The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-23

the footlights of over six months. Little
Miss Doll, who is not yet fourteen years
old. has been living with her parents on
North Noble street during the last half
year, while engaged I'm the study OF music
and dancing. She made her vaudeville
debut last season under peculiar circum-
stances. When Clarice Vance, the noted
singer Of negro songs. was suddenly called
away from the city by illness in her fam
lily on the very day she opened her weeks
engagement in Indianapolis the manage
ment OF the Grand found il necessary TO
secure some performer to act as her sub
stitute. Several speciality people in Gin
cinnati, st. Louis and Chicago were called
up over long distance telephone. but it was
found that not one Of them could be
secured on such short notice. Press Agent
Louis Buckley CHANGED to think of the
little Doll girl" as he called her, and sug-
gested to Manager Zeigler that she be given
a chance.
And so little Miss Doll came before the
audience that night and in the parlance Of
the profession she made good" Her So
prano voice was sweet, her songs were well
rendered and her dances were gracefully
done. AT the end of the week Mr.. Buckley
told her to go ahead and perfect herself
in her speciality promising to help her
in securing profitable engagements.
month or so later Miss Doll obtained an
engagement to tour the Castle vaudeville
circuit and was so well received that her
parents decided to allow her TO continue
her stage career. so well begun. But first
she was brought home for six months more
of schooling. and now that her course Of
study Is at an end, she Is ready to again
be one Of the contributors TO the Grands
bill next week and will then make tour
west as San Francisco. She has new
repertoire OF songs, dances and limitations
to offer.
One Of the quaintest and oldest of this
the Caggage Patch" will play it's second
local engagement at English's this after
noon and tonight. This delightful drama
tization by Mrs. Flexner of Alice Hogan
Rice's charming stories was seen in Indian
apolis so recently that the play needs no in
PRODUCTION to theater-goers of this city. The
play was first produced in Louisville about
two months ago and its tour of the mid
Western and Northwestern cities has been
a great success. 1t was seen in this city at
a single performance and played to the
largest house of the season at English's,
with the possible exception of the audience
which assembled to greet Joseph Jefferson.
Although Louisville is the scene of the
cabbage patch play, nearly every good
sized city has its community similar to that
pictured in this unusual drama. Wherever
hard-struggling poverty makes the most of
Its humble means, meeting all of the wor-
ries and trials OF life with an indomitable
cheerfulnesS and hope for the best, there
may be found some faint reflections at least
of Mrs. Wigs and Lovey Mary and poor
little Miss HAY and Peg-stick Chris and
all Of the curious so-called cabbage patch
types" discovered for literature by Mrs.
Rice and tranSplanted successfully to the
stage by Mrs. F9exner. What 1.-THE Old
Homestead" and "'Way Down East" have
been to rural life, such may Mrs. Wigs of
the Cabbage Patch" be said to be for the
humber, poverty-stricken, patch-dwelling
phases of city life. And with Madge Carr
Cook once more as Mrs. Wigs, Mabel Tai
iaferro as Lovey Mary. Helen Lowell as
Miss HAY and William T. Hodge as Mr..
Stubbins, repetition is assured of the de-
lightful entertainment that was enjoyed at
English's some seven weeks ago.
The Bostonians who come to English's as
the Christmas attraction, presenting Robin
Hood and 1.-The Serenade," have had an
exceptionally prosperous season so far, de-
spite the falling off in the theatrical busi-
ness in some parts of the country. 1t is
said that the good old comic opera of
robin Hood has never been given a pref
tier presentation than that Of this year.
In the cast will be Mr.. Barnebee in his
favorite role of the sheriff of Nottingham,
William II. Macdonald as the green-clad
Little John of the long bow and leathern
| brooches, to say nothing of his "Nut-Brown
Ale song. George rockingham in his in
imitab!e creation of Frier Tuck, Agnes Cain
Brown, the new prima donna. as the win
some DldlO Marian, nate COnQOn, excel
lent contralto, as Allan-a-Dale, Douglass
Ruthven in the admirable tenor role of
Robin Hood, and Howard Chambers, the
Australian baritone, as the dashing VIII
Scarlet. Other principal parts will be in
trusted to competent singers. Robin Hood"
will be sung at the Christmas matinee and
Saturday night. The Serenade" will be
rendered Christmas night and at the Satur-
day matinee. The sale of seats, now in
progress at English's box office, indicates
much interest In the forthcoming engage
1apfn ff ha 20 faol. oy,fx
Max Bloom, who plays the character Of
Hans Nix, inspector of telephones. in "The
Telephone Girl which closes it's engage
ment at the Park tonight, has had a
phenomenal rise as comedian. Two years
ago he was clerking in furnishing store
in his home city, Louisville and occasional
| ly appearing in amateur theatricals. Among
/ the home people he was famous as a fun
| mfrers pursuaded him to abandon mercan-
| tile affairs and embark on the theatrical
sea- He listened to their persuasion. went
70 New York, and for year he thought
that the theatrical sea would engulf him.
The Plohns, also Of Louisville. and friends
| OF the aspiring comedian, were placing
| The Telephone Girl on the road and Mr..
| Bloom liked his heart on playing the part
/ of Hans Nix. But the Plohns thought that
| Bloom on the amateur stage in Louisville
and Bloom on the professional stage would
1
his last year to The Belle of New York, -
in which he played the polite lunatic, and
| when the company returned to New York
| Mr.. Bloom was loaded with public favor.
1 The part of Hans Nix was at once turned
/ over TO him and he has caused the Park
| audiences to fairly roar at his fun. THE
! Funny Side OF Life made up of special
| ties, comes to the Park tomorrow.
| 7
AS was to be expected. Charles T. Aid
rich is scoring an immense hit at the Grand
/ this week. He is one of the most original
| entertainers ever seen in Indianapolis, his
| performance being so good in every par
| ticular that many people find it well worth
| while to go to see him act more than once.
| He varies his speciality from day to day, as
| his repertoire OF tricks, mechanical trans
| formations, representations and feats OF
| jugglery seems to be inexhaustble Com
parsons are odious. doubtless. but they are
/ sometimes inevitable. and 1t must be owned
| that Aldrich makes some Of his expensive
/ ly-advertised rivals take back seat A
| certain performer in the same line of work
/ who appeared at the Grand last season,
| flooded the town for week before his
| arrival with posters, hand bills and other
| advertising matter bespeaking his great
| ness. Aldrich did not even think to send
| on his photographs 10 the Grand manage
ment. much to the disgust of the press
| agent. and no portraits OF him were. to be
had until he himself turned up with them