Omaha daily bee., 1899-03-05
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Another dull theatrical week has just
passed. there being practically nothing at
the theatc7e to arouse the interest and en-
thusiasm that seem to have been lying
dormant for the last couple Of weeks. shore
Acres" that good old play. dealing with
rural life in New England. which was Of
fered at Boyd's the latter part Of the week
and which closes its engagement with to-
nights performance, drew good sized houses,
as 1t is always bound to, owing to the fact
that 1t appeals to a class who are not regu-
lar attendants at the theaters. as well as
the steady goers. shore Acres is a play
that, like many others Of its kind, will never
die. and promises TO be a drawing card until
it is worn threadbare. The following piece
Of poetry in regard to its author and the
piece itself. which appeared in last weeks
Dramatic Mirror, is particularly well placed:
lie has somehow caught the gladness
of The sunny helds OF May;
And he's dramatized the sadness
OF the winters bleakest day.
And the romance of the humble
He has placed upon the stage,
As a contrast to the yileness
OF this mercenary age.
Can it be he's undecided
As to whittier he will go?
Are there other paths that lure him
From the fields he used to know?
Never must he turn away
From the realistic romance
OF the rugged. rural playi'
The coming week promises considerable
relief from the monotony Of old plays. JET
ferson De Angels. the comic opera come
dian. who has won considerable fame in
this line since his advent into stardom, and
who now ranks along with such men as De-
Wolf Hopper, Francis Wilson and others,
comes with his new opera. The jolly Mus
keteer," which has been meeting with much
success in the east, on Tuesday evening, for
one performance. Just why Omaha is TO
see but one performance Of THE jolly Mus
keteer" is not known. and as the house was
practically sold out last evening after a
sale that opened only yesterday morning, it
would seem that De Angels could play to
packed houses for at least three perform
ances.
For the latter part Of the week patrons
OF the theater who enjoy a clean play and
pure comedy have a rare treat in store for
them in Sol Smith Russell's new play, The
Hon. John Grigsby.' Mr.. Russell is always
welcome to Omaha, because his plays are
clean, healthy and uplifting. He is to give
three performances here, and doubtless there
will not be an empty seat at any Of them.
Tue Creighton Orpheum presented a good
vaudeville bill last week, and promises to
do even better this week.
Richard Mansfield has been greatly bene-
fitted by his three-weeks' rest from the here
tofore Uninterrupted run OF "Cyrano," and
Will resume his tour in Baltimore on Mon
day evening, March 9, much refreshed and
imbued with new energies for the eXacting
demands of this role during the balance of
tho season. The short vacation was well
earned by this indomitable artist. Add 20
tho eight weeks of rebearsing mis- company
OF $50 members last summer the nineteen
uninterrupted weeks of performing "Cy-
ranu.' and one can easily sympathize with
M. Mansfield in his well earned rest. 1t
was anticipative and preventive OF possible
serious fatigue later on. AS Mr.. Mansfield
plays Cyrano it is one of the longest and
strongest roles in drama During the five
acts the distinguished artist reads over TO-
600 words, besides p~lunging himself in highly
wrought emotional acting and flashed char
acterization of careful d~elicacy. Unless
something unforeseen turns up between
now and May 6, Omaha people will not be
disappointed in seeing Mr.. Mansfield, as
was feared last week.
Many often wonder why the people in
the theatrical profession, particularly in
tho vaudeville line, wear such a profuston
of diamonds and precious stones. Wonder
mont ceases with the statement of a prom
inent artist that theatrical people save their
moQey that way. This class being on the
go all the time, hardly ever longer than a
week in a place, have not the opportunity
OF using banks. OF course, they could send
their money by drafts or money orders to
their permanent homes for safekeeping. but
they do not care TO do this, because il is
always policy for the average artist 10 keep
money with him, as the theatrical seas are
not always smooth. Destination points are
not always within the limits of a street
car jump. To the average theatrical per-
sea it is next to impossible. as it is with
others. to carry a bundle OF money about,
as the temptation, they cannot resist, 10
spend it is always before them. Extrava-
giant living is one of the thespian's prom
inent features. Investments in diamonds
and precious stones are almost as good and
as safe as a property investment. Their,
again. much personal adornment is gotten
from them. Say an actor invests $3.50 in a
diamond ring. When in hard luck he can,
Il he be in A large city, easily sell it for
within a few dollars of its full value, or he
can pa avn 1t for over half its value and re-
deem it by paying the penalty added TO his
loan. Diamond values do not ~fuctuate
much. Diamond purchasing actors are al
ways on the lookout for bargains in these
stones and usually their collections total a
sum very much in excess of what they paid
for them. a visit 10 a vaudeville theater al
any time will result in the finding Of a,
least a dozen people Of both sexes out Of a
possible twenty met whose persons are lit
orally covered with precious stones. Ere
quently the most lily dressed and slatternly
looking OF the lot have the greatest profu-
sion Of jewelry. Vulgartty in the wearing
of the jewelry is noticeable.
OF course, there is always the possibility
OF the theft Of the jewelry, but this danger
Is no greater than the loss Of a building by
fire or some other destructive agent.
Lillian Burkhart s~ustains her title o
being a dainty Dresden china type o
actress by her tastes in all matters orpa
mental. For instance, she is a great love-
OF fancy c%hinaware and paintings. Her hom,
at Bensonhurst-b y-the-Sea, near Brooklyn
n, Y, is filled with costly bric-a-brac anC
Dresden china decorations. She Is a con
noisseur of oil paintings and old china anc