The times., 1899-01-15
Washington Finally Succumbs
to the Craze.
PLANS FOR THE GRAND
Manager AIbnuEh's Old Theatre to
Biil-ChanEes to he Made in the
BuiIdinE-A Sketch of the Man
agemcnt.

OF the enemy the local foes OF vaudeville
have at last cGpitulated and the amuse-
ment-loving have agreed to sign an off,
cial protocol. Commanders Burke and
Chase, who led the final assault. have
taken possession Of the disputed fortress
i. e., the Grand Opera House-and have
there established their headquarters un-
til the ultimate treaty OF peace is ratified.
The terms and conditions of the agree
ment are very simple. The generals
named promise to provide Washington
with an excellent speciality p.rfo. mancs
every week during the regular season and
the city's theatregoers offer to su port
that performance as long as its producers
continue TO make it meritorious.
And so. to drop the metaphor, the build
ing which under the separate directions of
John w. Albaugh, Harry and Edward AL
len, and Herman and Rife has seen the
work of a line OF stars ranging from Henry
Irving and Sarah Bernhard 10 Steve Bro
die and Henry Clay BiaIey is at last TO
return 10 its own and, if its new lessees
keep their words, will again witness the
entertainments afforded in a new way by
old favorites. The Grand VIII open tomor-
row afternoon with an eightturn bill, in
which will be included such people IS Mar
long list of bookings assures the coming OF
many other celebrities of equal ability
Washington is to enjoy its first experience
with high class vaudeville
The craze has been Il long time reaching
this city. Something like five years ago
Manager b. f. Keith, who had long been
noting the progress and cash being made
by metropolitan variety houses, opened TO
the public his first continuous show
He believed that the women of great cities
would be interested in seeing in a refined
way what their husbands appeared 10 enjoy
so greatly in a doubtful form, and imag-
ined that the spirit Of the times called for
condensed plays, just as il called for con-
densed noyeis-that the vaudeville sketch
might become even more popular than the
short story. So strong were these i'm
pressiOns that he began mis- experiment en-
large scale. He was laughed at for some
months and pit.ed for others. Then the
observing began TO notice that the pioneer
was doing great deal of the laughing. TOO.
and that ne seemed TO have no need of pity.
In brief and vulgar phrase. Manager Keith
was making money hand over fist
Immediately after this fact was discov-
cred, men of mind and means began fol-
lowing the lead OF their rival. in New
York the Union Square Theatre was sue
ceeded by the establishment of such places
Of amusement as Tony Pastors, PIoctors
/ Twenty third Street Theatre. Proctor's
| Pleasure Palace, Roster and Balls Music
Hall, Weber and FIELDS Music Hall and
that magnificent white elephant the Olym-
! pia. Gradually the so-called craze spread
until magnificent temples OF art had been
erected in Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago,
/ Brooklyn, Providence, Columbus, Cleve-
| land, ST. Louis and other cities. Booking
! agencies were formed that dated only
| specially people and employed agents for
| different purposes in every great town in
| Europe and America.
The one metropolis in this coultry-o,
| in the world, since vaudeville houses have
| been built in Berlin, Paris, ondon. vi
emma, Prague, and even Rone-t-at has
! not succumbed to the movement is Wash
I ingtCn. This has always seemed p-Cu la
| because ours is the Capital OF nat o.
/ and perhaps the most cosmopolitan ely
! on the globe. During the Congressicn Il
I season it would seem that the local field
! would be most productive. Neve tn less
/ the one attempt that was ever put on iOos
/ to make vaudeville q permanent institu-
/ ticn here was but half hearted and ended
| in utter failure. After three weeks Of
empty houses few summers ago Man
/ ager Grau relinquished his designs up 4
1 the Grand and temporary Institutions
/ started since have al resulted in & com
fiture and chagrin. Manage. Buckler's
| failure at the Grand has csms tleat~ cal
/ hist,Iy as will that Of The indiyiIGai who
I tried 10 elevate the stage b. attempting
{ a roof garden last year.
! The present plans are the first that have
| been well grounded and that have exhibit
/ ed signs Of success. Managers Burke and
| Chase are not merely speculative adven-
turers, but reputable business men with
( years Of experience TO their credit and
( money making houses in operation else
| where. Their firm is now operating hue
| theaters in indianapolis. Terre Haute. Fer;
/ Wayne and South Bend, Ind; in Cleveland
( Columbus, Akron, Mount Vernon. Newark
| and Sandusky, Ohio, and in Wheeling. W
| Va The acquisition Of the Grand places
under their control twelve prosperous
! places CT amusement.
Manager Burke who was born in Rrcok-
lyn, began his theatrical life in 1868 as as
I sistant treasurer OF the Park Theatre
/ His career since has been varied. He has
! been associated at one time or another
with almost every reputable show on the
! read and beasts that he has seen most of
the vduie9i.le acts on the boa ds. Ten years
ago he made his first venture as home
director, purchasing a noted theatre in
! ST. Louis Since then he has provided
/ summer amusements at many of the best
/ suburban resorts in the West. and has es-
| tabiished headquarters at the Minerva
/ idlh OdSluO, Il DuliuiuS IOCaltl near Co
/ lumbus and which has q seating capacity
of nearly $500.
Manager Chase is a native of Mount
| Vernon. Ohio, and has devoted himself TO
/ the business interests of that place until
! he might be esteemed as sort OF modern
| Poo-bah. Four years ago he established
a theatre in Lake HiavGtha Park. fine
| piece of property, owned by himself. and Il
! year later Joined MIR. Burke in making the
firm that has since proven so successful
! The policy they are to adopt is most
| simple and will mainly be part OF an ef-
fcrt to emphasize the differences between
vaudeville and variety. There will be no
smoking or drinking allowed in the Grand,
which will be conducted on thoroughly
high-clas principles. The attractions
! hCcked will not caly b. the best but will
be so thoroughly refined that not even
the most sensitive could take offense at
them. While there may be some asriel
turns, good acrChatic work or song and
dance acts the larger part Of the bills viii
be devoted to sketches Cf the better sort.
contributed By such people as Mrs Thorn
dyke Bouccault, Mr.. Sad Mrs. William
Robyns Madame Janauschek. Robert Hill
lard, Lillian Burkhart Felix Morris and
Mason Mitchell. The management an
nounce that they will pursue these plans
as long as patronage warrants it and that
when the support ceases their shows will
not deteriorate but that they will clese the
house.
The Grand has been renovated, recar-
peted. reseated, hung with new curtains
and otherwise made thoroughly comfort
able. The lobby is to be fitted cut hand
somely with palms and flowers, viii e
will no pra,Ia n ariva ia DIIaca