The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-15
INCIDENTS IN STAGELAND.
FOUR NEW PLAYS PERFORMED At
A MATINEE By STUDENTS.

ideas in These Ephemeral Pieces Worthy
of Preservation-One Theatre Where
Audiences VIII Consent to 10 Amused
by Other Than so-Cniled Comic Operas.
Two new one act plays OF literary merit and
dramatic idea were shown for the first time on
any stage at the Empire yesterday afternoon
by the students OF the American Academy OF
Dramatic Arts. The better OF these. and one
which should BIO OF value II reconstructed
to some extent, was AT the Barricade." by
Evelyn Greenleaf Sutherland. It was an cpl
sode in tho history Of the Commune OF 1871
In Paris A reward has been offered for tho
head OF leader OF Petroleuses. She Is cap
tured and sentenced to be shot by O young
Lieutenant. He discovers that II is his
mother. whom no has never known. and he re-
leases her. though II means death for treason.
To save her son the mother does his duty for
him and kills herself. There were other char
acters concerned In this dramatic story, and
they had been Interestingly drawn. The
picture OF a Paris riot led by women was
thrilling. The other new play was less original
in surroundings. but IL had been worked
out with more subtlety. II was q romance OF
the second Crusade. and It told OF a Girl who
poisoned herself so that her lover would leave
her and Join the Crusaders as their leader:
poetic, language by 0smSond shill!ngford and
t tSa EdsiD Starr Bell was IL i author and
Harvey Worthington Loomis had composed
some music OF good grade and well suited to
! ass ' tSs fourth suSISss' Il shS%sa sISs
msnpuvres TO get a man to tell her that no
hs was afraid 10 say So 1t was mildly clever
Value "as i Mas FERRY as% s and
TsaT eos. have se' shown marked improve
men' since 'hs nf'' ma..nS' VI '"' '''''
Admirers OF the Castle Square Company's
performances are having this week their final
opportunities to enjoy the Americans offer
iprs in serious opera. Its heavier repertoire
will hereafter be put aside lor "hiie IN ia'or
OF operetta. This theatre has one advantage
over more ambitious ENTERPRISES in the same
instead of demanding to be thrilled in
lhe.r Vpo'asn 1919, ,n ,nno-
ssnted oy great singers an inno-
York do not take kindly to. The classic ioollng
Of Mozhrt hosslhi ana Ron 1he Is No. e ns
opera, which is vaguely supposed to deal in
heroic fashion with the sorrows rather than
the !oysoi ne nnmof nuseh.,y e os ce,nIa
nnsIa tboush it, title ia misieadIng nowadays
even In works that are stamped with such au;
thorltatl,e names as S.rauss M,ist , anu
nista iorm Am"rican com posers. and above
all American librettists. have produced the
etat1rate, speeIucua, a,u M nnsrn Sera
The early tendencies OF that result were max nc
themselves felt even when the French and
Nienue-e operettas were known mere nrst SO
even the earlier examples OF them possessed
features foreshndowinR American comic opera
ssitis now The Castle Square can sa, , 81 it's
friends with these orerettas tnat cannot De &C.
ceptable from a grand opera company. even u
Strauss rand Millrecker have been distinGgished
ey II biond senT sn any other
the American. which can roam from Tam
haeuser TO the BegGar student IN us search
Tor material The lighter WORKS ore coming
now. Meanwhile: the popular grand operas
are audible. II Trovntore. with the setting
Of favortes that introduced the orera earlier
IN the season, Joseph sheehan wac heard as
Mon',ico, and later in the week assumed tho
hear! With which he mystiinfd d, HE adpi5srs
sSr PSp1sr, s1ssTs brought Ssss saVfTS
more brilliancy than any previous week Of the
season has displayed:
Lavnia II. Van Westervelt Dempsey. Queen
o,ths Holland DANES. had an extra excite.
49,, il S"s r,,n ..Tna onaI ~ +" ,rhar !,
was introduced In Washington. The gown Of
the eadiuC actress was burned. not by dramatic
IRE. but careless candle. and the heroine
went resolutely through the remainder OF an
act with her arms cruelty scorched and ber
petueoats 10 evidence.
only q, his ,,teen patented devi,es were houpb,
49, - .ns.ia. -I"ts ~. 49,, 49,
ior the ehariot race ~ ben hur' ana that ne
has not parted with the ownership He further
been developed or improved for utilization in
Gen. Walace's drama.
that the unfortunate trouble In that worthy
charity. the Actors Fund. might soon end with
the removal Of the cause. seems to be con-
letter that OF H. G.. FIske. on account OF whose