Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-07-19
The Mikado.

Custer people certainly enjoy comic
opera and there can be no doubling the
ability of local talent to produce any
comic opera that ever happened. Under
direction of Myrtis Chandler MacDon-
aid, assisted by Rilla Mae Willis, accom-
panist, the initial production of the Mi
kado was given in Custer opera house
Saturday evening. The opera was q
great success from every standpoint and
the largest crowd that ever gathered in
the opera house welcomed the Mikado
and his court. The chorus showed nat
ural ability and much careful training.
With the ease Of professional they sung
the catchy Gilbert and Sullivan music.
The three little maids looked and acted
their parts to perfection. 1t is doubtful
il three more attractive japanese ladies
ever toddled before the footlights to sing
'Three little maids from school are we'
than Miss Ethel Smith, Mrs. Willis and
Mrs. Fitch. The writer has attended
many performances Of the Mikado, pro-
fessional and amateur and never saw a
prettier Yum Yum than Miss Smith.
Her singing and acting was all that could
be desired. Katisha, the elderly lady
in search of man, was taken by Mrs.
Macdonald. Her makeup was clever
and her singing and acting superb. Of
the men in the cast the Ko Ko OF NJ. A.
Willis was excrusiatingly funny. Mr..
Willis is natural comedian and had he
chosen the stage instead Of dry goods his
name would easily rank with De Wolf
Hopper, Dan DAILY, Digby Bell and Frank
Daniels. His love making to Katisha
was very humorous and their duet and
dance was encored. Nanki Pooh, the
son Of the Mikado who is disguised as a
wandering minstrel, was taken by Chas.
Smith, who has an excellent voice. Mr.
Smith and Yum Yum were ideal lovers
and there was plenty of we'll merted APP
plause for Nanki and Yum. Their duo
work was especially good. John G..
Beck, as the Mikado, scored hit. His
makeup was quite Japlike. He sung his
songs with vim and his dialog helped
things along in great shape. Pish Tush
Clyde CottrelD was in evidence to help
his fellow Japs into trouble and out
again with a lyric tenor and several
songs. Heber Macdonald was Pooh
Bah, the man with ambition to hold all
the Offices in the kingdom at once
Chocolate, Ko Kos willing slave was
Reuel McFadden and he added his share
to the general merriment. The others
who helped make the opera success
we're: Louise Edelle Pitcher, Ruherta
Mariea Olds, Geneyieve NJ. Kane, Bessie
Wood, Maude Wright, Mile Louise
ldeideprien, Grace Darling McFadden,
Mrs. T. V. Garlock, Mrs. w. F. Wright,
Mrs. Grace f. Lewis, Mrs. G. w. Pitcher
and Ira Mountz McFadden.
The opera would have gone even better
thap it did had not heavy electric storm
opened about curtain time. The light
ming was 30 sharp that the ladies of the
chorus became decidedly nervous. Dur.
ing the early part of the first act the top
Of the piano was open and the lightning
played across the steel sounding board
but Miss Willis stuck heroicslly to the
piano, realizing her stopping might
cause q stampede. The success of the
production was due to the careful con
work of the entire cast, to the
Of Mrs. Macdonald and the ac-
of Miss Willis. The opera
ought to ioe repeated here for the storm
kept many away.