The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-11-22
THE PLAYER FOLK.

operas, Mr. Spencer not only writes his
own books and lyrics. but supplies the
music as well. Harry B. Smith is per
haps the most adept arranger Of rhymtng
jingIes n this country, but he confesses to
d total ignorance ef composition, while
Reginald de KoYen, Julian Edwards, and
Victor Herbert could not turn out IL
bretto if their lives depended upon it
His ability to provide a comic opera in
its entirety caused Mr.. Spencer a deal Of
trouble when he tried to find a manager
with sufficient faith IN his first effort,
The Little Tycoon, to place 1t on the
stage Mr.. Spencer went 10 New York
from his home in Philadelphia. where he
has enjoyed most Of his successes, PIE
pared TO do business with the maguates-
OF the theatrical world Some managers
even refused to see him, others laughed at
hIs- confidence in his work and declared it
absolutely meritless, while a few returned
it with firm but none the less polite re-
fusais. Then Spencer tried London. He
sent the manuscript of THE Little Ty-
coon to D'OyIey Carte, at that time the
manager OF the Savoy Theatre. and pro-
Queer Of the Gilbert and Sullivan operas.
Here again ges the ambitious composer
doomed to disappointment; yet he was Lot
completely discouraged.
Upon his return to Philadelphia Mr..
Spencer met William SingeTIy. then pro-
prietor OF the Philadelphia Record" The
publisher listened attentively to the story
of the authors struggles, and made an ar
Tangement TO read the libTetUO and hear
the score He was fascinated with both,
and advanced the money for the first pro-
duction of The Little Tycoon" For
months it ran in Philadelphia to enormous
business, and made money for the hacker
OF the venture and wealth and fame for
its originator.
Then, five years later. followed The
Princess Bonnie" which introduced
Frank Daniels as a comic opera come
dian, and new soprano, Eleanor Mayo,
a daughter of Frank Mayo. who com
pleteIy captiFated the people Of the
Quaker City with her fresh beauty
and rich voice Miss Mayo was Just from
g c1CTent, and her righteousness and en-
tire freedom from the artificial methods
O. the experienced actress had much to
DO with the success Of the Spencer opera.
She married James Eiyerson, son Of a
Philadelphia newspaper proprietor few
months after her first appearance on the
stage, and has since been content to view
comic operas and other theatrical per-
fCrmances from the audiences side Of the
iootIights.
The pTima donna of Miss Bob White
hel Jackson, is soon TO marry Fred
Zimmerman, son of the Philadelphia
M 1ageT. so. as far as the pTiua dC1nas
or Sir. Spencer's operas are concerned,
Daa Cupid seems to have singled them
ont for his special targets
The Mason family is experiencing a
season of hard luck John Masan, form
er1y leading member Of Daniel and
Charles Frohman's companies. attempted
to star this year in play by Ma5e1Ine
Lucette RyIey, entitled The Altar OF
Friendship" and on account Of a 5isposi-
ton of the public TO remain away from
his performance Mr. Mason has just been
compelled to abruptly close his season
Jacob Lift. Mr. Mason's manager. says
the tour is only abandoned until time
can be secured in ore OF the New York
theatres. but as this is one of the ex-
peCted managerial subteTfuges when
new star or play fails to turn out sue
Cessfully, Mr. Mason and The Altar of
Friendship may be regarded as out
OF the running" for the rest Of the dra-
matte year
Katherine Grey. who is Mrs Mason
when OF the stage, was the leading lady
OF Arthur ByTon's company presenting
Asa NJ Steele's play. ''Petticoats and
Bayonets' up to this week. The effort 10
place Mr. Byron among the stars has
been found futile by WagenhaIs { KEN
per, the managers. although they aver
they have another play in view. and that
the cousin and former leading man Of
John Drew viii soon be out starring
&gs,n-
From New York comes the announce
ment that Cecilia Lotus, who was form
erIy known as ~Cfssie'' when she was
playing vaudeville dates" VIII become
member OF Henry Irving,s company. al
ternating leading roles with Ellen Terry
Since Miss Lotus decided 10 abandon
the continuous and twIce-a-day theatres
for the legitimate drama her success
has been quite marked Her work with
Modjeska two years ago and this season
with Mr.. SotherG mas demonstrated her
wo. in roles more exacting than her
fam.li limitations Of May Irwin, Lefty
Lind, Chauncey Olcott and the other
players whose pecuIiarities we're repro
duced by the clever little English woman
It is said that Blanche Walsh will soon
put on a new play from the pen of an
American playwright. Since the death of
her Joan of the Shoals" in Buffalo sew
eral weeks ago. Miss Walsh has been
playing Janice Meredith in the terri
tory not covered by Miss Mannering.
Miss Walsh seems TO be unfortunate
She has not had a good play OF her own
since she began starring Last season she
appeared successfully in Julia Arthur's
More Than Queen" and she may revive
this play later on in the season II so.
Washington viii probably have a chance
to see it for the first time.
Miss Arthur retired from the stage be
fore reaching Washington with More
Than Queen
Gse Of the big hits of the present SEA
son of vaudeville is Peter F. DALEY and
his company of nine players. who are
appearing in a forty minute act called
"a Dress Rehearsal Mr. Daley is IN
der the management OF Weber { Fields.
with whom he is under contract for next
| season to return to their music hall in
/ New York to take the place Of DeWolf
( Hopper. who expects to again tempt fate
and the public as a comic opera star.
If failure" had been written instead
! Of success by the critics who attended
the first performance Of IF Were King
at the Garden Theatre. New York. E. H.
Sethern might have lost neat fortune.
The actual figures of the production
have just been audited, and the total is
SzT.31G. of which $50 was spent on roses
and the grass plots of King Louis garden.
while more than $1,000 was expended en-
plate and chain armor The silks satins
| and ermines are OF the CostIiest. and
when il is considered that at Ie7st 10