The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-15
PRESENTATION OF BEN lluR
Beautiful Spectacular Production by
Talcated Amateurs.
GRACEFUL AND PRETTY GIRL DANCERS
ssrikinw Tnhicanx and. pantoWimes
Featnrc--ro he Presented
Again an Wednesday,.


cast OF local amstaurs.
Aside from the fact that the employees
in charge cf The manipulation OF the
scenery were not as rapid In their work as
they might have been. the performances
passei off as smoothly as could be desired.
Contrary TO the expectations OF those in The
Iaudience, the curtain went up promptly al
the time advertised and the good wofk
thus begun was kept lin during The even
Ing The members 81 the east we're on
hand whom wanted, there were no mistakes
or emissions of amy kind made, land, In
fact, the performances was a very pleasing
one from every point OF Wow.
The synopsis OF the production has all
ready been published,
The pantomimes and the Ybieaux were
gene through with by thosL taking part
with an ease and grace which would have
more than reflected credit on professionals.
When the fact that hut two weeks training
were given the participants, It must he adj
mitted that the production WAS a partiou-
larly mcritorous one. The dances. In
which appeared girls ranging from young
ladies' down to little tots OF and !.
showed the result OF careful training on the
part Of the drill masters and much adaptu-
hiiity or the part OF the dancers. Vic
scenery shown was as pretty and as well
arranged AS any ever eeen ON the local
stage, and the music was catchy.
The work OF Miss Belle dickson as ITas
deserves special mention. Her acting was
easy aud natural, AMI her facial expression
was especially 10 be commended. la tue
tahleau of the lake by moonlight, in which
el,,, Nr.A
the love the dark-eyed Egyptian had Tor
her handsome companion as plainly anu
much more effectively aS IL could have
been expressed by words and In the sue
ceeding scenes with Esther the varying
emotions OF hate aud the desire for re-
verge. srorn aud the final resigned ac-
ccptanGe OF her fate was portrayed In q
manner which proved concusvely that
Miss Diclsons ability entities her 10 POI
| sition In the front'fanks of the amateurs,
Considerable Interest OF course. ccn-
tered in the character of Ben HiT, which
was ably portrayed by Mr. Homer II.
Mitchell who has baen seen on the local
stage on several previous occasions, aud
whose work In this line Is we'll known. He
was. with one or two trifing exceptions.
entirely at home in the part and his stage
presence added much TO the effectiveness
OF his rendition of the character,
Miss FRANKIE lIte made II beautiful and
graceful Esther.
Mrs. Lewis Palfrcy ae the mother of Ben
Hur, Miss Lcala Crawford as Tirzah, Miss
MAZDA Mcleod as Amrah aud Miss Minnie
Porter as Mary. all showed an intelligent
conception of their respective characters
together with a natnraineSs in the rcndi-
tion, which added much to the whole effect
Messrs. Arthur u. fiediDgsfelier as the
younger Ben lIur, Arthur Vaughan and
VIII Swinford as the elder and younger
Messiah. John T., Dickson, Jr, as hat
| ,I,a 4 al {r
h. Griggs as King Iierod, Wallace Shaw
! and Charles Boring as the two guards
odin Kendall and Joseph, j. Y. Borne M
Rabbi Samuel, Dr. a. l.. Curry as Arrius,
Clarence Jenkins as Valerlus, Eugene
Hudson as Thard Arthur John as Meliuah.
Il a. Chadwick, Jr as Smonidea, James
Giraud as SanballaL and Clarence Kendall
rs Ilderim, took their respective parts In
manner calculated to please the audience.
and mt times some excellent features were
shown.
The solo dances of little MISS Anna Beth
Chew Miss Myra Aehe and Miss Allie
Ogiivy of Galveston were especially merl-
torlous Miss Ogllyy appeared IN the
character OF Thalla ~ tho Galveston pro-
duction, and her work las. night showed
that she had not been praised too highly
by the press OF the Island city. she Is
graceful and easy dancer aud her posing
was excellent
The s,atuary effects by Mrs. r. NJ. Eos
ter. Miss Elizabeth Brinsmade and Mrs.
W. W. ChansbetIn was very pleasing
feature OF tho evening.
The first act closed with the recitation
OF "ThH Chariot RAGE" from Ben linr by
Mrs Christian, who appeared TO particu-
larry good advantage In a Greclan cos
tune OF pure white. She threw great
deal of dramatic force into the rendition
OF the lines describing the great contest.
aud her gestures completed a very artistic
piece Of work IN lust the proper manner.
Al the close of the recitation iableau
showing the triumph Of Ben fInr was cS-
hiblted Mrs. Christian has acted ss
chairman Of tho cast since he beginning
OF the rehearsnls and 10 her great deal OF
credit IS due for the complete success OF
the production.
The Dances together with the names of
the young ladies participating In them
and their chapcrones, are given below;
PRfEsTEsSES or APOLLO.
Cbaperones- Mrs. Aubrey Mcguire. Mrs.
j. Meitcnheimer and Mrs. X. u. Morris.
Dancers- Miss Rosa Hite. Miss Ella
Smith. Miss Mamie Noskowitz, Miss jean
elite Jones. Miss Lucille shndler. Miss
Josie Burton, Mas Lula Bryan, MISS Mae
sc,idamore. Miss Margaret uBiggs. Miss
Enie Jones. Miss Marie GcnIn P.
4 NYMPHs or DAPi
! chapeIones Mrs. M. !. pins. Mrs.
Lewis PaIfrey and Mrs. L. 7 ayes.
Dapccr.--Miss higie Angel. Nils Anna
Taylor, Miss Naude Kenairl, Miss Gracs
Taylor. Miss Libbie Dunn. Miss Margaret
Brinsmadc. Miss Mile Dunhle. Miss Cara
yohburgh.
4 chaperones- Prezley X. Ewing.
Mrs. John J. Cannon.
I DancoIs--Miss Mamie Bastian, Miss Jen-
mic Kidd, Miss Edna Erie Key. Miss Ina
Curry. Miss Brantiey Tarrant. Miss Edna
Dee Woolford. Nils Ella Cage, Miss Bette