Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-10
In THE MIMIC WORLD.
ONLY ONE MORE ATTRACTION IN
BE SEEN AT THE ACADEMY
REVIEW OF THE PAST SEASON


INC lhedtrcal season IS alnoe. q.
end. Few more attractions
upon the date book. and soon -,
red curtain will be ring down f,. ~.
last time upon another cyclo q,
history. However. much the "5o,.
bark" now that tho players s-. -
coming TO town" but rapidly d,,.-
pearing from it, it may perhaps bo b..
mitted TO one who has followed ,h, ,,,.,--
Of the mimic world closely for 60.
years to say a word or two about 3D.,
modern stage, and TO cast an eye as,-..
the doings OF the moribund year.
The stage IS keeping step with the ,,,
gress Of human thought in every do.
ton. and it will continue 10 alys,..
The veteran moralist, who ls welded .,
his idols OF the past and who is so or,,.
heard sadly TO declare that an the good
actors are dead, forgets that scores ~,
theatres now exist where once there ,rs-.
but two or three; that the populate, q,
the United States has been increased b,.
tens Of millions within ninety years. tt,,
the field has been enormously hroa8a,c4.
that the character OF the audlan,, b,.
become one Of illimitabIe diversity. -rs.
the prOdlgiOus growth Of the star svstsr,
together with all sorts OF exDorIm,rt,l
catch-penny theatrical mauarement d.,
one Of tho inevitable necessities o. tbs
changed condition Of civilization. -b-.
the feverish tone Of this great struggling
and seethng mass Of humanity is rarre.
rsff a. oil I'm 1aa
and that the forces Of the STAGE rsv.
become very widely dinused Suo5 ,
mOralist would necessarl, be- sho.ssg
by the changes which have come uro-
our theatre within even the las- sffae,
years-by the advent ~ the "..uea,.or
drama; by the resuscitati0n OF th. gr.o-
tacle play. with its lavish tlnsel and Jan.
cium glare and its multItudinOus nvr,rhs.
by the opera bOuffe with it- freggs-,
licentOus ribaldry; by the mu..s-feT
comedian, with his vulgar realism. and
by the idiotio burlesque. with lts ftua
babble and its bis-imbed. haIf-ra.e5
girls. Nevertheless. there are as GOOD
actors now living as ever lived. and thar.
is just as fine a sense Of dramatic AIT IN
the community as ever existed iu any ~
the 'palmy days; only. what was form.
erly concentrated is now scattered
SEASON 1928 ~ RICHMOND
The play-goer Of Richmond ouch, 10 bs
the most fortunate Of men. for IN mn,
wonderful and beautiful city b. will frd
entertainments OF every class and charss-
ter. Ii cannot be said that bis ora.
matte education is cramped or restricted
or denied that IL is generous aud liberal
Does he require 20 be educated does he
believe that the drama has, indeed
mission, and will, If taken in hearty
doses, enliehten his SOUL he can study
Sowing the Wind" and the rest. or ST.
at the feet Of Wilton Lackaga and Nile
Rhea. Should his tendencies DO romantic
he VIII md much food Tor thought:
play-gOer of the old school. he RAY 20 OF
TO see the desplsed melodrama, no may
enjoy the comedy Of Sydney Grundy ani
encourage the literary aspirations u
many new writer's along the same nns
or IL his craze be stage dancing. and -
considers a pirouette a poem. aud an
entire chat an elegy he can h8 c0m,lrel
or dsllusioned by a host OF young ladi.s
who have not apparently made NO the.F
minds whether they are dancers or aero
bats. II he be a confirmed cynic and
boldly thanks his stars that be IS fes,-
tuts Of what are known as finer feelings
and could not shed a sentimental tear II
he were asked to do so. IL he is careless
and indifferent 70 good manners or tastA
If he delights 20 chuckle over tho trans
gressions OF the typical chorus girl, 70
ridicule his neighbors. and 20 squirt dirty
water at religion and its professors he
will find plenty 10 amuse him.
But after all, II is pleasanter 70 con
graduate than pick holes and IL cannot
be denied that Mr. L.eath- while he IS
compelled to cater 10 every element has
set his house In order. and appeals 10 ne
better class OF theatre-gOers. He believes
that in the theatre, as elsewhere. clean
illness Is next 10 godliness'-in other
words, that it pays best in tho long lIn
to be sound, rather than sensational
4 DATE-BOOK ANALYSIS.
An analysis OF the season, prepared y
Mr.. Alan Jenkins. the Academy press
agent. shows that twenty-five weli-knoWn
stars have appeared at the Academy TO-
gether with twenty dramas eighteen
comedies. six farces, six eXtravaE MAJ
four operas. four comedy dramas, and 20
miscellaneous entertainments. including
two concerts, four minstrel tr0upes, thrts
and one exhibition OF the vita
scope.
The most important attractions seen IN
Richmond for the first time were Purl'
tan Romance Clayton and EvesoHl
Secret Service. Prince Rudolph skinner
The Royal Box Coghlan). The Royal
Secret Qackaye). For Fair Wright"
(WhytaD, \ Cavalier Of France Games'
Cymbeline Mather). Dreams Nay como
GanauschelO. \ Greater New York Ay
Friend from India, \ Man OF IDEAS
Reed. The Jucklins (Robson), Mcfaa-
denis Flats, Gayest Manhattan, Ge.-ht
al
Cbum company killed it,. Herrmans IAs
Lees
These. with the companies below may
be considered the best attractions M -hs
season: Nancy Hanks, Bob Graham.
COntented Woman, \ Milk-Whue tRS
4 GiIded Fool. Scalchi. S0usa, M0ii.snL'
James O'Neul, Nat Goodwin ber-AA
Creighton. Walker Whiteslde.
Mr. Leath has booked all the come
pauies that were well received 10 apr -l
here next season. and an arrangement Is
being discussed between the manaEeF t.1
n strong syndicate in New York "n.lt.f
a far better class OF attractions VIII -
seen here i'm the future than In any -N-
son for many years. The plan IS sali ~
include the erection Of a new and m0l,.A
theatre. and this IS almost ior'so-'
conclusion. though whether II W.I 10
built upon the site OF the Academy ''
elsewhere depends altogether on cir
II this course should 20
decided upon. it is the intention 20 entire
~ remodel the interior, leaving the Oh
huh. which is very substantial intact
These negotiations have been rendered
possible by Mr.. Leath's enterprise lA
gaining the conEol OF the theatres N
Norfolk. Newport News. and Petersouif
and the booking arrangements Of th'
IInrnntnn Snllinrs, Home Thlltre. ~