The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-21
THE PASSING SHOW.

city ALREADY the maj attraclloHS are
announced by some of the houses, while
next Saturday night the members of the
Bellows stock company, at the Lafayette,
will say farewell to local audiences The
Theatrical Syndicate has found it an ut
ter impossbility to supply enough pro-
auctions to keep Washington's theatres
open until the latter part Of May, which
throughout the country usually marks the
end of the season. The management of
the Columbia processes ignorance of any
bookings after the present week, and there
is every probability that the house will
be closed until the first offering of the
musical comedy organization that will
tenant the theatre during the months of
May and June. Manager Rapley is rather
more fortunate, for he will have the
Weber & Fields company for three nights,
while the performances of THE Merchant
of Venice by n. C. Goodwin will pro-
vide an excellent offering for one night
during the latter part of next month. and
he will have, in addition, the Charles
Frohman revival of Diplomacy" with
many well-known players in the cast.
Manager Bergers stock company will
strive for some time for the patronage of
those who care for stock productions,
while vaudeville will be continued for an
indefinite period at the Grand. The bur
lesque houses will both close much earlier
than in former seasons, the present at
traction at the Bijou being the last at
that house for several weeks, when the
big production of THE Devils Daughter
which will be presented at Manager Wege-
farths Buffalo Court Street Theatre dur
ing the summer will be brought to this
city for seven nights. The Academys last
offering of the year will be a big revival
of Ten Nights in Barroom" about the
middle of May.
The year has not been particularly
prosperous one for the travelling COM
panies. although locally It has been a re-
markably profitable period. 1t is no ex-
agseration to state that each of the seven
theatres of this city made money, while
as a rule the entertainments were the
very best procurable. Washington has
toyed with the exception of grand opera,
Julie Marlowe, THE Climbers. Low
ers' Lane" and Blanche Bates
undoubtedly have had this last
named piece If the production had been
made in the metropolis early enough to
allow of Miss Bates being presented in
any other city. The better class of per-
formances have been rewarded with eX-
cellent patronage, although in the case of
the acknowledgements engagement many
persons were prevented from enjoying the
art of these two players by the prohibitive
prices demanded by the visiting manage
ment.
In retrospective glance over the prom
ises made at the beginning of the year.
it is worthy of note that many ambitious
players who were hopeful of being ac-
cepted as stars have failed in their com
mendable efforts Grace George, whose
first performances in Her Majesty" We're
made in this city. proved herself to be a
very capable ingenue who failed in the
stronger scenes of the j. J. c. Clarke
dra matization of that very interesting
story. Miss Georges reception in New
York, after a moderately successful
month in several of the more important
of the week stands. was not encouraging
enough to warrant her husband and
manager. William A. Brady, in continu-
ing her in the piece. Mr.. Brady, how
ever, has faith in Miss Georges abilities,
and announces that he has secured three
new plays for her use for next season,
and it is to be hoped that one Of the trio
may prove worthy of her undeniable tai
ents. Gertrude Coghlan. who endeavored
to remain at the head of her own com
pany in dramatiZation of Vanity Fair
experienced a season Of legal and finan-
cial difficulties and her tour was brought
to an end about the middle of the season,
while John Kellard, an excellent actor.
had similar experience In a piece en-
titled THE Cipher Code" which was
played throughout the New England
States and then laid on the shelf al
declared at the time. Marie Burroughs
starring venture came to a termination
in this city; Her. play. stage version
of Gilbert Parker's THE Battle of the
Strong, was unsuited to her style of
work and personality, and, too the pub
lie had evidenced a waning interest in !
dramatiZed books by the time Miss Bur-
roughs' effort was launched. Maclyn Ar
buckle, an actor Of considerable merit |
first tried THE Sprightly Romance of
Marsac IN Washington, and almost i'm
M ur .alN IL
critical blight sent it TO an early grave, |
the assertion of Mr.. Ar |
buckles nagement that the close of the |
engagement was only due to the fact that |
suitable time could not be secured in other |
theatres, and that the piece |
would be again taken out in few weeks. /
That was some months ago, and Marsac |
still rests. CreSton Clarke known locally |
as a very good exponent Of classic roles, /
became ambitious during the early part /
Of the season and secured THE Only !
way; which he presented throughout the |
South with anything but successful re- |
suits. Tim Murphy, a local actor, also |
tried his hand at appearing In part made |
familiar by another actor, and in "A |
Romance" made an Indifferent |
and is determined to try only /
original roles in the future
one Of the surprises of the season has
been the very decided success of Mary
in a very bad drama ization of /
hat widely-read novel, Janice Meredith /
Miss Mannering's local appearance was |
but repetition of the phenomenal bust /
ness done In other cities, and her New
York engagement was one of the most I
prosperous OF any of the prominent stars
Henrietta Crosman. after several seasons
In stock work in Pittsburg, Denver and /
several other cities, secured a play by |
George Hazleton based on the life of Nell /
iwyn and entitled Mistress Nell 1t was
first presented in some of the smaller
towns in Pennsylvania and made a great
success. but il remained for New York to
pass final judgment upon the play, and /
he press OF the metropolis was for once
unanimous in declaring both actress and /
play the great success of the season. Miss
'rosman's management unfortunately for
local playgoers. had business misundcr-
with the theatrical syndicate
and on this account she was compelled to
Keep Mrs. f1Ske company in the theatres
hat are not under the control of the syn
iicitc, and as Washington has no theatre
hat plays combinations antagonistic to
he klaw-Er langer-Frohman ct al. com
Dine. Miss Crosman and Mistress NeIl' |
were kept out of the Capital City
After Blanche Bates six weeks with the
Lafayette Square Stock Company, during
when tune she made a host of additional
local friends by her superb work, this
most capable actress went to New York
md early in January was presented un-
ier the management of David Belasco and
Charles Frohman in a dramatic version
# Ouida's Under Two Flags in which
mas been one of the best paying stars In
Gotham. As soon as Louis Nethersole
he brother and manager of Olga Neither
sole. ascertained that his sister would be |
unable TO continue In Clyde Fitchs
Sapho" he looked about for another
Fanny lie Grand and decided that Sadie
Martinez would about I'LL the artistic re-
luirements, and her recent success in "a