The herald., 1898-07-17

The arrangements for Nine. MOdjeska'S
forthcoming tour under the direction OF
Manager John c. Fisher of the Burbank
theater are nearly completed; most of the
people are engaged to form her support, and
the route is booked.
The tour of the celebrated tragedienne
will begin at the Baldwin theater In San
Francisco on September H. and from that
point she will start east.
The leading man of the company is to
be Charles d. Herman, who will be remem-
bered here for his fine ability in the sup
port of Frederick Warde and also of the
Warde and James combination. Mr.. Herr
man is an actor Of great intelligence and
is eminently qualified to fill Shakespear-
can roles. Lester Lonergan, now playing
leads at the Burbank, is to be member of
the new company and will lend it a grace
full distinction. John A. Lane, Wadsworth
Harris, Frank Sylvester. George s. Spen-
Ger, Frank Tanning and w. A Hawley are
also included.
On the feminine side Of the cast Alberta
Gallatin will play the principal characters
next to the star, and will be accompanied
by Marie Howe, now of the Burbank COM
pany, rising actress; Anna DAILY, Grace
Fisher, Mabel Florence, Mrs. Sergeant and.
perhaps, Phosa McAllister.
Anna DAILY was with Nine. Modjeska In
her last tour and has been seen here as
Michaela in Carmen" when 1t was given
as a drama, with Rose Coghlan and Fred
erick Warde in the principal characters.
Miss DAILY has since played prominent parts
in Joseph Haworth's company and always
with success.
Altogether, Nine. Modjeska will start out
with a stronger support than any she has
before had, and the success of her tour
would seem to be foregone conclusion.
The repertory will include LAS You Like
IT, Twelfth Night" Merchant of Ven
ice," Macbeth" MARY Stuart" and
'Magda."
There is also talk of reviving Shakes
peares "Antony and Cleopatra" revised
and edited according to the requirements
of the modern stage, but 1t may be hoped
that the project will be dropped. Modjeska
is said to be greatly DESTROYS of presenting
her own version and Interpretation of
Cleopatras character. She thinks that
Cleopatra has been much maligned-that, in
short, the Egyptian queen was not a
strumpet, as she has been paraded on the
stage, after the ideas of Monsieur Sardou.
Her character must be rehabilitated and
Modjeska is burning to undertake the task
and in so doing shatter another cherished
historical delusion. If the attempt should
be made, It is probable that the actress will
find that the aesthetic pleasure derived
from the work will be her only reward. In
my Judgment, a revival of Antony and
Cleopatra" could only be made successful
under the condition of spending an ex-
travagant sum on the mounting and Co.'S
tuning. such sum as would go far be-
yond anything that is to be spent on the
projected tour.
Olive oliver is putting in the summer sea-
son at the Burbank, playing round of
characters which embraces almost every
variety of PRESERVATION, from the naughty
Queen Elizabeth to the naughty Gloriana
and the weepy Lady Isabel. She has dem
onstrated the qualities of true actress by
Identifying herself for the time with each
assumption, and is always pleasing, even
when playing a character entirely foreign
to her temperament. At the close of this
season Miss Oliver will join William H.
Cranes company as his leading woman,
playing the parts in which Annie Irish won
distinction.
The new war revenue law Is giving some
unnecessary agitation to theatrical mana
gers, and largely because its provisions
have been misunderstood. 1t cannot be ex-
pected that "a lucrative business like that
Of the theater, which is engaged in provid
ing entertainment that is altogether a
luxury, should escape the burden of con-
tributing its prorata to the cost of carry
ing the national burden.
To show to what extent the provisions Of
the law are msinterpreted however, l
quote an editorial from the San Francisco
Music and Drama of the 9th inst, which,
under the heading of Peculiar Discrimina-
ton" says:
Stock companies will be in vogue next
season, and 1t is pretty certain that many
of the eastern cities will have companies
of their own. 1t will be rather tough on
the management Of these organizations,
especially those which play at cheap prices,
II the revenue tax of SO per performance
is rigidly enforced. Just imagine what
disproportionate tax that is, compared
with what other lines Of business are as
sessed. The receipts of an ordinary theater
at cheap prices would be largely averaged
at $500, and the manager who clears $25 per
performance Is considered to be doing
pretty we'll. Now, If the government takes
SO of that for war revenue, 1t looks as If
the theatrical manager Is getting very
much the worst of 1t. Again, take the
houses where matinees are given every day,
and, by strict enforcement of the law,
the government will get $120 per week,
while the larger places where a continu-
Gus performance is given from noon until
midnight, would escape with half that
amount There is pressing need for revision
and amendment of a law so unpleasantly
discriminative, and it is fortunate for many
eastern managers that the theatrical close
season is at hand, and that there is time
before the opening of the regular season
to make the necessary charges.
The argument advanced would be very
convincing If the premises were correct.
But, as the Mikado says, unfortunately,
the fool of an act says nothing about"
tax of $40 per performance. Section two
of the act provides that theaters shall pay
800 a year and that circuses shall pay the
same. Also that other public exhibitions or
shows for money not enumerated shall pay
30 year.
The provision that does seem like
hardship ID that payment Of this tax In one
stake or territory does not exempt payment
n ~ same.tax n every succeeding state