The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-11-12

A DRAMA OF FREEDOM PRE-
SENTED BIZ LOCAL TALENT,
The Metropolitan Opera House the soeno
of the Most Notable Dramatic Event Ever
Produced by the Afro-Americar. of the
Twin Cities Thursday Night.

4 1 D,
If the American Law Enforcement
League of Minnesota should cease to
exist today, it would not have lived in
vain. It was the cause which pro-
duced CUBA and anything which
can bring together such audiences as
were present last week in Minneapo-
lis and the most magnificent audience
which greeted it on it's production at
the Metropolitan opera house last
Thursday evening to witness a per-
Torrance of the character of the one
referred to given entirely by Afro
Americans, has done good work The
theater was packed to the doors with
a fashionable audience, the actual paid
admissions at the door having been
more than 1000. The society women
Of st. Paul lent their aid toward MAX
ing the affair a success, not only by
accepting appointments as patronesses,
but by attending the performance. The
box parties were: With Mrs. Newport,
Mesdames J. B. Hoxsie, James Hiland,
of ChicagojJ. w. Edgerton, Henry B.
Willis and Miss Roxana Smith, of
Duluth. With Mr.. and Mrs. C. A. Sew
erance, Mrs. w. S.. Morton, Misses Su-
sic and Frances Clarke, Egbert Clarke.
With Mrs. D. A. Monfort, Judge George
B. Young, F. S. Monfort With Mr..
and Mrs. G. B. Bowlby, Mrs. A. F.
Brooks, Mrs. w. J.. Smith, Mrs. J.. F.
Z
Mrs. H. Greve, Mrs Arnold Kalman,
Greve Oppenheim. With r. P. Warner
Rev. T. Preston, Rev. G.. Doyle, Rev.
w. Dolan, Rev. J. j. Lawler. With
Mr.. and Mrs. Hart N. Cook, Mrs. J. J.
Regain, E. G. White, Mrs. e. C. White,
Mrs. H. w. Freed.
AS TO the entertainment itself the
performers cannot be given too much
credit for it's excellence; for the pa
thence that it must have taken to I'M
dertake and Garry out so stupendOus
an affair and for the very creditable
manner in which it was presented.
The author Of the play Cuba" did not
It is a story of the incidents leading
up to the war in Cuba and terminal
ing when Santiago falls ito the proWess
of American arms, "fOr humanity's"
sake, leaving the struggling Cuban pa
triots assured of their freedom. The
performance was distinctly unique,
and gave opportunity for the display
and Minneapolis. It was altogether
unlike anything offered before by anna
teurs, and was not IAN imitation Of the
work of professionals. It was a blend
ing of pictures and a symposium Of
sweet sounds. The acting was not the
thing so much as the creation of sights
and sounds that might delight the eye,
and it may be fairly said that "Cuba"
is the most satisfactory Of the spec
tacles that have been devised for the
purpose of benefting social institu-
tons. 49, B."
The programme. did not adequately
describe the effects on the stage There
were a great many people concerned in
the production The general effects
were had by the massing of great num-
bers of people on the stage, and the
beauty Of the women was a very tang
rySot ySnarS R@, k,.>. - L
whole performance. TX, ..s-f r,
Interspersed through the perform
ance were a number Of excellent spe-
cialties, features being a. cake walk
In costume; the opening scene, entitled
Coluanbia's festal& day; the battle of
Santiago; the battle field later with
Cross caring for the wounded and
dead, and the " closing scene
wherein all countries welcome
Cuba to the sisterhood of nations. The
battlefield scene y was especially eff
fective in its grouping and portrayal,
and there ehs were few s,ns dry eyes in the
Sweet Home for a dying soldier
Great skill was used in the spectac-
ular effects. The first section of the
performance was entitled America"
and was a. sort Of prologue. Mrs. u
v: Kemp was the Liberty, and most
by her maids and guards. ! She was
supported by Miss Dottie Hazel, Miss
Minnie Howard, the Misses Helen
Showles, Satda Dennis, Addie James
and Mayme Weir Mrs, J. O. Adams
and Mrs. w. A. Hazel. Mrs. Hazels
echo solo and the posing of Miss Weir
were two Of the features of the act
which were most vociferously applaud
ed. =
The second act of THE performance
shows a great number of people in
the costumes that have come to be
identified with plantation singing and
dancing and exhibited with much fidel-
ny the life of the Cuban people on the
Cuban sugar plantation. There was
some really good singing and dane
Ing In the act, the work of w. A. Hill
yard, Charles Miller and Henry
aumphries being particularly good
There was a. cake walk that was con-
s1dered by many the hit of the piece, in
Which MIR. Herbert Browne and Miss
Carrie Douglas, Mr.. Charles Miller and
Mrs Bradley Walker, Mr.. DeIbert Lee
! and Miss Marie Armstrong divided the
honors. In addition to the clever work
OF the adults, there were four couples
OF tots who made a great hit.
The most pretenttous and dramatic
scene was that in which r. L. Nc
Ghee, the we'll known and eloquent
| the wrongs of his country and called
| upon his followers to avenge them.
In the development of the story i'm
volving the betrayal of Maceo to the
| Spaniards, some connrnendable dra-
! matte work was also done by Mrs.
| w. A. Hflyard, J.R. Robinson and J. H.
| Hickman, Mrs. Frank Wheaton, Phil
| IL F. Hale and c.. s. Turner. An in
| spiring incident was the capture of
| the Cuban spy and the sally of the
Cuban soldiers on the Spanish
The most pretentious effects were
made in the last act, which illustrated
scenes incident to tine battle of Santi-
ago., in which the field of battle, the
work of the Red Cross and the final
surrender were Shown. IN THIS act
Sergt. q. a. NPope. a veteran of the
battle CT Santiago, was the commander,
of the forces and the hero Of the piece,
WAS the Clara Barton of the Red Cross.
the surgeon was DR.. ". d. Turner
Miss Evelyn Hicknan was a sister and
dying volunteer was admirably SIM
ulated by w. T. Francis. J.ssQ. Adams
made rotund and glorious Gen Shaft
er; Harvey Burke was the Capt Nc
Kfttrick and J. TT. Loomis had the.
rather ungrateful part of Cen. Torar,
which he performed gracefully enough.
Among the entertainment features
especially worthy of mentions was the
buck and wing dancing Of couple of
lank lads, and the dancing of several
young ladies In the costume Of gypsfes
end Cuban mafdens. Miss Grace Rob
inson made decided hit in the sofo,
America Forever" and merited ap-
plause was showered on MIR. and Mrs
Bradley Walker in their duet, Speak
Net the Sad Farewell and again