The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-09-02
KEIIH,s THEATRE.

morning, Wnens HdNHiS Ac" i"N'H'N
OF leisure. l had strolled around to
Kelths In the hope of enjoying one OF
the many bright. interesting little chats
have been so fortunate In having dur
ing the season with the Albee company
members. suddenly remembered. There
were no rehearsals this week. and the
members OF the popular Albee company
were probably at their apartments at the
hotel packing their trunks and preparing
20 leave us. IL Is true saying that
there Is no more lonesome being than
a stranger In a crowd. These hustling,
Industrious workmen preparing for their
rapidly approaching vaudeville season
made me feel very lonesome. az, with a
new pang Of regret, realized that had
seen the last, for this season at least,
OF the cheerful players at rehearsals,
which had so often enjoyed. snatching
hurried, brief but always pleasant
good natured conversation with the diff
ferent ones, as they waited for cues or
heard one another their lines.
/ felt very much as II | were intruding
upon this busy scene. a feeling TO which
/ was surprised 20 find myself stranger
due no doubt 10 the fact that the Albee
company members had always made me
feel so very much at home. SO sighed,
and mechanically made my way toward
he might give me a little consolation. In
the form OF an announcement that the
stock season would be prolonged. that the
company would return early or something
OF a hopeful nature. / was prepared TO
celebrate and receive such news In
reckless manner. had TO make my way
through a long line OF feverish ticket ouy-
ers, which extended from the inner box
office TO the sidewalk. but finally reached
thu nratty rozy office I'm safety.
The atmosphere here. as on the stage
and in the lobby only even more so, was
overiowing with business. Carpenters,
electricians. architects, ticket buyers who
could not be convinced by the ticket
sellers that there was nothing better"
OF that everything for the last night
was sold" men and boys looking for
positions, and dozens OF other busy in
dividuals whose business / did not hear
or could not guess. formed an almost un-
broken string into the busy managers Of
fice and his patient courtesy never for
a moment deserted him, In spite OF many
insistent annoyances.
waited for him TO get through with
his stenogra pher and some OF the people
who were waiting to see him, and while
my eyes followed the many interesting
pictures OF celebrities on the walls OF
the pretty office, my thoughts were upon
the extraordinary amount OF brains which
lies behind the great success which this
theatre enjoys. One must get glimpse
OF that busy scene 10 thoroughly appre-
ciate II, and then ne or she would won
der no longer what was the secret OF the
success of the popular playhouse. AS a
theatregoer, when l have attended either
the stock or vaudeville performances, 1
had thought the managers chief occupa-
ton was 10 attend to the procuring or
the attractions and seeing that they are
produced In a satisfactory manner Even
with only this | always imagined IL kept
Manager Lovenberg, whose cleverness and
ability have always secretly greatly
admired, extremely busy, but / had no
idea there were so many things for him
10 attend TO.
'He has a large corps of seemingly ca
pable assistants and yet there is no mat
ter too small for his attention, and he
personally supervises every part OF the
theatre and directs every branch OF the
work In the entire playhouse. 1t must be
an awful undertaking for one-my reverie
was here broken by hearing Manager Low
enberg say-''That Is all for now. MISS
Stirling / will have some more later In
the morning Now, you may show Miss
Matinee Girl in" The secretary repeated
Manager Lovenbergs message OF invita-
tion, and following her into the private
office, | began an apology for intrudng.
IL had no idea you were so busy, or else
-
IL am very glad to see you." he said
courteously 10 cover my confusion, and
offered me a chair. Did you ever see a
branch OF the theatrical business that
was not busy one? never did. 1t cer-
tainly isn't this end of IL, particularly
when one is attending TO the opening OF A
new season and OF another new theatre"
mo. indeed, I should think not" / sec
onded warmly 1T doesn't leave you very
much time to regret the. departure, as
everyone else in Providence is doing OF
the Albee company, does it?''. asked to
get him to talk about the favorites.
1T certainly does he asserted earn
estly. II feel very sorry TO have them
leave Providence. more sorry than l can
tell you. ! have never had the good for
tune 10 do business with company OF
more agreeable, nicer I'm every way peo-
pie In my career. From all sides all sum-
mer have been gratifed 10 hear the
highest praise OF the ability and excel
lence Of the company. and naturally l
have been very pleased and proud TO hear
these concentrations But the public can
not realize what a source OF pleasure the
Albee company has been 10 me I'm a diff
ferent way. IL Is no exaggeration TO say
that they get along like one big family.
and there is never the slightest disagree
ment or unpleasantness. on the contrary.
Wnlle CONSCIENTIOUS ana nard- working,
they are always on the alert to help one
another and make things move as pleas
anty as possible. You have no idea how
much this helps things to move toward
success Mr.. Winter s able TO accom-
plish better results. and the work, which
in stock with rehearsals mornings and
performances twice a day is very hard. is
made pleasant and agreeable for every
one These players are a great source OF
comfort 10 me. and shall miss them in
more than one way. A company OF clever |
and at the same time. congenial players
is rarity nowadays and Is 10 be priced
accordingly"
Would II he impractical 20 retain the !
Albee company throughout the entire fall /
and winter Many OF the stock company
devotees would be delighted at such an /
arrangement"
Yes, I have had such suggestion many /
times before. and have received innu- /
merable petitions for this but for each /
of these petitions I have had an inquiry 4
from a lover of vaudeville. when does 4
the vaudeville season open? Soon. hope. /
You see. each form or entertainment has /
It's followers. and when one attracts as |
large crowds as the other what must v.e \