The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-06-12
I1lLDREN LIN A PLAY
Ninety Boys and Girls Sing
and Dance Like Grownups
IN BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Extravaganza Presented in
Fine Style Last Night


girls of this city. The play is being given
for the benefit of st. Johns church sun
day school and the childrens home and a
neat sum should be realized for these two
worthy institutions. There was a fair at
tendance last night and the house should
be crowded tonight and at the Saturday
matinee.
| Beauty and the Beast far excels last
years play in that more children are
employed, there are more and better spe-
clalties and it is surrounded with beauti-
full stage settings.
The children acted under the direction of
Mr.. Harry Miller. his wife and Mr. Clint
Draper and the directors work was well
done. The pretty little story of Beauty
and the Beast was told IN Rotations
and singing with numerous specialties
thrown in. There were ballet dances in
costume with and without calcium ef-
and girls cake walking and rag1me
| dances
The children did their parts well. In en-
semble the little tots worked with the
precision of professionals and the glare Of
1
| appeared alone. The costumes were ex-
| ceedingly beautiful which. combined with
the happy faces of the children and the
scenery made an exceedingly beautiful
picture.
The play is in prologue and two acts.
| The two acts are divided into I'VE scenes
each The scene of the prologue opened
in a wood and the evil magician. Crsin-
orsinot. accompanied by his twenty imps,
appeared. all dressed in red and the neces-
| sary paint and feathers. Immediately
thereafter those children who were out on
| a fox chase came running in dressed in
greenskirts and green blouses and directly
back of them appeared the fairies Sud
| denly a drop was raised and there stood
| the good fairy with her attendant dressed
| in white with necklace and crown of
| tiny electric lights and in her hand was
carried wand tipped with light. Then
followed the quarrel between the evil ma
| gician and the fairy and the former
| departure for Bagdad The first scene of
the first act was in the Office in Ellesdees
| house where the merchant decides to go TO
! Bagdad and his daughters ask him TO
bring them, one gems. one fine clothes.
while Beauty asks for only rose from
foreign land.
The second scene was q street in Bag
| dad and the time of the scene was filed
| with tw well sung rsgtime melodies,
| Come Out. Dinah, on the Green" by Ha-
gel Neild, and Pretty Molly Shannon
| by Charles Adams.
| The third scene was laid in the garden
| of the beast, known as Prince Beau De-
| sire. The rose ballet led by Renetta Garst
| was one of the prettiest parts of the en-
| tire play. The prince and his fairy god
| mother appeared and then Ellesdee and
his partner who had been shipwrecked
| and were hunting shelter. Ellesdee picks
a rose from the garden and the Beast
appears who announced to the quaking
strangers that the merchants youngest
daughter, Beauty. should be sacrificed in
has stead.
Ellesdee was taken by Abner Bourne,
who handled the part with ease. He was
perfectly at home on the stage. his voice
was clear and distinct and his action
easy and dignifed. His partner. AL Gro
quill, was handled by Merrifeld Martling.
He put the necessary abandon in his part
| tat made it easy going fun loving part
ner who always provoked merriment.
Buffers did a song and dance sketch that
pleased every one. Milton Gross had the
happy air of the cakewalker and made
the most of his ragtime melody, Won't
You Come Down. Ma Honey" This
young man has good voice and sings
well. Miss Edith Buffers, who assisted
him. was self confident and sure of her
part. The soft shoe dancing at the close
was good and an encore demanded.
At the close of the scene Mr.. Clint ORA
per sang "Cindy'' and during the chorus
Little Marcia Murdoch and Louis Solomon
| cakewalked across the stage. They did
it so well that another trip was demanded
and three encores resulted. They stepped
high and lively and in perfect timem.
The fourth scene was a street scene and
Farrell Spencer sang with You and
Misses Ora Burt and katherine Miles gave
a Scotch sword dance. They were dressed
in plaids and gave a very clever produc-
ton of a Scottish dance.
The last scene of the act was laid in
Ellesdee's home and he announced what
had happened to them during the trip and
the demands of the Beast Beauty offers
to go as the sacrifice for her father Ur-
sinorsinot arrives and takes her away
The arrival of the evil magician was
marked by cute performance by How
ard Lockwood and Ellis Lockwood Mart
ling, who were designated as Flop and
Flip, the personal attendants of Ursinorsi-
not These little fellows always ran onto
the stage and each turned handspring
They then stood. stolid as statue with
arms folded. Both were dressed in red
and black feathers on their heads They
were certainly grotesque and very funny
little chaps
The first scene Of the second act Was IN
the apartments of the Beasts palace and
the opening number was the Gavotte by
eight boys and girls. followed by the
Danse Carmencita BY AIetha Walters
Beauty arrived at the palace during the
dance and was given a grand reception.
The Beast also appeared and the act was
closed with the Beast allowing Beauty 10
return to her home for two days stay
In the second scene was given the song
and dance "Melindy's Rsgtime BalT' by
ten children. who sang and danced nicely
and cakewalked OF the stage Those ap-
pearing We're Bessie LudIum. Sidney Levy.
Gwen Houston. William Toringtou Marie
Dorsey. Ruby Israel. Marcy Grant, Rob
ert Garst. Helene SteinbuchsIi. Tom Tor
rington
TIE third Scene Was IN a room in Beau
Tvs home as she returned from the palace
and excites the envy % her sisters BY her
elegant clothes and geu1ms The fourth
scene was 4 street and Hazel Neild sang