The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-08-26

ScrantOn'S new vaudeville mouse, tHe
Dixie theater, was opened last nlght'
and the opening was auspicious IN
every respect. The size and character
of the audience, and the excellence OF
the performance augured well for both
the management and the amusement-
loving public. Mr.. Dixie evidenced that
he knows what Scranton has been
wanting, and the audience gave every
indication that it appreciated his sue
cessful endeavur to fill that want. 1t
is a surety that the new venture Is a
90.
Exclamations of surprise and delight
were heard from those who had their
first glimpse of the handsome interior.
The transformation that the dingy old
armory underwent was unanimously
voted to be something marvellous.
Everyone expected to see something
pretty. Few, if any, there were who
did not have their expectations more
than realized.
One of the most representative au-
dences that could possibly be assem-
bed at a Scranton theater at this sea-
son of the year was in attendance.
That it was also a most thoroughly
pleased audience was attested by en-
tlusiastic applause accorded the diff
ferent numbers, and particularly the
yeritable ovation rendered Mr.. Dixie
when he appeared during an intermis-
sion to speak his gratitude for the
patronage of the opening night, and
tell something of his plans for conduct
ing the theater.
The house, he said, is to be home
of clean, high-class vaudeville only. No
act will be presented that even bor-
ders on the suggestive, and none but
the best that the vaudeville world has
to offer will be booked. His statement
that the acts, above all things, must
be clean, was greeted with a burst of
applause which betokened most elo-
uuently that that was what Scranton
wanted,
The opening night performance, While
really excellent, was not the best by
any means that the house proposes to
give. Many of the "top-liners' of the
vaudeville stage have not, as yet,
gotten back into harness after the sum-
mer vacation, and the most of those
who have gotten back are engaged in
the metropolitan houses that have had
early openings. Later in the season the
DeSC OF THESE Will Coile liiis "oS'
The performers last night were Miss
BERTHE Fowler, monologuist and mimic;
Sisson and Wallace, sketch artists;
Snyder and Buckley, musicians and
comedians; Grant and Grant. colored
song and dance artists; McNamee, clay
modeler; Patterson brothers, horizontal
bar experts, and Charles Grapewin's
trio.
;rr iS q
here, has number of good new stories
and limitations. Sisson and Wallace in
troduced a novelty that made a big hit.
The man sings a descriptive comic
song, while the woman. hiding behind
his back and projecting her arms
underneath his, makes the appropri-
ate gestures. The laughter provoked by
the comic illusion almost continuously
browns the words of the song. Snyder
and Buckley succeed in doing a posi-
lively new line of comedy accompani-
ment to musical act, and they do it
we'll. The others are all Just a bit
better than what has been wont to
come this wav.
The same show will continue for the
whole week. The matinees begin at $50
and the evening performances at S.15
A nursery in which children can romp
around, under the care of a nurse. dur
ing the matinee. is one of the special
features Of the house.
Opening of Academy of Music.
The Academy of Music opened it's
doors for the season last night with an
audience that tested the capacity of the
house in every part. During the sum-
mer the theatre has been renovated and
frightened, and presented a very at
tractive appearance last night. One Of
the notable features of the house is the
new fire wall to which reference is
made in another column, and which
makes it well-nigh impossible for fire
to get from the stage into the audi
torium.
The popularity of the Academy is
demonstrated by the fact that before 4
o'clock yesterday afternoon dozen or