The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-17
Stories Of
The Stage.

from cNnlDitinS midEet IN B0H<oW
Is years ago to owning four theatcrn
that are attended by nearly $1,000 peo.
pie daily tells the story Of the rise of
r. f. Keith, Americas vaudeville king.
Keith was the originator Of the contin-
uous performance. and standing room
Is at a premium In his Philadelphia.
New York, Providence and BostoV
houses even at 6 p. m. 1t was under th4
Keith auspices that players like Barry
more, Hilliard Tim Murphy. Clar4
Morris. etc, appeared in vaudeville.
Keith has actually elevated the vaude~
Vile stage until IL is now, so far a.
cleanliness Is concerned. on par with
the legitimate. Every act given in the
Keith houses is edited" and women
and children are conspicuous in all the
audiences. The good work OF Keith has
spread 10 all parts OF the country. AZ
his Boston house members OF the Bos-
ton Symphony orchestra play during
the summer
Sir Henry Irving declared that
Keith's Boston theater is the finest in
the world. 1t was built at a cost Of
over $1,000,000 and Is one of the sights
of Boston.
Keith Is liberal as to salaries for ems
ployees. his general manager, r.. r..
Albee, receiving $4,000 year. Twenty
acts comprise the programme in his
theaters, and he advertlses exclusively
i'm the newspapers. Keith says that Al-
bee is the ablest man i'm vaudeville, and
Albee declares that Keith has no equal.
People who knew Keith 10 years ago
say he is as meek and unassuming with
over 81, 200, 900 as he was when he hadn't
500.
Eugene w. Presbrey became identified
with the dramatic profession In PEE
culiar way. He is the author of Mr..
Cranes success OF the past season. "A
Virginia Cvurtship." and was we'll
known years ago as water color artist.
A. M. Palmer was In the heyday of his
success at the Madison Square theater
| in New York, and he took a great deal
OF pride in the manner in which the
plays that he presented were staged
He was about to get ready new play
for presentation and he desired to have
some beautiful settings for 1t. Somebody
suggested that he call in the artist
! Presbrey, to do the work. He did 50,
and while i'm the theater and seeing the
play rehearsed the artist made mum.
ber OF valuable suggestions. When his
work was completed. Mr.. Palmer did not
care to lose him and said he would like
| him to remain and take charge OF the
productions at the house.
| Mr. Presbrey was willing, but said he
| didn't think the manager could make
| IL worth his while. But he did, and since
| then the artist has staged some OF tho
biggest successes the stage has known
in recent years. Mr.. Presbrey staged
"A Fool OF Fortune for Mr.. Crane last
year. During one OF the rehearsals the
comedian asked him why he didn't
write play of his own instead OF doc
toring those OF other people.
II will one of these days." answered
Presbrey. zone OF these days be hang
edl' said Crane, with emphasis. go to
work on it now." Mr.. Presbrey did, and
when his work was completed he took
1t to the actor to read.
A few days later he came back and
asked IL he could have his play as he
wished to read 1t to prominent man-
ager. II don't think I can AFFORD to let
you have It," answered Crane. "Why
not?" asked Presbrey nervously. well,
you see I would like to buy 1t before IL
| should fall into any one else's hands,"
answered Crane, and he did then and
there.
Cora Tanner plunged into the theats
rical sea at McVicker's theater, Chica.
go. In the stock days, when the men,
bers of the company not alone appeared
in a repertory of plays, but supported
great stars.
One of the plays presented in those
| DAYS was entitled "The Jewess." and q
certain scene called for a huge caldron
! in the center Of the stage. The mob
was instructed that at certain cue
| from one of the characters Its mem-
| bers were to rush on and seize the Jews
ess and attempt to plunge her into the
| caldron, while a rescuing mob was to
| follow on and release her.
| One of the most excited players In the
cast on this particular night was Miss
| Tanner, and her recollections OF blun-
| der upon the part OF super and her
recounting of the story are most anus.
ing. "Plunge her in" roared the mob,
and as the scene progressed stalwart
..super" in an overspirit of ambition
| seized the Jewess. and into the caldron
| she went. The audience roared, and
the stage manager wrathfully ordered
the curtain rung down.
La Guerrero, who is to play at tnQ
Renaissance theater i'm Paris in the au~
II
tumn, is called 1.-The Spanish BernhardO
| and Duse in one by lie Gaulois. Berns
hardt made the acquaintance OF the fa>
| NOUS Spanish actress when she was in
Spain two years ago. shortly after
| Guerrero had taken upon herself the
| direction of the Theatre Espagnole,
which is to Madrid what the Theatre
Francais is to Paris. Sarah was enthus
siastc over this woman. who. like hers
! self, knows no fear. and had placed her.
self so courageously at the head OF
such perilous enterprise. Sarah played
| I'm Feuillets Sphinx with Guerrero
and the audience was wild with enthus
siasm. giving the women Is or 20 res
calls.
Sarah declares Guerrero's French -
as perfect as her own. 1t is said that
she has not Sarah's voice OF gold.
but that she is an even greater mistrese
of the art of intonation and shading Of
tone. she is more naturalistic than
Bernhardt.