Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-28
MUSIC

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The Christian has repeated its success
in this city, approaching the business of Its
initial week more closely than even its man.
ayers expected. 1t was easily the reigning
attraction, the Hanlon entertainment not
having gotten into form to give serious OPP
position. "A Lively Legacy" as seen from
the stage during performance, was a
study in strings. Whenever there was
| a general effect to be produced, such as the
collapse of the three beds in the bedroom
scene. there was needed perfect discipline
among the stage hands whose duty it is to
man the ropes" The piece had only two
performances before it's production here on
MONDAY night. and it's present season may
be regarded as an experiment preliminary
to its launching in the fall for an entire
winter on the road. The piece will probably
be spectacular musical farce with plenty
of speciaities when it is finally rounded up
Next week brings Mrs. Langtry in her
much challenged play, THE Degenerates,
and Frederick Warde in repertoire of le-
gitimate plays. Mr.. Warde is one of the few
actors who take the stage seriously as a
vehicle for classic literature.
That unmstakable herald of summer, the
circus, has offered reminder that the close
of the regular season must soon occur. The
circus is the grand opera of the masses.
1t stirs the souls of the populace who have
not learned the difference between an ar
peggio and an andante con amOre as deeply
as the arias and recitatives of aida or
Carmen move the muSically cultured. 1t
offers an excursion into the realms of the
ideal, and the price per round trip Is never
prohibitive. AS the years go on circnses get
bigger and scarcer. A consideration of the
circus trust might be in order when graver
matters of public economy at last DIS
posed Of
The preparations for summer entertain
ment in and about Washington are numer-
Gus, though to some degree unsettled. Wal
ter Craven has given up his idea of run
ming stock company at the Columbia
Theater. The house may conduct the enter
prise on its own account. A spectacular
exhibition of The Battle of Manila is
talked of for Gen Echo, to be followed by
vaudeville. Wildwood" is to have vaude-
vile among its attractions, and similar
entertainment may be offered at Chevy
Chase. The practicability Of a roof garden
on the Lafayette Square Opera House is
again under discussion by some out-of-
town managers. There is no dearth of enter
tainment in prospect for the stay-at-homes
The only change announced for next sea-
son is the transfer of the Academy of Mu-
sic to the domain of continuous vaudeville
The present managers of the BijOu Thea
ter say it will be run exclusively with road
organizations next year, and that otherwise
there will be no change. The possibility of
Kernan's taking the house for popular
price melodrama has been discussed.
The anniversary of Shakespeare's birth,
April %. was not forgotten in New York.
On the night of that date number of peo-
pie interested in the stage met to celebrate
the day and organized a permanent society.
called THE Birthday Club" The veteran
American actor lanes Booth Roberts
went over from Philadelphia. He was
elected president OF the club. Edmund D.
Lyons, the Nero" in QUO Vads: Horace
Lewis, the "Chilo" in that play, and Everest
King, were made the other officers. a din
ner whose courses were appropriate to the
traditions of merry old England. was dis
cussed, and poems and addresses appro-
pirate TO the occasion We're delivered.
Regrets that previous engagements pre-
vented attendance We're received from Will
liam Winter. William Gillette, James X
Eackett and others.
Many stories have been told of the primi-
tive days of newspaper cuts, when a rep
resentation of most anything was used to
depict most anything else. We hardly look
for a fresh ono in the present day of ad-
vancemcnt IN this line of work. but occa-
SiOnally one gets out. During Frederick
Warde's tour Of Texas this season he was
booked by his advance agent to play "Vir-
s.nius' at one-night stand at the re-
quest oil the management. Usually on
these occasions The Lions Mouth is pre-
scented, and the agent was consequently
| equipped for this performance only in the
matter of cuts and advertisements. The ed
itor of a local paper expressed his desire to
| rue II cut of Mr. Warde. The advance
man. although eager to boom his star in
every way possible, was compelled to tell
| the editor that the only cut he had at pres
| beardless Rnaldo. That's all right give
| 1t to me-" confidently remarked the editor
When the company reached the town Mr..
Warde saw the cut with this caption, "Vir-
ginus at the age of twenty-one"
For woman in the vaudeville profession
| to be called "a good fellow by the theater
attaches and stage hands Of the house
| means that she is the limit of good nature,
Kindness and womanliness around the thea
| ter.
What do you think Of Miss Courtney 81
was asked in the presence of a group of
New Grand stage hands the other night.
She's all right. She's good fellow you
| bet, cried all of them in chorus. Then
| one of them explained the meaning of the
| last term used When Miss Courtney was
| told of this she gave one of her character
| istic, large and hearty laughs, and said:
| The boys are good to me because I'm not
| one to complain of them or to look upon
| them with pretended contempt"
| Miss Courtney was asked about her en-
| gagement to play under David Belasco next
| season.
| i've had to give that up for a time or
put 1t off for season I've got to save up
| money for my wardrobe. It's true. WHY?
| Because haven't got an angel as finan-
| cial hackers are Electrically called, and 1
| don't want one, either
A good story is told in the dressing rooms
| Of the New York theaters in which Edwin
Booth figures humorously. Mr.. Booth was
booked to appear at big professional ben
| eft in New York. and being the leading
actor of the day, he was consulted by the
| managers as to his choice of place on the
| program There was an imposing array of
volunteers, and among them were the Irish
| comedians. Harry and John Kernell The
| brothers had made great hit in their
| Sidewalk Conversation" and had been nut
down for that popular speciality. Booth
| looked over the list and said nothing until
| he came to the names of the witty Hlber-
mans.
Put me down before the Kernells" he
| said. gravely. Were 1 to follow them my
soliloquy would empty the house. If they
| follow me they will seem even more laugh
| able than they really are"
And the melancholy Dane was so put
down.
Mrs. Langtry is considered by authorities
| in the matter Of gowning to be the best