The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-18
Music and Drama
Coming Attractions for
Wichita Amusement Lovers.
At the Crawford.
A NOTABLE CAST

At the Crawford.
A NOTABLE CAST
Every now and then some W ise profess
sionaI gentleman, usually clergyman or
editor, is out with cry regarding the
alleged decadenee OF the drama. It is
remarkable that these undoubtedly well
meaning persons present such easily re-
futed arguments upon this subject when,
/ in most instances, they are sound upon
I others. Careful analysis of dramatic lit
eIature must convince the fair and i'm
partial student with the fact that the
drama has not deteriorated either in its
/ purely literary aspect or as an institution
Of educational wortht. The average sue
I cessful play Of the present time, teaches
wholesome lesson. We reIer OF course
to the plays that live or are destined to
live the sort OF which Martha Morton's
Her Lord and Master which is under
lined for presentation at the Crawford
tonight. is one. This piece commands
respect and admiration for its whole
someness. while It at the same time,
serves wei the main purpose which carp
ing critics o fthe stage declare to be the
only aim of the drama-tnat it amuses.
II stirs the heart and affects the risabili-
ties at the same time for it is a story
with q lesson, while il also abOunds in
good humor. As presented by Miss Helen
Grantley. it is one OF the brightest theat-
ricals productions of the time and will be
found d treat by all who attend its pre-
sentation here. Inc company surrounding
Miss GRAVITY is such a notable one that
the coFnnTafe cast is given
Thurston, Viscount Canning ..........
.................... Mr.. Lionel Adams
Lord Nelson Stafford .............-....
-...........--.... Mr.. William Rowan
Mr. Fred Saltwater Mr.. n. T. Swayne
Glen Masters Mr.. Gilbert douglas
Jennings ............Mr William J. Shea
Lady Canning ....... Miss Edith Buckler
Grandma" Chazy Bunker ............
................... Miss Anna Barclay
Mrs. saltwater ....... Miss Harriet Ross
Indiana saltwater Miss Helen GRAVITY
MUSICAL TREAT THURSDAY NIGHT
The Gordon-shay Grand Opera company
viii be heard here next Thursday for the
first time Much interest attaches TO the
initial appearance of the great company
about which so much has been heard
in the last few days.
1t is an organization such as has not
been seen in The south and west since
the halcyon days of Emma Abbott. For
time immemorial that organization held
sway in the hearts or soutnerners and
westerners, but despite It's unquestioned
merit, il pales into insignihcance IN COM
parison with me great company which j.
Saunders Gordon, the noted impresario Of
New York. has surrounded Mss Lose
Cecilia Shay, the beautiful and talented
prima donna who created such furore
Advices from Houston, Galveston, Fort
in New York recently.
Worth and Dallas, where Miss Shay was
heard recently, are catering almost be-
yond belief
Al Galveston the large audience which
assembled to hear her Margurita and
Carmen were unprecedented almost in
fact no such gathering Of fashionables
has been seen IN Galveston theatre
since the Grau company from the Metro
politan house in New York. played there
The Galveston News and the Houston
Post both concede and did not hesitate to
say with the most fuisome praise that
Miss Shay has no rival on the lyric stage.
The production of Gounod's Faust next
Thursday night is a red-letter production.
Miss Shays supporting company is one
of the s trongest on the grand opera stage
today in this or any other country. 1t
includes such artists as Albert. John !
Dunsmure. Mold. Fredericks, Wheatley.
Eloise Bishop. James stephens, Pauline /
and other such artists of world /
wide reputation. \ chorus which for en- /
semble work is already famous, and an !
orchestra of musicians picked from the /
symphony organizations of Boston and /
New York. viii 20 10 make up the pro- /
duction at at once remarkable and aston /
ishing. ar Gordon has surrounded Miss /
Shay with all the accessories of stage /
craft which viii tighten and brighten the /
presentation. Some idea Of the magnif- .
cence Of the production may be gathered |
from the fact that the scenery and cos
TUNES alone cost So 900 before the curtain /
was raised in New York city.
The advance sale and the demand for 1
tickets at the theatre already suggests /
the greatest interest in the production. (
Any number Of theatre parties are
already being arranged and the produc-
ton promises TO attract one of the most
brilliant audiences that ever graced a
theatre. So much has been heard about
Miss shay that there IS small wonder
that people should wish to hear her With
the possible exception Of Melba, there IS
no woman on the contemporaneous stage /
better tied to impersonate Gouuod's
immortal heroine. Possessed with more
than ordinary acceptable charm OF per
son. with "a voice W hich ouuanks Emma
Abbotts in her balmiest days Mss Shay
may very easily and gracefully assume
the part or the eautiful Margarita. In
reference to this representation the Nor
folk Virsinian-Pilot made the cold. un-
biased statement that Miss Shays Mar
suarita was the most fetching and abso-
lutaly fascinating that had ever been
seen in Norfolk.
The Mephisto Of John Dunsmure was
praised to the skies. and the Faust Of
Joseph Frederick. the great tenor. was
hardly less lauded. Impressario Gordon
is naturally exceedingly proud of his or
sanitation snd the great success which is f
already assured IS weu deserved
The large theatre parties and the many
people from The surrounding country
who have vouchsafed tSeir desire to see
the performance VIII as already stated.
probably make the audience next Thurs
day evening one Of the most brilliant
and fashionable that has ever been seen
in this city.