The times., 1899-07-02
A FAMINE OF AMUSEMENT
Washington Without Single
Means of Entertainment.
Every Theatre Closed. and No Open
to Reopen. With Eugene Blair in
Repertoire-A Talk with the Mnn
Who Discovered Lillian Russell.

After nine months Of activity, the past
week found every place of amusement in
the city closed and an extended famine OF
entertainment abroad in the District. The
regular attendant who visits one or more
of the playhouses every week. whether
the mercury registers at zero or at the
boiling point, roamed disconsolate along
the streets or Joined the idle army of thea
trical employees about the closed lobbies in
discussing the deafness of the city and the
prospects for other amusement. Just what
all the people Of the city now do for en-
tertainment is a good deal of a problem.
The summer resorts hereabout are reported
to be doing next TO nothing while the trade
of the river boats is as lax as ii has been
for years back The bicycle craze is dy-
ing out and it is too early for everyone TO
have sought the seashore or the noun
tains. With this condition of affairs, the
prospects for a profitable period in the
early fall are excellent and the managers
are beginning to craftily count their chick
ems even before the maternal hen is en-
tirely settled upon them. For the next
two months little of interest in dramatic
was is in view. except the engagement of
Eugenia Blair at the Columbia beginning
a week from Monday evening in the popular
-Divcrcon's" and following it with a pow
erful repertoire After the two weeks
famine. it will be little less than wonderful
If the business is not large, OF course de-
pending somewhat upon the weather.
Looking forward little, it will be seen
that the Bijou is the first OF the local
houses 10 open, the date of the initial per-
formance being August IL. a bill of ex-
ceptional strength is promised, many of
the turns being already booked. 4 week
or two thereafter the Lyceum will open
with the best vaudeville and buIlesque en-
tortainment obtainable Each of these
houses has been freshened and frightened
with new fixtures and decorations and will
certainly present a better appearance th-n
they did when they closed a few weeks
ago
The Grand is also in the hands of the
decorators and the local press agent is re-
sponsible for the statement that the house
viii be the handsomest in the East when
il is finished. Several thousand dollars
are being expended-just how many no
one knows. but enough 10 insure an elab-
crate fitting of all affairs pertaining to
elegance or comfort. The date of the
opening is not definitely determined. but
a bill OF great excellence is already ar
ranged and housewarming will be fea-
ture of the coming year. The Academy
will have as its opening attraction J. X.
Emmett and Lottie ellison In revival of
Fritz in the Mad House. which is now
doing considerable business in Newfound-
land, and so should be in excellent SHAPE
when it reaches Washington early in Sep
tember, probably the first week.
No announcement is yet made concern
ing the initial attraction OF the Lafayette
although Manager Painters booking agent
is said to have secured some very desira-
bic attractions for the independent theatre,
with more to materialize soon. At the Co
lumbia the opinion is expressed that the
house will not open before the 18th of Sep
tember. and it is quite likely that that very
excellent actor Otis Skinner in the satiri-
cal comedy, THE Liars" will be the first
booking In the same week the much
advertised Children of the Ghetto. -. will
be seen for the first time on any stage at
the New National. Eight weeks will be
consumed in rehearsing this play and il
VIII either be one Of the greatest successes
Of the year or one of the worst failures.
The cast already announced should save
the play, no matter how Zangwill and
James A. Hearne will dramatize the work.
II is not unlikely that two other attrac-
tiols Will be seen at the National before
this date as 1t is Manager Rapley's para
doxical custom to book his first two en-
gagements after the others have received
good time. With increased business and
accentuated interest in theatrical affairs, il
seems that the coming season in Washing
ton will be bright one financially as well
as artistieally.