Evening star., 1901-11-23

next Monday afternoon. Negotiations
have been completed by which Whit
man Osgood, who has been the local man
ager of the Academy, will resume his con-
tiser-in-chief. C. S. Feltis will remain as
press agent. The Academy has had a
week of the legitimate drama, with Thorn
as +. Shea as the star. MIR. Shea's new
play, The Pledge of Honor" is a dram
atization of Hugh Conway's novel Called
Back famous years ago 1t is a valu-
able addition to Mr.. Shea's repertoire.
Robert Mantell starred in a stage version
were made Mr. Shea purchased all of
these and selected the best points of each
for The Pledge of Honor
The Bijou exploited "Dagmar," the most
stunning woman in vaudeville, with dis
tinct success. Kernan's had a visiting olio
aggregation with athletic trimmings that
claimed approval. Mr.. Wegctarth the
proprietor of the Bijou, has taken UP his
permanent residence in Washington
The many Washington playgoers who re-
member so distinctly the dainty figure. the
graceful dancing and the altogether clever
work of Minnie Ashley in San Toy" last
winter received a distinct shock this week
al .'FlOrodora'' to see a little girl trip on
the stage in the second act who was to all
intents and purposes this same dainty Miss
Ashley. She was attired in the familiar
and fetching gray accordion-plaited dress
which was worn by Rhoda when she ran
the ever-popular pagoda. The hair was
dressed in the becoming fashion affected
by Miss Ashley, and was bound above the
curls Greek-liile with pink ribbon.
People thought it strange that Minnie
Ashley should be member of the "Floro-
IL
nounced in advance, and also considered it
decidedly touching that she should not be
given Il new costume. even though that
worn in San Toy" was all that could be
desired. The impression created at initial
glance was decidedly that of Miss Ashley,
but when the '.Florodora maiden in ques-
ton advanced further to the footlights the
illusion was somewhat dispelled. The IA
cial likeness, while suggestive, was not as
thoroughly striking as the costume which
was first noticeable. The young lady who
so cleverly arranged herself after the fash
ion of Dudley, the lady's maid, in San
Toy is Frances Tyson. who in ''Floro-
dora has the part of Nalleda. maid to
Lady Holyrood. During the performance
she dances gracefully and sings with a
sweet little voice of the doings in servants
hall, duet with Lloyd F. Hoey.
The management of the enterprise does
not deny that the most careful attention
given 10 any feature OIL flOrOuOTd is De-
slowed upon the bevy of six pretty girls
and their particular friends in gray frock
coats. The handsomest girls in the large
chorus We're selected for the sextet, while
the same may be said to be true of the
men. although the latter receive little con-
sideration on the part of the public, the
girls being the feast for all eyes.
The pronounced precision with which the
members of the seXtet assumed their places
across the front of the stage was very
generally commented upon. The same dis
tance separated each girl, and they Occu-
pied the stage front al exact intervals. This
looked very pretty from the front of the
house. and seemed to evidence hours of
careful training. To the initiated. however
there was something of a disillusion. for
a large white star marked in chalk back
of the footlight troughs indca ted just
where each member of the SeXtet should
stand at given times, and there was no
chance for a mistake. In travelling the
company naturally finds in the various
theaters stages of different widths, and the
manager behind the scenes always surveys
the front and marks the stars just where
they should be before the first performance
is given. The device adds materially to the
effectiveness of the business in the sex
tet.
At the outset of the season 1t looked as il
Washington We're to be sighted this year
the months go by IT becomes evident that
this city is to have it's customary quota of
first nights" One of the most important
will be the appearance of Mrs. Leslie Car
ter in Madame Du Barry" the new play
which David Belasco has written for her.
and in which she will appear under his
personal management. 1t is not forgotten
with what surprise and pleasure this city
first enjoyed her performance of ''Zaza,"
before she entered upon her triumphant
career in that play in New York city. "Du
Barry is described as being in tempera-
ment and environment utterly different
from her former role More than this plain
statement the managers are unwilling to
state al present, entire secrecy Is being
maintained throughout Mrs. Carter's re-
hearsals, now progressing at the Criterion
Theater in New York. OF course 1t will be
expected that the role Of "Du Barry will
offer the distinguished actress opportunity
for the widest display of her talents In
'Zaza' Mrs. Carter was equally skillfuI
IN scenes OF comedy and emotion, and 1t
may be assumed upon that, in creating
the role of the famous Madame Du Barry
David Belasco has sought to give her an
opportunity as great as that which con-
trlbuted so largely to her pervious triumph
The date of the first production in Wash
ington VIII be announced next week.
1t is only occasionally that a production
-
pearance in Washington at an early period
in its career is unlikely. This, however is
the case with the new Klaw and Erlanger
spectacle. The Sleeping Beauty and the
Beast now running at the Broadway
Theater in New York. The newspaper re-
viewers have been lavish with adiectiyes
in praising the magnificence of this extray-
aganza. The comedians are Harry Rulger
Joseph Cawthorne, Charles j. Ross Holm
Page and John Hyams. AS beauty show
1t Is also remarkable. In one of the scenes
the audience is taken to health resort
called 'The Hydro of Aix-and-Pains /"
where a chorus of multi-millionaires is in
troduced, the millionaires in this
case being made up with marvellous resem-
blance for Thomas c. Platt, j. Piernont
Morgan Andrew Carnegie, Russell Sage
Chief Devery, Marcus A. Hanna. ! d
Rockefeller. Rickard Croker, ETC. Nothing
that equals this production in scenic mag.
nitude has been offered since ben Hur.
The interest in Frank Perley's MANAGE.
rial career is especially strong in this cftvs
owing to the fact that this Is his hon,.
He had become so thoroughly identified with
the interests of a single organisation. the
Alice Nielsen company. that his yentur,.
into fields other than that Of managing a
prima donna was something of a denart,,,s.