The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-06-16
MANY GOTHAM PLAY
HOUSES CLOSE FOR
SEASON
Musical Shows Hold Their
Own and Some of Them
Ice Up for Long Summer
Season-0pening of "Ven-
ice in New York" the
Event of the Week.
Special to The Globe.

NEW YORK, June 15.-The opening
of Madison Square garden with
Venice in New York; under the Duss
management is the most important
event of the week to chronicle.
The appearance" of Nordica and De
seen in New York drew enormous
crowds, and the entire ensemble was
the subject of profuse enconiums The
cost of the production is very large
and "the Garden" is likely to prove the
great summer attraction of New York.
Quite unique was. the three night
production at Carnegie Lyceum of
Willard Holcomb and Albert Milder-
burg's comic opera, 1.-The Wood
Witch with Helena Frederick in the
leading role. =
Taken on the whole the reception
of The Wood Witch, was quite ia.
vorable, thereby Justifying the expense
gone to by its authors in producing a
play simply to find out beforehand
it's acceptance by the public.
AS Mr.. HoIconib remarked before
the first performance:
Demonstrate the Play.
1--WE do not sk anybody to buy "a
form; but, on tsle assumption that
most of the opeIatie mana gers come
from Missouri, zwg are prepared to
show then.'" said Mr.. Holconb. eve
both realize that the most important
prop in a new sproauction is an audi
ence, without; which neither authors,
actors nor MANAGERS can ascertain the
exact value of apieee. You may write
lines that read funny; set them to
what sounds ike catchy music,s and
rehearse capable players to sing your
songs and spring spur gags in what
seems to be the most effective men
ner, but If the Hyeage audience does
not respond Wits 5ahghter or applause,
all your thought and labor is naught
A new productfnu As like a problem
in algebra, in N4fdh the audience is
tain the exact vailIe or that unknown
quantity nobody knows the answer
That's what we are spending money
to ascertain"
Now that one daring playwright has
Ventured on this novel cexpedient we
may hear of others with faith in their
own lines going straight to the pub
lie with them In search of a verdict.
John Henry Well Received.
At the Herald Square theater the re-
ception of Dan DAILY in John Henry
has been exceptionally cordial. Not
withstanding the facile, and finished
performances of Mr.. DAILY. which goes
without saying, and the brightness of
the book, one cannot fail to see that
the production owes much to it's clever
staging. The three; scenes used are
capitaL The FIRST Is the corridor and
office Of a New York hotel, the second
is the exterior sofs "a aeountry villa, and
the third represents the exterior of a
railroad station They are all fine ex-
amples of the stage mechanics art, the
villa i1aTS1 laT1t An6
it is at the close Of Act II. that occurs
a novefty Whieh;3bi fair to save the
play. The seenicSartiSt and stage car
penter have constructed a. practical
house, and the electrician has evolved
some startling light effects, with the
result that at the end of Act II. the
curtain Is rung down on a scene that is
sufficiently sensational to rouse the
audience to an enthusiastic pitch.
Klaw & Erlanger are the first of the
prominent managers to announce their
fall plans. These are so extensive as
to necessitate, publishing in INSTALL
ments. In this city their plans include
the following:
Mr.. N. C. Goodwin will begin his sea-
son as Bottom in an elaborate produc-
ton of "A Midsummer Nights Dream"
at the Knickerbocker theater in New
York, Oct. 12th
The London Dgiry Lane production
of Ben Hur,' which was referred to
by the English press as the most elab-
crate ever seen in that country in con-
nection with a dramatic attraction, will
open the reconstructed New York
theater early inf September. Nothing
now remains of this house but the four
walls, the plans for it's rebuilding and
new decoration leaving nothing Of the
interior of the old structure. When
the alterations are completed this will
be one of the most finished and at
tractively decorated theaters in New
York city. 'i'SS4
The Rogers brothers, in John J. Nc
Nally's latest vaudeville farce 1.-THE
Rogers Brothers ffIondon," will open
the New Amsterdam theater Sept 1.
Klaw & Granger VII give this attrac-
ton their usual very elaborate equip
nent of scenery and costumes and
will surround the Rogers brothers with
very large company of talented peo-
pie.
Mr.. Forbes Robertson and Miss Ger
trude Elliott. III '"The Light That Fail
ed" adapted by George Fleming from
Rudyard Kiplfng's novel, will begin
their American tour in Buffalo Sept.