The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-15
A YEARS REVIEW.
What the Past Thea
trical Season
Produced.
LIST OF THE PLAYS.
Worcester's Managers De-
lighted With the
Patronage.

With the dropping of the curtain on
the final act of "The Cowboy and the
Lady" last Thursday night, ends the
theatrical season Of 1899, so far as the
Worcester theatre is concerned. Since
August rs, when the summer interreg-
mum was broken by W. H. Vests min
strels, the house has been open lS7
evenings-about four-ffths as many
as the season previous. OF these, 20
nights were at cheap prices, IA We're
given up to local amateurs, the $1.50
rate ruled at 81, leaving but q eve
ming performances at the regular
rate of one dollar during the year.
The season was late in beginning.
Not until the last week in September
could it be said to be fairly started,
though the Carnival of Opera" and
few inferior professional shows had
been counted before them. Crane COM
menced the gayety with "A Virginia
Courtship," and De Angels, James
O'Neill, Way Down East" What
Happened to Jones'" and "A Stranger
in New York, followed close after.
Mrs. Fiske, and the Bostonians in The
Serenade" were the brightest gems in
the October galaxy, with The Ballet
Grip a close favorite. Frank Daniels,
May Irwin, Chauncey Olcott, Shore
Acres" Cumberland, 81" and The
Heart of Maryland" also counted in
this month.
After a week of cheap repertoire,
November brought Eddie Girard, Hav-
erly's Ministries, a Casino company in
Yankee Doodle Dandy" Jack and the
Besnstalk, "A Day and Night,
The Girl from Paris" "A Stranger in
a Strang Land" (Which, by the way,
is going to have big New York pro-
duction SOON, and that great Spectacu-
lar production, 1.-THE White Heather
This month was distinguished for alb
solutely the worst apology for show
a professional troupe ever dared to
bring to Worcester-Emerson Cooks
The Chorus Girl" On the 9Th oc
Cured the successful benefit for the
Elks. with Sol Smith Russell as the at
traction.
DEFENDERS record was brief, consist
ing of Andrew Mack, "A Misfit Mar
rage" the Primrose Dockstader min
strels and the Jefferson boys in Rip"
The Conquerors" at this time caused
wide discussion as to its merits, while
the Rogers Brothers bore off the palm
Of the month for hlarity. January has
the credit of furnishing the largest and
most brilliant audience Of the whole
year, when John Drew appeared in
THE Liars" on the 18th. This month
also saw Rupert of HentZau," THE
Royal Box" and Modjeska in Shakes
perian drama. Lesser attractions were
Through the Breakers Under Seal
ed Orders THE Old Homestead and
Joseph Murphy. Here too, came THE
Drummer Boy, for the benefit Of Post
10.
Julia Marlowe and the Kelley Shan
non combination edited and THE
airy theatregoers, assisted by two stock
companies, two sets Of minstrels,
troupe Of negroes, Tom Sharkey, the
pugilist, and Col Ingersoll. James A.
Herne began at this time his engage
ment in the beautiful but Improbable
play, Griffith Davenport" March
gave us two magnificent productions of
a widely differing sort in THE Belle of
New York; and Catherine" Francis
Wilson and Della Fox headed their sew
eral companies in more or less tune
full lays Godfrey's band played, 1.-The
Telephone Girl" and the Geisha" re-
turned, Secret Service" and Under
the Red Robe" repeated their calls of
last season, and 1.-THE Bride-Elect"
gave a Worcester prima donna a
chance to electrify her fellow-towns-
men
Alice Nelson, in 1.-THE Fortune Tell
err" is the first name that April recalls.
Hackett and De Angels came back to
see that they were not forgotten. KEEL
lar, Sowing the Wind and "A Milk
White Flag" renewed old-time ac-
Quaintance. Willie Collier presented a
new comedy, Mr.. Smooth" Rose Mel
vile showed us how girl made a hit
in New York, and the Waite company
kept the dust off the curtain for seven
nights. The five May attractions. De
Wolf Hopper. Beside the Bonnie Brier
Bush Crane, Julia Arthur and n. c.
Goodwin, are too fresh in the memory
10 need recalling. The greater part of
this long list was heavily patronized,
and but few companies left the city
poorer than they entered IT,
The Worcester theatre is handicapped
in comparison with playhouses Of
neighboring cities. by reason Of it's linn
tied seating capacity. Six hundred
dollars worth Of people at regular
prices, or $500 at advanced rates, gives
the interior a very plumply filed ap-
pearance. On the other hand, the
patronage is liberal, and a recognized
high grade attraction like Crane or
Francis Wilson, is generally sure of an
$500 house as a minimum The John
Drew house, the largest Of the season,
footed up S1400, and % others passed
the thousand dollar mark. BY a sin
gular coincidence, the smallest re-
ceipts Of the year came on the night
previous to the largest, on Jan %,
when Under Sealed Orders" could only
muster Sis. With the exception Of
the Waite and a few other repertoire
shows, who pay fixed sum as rental,
affairs between the company and the
house are settled on the percentage
principle, the company's share being in
direct ratio to its admission.
Thus, the popular price troupes have
20 be content with one-hslf the re-
oeipts, while the S5-a-seat-all-s
Rivals Of two years ago, got 80 per
cent. The Bostonians invariably de-
Tnand so per cent, but with this excep-
ton the rule is 10 to 70 per cent for
the dollar and half shows and SIS to
10 for the dollar ones. Lothrop's Opera
house rigidly keeps to the plan of share
and share alike with its attractions. At
the Park, the artists are given a spe-
eified salary, and when this is paid,
and the demands Of the landlord. the
gas man and attaches are satisfied, the