The times., 1901-04-21

but which on account of their popularity
have pot been seen tpntside OF the me
which Amelia Bingham appears at the
head of her own company, and Lover
Lane" which William A. Brady has pre-
sented at his Manhattan Theatre with
Climbers and "LoversssLane" are from
the pen of Clyde Fitch who this season
has turned out more Profitable dramatc
material than any other native writer Ior
the stage In Philadelphia last week MIR
Brady produced for the first time n play
based on the life of Betsy Ross, famed
as the maker of the first American nag
In the titular role is seen Phoebe DAVIS,
recalled for her admirable Interpretation
of Anna Moore the heroine IN w ay
Down East Reports from the early per
formances of Betsy Ross" are to the
effect that il is what is termed IN theat-
rical parlance as a winner" Mr.. Brady
has also given New Workers an important
revival of Uncle Toms Cabin, which
has been eminently successful.
IN the Frohman group OF stars are IN IN
ciuded Maude Adams, Annie Russell, VIII
liam Gillette, John Drew, Mrs Carter,
Ethel Barrymore, Edna May, w, n.
Marlowe. Miss Adams most important
work was seen this season in L Alglon,
in which she appeared to better adVan-
tage than in any of the plays IN Wh1ch
she has yet been starred. Mrs. Carter
popularity in ''Zaza" has been sufficient
to carry the Belasco adaptation success
fully through third year, and 1t Is with
the greatest reluctance this remarkable
actress rclinqusheS the role in favor OF
her new part, 'DuBarry," which she Will
show next season. For the first time in
his career as a Frohman star, John Drew
is Teputed to have lost money. Last year
IL became evident that his manager would
have to get some offering that would re-
juvenate this brilliant actor-eSSentially
a light comedian, however it should be
remembered-and a dramatization of that
wonderfully stirring tale Richard car
Yel.'' was secured. At first prosperity
seemed to follow Mr.. Drew, but toward
the end of his metropolitan engagement
haif-flled houses were the rule and not
the exception. His local enga cement last
week was anything but a great financial
success, while artisticaliy it was much in
the nature of a failure. Annie Russell.
fitted to T in "A Royal Family ran
well throughout the year at the Lyceum,
New York, and she achieved a distinct
triumph in every city visited. William
Gillette retained his Sherlock Holmes
for this year and has been eminently
successful so far as money returns are
concerned, while there are a great many
intelligent persons who confess to liking
the play, meiodrama of the most lurid
type. And now comes the announcement
that next year Mr.. Gillette will be seen
in Hamlet
During the year Mr.. Frohman launched
as star Ethel Barrymore, whose prin-
c1pal claims to stellar honorS were the
facts that she is the neice of John Drew,
in whose company she formerly appeared,
and that she is a very extensively engag
ed-to-be-marred young lady. if the news
paper announcements are to be believed.
Miss Barrymore was fitted with play
from the Clyde Fitch factory. entitled
Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines,
and she has been received very faVorably
in New York. Mr. Frohman has also pre-
sented dramatiZed version of the Mary
Johnston story ITO Have and to Hold,
with not much success, however. and after
a few weeks at the Knickerbocker Thea
tre New York. 1t was sent on tour.
Self and Lady proved to be so bad that
Mr.. Frohman was compelled to take it off
after a three weeks trial. The Little
Napoleon of managers" has also been
guilty of presenting several farces Of
French extraction. but they have failed
to draw, and consequently have been
shortlived. The experience of this season
should be sufficient evidence TO the man
agerial mind that the American public is
heartily sick of the French farceS in which
marital iniidelity usually forms the chief
theme. Mr. Frohman ventured once more
into the field of musical comedy after
half-dozen of unsuccessfu full ventures, and
in "The Girl From Up There, of which
a Washington audience had the first view,
presented Miss Edna May, surrounded by
company Of exceptional strength, so far
affairs that has ever been given on any
stage. 1t was kept gong at the Herald
Square Theatre, New York. for several
months at a loss principally for the bene
London engagement which is Just about TO
commence.
The firm of Liebler & Co closely ap-
proaches Charles Frohman in the mat
ter OF Importance as stage producers. At
the head of the Liebler list of stars is
Viola Allen, who was this season fur
nished with a stage version of Marion
Crawford's novel, In the Palace of the
King which she used with much success
on the road, and later i'm New York where
she has made one of the real hits of the
In To- I, 40.
Harbor," the Lieblers have another
winner, while James ONeii, in his
perennial production of Monte Girls
to-" presented this year on a more
considerable money to the Golfers of
his managers. Henry Z. Dixey was
tried as star in version Of DR.. Mitch
ellis story THE Adventures of Fran
after an engagement of two weeks in
Philadelphia the play was withdrawn and
DiXey returned to vaudeville. Mrs. Le-
Moyne, popular in Washington on account
of her splendid work in THE Greatest
Thing in the World" was again seen in
this excellent play during the year, and
has been greeted wherever she has ap-
peared outside OF New York by large
gatherings. 'Unleavened Bread" which
closed its season in this city few weeks
ago, was a product Of the LiebiCrs and
was one of the most artistic performances
OF recent years. The company was an ex-
ceptionally able one, while the dramatiza-
tion of Judge Grants book was a note
worthy specimen of transferring a story
from between covers to the footlights
But the performance was evidently too
good for the populace and as a box office
attraction II was decided failure not
withstanding the fact that all who wit
messed the play went into raptures over
II, and the work of the presenting or
ganization. The Lieblers make the impor-
tant announcement that this spring they
will present Otis Skinner Mrs. LeMoyne,
and Miss Eleanor Robson famous fc, har
excellent work as Bonita in Arizona
here last year, and her this seasons FloS-
sic Williams in "UnleaVened Bread" in
Browning's In a Balcony" Lost
River" was also staged by the Iiebler
and while successful as a pop
ular-priced attraction, it did not appeal
to the patrons of the syndicate houses
and il was taken off the boards after an
existence of a few months
To judge by the record of this year
comic opera seems to be in bad way for
such prominent attractions as the Bos-
tOnlanS and Frank Daniels have gone
through the season with old pieces, while
Francis Wilson had to resort to an opera
that ne had had in his possession for four
or five years and which was passed over
in favor of Half a King" 'Cyrano de
Bergerac," and Tho Little CORPORAL -
Anna Held too used "Papa's Wife" for
a second year, while grand opera in Eng
lish was given a fair trial and proved un-
popular.
New stars such as Lulu GIaser and Je-
rome Sykes appeared in the comic opera
armament, and while Miss CHASER lasted
a few months, MI SkyeS In the De KOven-
Smith Foxy Quiller' has proceeded tri-
umphantly on his way, making money
and much fame. Jefferson De Angels has
had an indifferent sort of a success in "A
Royal Rogue The Rose of Persia
with an English company. the recollection
of which gives one the shudders. even at
this late day, withered and fell bv the
wayside in this city last fall, although
10 NVI