The Savannah morning news., 1901-10-09
WITH The FAIRIES
EVENING WAS SPENT AT THE
STATE FAIR GROUNDS.
ENCHANTMENT'S FIRST NIGHT,
FAIRY SPECTACLE OF THE JUyE-
NILES PRESENTED.

Crowd That Witnessed the Initial
Performance VariOusly Estimated
at From 700 to 1,20O-The Play
VIII BE Repeated Tonight and
Tomorrow Night-Experiences of
the First Night should Make Sub
seauent Productions SmOother-At-
tendance Was Not What Was Hop
ed for-PIay Is Given for Benefit of
the Fair Association.
"Enchantment," an an idyl of Fairy
land was presented for the benefit of
the Savannah Fair Association by sew
eral hundred children and older people
last night at the State Fair grounds,
and was witnessed by a crowd various
" estimated at from 200 to 1000. The
presentation was the first of three, the
two others to follow Immediately. the
first tonight and the second tomorrow
night.
1t is very probable that those who
see the play tonight and tomorrow
night will find it more successfully pre-
scented than last night Several ad-
verse circumstances detracted from the
initial performance, but there is no
reason why they should again be in
evidence.
The spectacle relies for much Of it's
attraction upon the scenic effects,
which were somewhat marred by the
delay of the electricians. They should
have had the wiring completed and
all the incandescent lights in place be-
fore the hour for the opening, but
they were working away upon the
lights up to the minute that the little
butterflies trooped upon the scene.
Even then they were not successful in
getting all the lights strung upon the
wires that radiated from a central
point to the rear of the stage to the
grandstand. in which the audience
was seated. When all the lights are
aglow, they win add greatly to the
ensemble. Besides affording greater
illumination and the consequent i'm
prov ement of the view from the grand
stand, they will highten the attraction
of the scene by their multi-colors.
Certain discords, uncertainties. hesi-
tations and lapseS of memory Will
doubtless not be noted at the perform
ances yet to come, and the piece will
be greatly improved by the resulting
smoothness. The ladies in charge will
be better able to suppress the enthu-
siastic babel of young voices in the
wings, which interfered with the car
rying power of those upon the stage.
Their experience of the first night will
show the ladies and others managing
the performances many ways whereby
fh0ca vet m cOrna NAV he inn proVad
The stage plan for the play is we'll
known to many. Briefly, it consists of
q background of green foliage, woven
into a wire frame. interviewer with
the foliage are many festoons of vari-
colored paper. The stage is about 100
feet wide, and is as deep as the race
track, of which that section immedi-
ately in front of the grandstand is real
ly the stage, being covered with crash,
with the setting of greenery and dec
orations all about. There is much mer-
1t and taste shown in the decorations,
and the following committee of ladies'
that saw to 1t is entitled to credi:
Mesdames Jacob Lippman. ]. S. Col
Inns, Brooks, Younglove, r. Belsinger
Dean, Benjamin Apple, Lilienthal
Ryan, Haines, b. Beasley and Cook.
Most of the spectators made their
way to the Fair grounds aboard the
street cars. The fare each way, in
Guiding transfers, was five cents. rate
that will prevail for the other perform
ances. The Plant System also ran two
special trains, as advertised, from its
depot, the fare each way being five
cents. The railroad did not do very
much business, however. using nothing
like the number of cars that were
thought might be needed. The street
railway company had plenty of cars in
waiting at the grounds for the return
trip, and ii handled the great majority
of the crowd.
Among so many participants in the
play, there could not, of course, be
very many leading characters. Those
who took the more important parts
acquitted themselves we'll. Miss Co
burn, as queen of the fairies, was
handsomely gowned. Miss Marguerite
Suits, as queen of the flowers wore
a very pretty costume, and solo
dance was executed by her with her
accustomed grace. Little Agnes Sim
mons played her part as queen of the
butterflies well, speaking her lines
clearly and with unusual expression
for one so young. Preston Everett was
clever in his part of Puck, and his
sister, Nellie. acquitted herself credi-
tably as Moth. the Miller. The follow
ing is the cast of the important chars
acters:
Carl Stults, Harry Baughn, Edgar
Battle Harrison and Lee Britton were
cupids.
Titania, Queen of the Fairies-Bessie
Coburn.
Floraline, Queen OF the Flowers
Marguerite Suits.
Airie. Queen of the Butterfiies-Agnes
Simmons.
Prince Oberon, the Royal Consort-.
John NJ. Black.
Puck, the Court Jester-Preston Ev-
erett.
Moth, the Miller-Nellie Everett
Elhne. Of Titania's Court-Hattie
Rossignol.
Tristan, Titania's Herald-Nils Dahl.
Lucian. Oberon's Standard Bearer
While Robinson.
silverwinR Goldhue. Titanla's Train
Bearers--RoEebu Robinson. May Ros-
eignol
Rupert Eyebright, sharpear, Light.