The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-17
VIEWS OF STAGE AFFAIRS.
ODD THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN CUT
RATE STOCK COMPANIES.

III ~ WV uNNu
ing Of q Music Hall-Theatrioal Notes.
The cut-rato stock companies In some OF
the cities continue TO- develop new phases.
One OF these 10 the imitation OF stars In
familiar charaeters. New playa are not avail
nble. and as the supply Of desirable old ones Is
running out those that have served their time
for starring purposes are utilized. The lead
ing actor In the local organization II called
upon TO be as like some actor as distinctive as
william Il. Crane or N. O. Goodwin. In a role al
ready well known to the audience. He does
the best he can. but lie not often able to make
much OF q resemblance. Here would seem to
be a special field for those vaudeville enter
tainers who give limitations OF celebrated
actors. An expert like Tim Murphy might
make a profitable round OF the stock theatres as
n substitute. Indications are discernible here
and there OF a return to the old- fashione sys-
tenn Of ira Yelling actors supported by resident
companies. or course. stars Of magnitude
will never drop TO such conditions. bat some
OF the minor ones are making tours In that
almost forgotten waV. 1t provides o better
performance of a leading role than can be
given by a,hastily prepared and usually insult
able person. Another usage that has arisen
with the stock companies Is a tour by q saw
locomotive. or some other mechanical thriller
constituting an important factor In o sensR-
tionGl melodrama. and too costly 70, build for a
siOgle weeks engagement. BY this means at
least one dominant interest 10 the piece is sus-
tained with all It's original potency. no matter
some Of the stock theatres the bills mix vaude-
Vile with drama. and thereby hang tales. OF
BBT b tSs boase d !6iSt5Sn; w 1n t &; s hS@is "h fes P My
Five Shillings." while the longer variety show.
given BY a peripateetisu party, included u Helene
spieaoasnsss, given TO that 81 Of shaksspssEo
angered the leading actress: OF the establish
was out Of the cast Of the current play. the
manager told her r. DO q specially between
nance Of dignity. But nothing In the. eS-
%perience OF the new stock COMPANIES has been
half so funny as "Cyrano de BerSe-ae." partly
auacy. but chiefly through. the audiences
misunderstanding and derision OF the hero
with the big nose.
The revival Of ancient drama as an educa-
tive factor in modern life" is one OF the pur-
poses OF the Isis League OF Music and Drama.
The attempt has been made this week and
The Emeunides" OF Eschylus was applied to
as much Of modern life as two small audiences
at the Carnegie Lyceum could be taken to rep
resent. The effort was a complete success.
II the ancient drama is revived continually
the public need never lack for amusement.
The Isis League Of Music and Drama can
i 1t continues to serve out Aschylus as 1t has
for the past two evenings. h participants
IL u pldy WSI0 bItIOuucu III uuOny ully. Only
the names OF the characters were printed on
the programmes; But that never disturbed
inf ssr wSo sesm Ss fn as Il s they had Q never Ssfore
claimed blank verse. Mild-mannered men
around In Grecian draperies. Muttonchop
whiskers and chaplets were incongruous. and
accordance with the, highest standards OF
Greek beauty, But they went through their
would Measure tape az mH The eEarHssV we're d. drs spei
in black capes attn and shiny. They carried
F Tsd,r so al.. an %b sssp Pssy g Sa haSs + trG %as nov With q
Bounded in 81 this stage Of the game and ca
ern fashion. AZ other times he Furies draped
Lhemselyes into attitudes which displayed
their red scarfs as attractively as il they were
yards Of dress goods in the windows Of a de-
partment store; These, young women's faces
%sss 6 SPP sSs siha sr4 By t The vi vsIls Of B fhs R r Ras
occasionally seen that the, were not as dire
Inaccuracies In the performance. 1t appeared
that.Apouo was by no means the beauty he is
changed. But a. meagre Apollo With blond
hair. rather q sharp nose and no calves to
fidRsak Of 0l lp oRe' B RGa t tse CUSHION sne Of SR bssaas Is
comparative. and even the fashions In that
S SoysS ,,6 Even The 2St ssas % wss about ss 1t as HsI far so1 5si
have been. But the actors seemed to enjoy
themselves. The audience certainly did. The
niUstsi not o Of ak a Kind ado to Increase Tas seV the p hiIaTfty e q
the spectators. But that was scarcely needed.
"on washington's Birthday" said Oscar
Hammerstein to q o reporter. II shall be
ready to receive congratulations over the COM
pletion OF my new Victoria Music Hail." APP
pearances at Forty-second street and Seventh
avenue do notindicate that the b~uilding:wil be
ready so soon. Brick walls upon two sides Of
the structure are up to q height Of three ordi-
M ATDF1AQ and nnn "a n ria far NaaE
hlHhsr before the auditorium's ceiling is
reached; The masonry for one side OF the
the walls along the street and the avenue only
me foundations have been laid. We get at
Jared sfS Sd0n po ti9i@fSFrG tS a s Stack Fa% N shiselfae Ssi
brick as evidence that matters were in readi-
ness foI rapid progress. once q start was
Ritts6urg.i"4 be ,G continu Is .sH foT t HssFs Is aS The re
the d ronTork Is made ready. Nearly all II II
on hand as soon as we, can use Il. Then the
sbe 0I1gn yin mo- not e only lyn be IN much U, hs smaller than
finish. In Yi ali my my building b. Eiir &c en 9t less esa | have
never been hindered by labor troubles. for the
reason that | employ none but union labor; l
MHpon which It's three entrances. will open.
It's seating capacity viii not be large. because
ai,sr space will be devoted to 2 promenaade.
abundance OF boxes, which was a eharacteris.
II q Roster 4 Balls and both authorizing Of
.ne olympia. Will not be noticeable In the VIC
Ioria. 1t will have less than forty boxes. as
against over 12O for the Olympia's music hall.
me Forty-second street wall will be blank but
tLor fire escapes and the doors leading to them.
White brick with marble trimmings will mark
It's outside.
Sarah Bernhard has celebrated her nifty
fourth birthday. Ysobel Haskins joins Mr..
Cranes company for Worth a Million" Mrs.
kendal will como to America with 1.-THE Elder
Miss Blossom" Rose Coghlan contemplates .
tour In Carmen" Nance O'Neill has gone to
Honolulu. with a company. Katherine Cor
coran. wife OF James A. Hearne. has not acted
since he produced Shore Acres" but there Ia
q role for her In his forthcoming play. Her
daughter, Julie. Is an actress. Blanche Walsh
~ 70 appear In a new drama with Melbourne
mcdowell. enacting a part which the late
fhhny Davenport was to have assumed;
hali Game has made changes In "Cathe-
me beyond alterations in the text. These are
Intended 10 render Catherine more sympathetic.
Inc episode Of her engagement to her poor
,96yer has been eliminated. as II was Thought
mat her subsequent acceptance OF the Duke
maue the audiences deem her mercenary. Au-
thor lavedan should now In justice be per-
mmlttet to make What. amendments he may
'hlnk Gaines The Christian" needs.
hugustin DAILY announces that Ada Rehan
VIII create the part Of Nine. Sans Gene at his
Theatre. What did GahriallA Rkiana- Kathryn