Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-08-03

season will be rung down at Chase TO-
night, and next week the amusement seek
ers will have to turn their attention sole
ly to the parks and the nearby outdoor
resorts The regular season Of 1Dl-l!W2'
however is not far away. and the brief
respite which will now be granted Will
have the effect of sharpening the appetite
for the great treats the coming theatrical
period will bring. Mr.. Chase closes his
house tonight after one of the most pros
porous weeks the theater has ever enjoyed.
The coC' weather which has prevailed, ana
the popularity of the members of his musl-
cal comedy stock company, have combined
to call out crowded houses nightly. Inc
standing room only" sign, which had been
put away for the summer, was again
placed in commission. The usual demon
strations which take place On the closing
night of the season of a stock company VIII
occur this evening undoubtedly. The mouse
has been practically sold out. 1t Is stated.
Mr. Bellows and his stock company are
making their usual big hit in Denver this
summer and will return TO Washington with
fresh laurels. The names which stand out
prominently In the reviews OF their pro-
auctions. however. are not the same as
those appearing so long in the programs
issued at the Lafayette here. Blanche
Walsh has been playing the leading roles
quite an ovation in Fedora. Her death
scene is described by the enthusiastic west
ern critics as one of the most beautiful
and touching stage pictures ever seen IN
Denver. The company also played Romeo
and Juliet. with Miss Walsh as Romeo ana
Maud Fealy as Juliet. John L. Sullivan
continues to win warm praise for his clever
character work.
Among the men. however, 1t seems that
the greatest amount Of communication IS
4 Pnh
the well-known Washington player, who
is now the leading man with the organi-
cation. Inc Dramatic Mirror correspondent
writes of him thus: Manly robust. nat
ural without aTectations mannerisms,
and with a pleasing and handsome stage
presence, and delightfully."- clear enuncta-
tior. he has found great favor as the COM
panys leading man.
Washington players and the favorites
with the Washington playgoers are hgur-
ing quite prominently In the theatrical COS
sip of the day. Edwin Arden. who was
leading man of the Lafayette Stock Com
pany under Mr.. Berger, and who was with
Maude Adams during the winter In l. Aig-
lon, has been engaged for the leading mas
culine part in Sadie Martinot's production
of The Marriage Game" under the d.
rection of Louis Nethersole. Theodore
Frebus. jr., of this city, who was likewise
with the Lafayette company throughout
the season. has also been engaged for
part in Miss Martinot's production The
play will be staged by William Seymour,
who directed several Of the Lafayette's
productions after the departure of Messrs
Bellows and Long.
Alice Johnson of this city, who mas been
on the Pacific coast with I. Daniel FrdW-
ley (knowu to Washington as Timo. has
come east and will be the leading actress
with the Donneliy stock company at the
Murray Hill Theater. New York. She had
an offer to star out west in musical come
DIV 1t is stated, but declined 1t.
Large signs bar the ways of entrance
into the Academy of Music. They do not
prevent, however. the hum Of saws, the
rap-rap-rap of hammers and the swish of
paint brushes from being heard outside.
All this mystery and secrecy about the
Academy is said to portend great big
surprise for the patrons of the theater
when it is thrown open for the season.
The opening date has not been definitely
decided, but it may be August 30. z.
d. Stair, who now has control of the play
house, is sparing no expense. it Is said. to
put the theater in prime condition and TO
make it more beautiful than 1t has ever
been at any time in its history. W. H. Rap
ley, from whom the theater was leased,
has been supervising the improvements
in a general way for Mr. Stair. Mr..
Rapley has also been very busy look
being made at his own theater, the
National. The National will be In the best
of condition when the season begins, and
viii uphold it's reputation of being one OF
the most comfor table places of amusement
In the country.
Summer improvements general all
along the line. The Columbia will be bright
and cozy when it's doors are flung open to
,tNar h.I
viii reveal many changes and improve
ments this fall, when the stock company
season begins. Kernan's and the Bijou are
receiving a liberal share of attention from
the decorators
Anent the closing Of Chase's Theater this
evening announcements fraught with un-
usual interest are made concerning the new
season at this house, which will be iaau-
gurated Monday. September 16 When the
theater opens on that date 1t will dave
been thoroughly renovated. 1T is stated, and
wherever an Improvement is found posi-
bic il will be made. Mr.. Chase also pI om-
ises there viii be additional accessories de-
signed TO please the patrons. The came
liberal management which has prevailed
at the house since Mr.. Chase took charge
will continue, with still more privileges
Afforded the playgoers.
Monday morning large force of carpen-
tiers and decorators will be put to work
on the interior of the theater One of the
chief improvements to be made will be
the conversion of what has heretofore
been termed the gallery into a second bal
cony, which Will be entered through the
main lobby and the auditorium, the same
as the first balcony. This second balcony
Will be upholstered, carpeted and decorated
and put on par in every respect with the
lower floor. All of the seats will be re-
served and couponed. The second balcony
will 5e roomy and will be given an air of
elegance throughout.
The coming season. so far attractions
are concerned. will be rariegated and in
teresting. 1t is promised. When the house
opens in September ii will be with a yaude-
vile bill of attractive novelties. A frequent
visitor during the season will be Mr..
Chase's own musical comedy stock COM
pany. which has made such a decided sue
cess during the midsummer period, closing
tonight. The company will be seen in no
less than ten new productions. Its visits
Will probably call out big audiences. for
Otis Harlan, Little Chip Mary Marble
and practically all of the other principals
will still be i'm the cast. They will inter-
sperse the vaudeville weeks
The weeks of December 16 and March "a
Will be given over to the Percy Haswell
Stock Company. which will come direct
from Mr.. Chases Baltimore theater where
IL will play through the winter season.
Miss Haswelfs appearances here will call
Tor great outpourng of her friends. She
Is regarded almost as Washington girl
nowadays.