Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-10

The theatrical season does not close with
an abrupt bang. The consciousness that
there is little new to be offered by the
| theater caterers is not thrust rudely upon
| the householder, who having banked his
| furnace fires or turned off the steam, longs
| for place Of public assemblage if only for
| a chance to get warm. 1t is ideal theater
| weather. and the Clarke Comedy Company
| at the Columbia may consider itself in rare
good luck. The National Theater opens its
| doors for a week with THE Messenger
Boy" one of the musical hits whose cos
| tunes, scenery and cast are so big that the
| consideration of mere plot and music dwin-
| dies into insignificance. The Lafayette
| Square patrons say farewell to some es-
| teemed friends tonight. The stock COM
| pany has become feature Of Washington
amusements and the change of policy for
| the theater makes it doubtful whether there
will be any similar institution in the city
next fall. The performance of Joan of
60 at the Academy of Music will mark
interesting episode in the history of
v ashington theatricals. The heroine of
this play has been made the subject of
many dramaS-but none of them had the
advantage of Sherwood and Denham's fire
scene.
X *x
Dorothy Drew, with the Weber-Fields
"Fiddle-dee-dee'' company, has gone
through the painful experience of kicking
her nose out of joint. At first thought it
seems as if such an elevation of the pedal
| extremities is impossible, but remembering
| that Miss Dorothy includes dancing in the
repertoire of smart things by which she
earns livelihood, the statement of the way
| she got her injury must be accepted with
| out reservation. 1t was just after she made
| her first appearance here in vaudeville,
and it was while doing the same turn out
| west that the misfortune befell her. 1t
| would take a commission of doctors to
| show how she did it, and as a matter of
| fact Dorothy cannot give very clear ac-
| count of it, except that she knows she did
| it. For a long time her nose presented
visible evidence of her kicking experiences.
| Miss Drew feared that she would have to
| submit to the operations of one of those
| featural surgeons whose specially is to
make wooden noses, stuff hollow cheeks,
| and otherwise graft beauty on some of
| natures most Unpromising sprouts. Miss
| Drew recovered in time without such
fate, and now is as lively and kickful as
! ever. She has an unlimited opportunity to
| break her nose again in 'F'iddle-dee-dee,
but it is to be hoped that the fates will
avert repetition of the calamity.
| The annual summer transformation of
| Chase's theater from warm, heavy winter
| garb into light and airy semi-tropical cos
| tune will take place between now and the
| 10Th instant, when the winter season passes
| into theatrical history and the summer pc
| Rod begins, lasting until just before the fall
| opens. This year the decorative design is
| that of an apple and peach orchard. This
| will be the effect presented to the audience
| as they enter the big n ain lobby and draw
| ing room leading to the main entrance. Ar
| tificial trees twelve feet high, with branches,
| leaves and blossoms. will line the way and
make one feel that he is walking knee deep
| In aisle DetWeeQ long rows of trees
| bursting with beauty. Grouped around I'M
der the boughs and branches will be lawn
and porch chairs of comfortable and invit-
ing proportions, green oak settees of dainty
construction, and grass, leather and rattan
furniture inviting every one to come and sit
and be cool Passing into the parlorS on
the first and second floors, the audience Will
| find themselves in what will seem to be
southern groves of palms and green things,
while the auditorium proper will be beauti-
fled by hanging baskets and trailing vines.
There will be fifty electric fans scattered
about the house and sending cooling drafts
to all parts of the auditorium that are not
sufficiently breeze-swept from the windows
and doorways that will be opened on three
sides of the theater. Ice cream will be
served free of cost
:. X
On the opening night of His Absent
Boy" one scene was the innocent occasion
of a mild excitement in a certain part of
the audience.
Wnen MIS-. fennle asks ner husband Tor
the address of his absent son. Pennie. con-
fused and embarrassed, gives her at random
the first address he finds in his note book.
that of mining association-No. 26 Cop
per street. Butte, Mont Now, it happens
that in reality the office of a western cop
per exchange is located at the exact number
and street of Butte, with which the play
wright provides Pennie, and. furthermore,
1t CHANGED that one of it's chief promoters
accompanied by his wife, witnessed the per-
formance Monday night. When Mr.. Clarke
Butte, Mont.-the western gentleman and
his wife gasped, looked at each other, then
at Mr.. Clarke and then gasped again. They
could not believe that the coincidence was
entirely accidental.
The gentleman and his wife happened to
be staying at Mr.. Clarke's hotel, the Ra-
Leigh and the next morning on leaving the
breakfast table the actor was met in the
lobby by a mutual friend, who introduced
the western man to Mr.. Clarke. A chat
followed, during which the coincidence of
the previous evening was related. Mr..
Clarke, while heartily enjoying the surprise
Of the copper mine owner. was obliged to
disclaim any intention of advertising the
firm.
y X
Frank WISE the well-known stage director
is not now in the active pursuit of his pro-
fesion, but on account of his friendship for
George W. Denham, formed in the old stock
days, he temporarily emerged from his re-
tirement to make the Sherwood and Dem
ham presentation of Joan of Arc" to be
seen at the Academy next week and is now
with the company.
II am what might be called a specialist in
Joan Of Arc" stage presentations" said
Mr.. Wise recently. .I was associated with
the production of that play made by Maude
Banks years ago. Then, If you will remem-
Der, Margaret Mather presented a drama
having Joan Of Arc as the heroine. staged
that, and was also concerned in the YER
sion used for a brief period by the late
Fanny Davenport.
But the fault with all those dramas was
that the final scene representing the death
Of the Maid of Orleans by burning at the
stake was impossible of Accomplishment. I
believe that the present play of Joan OF
Arc" with which am concerned has before
it a long life for the reason that Mr.. Sher-
urood,2 iuyeution xsaalras it--x,<,ssd,io