The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30
A THEATRE IN THE FOREST.
sYRACUSB'S RUSTIC PLAYHOUSE ON
THE BANKS OF oNONDAGd.

THE BANKS OF oNONDAGA.
In n Season It Has become n Favorite Out
ing Place with Rich and Poor Alike-In
Many Respects IL Is Probably without
Its Counterpart In This Country Mt Least.
SYRACUSE. n. Y. July ~. Twenty. Eve
minutes by trolley from the Forest OF Arden
is n new phrase which Syracuse folk of an
imaginative turn OF mind now employ In de.
scribing their location. To DO sure. u very good
make believe Arden may be found in any town
that has n playhouse with four walls TO shut
out the rest OF the world wings" and flats" OF
painted trees. a drop" OF woodland scenery
and plenty OF green dyed excelsior mating foi
grass. But to the real Arden something more
Is reuuisite-a blue sky with sunshine and
feecy clouds green leaves and waving branches
to close around. mossy trunks to lean upon and
soft grass under foot that simple CORN may
pasture his sheep wthal. And the Arden tc
which Syracuse is nocking has all these and
more. For II is peopled.
True enough. to the person entirely lacking
in that fortunate faculty, imagination. 1t might
be somewhat difficult to see RoSdlind In the
girl who. clad in numerous spangles and
scanty pink fleshings. does turn with a Japa-
nese umbrella upon the tight wire; Orlando In
the youth with a Bowery accent who sings
sentimental verses instead OF pnning them
upon the trees and distraots his grief with
clog dance; 1OuchstOne In the "Bube" with O
wsp OF oat straw for a necktie. his Audrey the
rather mature person In dirty pink slippers
who plays opposite. or the banished duke In
the once popular minstrel who tells the story
Of the bounding India rubber man. plays the
banjo and In suitable stead Of BLOW. blow,
thou winter windW sings his mournful coon
song: I'm All AIo;one."
But they are all there. even to tho melan-
choy JdQu8S in the person Of Dan DarleiGh, q
disappointed comedian turned property man.
who sprinkles sand upon the floor OF Arden out
OF paper cornucopia when dancing 10 to be
done sweeps II up ploddingly afterward, and
The Lakeside Park Open Air Theatre. which
makes all this possible. is situat ted near Maple
Bay. summer resort on the shores OF Onon-
Whence It is rsoched by trolley car syf'' The
resort season Mse Da aud "a almost mos @meday It S
came the custom OF the fashionable people OF the
sees the sas on
the Syracuse and Lakeside road crowded with
under the trees and see the variety PERFORM
anees presented every afternoon and evening
EXCEPT H,p SUNDAYS by travslling COMPANIES.
occupies an area OF about an acre. strewn with
comfortable park benches placed under the tall
trees In such way as to command q view Of
the stage This Is a novel ana attractive struc-
tyre -Four tai NAPLES maple standns at the corners
bark on. The gables and caves OF the roof are
Of fantastic rustic work. Over it the bouRhs OF
stage. equipped fully with electric foo3tliehts.
sidelights and overhangine are lamps. nils
The the" door the u" Forest at Neatly ADe Sear
windows, are 50 situated that the actors emerEe
SrsS 2 Se rsRt aSd e e ,,
and In fact. the sole stage entrances and exits.
sSaats shftjn 9go natural "scsnery The
standing room within the inclosure OF wire
netting sirotGhed among The trees ior as many
within hearing distance Of the stage. Over the
H int Ss II @
ire thousands Of lncandesoent lamps. '"'"-
Besides e. the trolley parties the theatre is at
Lake Boulevard. a beautiful. level road that
lake skirtIag the boulevard is an e1cellens
etnderpath for bicyclists: Last Sunday when
and as foS
ssS s Ss. s
10000 more stood outside the Enclosure and
Be- aid hs sn q herr Ses
Of the. bride became nervous at the prospect
OF facing 80 many people. and would not
20 on the stage to give the bride away, secur-
from the wardrobe OF one Of the actors and .
pair OF patent leather shoes from the m anager.
marched down to the footigbts In the stately
manner OF PALMER days and performed the
who looked. clinGpg to the arm Of the little.
old property man like null blown oab9ses
said efterward that It was the first time ho
had played that part on any stage.
The manager Of the theatre has been qon-
Like II" a little later In the seaeon. but before
the foliage has gone. by cast of local amateurs
the benefit OF ono Of the charitable institutions
OF the city. Syracuse has some really capable
fessionals and it 10 thought that such per-
formanee given practically q! fresco would be
safe to say that in no theatre in the world could
a more realistic performance OF Shakespeare'e
m ost delightful comedy be given.