The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-07

w hCliINOION, bC NDhI. Al
far refused to announce. She impressed
local theatregoers an a very fair actress,
but with no claim TO such excellence. how
ever, as might warrant her assumption of
very clever manager, and in the present
day manager is of more consequence
than star In many cases.
Betsy Ross the new: piece in which
Phoebe Davis will DO the Important figure
will be presented forlthe first time in Phil
adelphia week from tomorrow night. 1t
is expected the play willrun through the
remainder of the season, and next year II
viii be produced at Hammersteins Repub-
lie Theatre, New York.
Bernhardt and Coquelin will appear at
the Metropolitan Opera House, New York,
this week. when they will charge 50 for
the best orchestra chairs. II Will be re-
called that when they played in Gotham
earlier in the season they demanded %
for seats, a policy which resulted in keep
ing the Garden Theatre only half hlled
during the engagement
When the Rernhardt company came TO
Washington 81 for orchestra seats was
charged, and the audiences We're what
might be termed small but enthusiastic
The trip to the Pacific Coast developed
care enough for Bernhardt and her dis
tinguished associate to pay such a price
for three hours entertainment. After the
81 schedule was maintained IN several
cities with disastrous box Office results
the management reduced the admission,
and thereafter much more interest was
manifested in the performances in the
different cities visited by the orSanlza-
ton.
1t is worthy of note that the most i'm
portant theatrical managers in the United
States, Klaw & Erlanger, realize the fu-
tility of demanding an exorbitant charge
for a theatrical performance. This hrm
viii manage the forthcoming tour OF n.
c. Goodwin in %The Merchant of Venice.
and notwithstanding the fact that the
company will be unusually expensive. that
the production will be most elaborate, and
that the briefness of the tour Will
necessitate an uncommonly large expense
for railroad fares, the price for the best
seats will be but two dollars.
The portrayal of the character OF shy
lock will mark the realization of the fond
est ambition of Mr. Goodwin. Nnen ne
was appearing in The Skating Rink and
Confusion some fourteen or nftesn
years ago, he professed liking for the
part and declared at that early day
that before he left the stage he would
be seen in the famous Shakespearean
character. Louis Mann. too. has for a
number of years been similarly attracted
by the splendid opportunities presented
by the part, and there is little doubt put
that before many years he will exhibit
his idea of how the money lender should
be played.
The Edna May company will sail for
England next week, and Londoners will
soon have an opportunity to pass upon the
merits or dement's of The Girl From
Up There" The company will be the
1a,. hot hoe
while the organization is far ahead of
any other collection of comedians and
chorus girls that an American manager
has ever sent abroad. Miss May has had
one big success and an equally large fail
ure in London, and her reception in the
Norton Kerker piece Will be watched with
more than ordinary interest in this coun-
try.
In place of Dan Daily. Harry Davenport
will play the principal comedy role IN
The Girl From Up There. and Joseph
Coyne will assume the part heretofore
played by Mr.. Davenport. The changes
are the result of Mr.. DaIys decided aver
sion to appearing in Lohdon. where he
made pronounced succeeds in THE Belle
of New York. 81
Nellie Burt. the diminutive and vivacious
soubrette, who made a very strong hit
at Chase's last week, ADMITS of having
played variety of roles during her stage
career. She even claims to have done
Eva in a strolling band of Uncle Tom
mers." but hastens to explain that as soon
as she was old enough to realize the
enormity of the offence she abandoned
the L. T c. type If performances and
went in for farceF comedy. where her
abundance of spirits and her vocal and +
pedal abilities won forsh,r quite an en-
viable reputation
My mother was and is still in the legiti-
mate branch of the business Miss Burt
confided to a Times interviewer at Chases
one night during the week. and she can
not understand how / can continue In
vaudeville. She is continually asking me
to appear in part in a society drama. a
melodrama, or some other sort Of play
I'm which ] would have to work much
harder and would not receive anything
like the salary the vaudeville mana gers
pay me. / have tried to get away from
the ordinary pickaninny act. and have
done so pretty well. think: at least. my
audiences appear to like my entertain
ment, and there seems TO be a demand for
myself and company from the better class
of vaudeville houses. / am going to Lon
don next summer, and am now under con-
tract to appear in one of the principal
pantOmimes in the fall ! shall play one
OF the boy parts, in which line have had
considerable experience. and while the