Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-27

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The authorities who control the bookings
of the hgher-priced attractions have
been pushing musical comedy to the front.
September S brought The Show Girl" a
musical comedy; September - brought MY
Antoinette" a musical comedy, and Sep
TENDER 90 THE Defender" and Liberty
Bellies" also musical comedies. Next week
will usher in Miss Simplicity and the
minstrels While melodious nonsense is de-
Iightful. it would be preferable to have this
style of entertainment distributed through
the season. and some of the offerings in
this line might easily have been dispensed
with.
THE Defender proved to be a bounteous
display of scenery and finery. THE Lib
erty Bellies repeated the good impression
it previously made and the other houses
proved that popular prices are appreciated
in these days when coal is S10 per ton
Eugene Blair demonstrated to large and
admiring audiences that the woes Which
the volatile Zaza has suffered from season
to season, however much they may have
Jared her sensibilties, have not caused a
physical decline. Miss Blair is a robust
e. though highly emotional Zaza- Mr.. Wal
lick brought to the Academy a troupe of
horses supported by actors. The perform
ance of 'Phroso" at Chases has awakened
all the curiosity that was promised. MI
Chase has been asked to referee a number
of wagers as to what 'Phroso' Is. Whether
he-she-or it's alive not. there is no
doubt about the wide awake vitality Of the
management Nothing is left undone TO
stimulate speculation. "Phroso' is brought
to the theater every night in closed car
riage and carried into the theater under
cover. There have always been almost as
many people waiting at the stage door to
see the exit as wait on popular prima
donna If ''Phorso" is a man, and the pre-
ponderance of suspicion seems to lie that
way. he is one of the clcverest men that
ever undertook the study of facial immo-
biIity He would be wonderful poker
payer
1t is no secret that My Antoinette" left
Washington a little disheveled and with
her hat a bit awry, but still hopeful. Just
after the show Saturday night brawny
stage hand was accosted by a piquant
blond member of the chorus, who said:
What road do we take?
The hustler of stage effects never turned
his head but replied: BY the Pennsyl-
vania, think
vicious retort-
The accent on the knew" was very pro-
nounced.
After the matinee performance one Sat-
urday afternoon during the run of Miss
Simplicity" at the New York Casino last
week the author of song had called to
play It over for Mr.. Daniels on the stage
piano. As soon as the comedian had de-
nudCd himself Of his makeup" Bios
SONS and donned his street clothes Mr.
Daniels repaired with the author to a cor
ner of the stage where, hidden in forest Of
scenery. the piano stood. 1t was very dark,
the one gas jet near the footllghts serving
only TO intensity the gloom, and all the
stage hands had gone to dinner. so there
was no way of getting more light.
Never mind" said the song writer, II
can play it just as we'll in the dark
So he and the comedian CROPPED their way
about and. by the aid OF a match or two
finally made out the outlines of the piano
They felt for the keyboard and Mr. Daniels
was about 10 raise the lid, when he jumped
back with a very intense exclamation.
We'll, III be hanged said he. There's
somebody asleep the piano." Another
match was struck. and sure enough. IL dis
closed A man stretched at full length across
the instrument. with his face buried in his
hands.
Now wouldn't that make you walk
home" exclaimed Daniels. Talk about
asleep at the switch, This is a clear case
OF asleep at the keyboard 1t beats the
band how some of these stage hands will
get drunk. But We must get him off Of
that"
The match had burned only for an IN
slant and Daniels reached out to shake the
sleeping man to mis- senses. One gentle
shake. and-the sleeper rolled off the PIANO
and tumhied to rhe floor with a crash!
Holy smoke and gasolne," cried the
comedian III bet he's killed. Here, some
body and rushing To the head Of the stairs
ne called the stage dOorkeeper. who came
hurriedly 10 the scene. The man went to
the property room and secured dark Ian
tern that happened to have some oil in If
Then he and Daniels kneIt over the pros
trate stage, hand, and rose again, looking
very sheepish.
IF you ever say word about This" whis
pered Daniels in a hoarse voice, I'm get
even with your And fetching the uncon-
scious figure on the floor a fierce kick he
STROBE across the stage.
The sleeping man" was the dummy .hat
is nightly catapulted across the stage from
the exploded automobile in the first act.
To the audiences who view the exciting
races and other g uine exhibitions connected
with Wallacks Bandit King" and Cattle
King which were presented this week at
the Academy. there is nothing to Indicate
the amount OF work entailed behind the
scenes-work which falls. III such shows
most heavily upon the crowd of over-labor-
ers. who are unhonored and unsung. but
without whom successful performance
would be impossible. The machinery car
rsed by this company requires the services
of fourteen trained men to secure Its sue
cessful operation. The great tread-miIls
upon which the horses run require nine men
MACE and start in opera flor,
Before the jockeys mount the horses are
placed upon the ball-bearing treads. On the
side away from the audience Is a stout iron
upright, TO which each horse is fastened by