The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-05-28
TH[AIR|CALS IN HAWAII
HONOLULU AS A PLACE FOR
THESPIANS.
Views Of James O'Neill-Honolulu Au-
diences Severe in Criticism and Ex-
travagant in Praise

1t was only recently that any one
thought of Honolulu as a thea trfcal
town. Now it is very profitable, both
to the play producer and the patron.
In 1898, when I. Daniel trawley was
seeking dates for his company, the
subject of visiting Honolulu was
brought up. Although Frawley had
played long engagements on the Pacl-
tic Coast and was more or less familiar
with the prosperous condition of the
average resident of the Hawaiian ISL
ands, he had never dreamed of any
dramatic company visiting the islands
except one of very mediocre caliber,
with correspondingly light expenses.
But there was the Royal Hawaiian
Opera house to be opened, and the pub
lie would not have it dedicated by an
inferior attraction, and so, one Novem-
Der day, Frawley bundled his company
on board a steamer and away they
sailed. To play an engagement of four
weeks in a town of but 80 900 inhabit-
ants of which only a few thousands
were Caucasians, was a unique under
taking. and one which would mean
great loss financially in any other city
in the world of the same size, but the
conditions there are sui generis and the
engagement was both a financial and
artistic success. Companies had APP
gagement in the old theater but his en-
gagement was the first played in the
present opera house.
Many Thespian notables have trod
the stage of the Hawaiian Opera house
including Nat Goodwin, James Neil, of
the Neill Company, and Nance O'Neill
and other older inhabitants still refer
with pride to the time when Edwin
Booth appeared in Honolulu at the old
theater that served before the present
Hawaiian Opera house was built. That
was in 1858, according to the old timers
of Honolulu, when Mr.. Booth was on
his way from this country to Austria
liza.
1t was not, however. until last sum-
mer when James Neill took the entire
Neill Company that is at present play
ing an engagement at the California
Theater, together with it's carloads of
special scenery and paraphernalia to
Honolulu for an extended engagement
that the Importance of the place as an
objective point for theatrical com
panies began to be fully realized by the
average theatrical manager. The Neill
company's engagement there lasted
four weeks and the financial receipts
at the time We're said to have exceeded
200. These large receipts are all the
more surprising when it is understood
that but four performances are given
gagement of the Neills the exodus to-
ward Honolulu has amounted to little
short of craze among theatrical man.
ayers. The Florence Roberts company
but recently returned from there, also
the Flying Jordans, while the Josephine
Stanton opera company left for the ISL
ands last week and an organization
called the Elleford company sailed for
Honolulu May 5th. The NELL company
will play their annual engagement
there during the present summer.
In speaking of the theatrical condi-
tons in Honolulu, James Neill said re-
Gently: Honolulu is the most interest
ing place that | have ever visited. In
stead of sharing your gross receipts
with the theater, as is usually done in
this country, you rent the theater out
right. Then you engage all of the en-
ployes-the orchestra, the usherS, the
stage hands and ticket sellers. Per
formances are given at the first-class
theater on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fri
days and Saturdays only. The other
evenings of the week local society is oc-
cupied with it's other functions. The
audiences are very fashionable and the
price of seats runs from 81 down to 90
cents Nearly all of your theater patrons
arrive a [ the theater in carriages which
makes it quite expensive for the young
men working on the average clerk $
salary.
After II o'clock at night the hack
fares double therefore the manager
should, in the interest of his patrons,
get his performances over before that
hour. 1t is 20S0 miles TO Honolulu, but
the trip and the remarkably hospitab BILE
manner in which every one treats you,
make it well worth the while One pc
culfar thing is that the same play can
not be given twice to profitable business
As IL is necessary to change the play
every time your company appears, it
makes it quite difficult for the average
attraction to visit Honolulu in the hope
of making money. A company must be
up in sixteen different plays To play an
engagement there of four weeks, and
that is a rare condition of things in
most theatrical companies. The per-
formances must be good too, for the
Honolulu public is a severe critic, but
Just as eXtravagant in its praise. Ho-
nolulu will grow each year in theatrical
Importance and many fine companies
viii be seen there. IS. f. Chronicle.