The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-08-24
SEASON Opens AT
ACADEMY 4 ID 4 4 OF D MUSIC
$500. .--'. -
AL C. Fields Ministries to Be
Seen There Thursday Night.
VAUDEVILLE AT THE CASINO.
Good Sill Promised for This Week.
Popular Novel, Like the Prize.
Fighter, Ends Its Career on
the stage-Notes.


OF all plays there il none that has a
stronger hold 4non the people than the
rural drama BY the rural play do not
mean such dramas as Joshua Simpkins,
Josh Spruceby and others Of Its type,
but the play that pictures In true colors
the simple. everyday life of the quiet viii
lage or the farmhouse, The nearer the
picture is drawn to life, the. nearer 1t
reaches the hearts of those who witness
it, THE Old Homestead'' owes it's re-
markable success to the faithful picture
1t presents. Here is a play that may be
said to be absolutely without plot,
without a hero, without heroine and
without q villain. Yet its success has
been. almost without q parallel in the his
tory OF the stage. Year after year it has
gone on, and audiences that have tested
the capacity Of the playhouses have wit
messed it's production,
The secret OF the success of Denman
Thompson's play is not hard to find. Each
act OF the play seems a page from every
day life. Every namby-pamby. love-sick.
sentimental play is launched with the
press agents description that it is a .'play
of heart interest" whereas 1t has about
as much to appeal to the human sympa-
ti1ies as the yellow backed dime novel
OF the Laura Jean Libbey type. But 1.-The
Old Homestead" really has heart interest,
for there is not q scene IN che play which
does mot call to mind similar ones with
which every one is familiar. ..fhe Old
Homestead" has done more to make the
stage respectable in the eyes of the pre-
JUDGED class than any drama that has
been produced, probably within q quarter
of century. If there were more plays of
Its type it would be all the better for
worse off II every popular novel that
comes from the publishers presses was
allowed to die, after living out it's lltrle
life with its not too discriminating read
ers Instead Of being reconstructed for
the purpose Of the drama. and served up
again to the PUBLIC as a rehash To-day
the way of the prize-hghter and the pop
ular novel Is the same-they both wind up
their careers upon the stage, And the
stage. and the public, too. could very well
do without either Of them.
At The Academy,
Each successive season finds the Al. g.
Field Field greater Ministries new in every
thing except name, and the eighteenth
year OF Its prosperity and popularity
sees this big show organized on d larger
and grander scale than ever before.
In the first part, The Roof Garden,
or Night in New York." a new stage
sensation, has been created by AL G.
Field. To be transported temporarily
to the top of New York sky-scraper.
there to see passing in review all of the
novel and historical sights of the great
American metropolis, is most novel
and unusual experience in a theatre.
North and East Rivers, Madison Square
Garden, the great Brooklyn Bridge,
Central Park. the Bartholdi Statue of
Liberty, Riverside Drive and General
Grants tomb, and score of other in
teresting sights are to be seen, the
o1a AL,
spectacle Crowned with the Tempest
and the most beautiful OF all transfor-
nations, Peaceful Valley" The ar
of the Roof Garden with
its profusion of tropical plants and
flowers, fountains OF real water and the
soft illumination Of myriads of colored
lights presents the most beautiful stage
picture it is possible to create.
Among the many great features Sc
cured by AL G. Field for this season
is the famous Faust family of Austria
Han acrobats ten in number.
The original Clipper quartette, four
clever men. who have for years stood
at the head of high class minstrel at
fractions, will be seen in their pleasing
sketch of Southern ife, Uncle Ephs
Dream
Many familiar voices will be heard in
the great international singing congress
this season.
Reese Prosser. the romantic Welsh
tenor; Joseph z. Rlamphin. the English
tenor robuste; James II. Cavanaugh. the
Irish vocalist; John Z. Dickens, the
powerful baritone; g. D. Cunningham.
the eminent basso profundo; Matthew
Keefe, the Tyrolean singer and yodler;
Addison Walk. the German baritone.
and Paul LaLonde. the famous French
contra-bass and vocal directer, are all
with the great Al. G.. Field choir OF
seloists.
The big company Of ten comedians,
headed by AL. G, Field. also includes
Tommy ponnelly. John n. Phillips. Doc
Quisley. Sam Goldman, William Murray,
Tommy Hyde, Tommy o'Dell. Billy
Cawley and Frank Fogerty, all fun
makers of national reputation.
The minstrel will be seen at the Acad-
envy Thursday night and matinee.
THE Telephone Girl" New York
Casino gem set to the daintiest music,
the score of Gustave Kerker. that wizard
OF the baton, the book by Hugh Morton.
who has written more successes for met
ropolitan audiences than any other
playwright will be seen at the Academy
on Friday night. It is adapted to all
tastes. and therein lies its continued pop
ularity. It is one of the jolliest, most ire
sistibly comical and unique entertain
ments at present on the boards; and, COM
sidertng that this is the fourth season.
q thing of perpetual joy. Joe Kane who
enaets the principal role. Hans Nix. an
eccentric German. is one of Fthe most
graceful of the young comedians. and
won favorable comment for his work as
the polite lunatie" in THE Belle OF
New York" In the New York and road
productions. is a host in himself. Audi
cnces laugh heartily over his indescrib,
able dialect and his original humor.
Edith Valmaseda. who Is the Estclle. is
one Of the most accomplished and beau
tiful artists on the stage: James S. Dew
lin and Pearl Revare. the dancing won
ders, have important roles: Mamie
Kecgh. the dainty coincidence; George
Elmer, the talented comedian; ALI Holt,
the worlds greatest mimic; Jethro. War
ner, Milton Dawson. Ruby Marion. Ruth
Jordan, Lillian Bernard. Maud Gourmet.
are described as being particularly well
fitted to their respective roles. The play
is in two acts, like the majarity Of musI-
cal comedies. and there is not moment
for ennui in either. Rapdity OF move-
ment is striven for from start to the
final curtain.