The Washington times., 1901-08-04

what is. in many respects. one OF the
most remarkable seasons ever enjoyed by
a Washington playhouse. and certainly
the most successful ever known to a
theatre presenting the same type of en-
tertainmcnt that has occupied the Chase
stage Cor the past forty-eight weeks
The recent season of musical comedy
has been very profitable and has showed
that the audiences that have turned out
in such large numbers during the regular
season to witness the vaudeville p-o-
grammes will patrJnize such excellent
performances Of farce comedy as have
been provided by Otis Harlan and his
merry associates. II is promised that the
same orGanization-as regards the chief
members. anyway-will occupy the Grand
stage for considerable period during the
coming season. This will doubtless be a
good business move on the part of Mr.
Chase, particularly as there does not seem
TO be 4 superabundance of vaudeville nov
elites in sight for the next year. 1t is
also announced that instead of two weeks.
as originally anticipated, the Percy Has
well Stock Company. which will be To-
Gated during the fall and winter at Man
ager Chase's Baltimore Theatre. the Ly-
ceum, viii come over to the Capital for
spring season. thus entering into di-
rect opposition TO thc Lafayette stock
company of which Miss Haswel was
such a popular mCmbcr during the past
season. Then, with the appearances OF
Miss Crosman and Mrs. Ffske on the
Grand stage. together with the other the
atrical organizations that are without the
pale of the syndicate, Mr.. Chase VIII be
enabled to offer his patrons quite va
riety in the matter Of amusements. 1t Is
needless to say that during the coming
season he viii present all the important
novelties that Will be available in vaude-
vile. and there viii be, in addition,
return of those artists who during the
past three seasons have proved to De
popular with local audiences
The Grand will be among the first of
the Washington playhouses to throw open
its doors for the season of I90l-o2, and
early in September Will be found cater
ing to large clientele. By the middle
of September all of the local houses, with
the exception OF the Lafayette, viii be
open. As usual. the burlesque theatres,
Kernan's and the Bijou, will be the first
in the field. and these will be quickly fol-
lowed by the Academy OF Music, which
is at present undergo. g so many repairs
that it is doubtful if its former patrons
will recognize in the rejGvenated popular
theatre the playhouse in which vaudeville
was tried for a brief period under the
regime of the brothers Hashim. The
Academy Will be, when completed, one OF
the best appointed houses in the country
devote to the cheaper form of the drama.
Manager Stair writes that the list of at
fractions win be much superior to that
of last year. 1t should be recalled that
when the present management undertook
the direction of the Academy the season
was well under way. and the Stair policy
was condemned by many persons suppos-
edIy wise in theatrical affairs. But
vigorous management, together with
good class of shows, speedily brought the
Washington house well up among the best
paying of the Stair chain of theatres,
some thirty-eight or so in number.
Kernan's will offer burlesque in its most
popular form durfng-the middle OF this
month. and Manager Herman makes many
promises for the class of attractions that
will be seen during the year on the Ly-
ceum stage. He candidly admits that last
season saw the burlesque business in
about its worst form. but AYERS with many
evidences of sincerity that the burlesque
syndicate otherwise known as the En-
pire circuit. will have tendency to bet
ter the class of travelling burlesque or
ganizations Washington promises to be
the scene of spirited burlesque conflict.
as the Bijou is not a party to the Empire
agreement and is consequently minus the
advantages. supposedly or real, that are
claimed by the managers whose theatres
are included in the circuit
Manager Wegefarth, Of the Bijou, at
the cId,e of last season stated that he
- Ha faazt
of the travelling burIesque organizations
and then place stock company of con-
siderable merit and numerical strength
in his house. The old Bijou Stock
Company, which was under the direc-
oon of Johu Grieves. while not a par
ticularly meritorious one. proved to be
"A great success so far as the hnan-
cial side of the plan was concerned, and
Mr. Wegefarth argues that if his pre-
decessor in the control of the Bijou was
able to make money with inferior or
ganization, with such good lot of come
tlians and chorus people as he intends to
secure for his Washington theatre, there
should be no doubt to the result this
season. One of the attractions that will
be seen at the Bijou as soon as the Pan
American Exposition is a thing of the
past is THE Devils Daughter" which
was presented for the first time on the
stage Of the Bijcu last spring, with so
much success. and which has since proved
to be one of the few really profitable
theatrical ventures that are offered to the
visitors to the Buffalo Exposition. The
Weber a Fields organization that was
expected to be the strongest opposition
that The Devils Daughter would ex-
terience at the Lafayette. Manager her-
pan's new Buffalo house. did not appeal
TO the people Of the Bison City in large
enough numbers to warrant its retention,
and the theatre was closed and the show
moved to another house. where it has
since been presented in connection with
q vaudeville entertainment