The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-20
Music and Drama
Coming Attractions for
Wichita Amusement Lovers

A teatricai event Of the highest interest
as well as one of the important engage
ments of the season viii De the coming
of Bronson Towards great drama Of the
late civil war, Shenandoah, TO the
Crawford tHeater Wednesday, January %.
Shenandoah is presented under the d.
rection Of Jacob Lit, who has made
most elaborate revival of the famous
play and presents it here with all the
spectacular magnihcence which signalled
its revival at the Broadway theater. New
York City, under the same management.
Shenandoah as now given, differs from
the original production in that It is now
a great military spectacle with small
army of men and horses engaged IN bat
tie All the din and pomp and horror Of
war is shown. Sheridan's ride and dash
across the state was not at first intro
duced by the realistic scenes Of battle
and retreat that have since been made 50
effective There was a faint suggestion
of battle in the wings but it remained
for this revival to fthngly develop those
spectacular effects that have since been
Of so much consequence. The improve
ment in what might be termed the me-
chanics Of the play recalls the theory ex-
pressed by Mr.. Howard some time ago
that the dramatist must be possessed not
of imagination and literary ability alone,
but of absolute mechanical taste. The
constructive talent must run, if his the
ory be correct, to the absolute point Of
mechanics. It is not enough that he
must develop the imaginative faculty,
but an absolute mechanical gift must be
his.
In the present revival of 'Shenan-
doah," which, by the way, eclipses all
previous presentations. the skill Of the
stage manager is brought into play He
handles a stage full of people in a way
that leaves upon the mind the impress Of
a great battle. The disorderly retreat Of
an army is shown; regiments fan back
desperately disputing every inch Of
ground. Men fall here and there. firing
as they fall. The wounded are conveyed
to the rear by Red Cross men. A bat
terry crashes past on the retreat, the
drivers overcome by panic, and lashing
their horses madly in an endeavor to get
out of harms way; a drummer boy,
wounded and bleeding, falls by the road
side, CALAMITY trying to rally his panic
stricken comrades. The whole scene
gradually develops into a rout when
from far off on the hillside a voice rings
out above the awful roar Of battle,
SHERIDAN is coming" In an instant all
is changed. The retreating men turn
about and face the other way, wounded
men raise their heads and their eyes
brighten as a tremendous cheer breaks
forth Sheridan dashes forward at a mad
gaIloD, followed by his staff, with their
sabres in the air. There is another ring
ing cheer which finds an echo in the au-
dience. as squadron after squadron Of
cavalry gallop across the stage; and with
new life every man faces forward to win
or TO die. It is a moving picture Of var
made so vivid, so realistic. so impressive
and SO true that the onlooker forgets he
is only watching a mimic representation.
It is here that the skill Of the stage
manager rises to the occasion and equals
the ability Of the author 1t IS such
scenes that have given Shenandoah"
new life. The company which is to pre-
sent the play is one of remarkable
strength. including some Of the best
known people in the theatrical profess
sion.