The Washington times., 1901-09-01
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until September 23 when the new Klav
q Erlanger musical comedy, The Liber
ty Relies" will be the bill. Following
this will come Frank Daniels in his new
piece. Miss Simplicity" and The Bur.
gomaster." after its recent successful en-
gagement of three months in Boston. FL
sic De Wolfe will be launched as a stal
at the Columbia October II in new
play by CLYDE Fitch 1t will thus be seer
that Washington theatregoers will be
offered a better class of theatrical enter.
tainments during the early part of the
season than they have had for some
years.
Manager Chase will open his theatre or
the same night that the National season
commences, and on the same day the
BiJou will enter the field as a factor in
the CaDitaIs amusement enterprises
! Manager Chase will first present a vau-
deVille bill, after which his musical com.
edy company, seen at the Grand during
the summer. will occupy the stage for
several weeks. Then there will be more
vaudeville. with all the big features that
this field offers. During the season Mrs.
| Fiske and Henrietta Crosman will play
at Chase's. and in addition the Percy
| HaSwen stock company will come over
| from Baltimore for few weeks.
The Lafayette Square stock company is
| scheduied to commence its local season
| September go Nothing definite concern
| ing the plans of Managers Bellew and
| Long is known. Their announcements will
| probably not be made until these gentle
men come on from Denver, where they
| nave been conducting summer entertain
ments with considerable success ever
since they left Washington last spring.
Elgie Bowen. the nineteen-year-old
singer who was the prima donna of the
musical comedy company that was at the
Columbia for three weeks during the
spring, has been selected to head the
San Toy" company this season.
Last year al this time Miss Bowen oc-
cupied rather unimportant position on
one of the Hashim bills of vaudeville at
the Academy of Music this city and a
few weeks later was assigned to a small
TO the Moon" one of the prettiest airs in
the Japanese piece, so well that she at
tracted good deal of attention, and she
now finds herself the youngest prima
donna of an important organization in
this country.
, William Favershams debut as star
occurred in New York on Monday night
last. and while the actor scored a per-
sonal success. the newspaper reports of
the performance were anything but
laudatory. The play Manager Frohman
chose for Mr.. Faversham's use. "A Royal
Rival" Is the work of Gerald Du
Maurier, son Of the author of '"Trilby."
He has refrained from adding anything
of worth to the old-time story of Don
Caesar de Bazan, and while his writing
is naturally fluent and correct, he has
failed to provide material that will bring
him any fame. Mr.. Favershams s friends
were out in force on the opening night.
and as he is one Of the most popular of
the younger actors he was given a rous-
ing reception.
1t will be interesting to watch the re-
suit of the performance at Wallack's
Theatre tomorrow night of Don Caesars
Return which will serve to introduce
James X Hackett as independent
actor-manager. Mr.. Hackett's play is by
Victor Mapes. a former metropolitan
critic and later stage manager at Days
Theatre.
Unlike most stars. Mr. Hackett is not
content to shine alone. but has surround
of prominent players, many of whom
have heretofore appeared at the head of
their own companies. Wilton Lackaye.
Theodore Roberts. w. ]. LeMoyne, and
would add strength to any theatrical
gauization. Mr.. Hacketts leading lady is
Florence Kahn, famous for her Ibsen
impersonations, and Maude Roosevelt,
Virginia Buchanan, and Charlotte Walk
er are prominent in the large feminine
contingent of the company.
The production has been in preparation
for several months past. and is said to
be one of the most picturesque and his
toricalIy accurate ever made in this coun-
try. Every costume, scene, and property
has been carefully reproduced from
paintings, tapestries. and models in the
museums, and it is Mr.. Hacketts purpose
to make not only the characters, bur the
very atmosphere, of the days of King
Carlos of Spain live again on the stage.
Don Caesar is one of the most charm
ing characters OF the whole romantic
drama, and in Mr.. Mapes' new version,
which WAS made especially to fit Mr..
Hacketr. shine
even brighter than in The Prisoner
Of Zenda, Rupert of Hentzau," and
THE Pride of JenIico."
The management of "Florodora" is
experiencing trouble in securing players
for the chief comic role in the companies
that are to be sent through the country.
acter-that Of a fakir, phrenologist, and
all-around mountebank-was brought to
this country for the New York City run,
but did not give satisfaction-at least not
at the salary he was receiving. 1t is said
he was paid 500 per week during his
gagement. w. J. Ferguson, one of our
best actors of farce. succeeded Edouin
without creating greater laughter than
had the imported mime. Ferguson in
turn. was followed by one of the minor
members of the company, James ]. Kier-
nan, who gave as much satisfaction. at
least, as either of the well-known play
ers. Sam Bernard and Henry L. Dixey
were among the players who had been
considered for the role after Edouin
In this connection IL is remembered that
Francis Wilson held an option on Flor
odora for several months. and rein-
quished II in the belief that the piece
would fail in this country. For a month
after its production in New York the in
dications were that Wilson was a
prophet; but it has proved the most sue
cessful entertainment Of its kind seen in
New York in recent years.
Early in September Mrs. Fiske's new
playhouse in New York, the Manhattan,
will be opened with Mrs. Fiske and com
pany in a dramatization of Miranda of
the Balcony" While the play is sure to
excite some interest, especially among
those who have read the book from which
it Is made. the chief interest will be in
the actress experiment. to which she has
been driven by the determination of the
syndicate to keep her out of New York
city altogether. II she succeeds il may
be that theatregoers will have much TO
thank the syndicate for. for Mrs Fiske
proposes to establish many reforms She
Is so much OF an artist that she proposes
that plays at her theatre shall have artiS-
tic merit and literary qualities-that is.
real plays shall have predominance over
the carnal farce comedies, the gaudy
meiodramas, and the problem plays of
doubtful propriety and less than doubt
full merit. that have ruled the New York
stage so long. She proposes. too that
instead of fortune spent on scenery
and costumes. and garlsh lights and
souvenirs. and other advertising matter
attention shall be paid to securing com
petent company, so that plays presented
at the Manhattan Theatre may stand on
their merits as presented by capable
actors.
Another reform that the Manhattan
Theatre management will take the lead
In Is a war on box office Speculators who
with the connivance of the treasurers OF