Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-09

Theatrically the past week has been the
dullest OF the year. With but one vaude'
VILE theater open there was little amuse
rnent to be found anywhere in the city. The
week commencing today, however, promise'
considerable more inasmuch as the Wood
ward Stock company is to open an eight
weeks season at the Boyd. All the mem,
bers OF this company with possibly one OF
two exceptions, are well known in Omaha
as capable artists They are deservedly
popular and need no introduction to local
theatergoers. Since the close Of their sue
cessfui six months season in Kansas City
they have been enjoying a short vacation,
and, coming here as they do, rested, and we'll
up in all OF the plays they are to present,
Omaha people may reasonably expect to see
some meritorious productions, eaborately
staged and well acted.
The personnel OF the woodward COM
pany at present is as follows: Messrs Willis
Granger. Wilson Enos Walter D. Greene,
Harry Beresford, viii and Hal Davis,
Harry G. Long and Misses Jane Remark,
Hattie Boyle, Gertrude Berkeley, Emma
Dunn, Helen Fox and Stella Richmond.
While Stuart Robson was playing an en-
gagement in this city the last season the
writer was fortunate enough to secure an
interview with him and among other things
MIR Robson stated that he had been think
ing seriously of having "The Gadfy," one Of
the latest books dealing almost wholly with
religion, dramatized for production the COM
ing season with view of starring in the
piece himself. 1t would seem from the
following article, which appeared last week
in the column of the Dramatic Mirror
edited by "The Matinee Girl" that he is
about to carry out his idea: The Gadily,
they say, will be dramatized. l cannot
sa 1Nn Cgt1N 10 rNolT
stage material out of that gloomy mixup
of irreiglon and politics that seems to have
little motive except to show that religious
disilusion produces queer results.
1.-The hero, with his hideously morbid
ideas and his numerous scars. which the
authoress brings up with the care of
museum lecturer in every chapter; his sneer
ing disbelief in everything that human
beings try to hope for in some form or
other; the unnatural heroine-what can ever
be done with this material to mold it into
play that an audience will do anything but
shiver at?
"As a study of a curious, complex creature
that was insane on several subjects The
Gadhy' is no doubt an addition to literature.
AS a book that would do any possible good
to cause or an individual 1t is impossible.
AS play 1t would be even worse. The one
scene of the book which probably inspired
the dramatist to convert the story into
play would be hissed from any stage.
Insults to religion, or sect, or nationality
will not go in these days and when coupled
with unhealthy morgue-like story what
reason Is there for its perpetuation outside
book covers?"
Billy Emerson. the veteran minstrel, who
has made so many thousands laugh so
many thousands Of times. is now re-
ported as sick, suffering and poor and being
cared for by the kindness Of a few of his
old friends in Chicago. 1t is sad that one
who has done so much to make the world
happy should find the shadows deepening so
about his own life, and sadder yet to think
that many of these shadows need not have
been. Billy Emerson has earned fortunes
and spent them as easily as he earned
them. For years he commanded a salary of
81 900 a week, and dollars came to him as
readily as his jokes and he scattered them
quite as freely.
De Wolf Hopper and his company sailed
last Wednesday on the steamship St.
Paul, to present Gel Captain" in London.
1t is understood that If this opera sue
ceeds in the English metropolis Mr. Hop
per may produce there some of the other
works in which he has found so much
FAVOR on InlS Sue Oh une water. Inc ue-
parting company included Nella Bergen,
Jessie Mackaye, Henry Norman, Harold
Blake, Harry Stone, stage manager; Her
bert A. Cripps, musical director; Alice Hos
mer, Cora Carlisle, BERTHE Lenhardt Ida
Lester, Gertrude Burton. Belle Lyman, Ethel
Norcross, Ema ALLEN, Nathalia AL
lien, Nellie Sidney, Minnie Woodbury., Min
ME Slavin, Marguerite Donelson, George
Stewart, Grace Blake Georgia Irving, Marie
Franklin, Ada Bernard. Grace Frankton,
Clara Frankton, Estelle Hamilton, Gladys
Earlcott, Estelle Warde, Clara Williams and
Muriel Aliena. Alfred Klein. now in Lon
don, will join the company there to play his
original role. and the male choristers will
be secured in England.
Until the recent advent of Maude Adams
and Mrs. Carter, Ada Rehan was easily the
star actress of America, the highest-paid
player and the most popular comedienne.
In these circumstances 1t Is a matter of
reasonable remark that Miss Rehan went to
enjoy her usual summer holiday at the
time when other folks less indebted to
Augustin DAILY. were going to his funeral
Even II this unexpected absence was neces-
STATED, a floral memento of her regard for
the dead manager would have rested easily
on his bier. Augustin DAILY remembered
Miss Rehan in his will, II she forgot him in
his obsequies. No flowers from John Drew
either, although our young comedian owed
all his art and most of his fame to what
he learned on Days stage. None from Sir
Henry Irving, whom he entertained roy
ally during the first American tour of the |
Lyceum company. None from George Ed
wardes, his London partner, VINO made
much money out of Augustin DAILY. None
from Clement Scott, who probably made
more 1t is a queer world. Various efforts |
Upra rnnda IN carry off bis nctrass Ia