Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-31
An1uSet m

This afternoon at the Boyd the curtain
will go up on the first play Of the regular
winter theatrical season. As is the prac-
tice everywhere, the early offerings will
be Of tho lighter variety. as managers do
not care to risk the expensive attractions
until folks have recovered somewhat from
the outdoor habits OF the summer time.
and are willing to seek their amusement
indoors. During the greater part Of Sep
TENDER, at least, II is reasonable TO ex-
pect in Omaha weather Of a sort that will
scarcely induce people to forsake band con-
certs and the like for the theater. But
when the cool nights come the warmth and
light Of the theater are again grateful. and
people will seek the playhouse as the
place to spend the evening. Beginning
with October and running through the win
ter, Manager Burgess has arranged for a
list of attractions that will compare even
with those Of last season, which was ad.
mittedly the most brilliant in Omaha's
theatrical history. All Of the really high
grade companies that are planning to tour
the country during the coming winter have
included Omaha in their route. Many OF
them will make Omaha the western limit
OF their journey. Within the last Ave
years a change has come over the condl-
lions which govern in the theatrical world
and Omaha has been advanced from a posi-.
tion many points below par to a premium
- a show town. In every respect the
local situation has improved and managers
now reckon on liberal patronage here for
everything meritorious. For this reason all
the high class companies that tour at all
are anxious to secure a date at Omaha.
Manager Burgess is fully alive to these
conditions, and as a result is able to
promise the people of Omaha a series of
attractions for 1923 that will make the
seaeon memorable for its artistic brill
lIancy.
During his short but very appropriate and
interesting speech at the opening OF the
new Willis Wood theater at Kansas c ty.
Mayor Reed said: las the library ind!-
Gates the degree of culture and refinement
Of the family, SO does the theater indicsts
the degree Of refinement of a city" 1t is
easy to admit that Mayor Reeds conciu-
sion is accurate, and 1t Is also easy to sup
plement It with the suggestion that just as
q neighborhood is refined and elevated by
the presence OF a family whose culture is
above the level, so communities will in a
measure at least be benefited by the ex-
istence in any Of their number Of a tn eater
that is lifted in beauty above those thai
have existed. Wherever culture and re-
fnement exist, IN influence for good
abounds. and the effect can no more be
evaded than can a city which is set upon a
hill be hidden. In this light. Omaha. and
for that matter, all western cities are tc
be congratulated that Kansas City has nov
such a handsome and perfectly appointed
theater. AS the lack OF such a building al
tho principal city Of the middle west has In
times past been a handicap on its neighbor.
ing cities, SO in the future its ex.
istence must be a help and an
inspiration. Omaha and Denver have
probably suffered more than any, fol
Wills beth have are thesters-the Bread
way in Denver and the Boyd in Omaha
many excellent companies have declined Il
visit either for the reason that Kansas City
could not be included. This excuse will nc
longer serve. for Kansas City now has one
Of the prettiest theaters in the world, and
thus by removing this embargo the exist.
ence of the Willis Wood theater in Kansas
City will directly benefit at least two
neighboring cities.
Incidental to the opening OF the theate
was the outpouring Of the beauty and tn
chiyalry of Kansas City, to the utmost ca
pacity of the auditorium, and these enjoye
an evening made memorable as much by tn
unanected fluctuations which were inter
changed On all hands as by the excellenc
OF the performance. Not only did the Kansa
City people congratulate each other on tn
fact that they are to be permitted the pleas
ure OF assembling in the future at the Will
Wood theater. which will long stand as
measure for other theaters. but they show
cred verbal and manual bouquets on Colone
Willis Wood, the enterprising and public
spirited gentleman who has given his fellov
townsmen this pleasure, on Mr.. Louis Cur
tiss, whose genius created 1t in It's perfec
tion Of artistic detail and luxury Of ap
polntment and equipment, and finally o.
Messrs. Woodward q Burgess, under who's
management II was opened to the public an
who for the next twenty years will hav
control OF the theater. No prouder nor hap
pier quartet was ever seen than these gen
tlemen on the opening night, and each ha
splendid cause to feel both pride and Joy
Mr.. Burgess had as much II not more reaso,
for feeling good as any OF the resident Kan
sas Cityans. Seven years ago he went {
the Missouri town and took hold OF the oil
Warder Grand. Manager after manager ha
failed with the house, and the new ventur
was laughed at by the wise ones and nothin