The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-28

yesterday with good demand. There will
be two immense audiences present next
Monday.
Henry E. Dixie has been trying for years
To make theater-goers forget that he was
ever the handsome singer and dancer who
once created a sensation Adonis in the
burlesque of that name Mr.. Dixie Is per-
haps the most versatile performer on the
American stage, being equally at home In
burlesque. opera, comedy or serious drama
But he wants TO get away once and for all
from burlesque work. and for this reason
has been devoting himself Cor the last five
years to legitimate comedy acting His new
play, Facing the Music" IN which he Will
Tuesday evenings. is farcical. but is said to
be free from exaggerated caricature. MI
Dixie appears as a good-natured man
about-town with sporting procjivities, who.
in assisting a young woman In distress on
fosgy night in London. gets himself into
a series of amusing complications. The fun
of the piece is understood to De good and
clean throughout. The advance sale of
seats for the engagement opened yesterday
at Englishs box office.
In the Bowery Burlesquers the Empire
has a show that is pleasing the patrons
Of that theater. There are number Of
very good features In the performance, but
old-time theater goers. who appreciate
really amusing act when IL comes along.
wondering why ii is that the two
best comedians of the company. Bickell and
Watson. no longer give their satire on o
musical team-a speciality which was one of
the hits Of last season on the burlesque
circuits. Instead of their former act the
comedians are now presenting what they
call "a clown band" assisted by several
other members Of the company. The old
y. h. fA<~0 of fl1n
Bickel's take-off of an orchestral director
and Watson's caricature of solo from
bone player being burlesque in the true
sense OF the word. Next week the Empire
will have another well-known travesty
combination-the American Burlesquers.
Ernest Hastings, actor, is under treat
ment at the Lambs Club, in New York.
for a nervous breakdown. He recently COM
pleted an engagement OF two years and
half with the Alcazar Sock Company. in
San Francisco, during which time he
learned over eighty-fve different parts.
Two weeks ago he began rehearsing
leading part In another play. Wednesday
he did not report for rehearsal, but went
to the law office of friend and asked help
in rescuing a young woman acquaintance
Of San Francisco from parlor car In
which he thought she was suffocating.
Finding Ii difficult to convince Hastings
that he was mistaken his friends took him
to the Lambs Club. where physician was
called. Yesterday he was reported as rest
ing more quietly.
Everything to be used on the stage In
the presentation of Polly Primrose" the
new play which Paul Wilstache has writ
ten for Adelaide Thurston, will be carried
by the company. When the author and
scenic artist went to Georgetown a few
weeks ago to make sketches for the scenery
they found an auction sale in progress and
then and there purchased a lot of old ma
hogany and rosewood furniture necessary
for the play, together with a quaint
old pianoforte, curious "what-not"
and some exquisite candle-sticks. The
play is q story of old Georgetown, which
was the aristocratic suburb Of Washington
a half century ago.