Evening star., 1898-07-30
THINGS : THEATRICAL
Only Two Places of Amusement Open
Now.
GRAND oHERG At GLEN ECHO
The Jaxoa Company Will Oper
Monday in "Faust."
SOME INTERESTING GOSSIP

Glen Echo and the Roof Garden have
| furnished the only city amusements this
week. At the former place Bob Downing
has given condensed version OF Tho
Gladiator" which has won decided ap-
plause and has been the chief attraction
| of the program. Downing is In splendid
condition, and is looking better than for
many seasons. Next week the Glen Echo
management will return to opera, and
grand opera at that. The Jaxon company
while it has not been heard in this city,
has good reputation, and its people are
we'll known. good performance may be
anticipated.
Speaking of his going into vaudeville
Bob Downing said the other night: When
my agent first approached Keith the latter
said that he didn't know how The Gladia-
tor would go in hot weather. He was
confident 1t would take in the winter, but
he wasn't sure If the people would like
tragedy. He finally said he would try It
for week. The first night surprised him,
and 1t was also a surprise to me- You see,
l have condensed the whole play into one
act, and the audieEce gets the best Of al
| the work in half an hour. 1 got splendid
reception, and at the close the whole house
just rose up and cheered. Keith said
l played his whole circuit with great sue
cess.
Perhaps" he continued, you think It's
| fun to play The Gladiator in this temper
| ature: but it isn't It's awful hard work
and when the curtain goes down the per-
| spiration is>just pouring off me as If had
been fished out of the river
What are my plans for next season.
They are not completed yet; but 1 shall
have good company, and probably pro-
duce new play which 1 consider very
strong one.''
The timely gaudness of the New York
Casinos Yankee Doodle Dandy" is per-
| haps its chiefest recognized charm 1t is
also timely in application, and, what is of
commercial Importance, it Is first in the
field of the patriotic entertainments that
are looming up in the distance to inunoate
the stage during the approaching new
| season. The piece is accordingly the invit-
| ing forerunner of the gathering host.
Though light in texture and gaily simple in
hues. Yankee Doodle Dandy" has been
the most difficult in exploitation of the
many burlesques undertaken by the man.
agement. The theme was prolific of pitfalls
| for the projectors. That they escaped them
| all the plaudits of their crowded houses
would seem to bear gratifying testimony.
Mile. Anna Held, who returns from Eu-
rope early in August, recently appeared at
the Gaiety, Paris lin a special performance,
arranged by herself in aid of the Red Cross
relief for wounded American soldiers.
The general prediction in theatrical cir
cles is that Viola Allen, in Hall Caine' S
THE Christian Twill make one of the
greatest hits on record in American stage
| history. This prediction is based on two
known facts-MisSs Aliens great talent and
popularity as an actress, and on the merit
| Of the play. Every one who has read the
manuscript OF "The Christian is enthu-
siastic over its wonderful dramatic possi-
biities, its literary excellence and it's sim
| cerity in its nOrtraYal of human nature.
1.-The Christian viii be presented in five
acts. The scenery will be very impressive.
| The first scene will picture the ruins Of
Peel Castle, Isle f+Man; the second, saloon
of Coliseum Music Hall, London the third,
club room of the Church of St. Mary Mag
| dalene, Soho, and the fourth, Glory's
apartment in Clements Inn. London. The
fifth scene is the same as act third.
1.-The Royal Box" will be first presented
this season at the Columbia Theater in
September g., On September IL Mr.. Charles
CoghlaE and his company will enter on a
| four weeks run at the Fifth Avenue Thea
| ter, Manhattan Borough. October 10, THE
Royal Box will be presented at the Ma
| tional Theater in this city, and October
| II, at Ford's Theater, Baltimore.
I'm Old Kentucky" will enter upon its
sixth season early in September under the
management Of Jacob Lift. This now fa-
| nous play, which is known through almost
every city, town and hamlet in this coun-
| try, has been one of the most successful
pieces of theatrical property the American
stage has ever known. Mr.. Lift still re-
| tains the original Pickaninny band. which
| has become identical with the production,
and 1t goes out the coming season with a
| lot of new scenery and effects. The COM
pany engaged is reported to be very
strong one.
Marie Wainwright will continue under
| the management of Jacob Lift the coming
season, presenting the successful melo-
Drama Shall We Forgive Her." and also
| The demand for this good old sterling play
| is SO great that Mr.. Lift was induced to
put it into Miss Wainwright's repertory as
| a matinee bill. Miss Wainwrights recent
! tour of the country under the management
| Of Mr. Lift was one of the most successful
| she has ever had.
The James-Kidder-W Warde combination
will be seen here early in the season. The
organization will number thirty-two peo-
| pie among whom are the veteran actor,
| Harry Langdon. who for years has been a
member of Julia Marlcwe's company; Col
| lin Kemper, from Augustin Daly's London
| and New York thea ters; Barry Johnstone
| of Louis James Company, Normann Hac-
| kett of Modjeska's Company, Miss Lor-
eta Wells of the Frohman forces, and the
English actress. Mrs. Henry Vandenhoff
| of Sir Henry IrviEgs Lyceum Company.
| The repertoire will comprise productions Of
"A School for Scandal Julius Caesar,
OthelIo, Hamlet and Macbeth.
Roland Reed will begin his twelfth en-
gagement at the Boston Museum Monday
| evening, August 90 This will also inaugu-
| rate his sixteenth season as a star. Mr..
| Reed has carefully planned his coming
tour, and will during the season produce
| two new plays. The first, a farce from the
German, which will have its premier at
| the Museum was last seasons big success
| in Berlin where 1t was produced early in
the year. and 1 believe is still running.
| The adaptato onF was made by Sydney Ros-
enfield, and this able playwright had the
| advantage of seeing it played during his
recent visit to the German capital. The
farce has been named "A Distinguished
Guest" and Mr.. Reed will have one of