The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-17

Charles Frohman he is reported as en-.
gagged. in collaboration with Lorimer
Stoddard. on new play for the use Of
Mrs. LeMoyne. who is said to have beer
successful through the country as n. star
in spite of the fearful handicap of 'The
Greatest Thing in the World"
The varied amusements planned for the
coming summer season have received an
important addition. Manager Chase. OF the
New Grand, announces that Immediately
upon the conclusion of the regular season
of his playhouse in May he will continue to
keep 1t open throughout the summer at
prices even lower than prevailing there
now.
In speaking Of the plan. he said: 81 have
decided not to close my Washington thea
ire at the usual time in May. but will in
augurate a spring and summer season of
polite vaudeville and comic opera at sum-
mer prices even lower than the very low
prices now in vogue. The attractions will
be the very best and the high standard
of merit and excellence which has uni
formly characterized my bills will not be
lowered. The theatre Is as cool as roof
garden. splendidly adapted to summer en-
tertainment. and its popularity warrants
the keeping Of it open for an indefinite
period"
This announcement will renew interest
in the summer theatrical situation. Al
ready the Lafayette Square management
has stated its purpose of giving stock
performances until the weather makes
attendance at the theatre impossible. The
Columbia Theatre also has planned for
hot weather amusement Of some sort with
the probability that IL will settle upon a
stock company headed, II is said, by Ed
ward j. Morgan and Isabelle Irving. Glen
Echo, too, has issued prospectus full OF
promise for vaudeville and outdoor
n IL he ms
suburban travel desirable. Thus 1t will
be seen If nobody's plans go awry there
will be more doing in a theatrical way
this summer in Washington than ever be-
fore.
Mr.. Chase cannot at this time state
more details of his new enterprise for the
sole reason that he has but Just reached
a conclusion upon the main issue. He
says, however, that in all probability the
vaudeville. feature will be the more i'm
portant one. as he realizes the difficulties
attached TO comic opera productions.
E. H. Sothern and Hamlet appear to
have caught the Cleveland piaygoing pub
lie. His advance sale in that city Is said
to have been far ahead of that of any
season ne had previously played there,
and was the biggest seen there in months.
The production Is once more almost COM
plete and bids fair to surpass even the
destroyed by fire in Cincinnati. Proper
ties and scenery are constantly being
added and while the new equipment will
be fashioned after the models designed
for the New York production many i'm
provements are being made which means
the most elaborate Hamlet" revival seen
in this country.
1t is stated by John Hare that when he
first secured London engagement at the
Prince of Wales Theatre, his salary was
80 a week. Even after he had made sew
erai hits he only received SIS a week to
play Sam Gerridge, in ~-Caste.' Some
years later he was obliged to refuse an Of
fer of $500 week to play the same part.
As there has been considerable doubt as
to the proper pronunciation OF the name
OF Miss Irene Vanbrugh, the clever leading
woman of John Hare's company, it is we'll
to state ON the best authority that it
should be pronounced as if written YAH
boro."
The opening scene OF THE Gay Lord
Quex," in the manicurist's parlor, is ex-
tremely novel. The big wicker chairs.
with large hoods and screened sides and
fronts in which the patients sit, have q
very peculiar effect.
All the fashionable women in THE Gay
Lord Quex' wear those ultra long dresses
that sweep the ground all round, and ne
CeSSllate u peCuildE Wdih II
sometimes been claimed that English
actresses do not dress WE'LL but Mr.. Hare's
company conclusively refutes this notion.
The italian garden in the second act OF
1.-THE Gay Lord Quex' is a remarkably
beautiful scene. The high hedge rows
which conceal the walks, after the style OF
maze are said to be n.arvels of con-
struction and painting. The scene sug-
gests the famous terrace Of Haddon Hall.
Ill yrax in fptf mr. nu0
1t is worth noting that Mr.. Hare has
been instrumental in producing the ma
jority of Pinero's successful serious plays.
He gave that author his first London start
with THE Money Spinner" The Squire"
and THE Ironmaster."
The White Rats, the association of vau-
deville performers that seems to control
the vaudeville situation pretty thoroughly.
will shortly send company on the
road and Washington will have the first
opportunity OF passing on its merits.
James ]. Coroett, the pusilist, viii head
the organization and will be heard in
monologue. He will be assisted by George
Fuller Golden, the president and founder
of the Rats, and perhaps the most intelli-
gent and entertaining story teller of the
vaudeville stage. There will also be Dolan
and Lenharr in their sketch, "A High
toned Burglar" which is no novelty to
Washingtonians as IL was presented at
the Grand last year and earlier this sea-
son at the Academy of Music. when the
Hashims presided over the theatre; Bon
ME Thornton, the Coincidence; Caicedo,
the wire walker; the Dillon Brothers,
singers and comedians; the Review Com
edy Four; Alice Shaw, the whistler, as
sisted by her two charming daughters;
and Linton and Mcintyre, an uncommonly
clever team, who were seen at the Cabin
John Palm Garden last summer.
All in ALL it is a wellbalanced bill that
the Rats will send on tour and one that 10
away ahead OF the average travelling yau-
deville organization. 1t is announced that
the first performance will be given at the
Columbia Theatre on Sunday night, March
3 and that the company will be seen at
the Auditorium, Baltimore, during the
following week. All Of the expenses Will
be paid out OF the White Rats treasury
and the association will stand the profits
or losses.
One of the Gotham dramatic critics ac-
cused Elizabeth Tyree of 'guying her
role of Selma White In the play made
from "Unleavened Bread" and Leo Dit
richsteiu. the dramatist. has written to
protest that the actress plays the role as
IL was intended and cheerfully admits
that she was instructed to act the char
acter with conscious comicality. His ex-
PLANTATION is that nobody can regard Selma
as aught but funny and that she was
made so in the play with Judge Grants
This explanation shows more of appre-
citation of the mental limitations of the
average theatregoer than belief in the
efficacy of the Selma of the novel as
stage parsonage.