The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-02
THE MIDSUMMER
NIGHTS DREAM.
Gorgeous Production to Be Pre-
scented Next Week.
BEAUTIFUL FAIRY SPECTACLE.
Il Is TO be Presented Under the Aus
pieces ofthe \. y. v. A List of
the Cast and of the Patron
csscs-Thc Chapcroncs,

The social event. par excellence. of the
Easter season will be the production OF
"a Mid Summer Nights Dream at tho
Academy Of Music on Monday and Tues
day. the 10th and 18th Of April. This
beautiful fairy spectacle is to be given
under the distinguished auspices Of tho
Association for the Preservation of Vir-
ginia Antiquities. 1t has been very
thoroughly and carefully rehearsed for
four months under the direction Of Miss
Nancy Brooks. OF Avon,
Eng, an actress OF marked ability. who
played in recent production in the old
country.
The cast has been chosen with the spe-
cial view Of the adaptability of eaci
member 10 zach particular part. and pre-
senis an aggregation OF talent which has
rarely. n ever. been equaled in this city.
BEAUTIFUL SCENERY.
The scenery Will be Of extraordinary
bcauty-delicate in color. sensuous in
feeling. and sprishtly in fancy Tho
moonlight effects in the transition from
act second 10 act third and gradual as
sembly Of COLLINS and fairies in shadows
mists through which fircfies glimmer at
the close Of the third act. are novel and
beautiful
Landsecr's famous picture of Tftania.
md the ass-headed Bottom will be copied
In one Of the scenes. There viii be shin
Ing tableau at the close.
Mendelssohn's music will he PLAYED by
an orchestra Of fourteen pieces. and will
he sung with excellent skill and offccJ
Much new and effective stage business
will be introduced The disposition Of
The grouo 1T the start will be fresh and
so viii the treatment Of tho quarrel be-
tween Oberon and Titania with tho dis
appearance OF the Indian child. Cuts and
transpostion have bben made at the end
OF the fourth act in order TO close II with
the voyage Of the barge Of Thesous
through summer landscape on the sill
yer stream that rirples down TO Athens.
The third act hns been iudiciously COM
pressed so that the spectator may not see
too much of the perpleXed and wrangline
lovers.
The accepted doctrine of tho traditional
criticism-a doctrine made seemingly po-
tent by the reiteration-that "A Mid
SUMMER Nights Dream" Is not for th4
stage. need not necessarily he con-
sidered final. Hazltt was the first to in
sist on that idea. Poetry and the
stage" said the famous writer. do not
agree well together The attempt 10
reconcile them I'm this instances fails not
only Of effect but Of decOrum. The ideal
can have no place upon the stage. which
IS picture without perspective. Tho
Imagination cannot sufficiently qualify
the actual expression of the senses"
But his is only saying that they are
difficulties. The remark applies 10 all the
higher forms of dramatic literature.
A midsummer Nights Dream with
all its ideal spirit is dramatic. IL ought
not TO be lost to the stage; and to somo
extent. certainly. the difficulties can be-
surmounted. In the spirit of the dream,
the play was written and I'm the spirit of
the dream it can be acted.
A NEW ERA.
The revival which is TO take place next
week will. possibly. mark a new era in
the history of amateur theatricals I'm this
city. Certain Il is that nothing that has
gone before has provided /.ch a medium
Cor the display Of talent. nor such scope
for the scenic display.
As 10 the members Of the cast. this is
no time to dwell upon their individual
charms and capabilities. They will speak
for themselves at the Academy next Mon
day. Suffice 10 say the production holds
in store rich treat for the people Of
Richmond and OF the surrounding coun-
try.
Tho chaperones ana patronesses VIII
represent the highest social clrrcnt 10
the city. and the whole production viii
take the form or n great social function.
THE CAST
Popular prices Will. however prevail,
and the seats will be put on sale at the
Academy OF Music next Thursday.
The following is the cast Of the play:
Theseus. Duke OF Athens
Mr. Henry x. Terry.
Hippollta. Queen OF Amazons.
Miss Annie Wise Mayo
lysander, Lover Of Hernia,
Dr.. Russell Pemberton.
Aegeus an Athenian noble and father
Of Hernia. J. W. Seaver, Jr.
Demetrius. once lover of Helena, now
rival OF Lysander. 90. Mr. John Tyler, Jr.
Helena, in love with Demetrus.
Miss Pattie L. McGhee.
Philostrate. master of revels.
Miss Marie Henry.
Nick Bottom. the weaver.
Mr.. Chas. Guy Heduembourg.
Mr. Thos McAdams.
Snug. the Joiner. Mr.. Joel Perrin.
Flute. the bellows mender.
Miss Nancy Brooks.
Shout the tinker. Mr. ". +. Gordon.
Miss Lula Vass.
Oberon. King OF the Fairies,
Miss Margaret Leahy.
Puck Bobin Goodfeilow,
Miss Blanche Morgan.
y-irs. fairy Miss Jessie Webb.
eoco,d fairv Miss Nellie Lyons.
yoeasch,ossou Miss Grace Neal.
Mustard SEED. ........M Miss Carrie Neal.
Moth ........ Miss Louise Potts.
Cobweb. Miss Celeste 'Weisiger.
Dancing fairies: Misses Page Shell
horne Cora Catlin. Mary Catlin. Maria
Rose. Emily McCsbe. Thaw. Mary Page
Grymes. EVELYN Prentiss Thaw. Marie
Cottrell. Marion Lee Lizzie Hotchkiss'
Sadie Atkins, Kathleen Alsop, Josie
Gsloski. Loulse Thompson Marie Cranz,
Madeline Noble. Louise Chambers. Doug
las Galloway. Annie Macon, Potts. Mary
Tyler. Lola Brown. Ruth Cunningham,
I,ummie Cunningham Efiie Prosser.
Ethel Lake. Vera Woodson. Kate Nc
Phall. Hazel Shackelfor6. Ruth Marsden.
Mary Patterson. Page Hewlett. Alice In
gram. Eliza ingram. Marguerite Weisiger'