The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-04-29

ACADEMY CHANCE
Mrs. Henderson's Farewell
to the Famous Old
Play House.
HER EVENTFUL THEATRICAL CAREER
Charles Frohman Will Take
Possession of the The
atre in July.
HER EVEETFUL THEATRICAL CAREER

When the doors of the Academy of
Music close this evening they will shut
out the Henderson management. Early
in July the house will be turned over to
| the Frohams, who have obtained a two
years lease of the building. The name Of
| Henderson will always be associated with
the history of amusements in this city,
| as it was William Henderson who first
| gave to the citizens a clean, strictly first
| class theatre. Prior to this Jersey City
was without any legitimate theatre.
Several concert gardens, where variety of
a low order and bad beer went hand in
hand, fourished along Newark avenue
and in a wooden barn like structure on
Montgomery street, near Henderson, the
hair curling trapezies of the old Bowery
order were given for a while, but had
been obliged to quit. Twenty or more
years ago the old Kepler market was
built at Warren, Gregory and York
streets and a hall was put in on the
second floor and called Kepler Hall. The
market was not a success and was con-
verified into what is now the Arlington
Flats, while the hall was turned into a
sort of theatre. For a while it was run
as a regular theatre, bu it experienced
difficulties and its success was rather I'M
certain. About his time in February,
1884, Mr.. William Henderson who
had been a successful theatrical
n in New York, Providence
and other theatres. engaged the
Academy for three nights for the pur-
pose of producing his wife's translation
and dramatization of Ohmet's novel,
"Maitre de FORCES" On the evening OF
February %, 1884, the play was first pre-
sented under the name of claire the
Forgemaster," and was given to large
and appreeiative audiences on the two fol-
lowing evenings. In the meantime Mr..
Henderson had been negotiating with Mf.
Thayer the owner of the building, for a
lease of the theatre, and the production
of Mrs. Henderson's play was something
in the nature of a feeler on the part Of
Mr.. Henderson, in order to form some
idea Of the theatre going public of Jersey
City. The experiment, If it might be
called such, was apparently successful
for Mr.. Henderson took a two Years
lease with the option to purchase the
property outright. He Immediately start
ed in to make extensive alterations. He
dronned the orchestra of the theatre from
the second to the ground floor, completely
remodeled the interior CT the house, thor
oughly renovated the interior and IN
every wav converted it into a model
PLAYHOUSE. AS soon as these alterations
were completed it was opened IN the
spring Of 1884 with Miss Minnie Madasrn
in Caprice and has ever since been
managed by a Henderson. Nj. Willlam
Henderson continued in active manage
ment of the theatre until his death which
occurred in October, 1889. Mr.. Henderson
then took hold of the management and
with the assistance of his son Frank. who
was then in the box office with his father,
has directed the affairs ever since. In all
this work she has been ably assisted by
Mr.. Harry Hyams, who is considered one
of the cleverest men in his line in the
theatrical business.
During all these years nothing but the
best attractions obtainable have been pro-
duced in the Academy and many of the
foremost players of the day have trod its
boards. Among these have been such
notables as E.. H. Southern, Dion Bouci-
cault, Maggie Mitchell, Aimee, James
O,Neill, Frank Mayo, John T. Raymond,
Fanny Davenport, Nine. Janauschek,
Kate Claxton, Wilson Barrett, Louis
James, Lillian Olcott, Louis Morrison,
Margaret Matner, Mckee Rankin, Mrs.
Langtry, Rose Coghlan, Robert Mantell,
Minnie Palmer, Clara Morris, Nat Good
win. Richard Mansfield, Mrs. j. B. Potter,
Bellew, Robert Hilliard and Maurice
Barrymore.
Tomorrow Mrs. Henderson will leave
Jersey City and go to her summer home
at Elberon. What she will do in the fail
she has not yet decided, but she will take
a much needed rest. She has been con-
nected with the stage since she was six
years old, though for the past twenty
years she has not appeared before the
footlights.
She has written several successful plays
and made numerous TRANSACTIONS ana
adaptations of French novels. Mr.. Hen
derson has acted not only in the principal
cities of this country but in England and
the Provinces as well. SheNwas the orig
inal "F'anchon the Cricket and the first
American girl to play Topsy in "Uncic
Toms Cabin She was Miss Eta Lewis,
and was married to Mr.. Henderson when
she was sixteen years old. 1t will not be
in theatrical circles alone Mrs. Henderson
VIII De missed SHCulu she ueclue u rave
Jersey city permanently. She has lorg
been a social favorite in his city, and
all those who have the pleasure of know
ing her will deeply regret the change.
Mrs. Henderson herself does not leave
the city without a pan of regret. She
closer permanently today what many |
years has been her home in this city and
she left the old familiar surroundings
with sadness. The people of Jersey City,
she says, have always treated her kindly
and she has an affectionate regard
for her patrons. Since it has be-
known hat she contemplated
retiring from the management of the
Academy, many kind expressions of re-
greet nave been conveyed to her apd the
crowded houses which have been the or
der during the past month surely look
as if the people were trying to persuade
her to stay. Mrs Henderson objects to
a statement which was recently made by
Mr.. Klein, owner of the Bon Ton The
atre. In asking the Tax Board for a
reduction Of the taxes on his property
Mr.. Klein stated that the advent of the
Bijou had injured the business both of
his house and Of the Academy. Mrs.
Henderson says that as far as her house
is concerned the statement is not correct
and she is not asking for a reduction of
har RI roe m fhot or n INV n har Orn1lnd /