Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-04
AfnuSef m

At the Boyd.
The Explorers. a musical comedy in
two acts by b. L. Taylor and w. II
Lewis. Produced for the first time in
Omaha at Boyd's theater Wednesday
night by the Dearborn Theater company
The cast:
Bonaparte Hunter. professor of bone
ology, University Of oklahoma.
Lieutenant s.. MAJ Nix, a Polar ex-
plorer and aerial musician
Mile. oui vive, queen Of the Lions
............. Ruth White
Maizie Fields, an Iowa corn queen.."
Arthur Tiyerton Ticveiyn. 49,, Carlton King
Handem Afu....-.....W William Riley Hatch
A. CROUCH. william y; Rock
Captain Moutard OF the French marine
neutrality-suspicious.. George Roman
Josh Drummers, clerk Of Hotel tAmit;ni >
Olga Laia, a dancing nymph. .Luella Drew
oliver Sudden, a working hotel porter.
frank roT'hy
Il would be manifestly unfair to Judge
this new musical melange by the perform
snce given Of 1t last night. since several Of
the principals were out Of the cast through
temporary illness and the leading prima
donna so hoarse from the effects Of q severe
cold that she was unable to sing a note,
being compelled TO merely walk through
her part, speaking the lines which should
have been sung. The performance was.
however. far from unsatisfactory and the
fairly large audience which saw 1t was
seemingly better pleased than one might
expect under the circumstances The piece
is a cross between comic opera, musical
comedy and vaudeville, and were IL not for
the fact that the theater program defines
IL as "the latest vaudeville" 1t would be
rather difficult to correctly classify It. The
hrst act Is comic opera pure and simple, the
first half Of the second act straight farce
comedy and the latter half Of II strictly
vaudeville. The music is rather after the
ade-to-orde while-you-wait style, though
there are q number Of tuneful and catchy
interpretations. The comedy is especially
good and scintillates with humor of such an
infectious nature as to keep an audience
laughing heartily while 1t lasts, which is
through almost the entire second act. The
musical gems of the pieces are The Mad
agascar Maid" which was poorly sung by a
gentleman evidently temporarily elevated
from the chorus to the position Of a soloist,
Sons of the Hill and Plain sung with
splendid effect by William Riley Hatch.
Lady Champagne by Miss White and
chorus, and Cupid Might Have Been a
Little Coon" by Miss White. Mr.. Carrie, Miss
Paul and chorus.
The company is a splendid one, all Of the
leading parts being in the hands Of COM
petent people. Richard earle. a comedian
gifted with a rare style OF humor, s~ustains
the principal portion OF the comedy of the
piece in such a manner as doubtless won
for him a place in the remembrance OF
the greater portion Of those who composed
last nights audience. Knox Wilson, his
concertina. saxaphone and Bavarian dialect
helped In no small degree to make the
piece entertaining. William Riley Hatch, a
popular local f%avorite, has a rather small
part, but makes it stand out prominently.
Agnes Paul has a good soprano voice and Is
decidedly pretty and vivacious. Josie In
tropidi. "a maiden of forty and not ashamed
OF 1t" looks the part and furnishes a large
portion of the comedy OF the piece as Miss
Fuiler-Prunes. The scenic environment Of
the piece ts we'll looked after, the hotel
scene Of the second act being especially
p~raiseworthy.