Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-04-24


Mnstrelsy reigned at the Auditorium
last evening when the Catholic Union
presented its second annual show to an
audience which filled the house to over
flowing and spent a greater part Of its
time in vigorous applause The Unions
initial effort was such success that few
people were inclined to believe the press
agent who predicted more and better
features than ever for this year but he
was right. As a whole the show was
one of the most finished amateur per-
formances that has ever been given in
Brattleboro The chorus was well drill
ed and sang with gusto, the sooists rem
dered their songs acceptably, few of the
jokes were moth eaten, and the differ
cnt numbers followed each other with al
most professional speed. The Catholic
Union minstrel committee, Edward j.
Fenton, Charles F. Mann and 7. Louis
Shea, have right to feel satisfied with
the result Of their efforts, and no doubt
their satisfaction will last them for some
time, at least until they get thoroughly
I resed The show was under the per
sonal direction of John j. Nolan OF Bos-
ton, who drilled the chorus, coached the
end men and in many instances. ar
ranged the music. His efficiency as a
director was evident last night John
T. Fenton. VINO recently finished an en-
gagement as manager of one of Sam
T. Jacks companies. also had much TO
do with the staging Of the show and
proved himself capable in that line Of
work
When the curtain rose on the first part
a striking stage picture met the eyes
of the audience and brought from ii "A
hearty round of applause. The central
figure Of the group was p. l.. Shea who,
as interlocutor was costumed in a suit
of bright green and white. He was sur
rounded by a bevy of young women in
japanese costume while the male men,
bers of the chorus. in white frock coats
with red facings and all in black face.
were seated on a raised platform the
centre of which was occupied by Lett
singers orchestra. The overture. which
was arranged by Mr.. Nolan. gave
snatches from a number of recent operas
and popular songs. il was exceedingly
wei sung. and at the proper time 1t
served to introduce the end men who ap-
peared resplendent in red coats fancy
vests and checkered trousers They
were ]. c. Sullivan, William Larrow and
Louis F. Ellis, bones: Joseph Martin,
James T. Ferriter and John j. Nolan,
tambos.
After an interchange of jokes which
put the audience and performers on good
terms Joseph Martin sang Down Where
the WurZburger Flows The next
musical number was a catchy bit of rag
time entitled The Gambling Man, sung
by William Larrow In a way to call forth
no little enthusiasm. a bass solo In
the Heart of the Mighty Deep, by
James Hamilton followed and then Mr.
Nolan sang Fairy Tales with a local
verse or two which seemed to please the
audience exceedingly. At this point the
''liliputian minstrels," ID. Frank Shea
and T. Frank Turner, were introduced
in costumes of baby blue Their ap-
pearance called forth a burst OF enthus-
asm. Mr. Turner made good
with the audience by his rendition OF
Just Kiss Yourself Goodbye" and was
obliged to respond to an encore This
number was followed by solo, Il Love
You and Only You" by Misc Katherine
O'Connor, whose full soprano voice was
heard TO unusual advantage and could
not help but appeal strongly to all the
music lovers present. Louis F. Ellis
sang Susie Anna" a breezy coon song.
very effectively and Susie" herself ap
reared from the rear of the house and
was escorted across the stage. The hit OF
the evening was made by d. Frank Shea
in a localized version of the song "Oh
Didn't He Ramble.' Every stanza
seemed to strike home, and the ram
bles' which Mr.. Shea took between each
brought down the house. The first part
was brought to a close by an effective
finale The Old Flag Never Touched the
Ground" sung, by Arthur Fl. Brasor and
the entire company.
local talent with the exception of the
act by Mr.. Nolan. and they were doubly
we'll received on this account. The first
was very clever little song and dance
act after the style of the famous Flora
dora sextette." 1t was entitled stroll
ing in the Moonlight" and is original
with Mr. Nolan Those who took part
were Misses Agnes and Kate Calvin.
katherine Dunleavy, Annie Ferriter,
John Clune. John Brasor, Charles Dun
Dat al~ .aWVff 'h.a
tunes in this act were fetching and the
, participants did extremely well, Mr.,
/, Nolan himself appeared in a brief mono
logue and sang one or two comic songs
which went" An original and decided
" funny skt was that of Professor
Feathers P l.. Shea) and Lala Coola
, John r. Fenton) who did some bur
lesque magic which created no little
> merriment. The act contained number
4 | of grinds on local people and ended with
: a realistic explosion scene in which the
: professor left the stage via the fly gal
, lery.
Edward Gonyer, Peter Deyo and James
Blake did something new in the line OF
buck and wing dancing, and showed
themselves to be terpsichorean artists of
unusual merit. The first of the act con-
! sisted of a song and dance and the sec
ond of individual steps. The closing fea-
ture of the olio was a novelty called the
March of the Phantom Guards" under
the direction OF t. j. Fenton. 1he eNO-
>, lutions were similar to those of las
years march except that they took place
on an absolutely black stage. The par
> ticipants were dressed in white and
/ special mechanical contriVances pro
: duced their sudden disappearance. The
n whole effect was decidedly weird, Thost
@ who took part in the march were J. G
p Sullivan, F. l.. Shea, John McGrath
a John Clune, John Cummings, j. w. Mar
u tin, John Bissette. j. a. DunleaVy, J. A
! Austin, E. ]. Lavelle, j. +. Long, d. f
l. Aher j. =. Ferriter, Il. a. Guiheen anC
= James King. Carl Ellis acted as harle
r quin. Following is list of those whC
A. took part in the chorus:
It T. A. Austin, J. A. Dunleavy Geo. Hall
n Edw. Russell, ID. c. O'Leary, w. O
= Young, Glenn Jones, Lawrence Barber
II Harold Brasor, E. J. Lavelle, RichaI'
{ Howe, Preston Wallace, r. r. Kinkead
II JAS. King John CaVanaugh John Kaine
D. Peter Deyo, Edw. Gonyer, Arthur Bra
n sor, VIM. Richardson, Dan Stolte, Chas
n Stolte, John Long, Leon Gould, J0l
c Long, jr.. T. A. Sullivan, Archie Case
- John Brasor, Harry Davis, John Grady
u Chas. Dunleavy, Frank Eckes, Jane
e Blake p. NJ. Ferriter, John Clune, Jane
S. Hamilton, Annie Ferriter, Katherin
y Dunleavy, Agnes Calvin, Hannah Lee
,r Barbara Murphy. Katherine Carey, Min
# ME Toomey, Alice Ferriter, Eizabeu
a. Carroll. Katherine Calvin, Sadie Young
. Mary Fitzgerald, Kathleen Stewart
u Mary Mack Nellie Auderson Mar