherwise-well the night
! of the performance viii prove his ability
The plot of the play. in brief, is this
| The Guardsman meets his fate, as usual.
in plavs and novels-a beautiful young
| lady. in an underground railway, and in
| some way renders her assistance. This
| much is explained, not acted. Though he
| often meets her afterwards, she will not
| recognize him without the proper intro
4 duction. The young hero, like most her
oes of the kind, is deeply in debt, but un-
| like most heroes of the kind Except in
! plays happens to possess an afectionate
aunt, who helps him., also an uncle who
\ does not less. The aunt, however, is
| slightly dictatorial. and a born match
maker. Added to this, she is chaperon-
| ing a Beautiful American heiress whom,
| she has decided her nephew shall marry.
He. thinking OF the girl he met in the
| railway. refuses, explaining to his aunt
that he cannot promises to marry a girl
he has never seen. The aunt threatens
| TO cut him off unless he proposes to the
American heiress tine following Thursday.
| The wealthy uncle here steps in, and un-
Gle and nephew lay a plot. Sir James, the
UNCLE. VINO is not in favor of marriage un-
der any circumstances, b~lackguards the
i.epfaew. which Lady Jones. the aunt, re-
| fuses 10 believe. On the fatal THURSDAY
! sir lanes manages to conceal Lady Jones
| fhe neiress, and several others behind a
screen when his nephew enters. OI
I course, to carry out the plot. the tauares-
| fiirfs with every girl who enters the ROOM
/ and even kisses the servant. when the
screen falls, and 70 Ms ama2fm a ~, ne he