The times., 1901-06-23

| concluded to make the attempt, and IN
! gagged an assistan: a woman who is q
| borough musician and who is capable
| Of judging voices. and now the musical
| branch is quite as important as the dra-
matte |, ct course make an the en- en-
| how amusing ii is to sit and watch the
| chorus people who find their way into that
| office. Some OF The women wear. clothes
| that are indcScrihablC. Where they buy
| them | can't imagine, fer I've never even
| seen such things ON sale. The bOys-l
| suppose | should say. the men-make the
| office meeting place, and there they sit
| watching these chorus people. It's fun
| for them. The other day James Is.
| Hackctt. Vincent Serrano, and Robert
| i-des9n sat there for an hour ana ,l;ai nan
! enjoying the panorama. / try 10 drive
! them out. but it doesn't do any good.
| We've Grifted from business TO gossip,
! haven't we? We'll. that's a woman's way,
! but it shouldn't be that OF business wo-
/ man at any rate, so ! think l had better
| change the subject before l fall into evil
| ways
| New engagements announced by Mr.
| Fiske for the Manhattan Theatre com
| pany, New York to support Mrs Fislle
| next season are Robert 7. Haines for
| leading man. Robert V. Ferguson. Kate
| Pattison Selten, and Frank Mccormack
| the last-named as stage manager.
| The field, both in this country and Eng
| land, was carefully canvassed in looking
! FOR leading actor. and Mr.. Hdines was
| fixed upon as the EIost promising candi-
| date for the position. In the few years
| that he has been on the stage he has mace
rapid progress. He was graduated as
lawyer from the University OF Missouri,
| and practiced for some time in Kansas
City, but an overpowering love for the
theatre led him to abandon the court
room for the stage and III the actors vo-
cation he already has been very success
| ful. He played DE NiepDerg in Madame
Sans Gene" with kathryn kidder. has
supported such stars as James Q Neill
and Henry Miller. and the past season
won note as leading man with Viola Allen
in In the Palace of the King. His york
under the inspiration that Mrs. Fiske
gives her players will be watched with
Robert V Ferguson is one of the best
known character comedy actors In the
country He originated the part Of Sir
Pitt Crawley in "Becky Sharp" and has
played that role for two seasons with Mrs.
t'iSke. With such actors as J. h. DodSOn,
Tyrone Power. Annie Irish, and Mr. t'er-
guson Mrs. Fiske's company promises to
be remarkably strong. Kate Pattison Sell
ten has been member of T.. II. Sotherns
company for several seasons. 1t is said
that negotiations between other we'll
known players and the Manhattan man
agement are pending
Miss Bob White" the Willard spenser
comic opera that has been entertaining
months, will bring its season to close
next Saturday night. The piece has been
fairly successful. although the people of
the Quaker City have not showed the
same amount of interest in it that they
manifested in either THE Little Tycoon
or The Princess Bonnie Mr.. Sponsors
previous endeavors in the operate line
fhe company that has presented Miss
Bob White has not included any
particularly prominent stage favorites,
and the piece has been compelled to win
strictly on its own merits. There has
been no beautiful Eleanor Mayo to lift
it into sudden popularity as was the case
with The Princess Bonnie;' neither has
there been any Frank Daniels to infuse
laughs into Mr.. Spenser's wishy washy
libretto.
Nixon & Zimmerman announce that
they will send Miss Bob White on tour
next season, and it Fill be interesting TO
watch its course. None of the Spenser
homemade librettos and scores have
ever yet attained am great degree of pop
ularity outside of tile Keystone State.
William Fowler, who for some years
has been the assistant treasurer of the
Columbia Theatre will succeed T. Ar
thur Smith at the National box Office next
year. Mr.. Fowler has had considerable
experience of a kind that will stand him
in good stead in his new positlon both in
Washington and at the Academy of Mu-
sic. Baltimore, and comes TO his new
berth uncommonly well qualified to meet
the theatregoing public in this most eX-
acting and trying Of all situations.
Mr.. Smith will inaugurate local thea
tire ticket office, and win bring into
requisition many new ideas that should
have tendency to Immediately place
him in the way of a large amount of bust
ness. lie will make a speciality OF book
ing seat orders for regular customers,
and from his experience he should be able
10 give the very best of satisfaction.
William a. Brady has re-engaged Chan
ming Pollock, of this city, as general press
| representative for next season. Mr. Pol
lock has been very successful in looking
after the numerous Brady enterprises
during the past year, and has acquired
| most enviable reputation as a promoter
Of theatrical publicity. He will spend the
heated term with his parents in Wash
ingtOn.
The comic opera situation for next sea
son does not appear TO be particularly
bright. This one-time popular form of
amusement has evidently fallen in the
estimation Of the theatregoers Of the
country or else a Gearth Of available ma
tertal is responsible for the lack of in
terest in this type Of entertainment Af-
ter vainly looking around for over a year.
Frank Daniels believes he has discovered
suitabic vehicle in 'itiss Simplicity"
by Z. A. Barnet, who wrote ''Il52.'
| Prince Pro Tenn and several other
pieces Of similar character Miss Sim
phclty was presented In Boston last
| spring by a company of amateurs and is
| reported to have made success The
chief part is said To be particularly wen
adapted to Mr.. Daniels personal pecul-
iarities, while the music is described as
tuneiul and Of the catchy variety Fran
| els Wilson, tired Of searching for new
material has gone over TO the I.edercr
management and will be seen this sum
mer in The StrOllers," Il musical piece
| that Is scheduled for an early product ion
! and in which the comedian with the fun
IE legs VIII be the principal figure II
The Stroners' proves to be a go" il
will be utilized by Mr.. Wilson during the
regular season; if it fails. he will resort
to The Little Corporal" and perhaps
one or two more Of his old-time successes
The comic operate horizon is just at
this moment a trifle obscured by a min
iature war between Alice Nielsen and her
manager, Frank Perley the Washington
ian who discovered her in the chorus and
! lifted her to stellar prominence. Accord
ing to Mr.. Perley. he has a contract with
Miss Nielsen which still has three years
to run, although he openly processes that
he does not care whether the prima dom
| ma Is ever agait seen under his direction.
| Miss Nielsen or some of her enthusiastic
! friends sent ont the information several
weeks ago that she had contra ctcd with
| Charles Frohman, but the Ma poleon of
! managers promptly denied the story. At
| present Mr.. Perley appears 10 be lhe only
! person in the managerial field who has
| any right to Miss Nielsen's services and
| he is not apparently overly happy at the
| idea of his option while no other stage
! director seems to desire the talents of the
/ former member of the San Francisco Ii
( Voli chorus. DeWolf Hopper and Lillian
/ Russell will continue under fbp Nabtr-