The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-04-05

Acad omy.--""The French Maid !" All the
week, with the usual matinecs, siis
BItou-'.The Man Who Dared. !" DON
day Tuesday and w ednesdays$ n 9 hts,
with, matInees Tuesday and " ednesday.
The George Fnwcett Company, With Miss
Percy uaswoll IN laa Mistress 5g f1oll,
Thursday and Friday, nights. SS
Mana Eer Cifren's achievemonts%in Tor
mer years arc almost insignificant COM.
pared with the enterprise that ne mas
framed and formed and bro y ght n hero
for &the spring and summer season-lhe
Academy Musical Comedy Company.
So emine,Aly sntisfact Dry was Tho pro
duction Of THE Lady 2Slavey' X from first
10 last, and so cordially was It received,
that no one may render final Judgment
{ as to who should .te crowned with the
fwreath of laurel until tho enthusiasm sts
over the opening peri rmances shall nave
worn away and given place to cool d lis
passionate Judgment that IS born or mi (
turc consideration, whom the excitement
and zeal OF tho first success Is all over
No enterprise on the stage Involves 4 4 q q
greater outlay OF money before q cent Is
taken In at tho door than musical pro-
duotion. Moreover, the failure 81 such.
production means not only great
forfeiture OF money by oil concerned
but 1t means as we'll a considerable loss
of prestige for those stars who are brought
together for, and whose names are so
closely IL associated with,5S the venture.
That tho AGA denny Mus cal Comedy COM
pnny is an ideal Organization o. It's ella IS,
no one who has seen 1t will deny, It Is
made up OF artists who have won their
spurs long before they came to Rich
lnond, and whose efforts In this country
have been stamped with enthusiast 9 q p
prevail on Broadway. lii 5,555 q as.3 Y,
There Is In the Academy N1u steal Com
edy Company n vertable beauty show,
as a background for the display OF this
talent. There Is u chorus that ca sin s,
and dance, as well az look attractive.
And then, .,behind the guns there are
some Of the foremost producers on the
EnglIsh-speaklng stage. Such men ms
w, II. Rochester,, the stage managers;
Lewis Hooper, who nrranses tho dances,
and Hans r. Lime, the musical director,
are names to conjure with on tho musl-
cal comedy stage, where excellence and
enterprise and positive genius arc In de-
mnnd. Ri @ s{5$ 81. 5iy III .55 vs. \ a9
The first week l1ns demonstrated be-
yond pcradventure that this weeks
picture will lack nothing In the framing.
Mr.. GlTen3 has. shown trlumphantly what
he can do In this direction before THIS
season, and tile stnge settings and the
costumes will he gorgeous, beautiful, gilt
tcring and artistic. @
The company has been organized 70
play musical comedies. 8 Those who err
rect farces with music will DO vastly
surprised and mt u little enchanted al
tho difference. Tie reflnement OF the en-
tortainment hat Mannger Glffcn offers
il one OF It's chiefest charms. il
Musical comedy hns It's pnrodcs, Its
spccIaltles and 1T Is not without It's buff
foonery. Without execution The mon and
women regarded BY the public ns firmly
established In light opera or muslcal
comedy have won their p ces bS hard
work. They nre not n sudden or unac-
countable growth, but they have been
years In arriving, and behind eaeh Is IS q
career embracing In many cases every
( form Of dramatic art, Es u "a 5f IS
"trhe French Maid which IS to DO me
5nfforing all this weeli, With the 5nsilal
Emntinres, IA one of tho brightest ana
hreezest musical comedies ever pr olucetl'
n was written by Captain FaslAWood4 WIN
music hy Walter SlaNghtnr,t ana was an
instant and cmpha tie success N'l'ei' Z y
was first produced IN London seven yenvS
apo RI ran there at the SAVOY, the birth
Mace OF the Gilbert and sullivan comic
operas, for something IKE five hundred
nrhtsand the rigit , M nro S"nntr I
we're secured by Ledersr, VINO .! pronuoe ~ -
,nagnificentlys at Sthe,s New york. casino
IL d In i two acts tho first being set IN
the ote AngaIs, at R'naf ns T. ana and fhe
Ia mi OF lifs aud glitter and rlppllng
music NJ il" and ceysr specially, It's characters
dyersfsd ana j llo 9ns 81 It's 6er cs'1s
slu $500, "a ihat tho prominent members
o Of TIC "a Academy Musical Comedy Com
pany viii be much in EVIDENCE Tiers
Will be long llst o ,fr,sa fa,a 'h nye
uue a IN ono OF the bigses, successes Of
the season Ii Now York 4, This vii be
given by Miss Tannehill eng the ehor l,.t
ID ~ sec seer, il 4 dancing specially. mud Man
ger n Giffen Inns new ldea that he -
going 70 introduce, tie enact nature II,, OF y
which Is Intended MS surprise and IS
MOTT be made known Until the opening
night. Miss De Fil|lpe, 50 eptly Gu |4ea