The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-01-24

The business TO which the way Down
East" company has played during the
week al the Providence Opera House has
been something unparalleled in the his
tory Of that theatre. Last evening to
meet the extraordinary demand for seats
! surplus space had 10 be pressed into SER
vice and the orchestra located Temporal
| rily underneath the stage. Surely Col
! Wendelschsefer OF the theatre and Man
sger Brady OF the company have cause
! for congrs tulation and they admit the
| fact that Providence audiences are not
only critics but also appreciative.
Aside from Tho leading lady. Phoebe
/ Davies there is probably no more inter-
esting and entertaining character in the
| company than that Of III Holler. imper-
sonated by Felix Haney. His acting Is
clean cut. his humor mirth provoking and
his rendering OF the role so fluent and
natural as 10 make the duality OF chore
boy and comedian identical and insepara-
BILE
Felix Haney is Rhode islander by ed
ucation. ifnot by birth. ~ attended La
Sale Academy a quarter century ago and
was always the life OF his class. His par
ents. who died recently, were residents OF
| Hyde Park. Mass. at the time hut while
| here he resided with his foster father, r.
/ OF upper Westminster street After lesV-
/ ing La Sale Academy he placed himself
| under a private tutor Prof. Ward. un-
| der whom he studied for nearly year
| and prepared for Brown University. He
passed the entrance eXsmina ton in June
| but did not return snd join his class i'm
| September instead he took course in
| music al the New England conservatory
/ in Boston.
! juvenile penchant for rowing. how
! ever, also had part in his composition.
/ and. shortly after he became an sppreu-
| tice OH Admiral Bunce's nagshIp Trenton.
| the executive officer of which was the
late Capt Gridley, who won fame at Ma
| nila
! Mr.. Haney remained on the Trenton un-
| I'll April, 1881, when he was discharged
| with two months pay, An honorable rec
| ord and memories OF Italian South Am
ercsn and West Indian ports. None OF
| these things promised. to provide proyen-
| der and future occupation had 10 be con-
| sidered immediately
| About that time Rice and Collier were
/ To produce "lolanthc, and Mr. Hsney
| was engaged 20 act as train-besrer for
! Henry r.. DiXey, making his frst profess
| sional appearance IN this capacity.
| 4 year later he Joined the Atkinson
! Comedy company and created the part
| of the policeman in performance OF
| 'i'ecks Bad Boy" which introduced
| Frank Daniels as the boy, and Jennie
| Yeamans as the chum.
return to the held OF light opera fol
| tycoon sfording the desired opportu-
| nifty.
sslsbury's "Troubadours" brought the
| entertainer forward 10 a position of rsom-
| inence, for he scored heavily In The
4 Hummng Bro The Brook. Three Of
| Kind" aud Green Room Fun" the four
! pieces which constituted the repertoire OF
J the organization.
| Afterwarri. when Green Room Fun"
was rewritten aud presented under the
lsugh-provoker shifted to female imper-
! sonation, making genuine hit In the
! part of Mrs. Banker Worth.
| A period with the TNoli company. San
! Francisco. a long engagement at the Or
| pheum. and tour of the Pacific coast led
| up 10 a contract with combination
| which was playing i'm Honolulu when
! King Kalikauss body was brought on the
! Charleston.
/ Returning TO this country. Mr. Haney
| Joined W. A Brsdy's The Bottom or the
! sea" and having spent season in SUP
! port Of Mr.. and Mrs. Russ Nhytsl and
Of w II Power he rs-enlistsd & with ne he
| Humanity" and In Under the Polar
! star" hut never gave him a real chance
until the occasion of the premiere Of
| There can bp no question that tho char
| acteriZation. or caricsture, of III lloller Is
among the most amusing ever seen N
| Providence Mr. lianey has made the
! role entirely his own. and has so merged
| II with his personality that crlticlsing
the two apart almost Is impossbl
| lie has two sisters residing IN Hyde
| Park. aud next season he VIII SUR Tor
| himself. starting ont from New York nn-
der strong financial and clever theaulcal
| management lie will appear in com
edy drama descriptive OF rural life and
| while the play has been already agreed
upou IL has not Yet been named. How
| ever. " r. safe 10 predict that his imper-
sonation of the leading character o. title
| role whichever n may be-. Will be equally
| entertaining to city folk and bucohc
| brethren.
n IA with sincere feelings ~ regret that
he sewers relations with Manager William
A Rradv. with whom he has been asso-
I ciated on the most friendly terms for n
dozen years past, but the liberal minded
| manager will. no doubt wish Mr llaneN,
the natural born comedian. continued sue
cess I'm his chosen profession.