Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-02-25
MAGIC "BIBI."

Inc performance, which was for the bene.
III OF the free kindergarten, was under the !
stage direction of Augusta Crandall Huphs-
ton, and required the services of so local
amateur actors, whose work was highly
commendable. Miss Mary Austin was the
pianist, and orchestral music was furnished
by Leitsinger's orchestra.
"Btbi," as its title indicates, deals with
matters of more or less trivial nature vet
clothing them in msnner to please the
admirers of almost any class of amateur
stage productions. The dialogue, oc-
curing between the dolls of toy shop, is
naturally largely devoid of the element of
seriousness, still there is enough of the
this quality to give variety to the general
effect. Spectacular scenes form large
part of the entertainment. "Bbi" was
written by Charles Barnard, the author of
The County Fair" and it is protected by
w. l.. Hatch of New York 1t is beauti-
fully staged and costumed.
The cast was as follows:
Bib, French doll Miss Kittie Eels
Gluepot. the toyman, l.. VI. Goodenough
Katy his daughter, Mrs A. V, McLane
Sylvania, a retired fairy, Miss Minnie Brasor
Angelica, a rag doll, Mrs. Fremont Hamilton
lopsy, a Olack doll, George Childs
Prince Caramel, L. ID TAYLOR
Captain 1illerope, Fred s. Brasor
Sergeant BYnbon, Harry a. Webster
Man ia the Moon, w. S Pratt
A Dolls Head Mrs. + h. Durgn
Sandman, Frank II Brasor
The scene is laid in the toyman's shop
The rise of the curtain reveals the toy
mans daughter and his dolls in their prop
er places in the shop. The sandman i'm
mediately enters and by sprinkling magic
sand over the toyman's daughter puts her
to sleep. The incidents of the play take
place during the period of sleep. The toy
man closes his shop, but he has scarcely
left when an old woman, retired fairy,
appears and with a smelling bottle endows
one of the dolls, Sergeant Bonbon, with
life. Katy is astounded at this wonderful
exhibition and demands an explanation
from her visitor. The fairy makes known
her identity and disappears after giving
the bottle to Sergeant Bonbon and leaving
her business card with Katy with instruc-
tions to read the card backward in case
any more fairy business is wanted.
BY the use of the smelling bottle Ser
geant BOnbon brings Bib TO life and Prince
Caramel, Captain Tillerope, Angelica, Top
sy and the Dolls Head are in turn Civ
en- animation. They proceed to conhne
the toyman's daughter In order to enjoy
their freedom, and the second act finds
Katy securely tied to her chair with ropes.
L
and the prince for the hand Of Bib, but the
matter is settled temporarily by the Man
| in the Moon who appears and takes Bib
on visit to the celestial regions. vain
search for Bib follows. During this act a
cat, owl, frog and pig appear and the cat
releases Katy by gnawing the ropes with
which she is bound. Angelica then sings
1.-THE Owl and the Pussy Cat" which the
animals illustrate.
In the third act Katy calls the fairy and
explains to her the situation. The fairy
communicates with the moon, Saturn and
other planets until Bib is found, when
she causes her to be returned TO the toy
shop. BY the use of her wand the fairy
makes Bib a doll again at which the con-
stancy of the Prince ceases. Sergeant
Bonbon remains true, however, and he is
given the desired reward by the fairy who
returns Bib to life. The wedding festiyi-
ties follow, after which the fairy summons
the sandman who "shakes the dreamland
rtee," and Katy awakes to realize that the
dolls are nothing but dolls and that the
scenes still vivid in her mind are nothing
but dreams.
The part of Bib was taken by Miss Eels
and with such coquetry as might be ex-
pected of a French doll. She sang with
gracefully. f. NJ. Goodenough appeared
at home in the role of Gluepot, his ben
form, his wavering voice and his totterinl
step Stimulating one of declining years il
an excellent manner. Mrs. Nolan,
showed both vocal and histrionc ability il
the part of Katy, her song, Take it hom'
and give it to the baby" being received
with much applause.
Sylvania, a retired fairy, was acted t
perfection by Miss Minnie Brasor, and thu
honors of the cast were easily with her
Her first appearance was in the black cos
tune of witch of darkness and her re
turn in the third act in gay costume was
signal for applause Mrs. Hamilton a
Angelica was a capital rag doll, who sans
several solos. Topsy, impersonated b!
George Childs, was decidedly comical anC
kept the audience in extremely good humor
L. D. Taylor played Prince Caramel in
manner to win approval and often showed
dramatic ability in his tits with Sergean
Bonbon. The Sergeant was equally effect
i've in his opposition to the Prince and hi
part in the love scenes was well taken
Fred S. Brasor made an excellent "olC
SALT in the role of Captain Tillerope ant
was heard in topical solo with his usua
effectiveness. w. S. Pratt, from the lanC
of green cheese, was apt in his conception
of the Man in the Moon and his solo wa
no less appreciated than his acting.
Mrs. f. X. Durgin represented doll
head and only her head therefore was visi
BILE. She was thus handicapped as far a
acting was concerned, but her frequen
outbreaks of laughter were mirth-provok
ing. One of the lesser parts, that of Sand
J man, was made prominent by Frank II
Brasor. His solos were feature of tn
entertainment and he had just enough o
acting to show that he was capable o
more than the part allowed.
J Much praise is due those who took par
in the specialtes, and especial credit SHOULD
/ be given to the little folk, whose marchin
and dancing were excellent. The first o
these performances was by the jumpln
lacks whose costumes were flaming red an
green and whose antics were accompanies
, with the jngling of bells on their caps
Eight little girls participated in the pape
doll drill and before they were cut apar
by Katy they doubtless reminded not FEY
in the audience of the days when the
, used TO cut out rows of dolls from news
, papers. ,,-,
The word making of the letter block
was one of the most fascinating OF Tn
specialties. The blocks were worn b
, nine boys who continually changed thei
positions in line so as to form words OF IN
letters on the face of their blocks.
The tambourine dance by four youn