Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-20

Only two trst-class theaters have been
regularly open this week. and of these but
one has done any kind of business, and that
is the Columbia, where large audiences have
gathered to see the excellent performance
of Sweet Lavender" Several nights the
Standing Room Only sign has been dis
played. At the National My Cousin has
not been success financially, nor has 1t
deserved to be- for 1t is not the class OF
performance that should be seen in that
theater. The Lyceum and Bijou have both
done good business.
Next week all the houses except the La
fayette Square and Academy will be open.
The National win present Way Down
East which has already had one engage
uent at that house and is well known TO
the local public. At the Columbia ne"
play, Private John Allen" will have Its
first production on any stage, and 1t win De
notable from the fact that Mr. Charies ..
Hanford VINO has a large following in TINS
his home city, will play the leading part;
1t will be a new thing TO see Mr.. Hanlord
step from the toga of Shakespearean tras-
edy into the everyday clothes OF the plaiil
citizen on the stage, but he says the part
is one in which he believes he will make
a hit, especially he will be supported by
Mr.. Frawley's splendid company: Inc
Grand Opera House will make an innoVa-
Torrance from noon until midnight. The
Iyceum will give. beside its regular day
and evening performances, program on
jubilee days, beginning at IL pm Inc 6l1ou
will go on the even tenor of Its way.
COLUMBIA THEATER.-"Private John
Allen" a new play of love and politics IN
louisiana will be the offering of the traW-
lev Company at the Columbia next week
The piece is by Lee Arthur, author OF
I'VE 'uns of Tennessee" now running AT
the American Theater, New YORK city. IL
seems to be distinct departure IN play
writing in respect tnasmuch as IL
makes politics the principal theme and de
votion to party the main motive which
actuates the hero of the play, private
John Allen" But two love stories enter
into the plot, and several rather sehsao
tional incidents quite new to the stage are
promised. Like his congressional name
sake. Private John Allen of MISSISSIPPI
the hero of the play wins his peculiar title
through his humble but efficient service IN
the confederate army, and after the close
of the war he becomes the leader of the
democratic party in his state. He asp1res
to the governOrship. but is opposed by enc
mics within his own as well as IN the OPP
posite party. His war record is impunSed,
and in order to eXOnerate himSef II pc
comes necessary for him to drag the Wo-
nan he loves into the affair. This he re-
fuses to do, and throws all his strength IN
favor of his rival, Alexis Lemme, a creole
at swords points. Unknown to Allen, the
latter has secretly married his daughter, al
though there still stands to his discfealt
an ENHANCEMENT with New YORK ah-
ventures known in racing circles as
Queen BeSS' Stokes. She comes to Louis
lana after Lemmes nomination In order
to bring suit for the support of her enid.
Lemme comes to Allen for assistance in
this dilemma. and the latter, in order to
avoid scandal at the expense of the
,J1,. of h ri
the woman His manly bearing so WINS
upon her that she consents to Withdraw her
suit and leave her child in Aliens care
This fact becomes known to Lem Black
man Aliens political enemy, although
brot her-in-law of his betrOthed. He manages
10 stir up a great scandal of the neighbour
hood 10y circulating the story that Alien Is
living with this adventures under the same
roof with his innocent daughter After me
impetuOus fashion of southern communi-
ties and urged on by Blackman. the neigh
borS organize a committee and call upon
Allen for explanations, threatening unless
they prove satisfactory to run him out of
town Matters so shape themselves that
Allen cannot explain without jeopardiZlng
the success of his party at the polls, but,
although his own political career Is ended,
ne is indicated in the eyes of the woman
he loves. and the play ends happily. The
atmosphere of the piece should be truthful,
for Mr.. Arthur himself is a Louisianian,
and his characters are selected from some
They viii give opportunities for nearly all
the FraWey players, who will appear in
support of Mr. Charles b. Hanford the
well-knOwn Washington tragedian, who
will assume the title role. Although Mr..
HanfOrd has long been identified with the
Shakespearean drama, he is expert in char
acter roles, as his Washington friends well
know and ii is safe to expect that he will
do full justice to Private John Allen" Be
sides Mr.. Hanford, the cast will include
Harrington Reynolds as his rival, Godfrey
Stein as Lem Blackman, Chas W. King as
Col. Nat. Stone, with Alfred Hickman as
his son: Selene Johnson as Mrs Blackman,
Alice johnson as the adventures and Mary
Van Buren, as Aliens daughter. Frank
Matthew as Maj. Wasworth, will have
Georgia Wells as his winsome daughter,
while J. r. AmOry will play a southern
justice and J. &. Hollis will be a book
maker. and George CASTOR viii have one of
those Old darkey parts which he plays so
well. The play calls for some picturesque
scenery, which has been duly provided by
Frederick Schafer. Frawleys scenic artist.
Tonight will occur the last performance
Of Sweet Lavender at the Columbia.
MAUDE ADAMS AS JULIET.-Orders
for seats for the appearance of Miss Maude
Adams in Charles Frohman's production of
on Thursday evening, June /, have been
received a the box office of the New Ma
tional Theater during the past three weeks.
The booking has been extensive and indi-
Gates that great interest is being taken
in this theatrical event. The majori-
~ of these orders have already been de-
llyered, and those remaining on hand to-
night Will be placed on regular sale Mon
day morning. AS these contain some of
the earliest orders, some choice seats will
be added to those ticket not yet booked
and big rush is expected at the box office
on Monday morning
Miss Adams will close her New York en-
gagement with the performance tonight
and, together with Mr.. Faversham, Mr.
q nd +frr
cast and production, viii begin her tour of
one night stands, which embrace only the
largest cities, such Brooklyn Provid-
ence, Boston. Chicago, Pittsburg. PhiladeI-
phla, Washington and Cleveland.
Mr.. Frohman has provided a special train