Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-03-19

him, he never was a crack singer and
he Is not now but he can give nm nu-
dience more pleasure than perhaps any
other man. Mr.. Phllp is the noW tenor
this time. Me Is not tenor robusto By
any manner of means nor could he
hardly be called n lyric tenor, his tom
dency being towards the falsetto. He
makes pleasing appearance and is an
actor OF the acceptable Kind. Alice Mel
son, the soprano, proved somewhat of
n surprise to the audience last night her
excellent voice calling forth triple
recall for one Of her numbers, She "A
sprlGhtly and active and walks like a
dauseuse. She does not impress one
however as D'Arvllle, one of her prede-
cessors didd. possessing the voice. but
not the figure. All the other members
of the company including rockingham.
were up To standard. The one dis
appointing. feature was the evident
weakness displayed by the chorus. They
keep the music up to time but cannot
muster sufficient force to be heard dis
tinctly above the orchestra. This was
particularly noticeable In the finale to
the first act. This afternoon The Sere-
made was given for a matinee with
Jennie Hawley In the role of Dolores,
sung last night by Jessie Bartlett
Davis. The engagement closes tonight
with the presentation Of Robin Hood
with the last named lady as Alan-a-
tingham and the others in their old
roles.
The attractions that have been play
ing at the Grand OF late have not been
experiencing the wonderful run of
patronage that was accorded the two
opera companies which played recent
engagements at that house. due per-
haps to the limited desire for the kind
of attractions offered. A Jay in New
York is not a very attractive title. TO
say the least; and this Ia the talisman
with which the dear public was to have
been beguiled into crowdng the house
for each performance. But the hoped
for rush has not been experienced
throughout the week. The combina-
ton of specialtins. singing and dancing,
of which this show is composed. Ia not
above the average and not Of the kind
that would create furore. and patrons
Of the Grand have been accustomed to
so much better things. that even at
popular prices disappointment has been
felt.
The appearance of minstrel organi-
cation Is now so rare theatrical
event, that, by striking contrast with
the past, 1t forcibly recalls to the
minds of all old theater- goers the time
when similar troupes were counted by
the tens where they now only figure
in the units. The burnt cork artist IL
distinctly an American product, ana
with more or less prominence he has
been In evidence on the stage for over
three-quarters of n century. AS early
as 1916 negro representations were CIV
on in connection with melodrama, but
1t was not until lSi3 that special min
strel troupes We're organized, the first
consisting of the famous quartet. Dan
Emmett, Frank Brewer, Billy Whit
lock and Dick Pelham, who gave their
initial performance, the first of its
kind ever given anywhere, on the nth
of February 1s43, Since this date the
passage of years has witnessed hum
dreds. IL not thousands, of similar or
ganizations. and this arm of the dra-
matte art has raised into national, and
in some Instances, international, re-
nown, such familiar names as Dan EN-
NETT. Charley White. George Chrsty,
EHh Horn, Nelse Seymour, Billy Birch.
Ilily Eatkus. ben Cotton. Bob Hart,
Ben Gardner. Luke Schoolcraft, Gus
Howard, Billy Gray, Robert Slavin,
Tony Hart. Lew Benedict. VIM. Ar
llngton, Cal Wagner. and Billy Kerr
sands. The last named has out-lived
all other performers of note, and today
Is as popular as ever. and Is the star
of Richards & Prngle's Famous Geor-
gias in mighty Union with russo &
Hollands operate Ministries, who ap-
pear at Salt Lake Theater Monday and
Tuesday, March 21st and 22nd A street
parade will be given by the combined
bands of this organization at 1880 a.
m. on both days OF the engagement,
Black Patti tMme. Sissierettn Jones)
who for several years past has won
high lyric honors on the concert stage
and who Is endowed with a voice sweet