The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-06-04
NELL IN "THE SENATOR

Stock Company Will Open It's Sea-
son Tomorrow Evening.
The summer season at the Metropoli-
tan opera house will open Monday even
Ing with the Neill Stock company in The
Senator" The company has just closed
an engagement of ten days in Winnipeg,
where they have played to crowded
houses at every performance. During
the winter they have played a long sea-
son at the Pike opera house in Cincin-
natl, where they have enjoyed the big
gest business ever played to by a stock
company in that city. The organization
is now in better shape that ever before,
and is undoubtedly the best permanent
stock company in this country Among
the old favorites who will appear during
the st. Paul engagement are James Neill,
Edythe Chapman, Joseph B. Everham
Herschel MayaH, Emmett Shackleford
Robert Morris, George Bloomquist, An
gela Dolores and Agnes Maynard In adj
dition to these there will be a number
of new faces in the ranks of the COM
pany Fred J. Butler, Charles MyIott
and Fred Wallace are the new male
members, and Lila Vane, Sandol Mill
ken and Lucille Ivie are three charming
ladies who will add to the ever-increas-
ing popularity of the NeilI Stock COM
pany.
bered as one of William H. Cranes most
pronounced successes, was written by
David D. Lloyd, who wrote For Con-
gress" and THE Woman Halter" for
John T. Raymond. 1t, too, was intended
for Mr.. Raymond, but he died before the
play was produced. Lloyd then offered
1t to Mr.. Crane, but while 1t was under
consideration the author died, leaving
the manuscript in Cranes hands. 1t
was sent to Sydney Rosenfeld to be re-
written and adapted to Mr.. Cranes per-
sonal pecuiarities. The play was orig
finally serious in purpose, but Resented
rewrote it as a breezy comedy under the
name of 1.-The Senator" and it was first
produced at the Olympic theater, St.
Louis, by Mr., Crane and notable COM
pany, of which Mr.. James Neill was
leading man. Mr.. Crane played 1.-THE
Senator continuously for three years. In
g run of seventeen weeks at the Star
theater on Broadway, in New York, he
broke all the records Of that house with
this comedy, the gross receipts for the
run being $17S000 After the second
night it was standing room only at
every performance.
Mr.. James Neill, who will appear in the
role originally filled by Mr. Crane, ap-
peared In, 1.-THE Senator awards of 200
times. He studied Mr.. Crane in the lead
ing part and the piece itself so thorough
1y that in his stock productions of the
comedy he has been able to give his COM
pany the benefit of valuable experience.
Neill IS recognized as one of the best
stage managers in America, and, with the
excellent material at his disposal, nothing
but the most satisfactory results may be
expected.
''The Senator" is an ambitious under
taking for stock company. There are
sixteen speaking parts. 1t is promised
however, that when the Neill company
presents this comedy at the Metropoli-
tan, on the opening night Of the summer
season, they will give performance COM
plete in every detail
Special scenery has been prepared for
this production, and elaborate accessories
will be utilized to insure the best per-
formances ever given by stock company
in this city. The magnificent ball room
scene in the third act of 1.-The Senator"
will be one of the most gorgeous specta-
cles that has been seen on the Metropoli-
tans stage The story of the play deals
with political and. social life in Washing
ton. Mr.. Neill will appear as Senator
Hannibal Rivers and Miss Chapman as
Mrs. Hillary, dashing lady lobbyist, the