The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-08

honor Of opening the Davidson opera
house on Wabasha street, near third, in
st. Paul. These two houses combined, at
tracted most of the itinerant companies to
this locality, and when Forest or Booth
or Davenport or Maggie Mitchell or Mary
Anderson, or Happy Cal" Wagner, or
genial Jack Haverly or Mccullough or
Jananschek or Ristori came to the twin
cities, they found comfortable quarters,
as we'll as large, attentive and intelligent
audiences, awaiting them.
The Pence opera-house served the pur-
pose of the overgrown village Of Min
neapolis Sexcellently, but after the water
works were established, system Of sew
erage inaugurated and the street railway
began to return a decent profit to its
builders, the Pence became antiquated and
several wealthy and Influential citizens
combined to erect the Academy of Music,
at the corner Of Hennepfn and Washing
ton, on the site now occupied by Temple
Court. This consisted OF a large and
roomy audience hall, also on the third
floor the lower stories devoted to mer-
to the hall-up two long fights Of wind
ing stairs-were admirably arranged to
entgap multitude of women and children
in case of panic from fire; and it was
only through the kindness of a merciful
Providence that horrible disaster was
avoided during the years Of it's use. 1t
finally did burn, and very fortunately at
an hour when not occupied. hence the only
sufferers were the insurance companies.
After the Academy was built, the Pence
for awhile fell into desuetude, until about
1878, when middle-aged gentleman of
large theatrical experience, named John
Murray, made some kind of an arrange
ment with the proprietors of the old hall,
and opened real home theater with a
resident stock company.
Mr.. Murray was between SO and 60, and
versatile actor Of fair ability and tai
ent, and, withal, an adept in the art Of
advertising. He brought with him a hand
some young leading man, named Frederic
Bryton and a young leading lady named
GRACE Garland, together with j. Edwin
Irving as low comedian, Mrs. Irving for
old woman roles, and the two Misses lrv-
ing for minor and soubrette parts. Mr..
stood bravely by the legitimate drama.
During three or four years he thoroughly
educated the young people in Minneapolis
in SHAKESPEARE while "Ingomar,'' "The
Lady Of Lyons" "The Serious Family"
Colleen Bawn," ''solon shingle,'' mick
of the Woods rip Van Winkle'''-in
short, all of the old plays that had
were reproduced to good audiences.
When the business grew slack Mr.. Muir
ray would spring a sensation. Will any
old resident of the period ever forget the
surprise Of the local public when Old Mr..
Murrays marriage to his leading lady
Miss Grace Cartland-was announced? ?
This event filled the Pence matinees for
weeks.
After the glories of those days de-
parted, Mrs. Murray wandered away to-
ward New York leaving Old John here,
and the eastern newspapers Informed us
that Grace Hawthorne-her new stage
name-was achieving quite reputation
as an actress. Later she became one of
the best known theatrical managers in
London, and T. was reported to have
achieved a fortune in England
But the central attraction and prime
favorite of those halcyon days was Fred
eric Bryton, and for three OF four years
he was a gold mine for Mr.. Murray. He
was, at his advent, handsome young
fellow with considerable dramatic talent,
fine face and form, and pair of seductive
black eyes. 1t was slanderously reported
at the time that two thirds of the women
under 30-marr1ed and single-were in
love with Fred-and they did fill the front
seats marvelously at matinees when Bry-
ton was cast in an attractive part. He,
too. returned to the east eventually, and
was swallowed in the vortex of the New
York Bohemian world.
Brynton had retired from the company,
the fortunes of Mr.. Murray and the Pence
subsidized He struggled manully to keep
the house open, but could not pay salar-
les promptly, and so, things went from
bad to worse until he was finally COM
PEELED to close the house. For few brief
years longer he fingered In the city, pen
stoned, it was said, by his wife who was
wallowing In atf1uence across the water
and then-the curtain was rolled down ON
the last earthly act for John.
The Pence was afterward for brief pc
Rod, galvanized into life once more by
Miss Phosa McAllister, who adopted more
modern methods than those pursued by
Mr.. Murray. But the glory Of the old
opera house had departed and no amount
Of talent or advertising could bring back
to it's it's pristine glory.
Probably the most beautiful actress ap-
pearing on the boards in Minneapolis in
the early days was Mrs. Scott Siddons.
She first appeared at the Pence in her
palmy days for brief engagement. Later
she became one of the most widely known
among the dramatic readers, and, think.
was the attraction on the night the
Acadamy OF Music was opened and dedi-
Gated in the early '70's.
Thomas w. Keene, who first appeared at
the Pence under Plunkett's management.
and was a frequent visitor here more than
quarter of a century ago.
Nearly all of these names ara now
merely memory-their owners dead. and
even the garulous tongue Of tradition is
ceasing to busy itself about them.
Frank T. Mead.