Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-15
ABOUT PLAYS PLAYERS AND P%LlYHOUSES

Omaha drew almost a blank last week.
only one thing Of any pretensions appear
ing at the local theaters. and that being
far from FIRST chop. At the vaudeville house
a good bill was on zap all week. Better
things are in prospect. though. for the end
Of the month and the month Of April will
bring some OF the most notable engage
ments Of the season. Tho announcement
ttat Mrs. Campbell had consented TO give a
matinee performance was welcome news,
for it assures Omaha people an opportunity
70 see this great actress in three Of her aC-
knowledged triumphs. Several spring tours
Of well known stars are now being made up
ard II is not at all unlikely that Omaha will
see one or two OF the first magnitude who
have not yet been announced. Manager
Burgess 's watching the booking list with
much care.
Here is a bulletin sent out by the Will
liam A. Brady press agent, who works in
season and out Of season:
Cole Younger. the eminent and respected
e1-bandit receutIv released from the Min
nesota p~enitentiary, occupied a box at a
Kansas city performance Of Lovers
Lane He wept profusely and expires go
CLYDE Fitch pastoral. He keenly regrets
that the terms of his pardon do not permit
him TO become an actor ana mas COnIeuLeQ
himself by purchasing an interest in Buck
skin Joe's wild West.
Save the mark Think OF the power Of
Lovers Lane" to move the hoRry sinner
70 tearsi The man who could ruthlessly
break every law Of God OF man, who robbed
for a livelihood and killed for a pastime,
weeps profusely over the maudlin, mawkish
lines Of an alleged pastoral" and ex-
presses regret that he cannot become an
actor. Isn't that a triumph for the dra-
matist? How proud Clyde Fitch will feel
when he learns that he has done what no
consideration Of humanity or dread OF the
laws majesty could do! He has moved to
tears a bandit who never. before his long
term Of Imprisonment for participation
in a robbery and its attendant murders, had
been known to exhibit a spark Of COM
passion for anything or anybody except
himself. What a loss II is to dramatic art
that the bloodstained Missouri outlaw can
not round out his active life by adding
new Elories to the profession that Aas
been honored by the g~entlast and bravest
Of men and women. And what q card for
Lovers Lane" that II has awakened
these regrets in the bosom Of Cole
Youngeri Faughl
Mrs. Clarence M. Bruno. who was Minnie
Title before she became the wife OF q
Seattle lawyer, is an excellent example Of
the star who is made while you wait. AS
Miss Title she gained some little local
prominence on the Pacific coast, playing
in stock companies. chiefly as support"
Her personal charms, which are not TO be
denied. drew to her Mr.. Bruno, who. after
marriage, became imbued with the idea
that his wife possessed talent which ought
not to be hidden longer from the world.
He had money. and was willing to part
with some OF It. so he made an arrange
ment with Frederick warde, and the latter
left the Wagenhals & Kemper management
long enough TO put in one season as g
co-stRr with Mrs. Minnie Title Bruno. TIVE
or three classic pieces were played. but
the principal play Of their repertory wa
III Lions Mouth" in which Mrs. Bruno
was cast for a part that very well suited
her limited capacity as an actress. Just
at the end Of this season the bibulouI
habits Of Melbourne Mcdowell resulted IN
the dissolution Of his arrangement Will
Miss Walsh, and Mr.. Bruno closed a dea
with Mcdowell, becoming owner of the
Sardou productions; a deal which has since
been overturned by the courts, q hand
some judgment for damages having beer
awarded Mcdowell. 1t idn't take a lonl
time to develop the fact that Cleopatra
LaTosca, Gismonda and Fedora were al
beyond Mrs. Brune's powers, 80 the lesser
OF the sardou quintet was chosen TO Civ,
her a chance to spread her wings, and sh'
came back TO us as Theodore. II woult
take a very bad actress to entirely spoi
this play, but Mrs. Bruno only succeeded
in creating the impression that she nigh
have talent. When Mcdowell sued an
recovered possession OF his SRrdou prop
critics. Mr.. Bruno cast about for q new
ehicle for his wife's ability, and wa
pleased TO accept a dramatization Of
book not only devoid of Intrinsic literar,
merit, but most unpromising as mRteria
for a play. 1t permits Of the use Of ricl
and almost gorgeous scenery and stag
settings. but deals with highly improbabl
combinations OF circumstances and is pu
together so crudety that its ~incongruitie
are emphasized rather than diminished
With this piece In hand. Mr.. Bruno van
ished from the play bills. Another ste
was taken on the stellar highway. an
wallace Monroe presents Mrs. Bruno" 1
now the legend. Individual d~esignRtio,
has been abandoned. 1t is not though
necessary that she should be identified b
reference 20 the little sisters, OF whom sh
was one. or that she should be more spe
cihcally described as Mrs, Clarence N
Bruno. She is now a fixed star. and he
orbit has been determined. her periodicit
fixed. and about everything has been settle
for her. Yet, somehow or other. the peopl
do not seem to have found it QUE.
More than the mere abandonment c
given names or martial titles; more tina
being provided with a sumptuous array {
stage settings and ~adOrnments; more this
being presented" by Mr.. So-and-So
necessary to establish a star. Stars mus
shine by their own light. and the amour
OF light they give IN is the basis OF de
termination OF their value. In Mrs. Bruno
case. the light is reflected. Here In Oman
last week A was the calcium light. He
stage director has the execrable taste I
have her followed by the spot light durir
every moment she Is visible to the aud
enee. This is not only a cheap and tawdr
device, but is actually a detriment TO IN
woman, for IL not only does not enhRnC
her performance. but detrRcts from IL. be-
cause It promises so much and reveals
little. Mrs. Bruno has some ability. bI
she is not by nature intended for hero.
parts. and the sooner she abandons the,
and turns her attention TO characters 81
can achieve the sooner she viii be in lii