The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-15
big productions, each Of which required
a. great deal of music. Orchestra re-
hearsals had to be held for each Of these.
productions. s55 .53a
{. BRUCE CEESTERAIAN. Il

The past week With its crush Of great
attractions practically marks the close
of the theatrical season x OF 10O2-O3.
There are other shows, OF course, but
they are comparatively few. and all the
energies OF every tmember.fo Of the Acad-
envy force are being directed towards
the preparations for the springsa .lt sum y
mer stock season. The only attraction
at the Academy this week will be the
Lady Minstrels,' who will appear on
March 10th for the benefit of the Hepta-
sopns. OF the attractions still to come,
Richard Caryel the Bostonlans. Victor
Herbert's Band, and Joseph Jefferson
are alone upon the list "a
The Academy Musical Comedy Com-
pany, managed by r. l.. Giffen, Of stock
company fame, will come to the Acad-
emy March Goth The organization has
been hard at work for several days In
New York. and the result of the re-
hearsals has filled the bosoms Of Mama
gers I4cath and Giffen with delight, The
productions will3bc made upon the most
elaborate scale and built from the orig
inal models. Only hrst-class musical
comedies Of the San Toy ana Gcisla
order are to represented, and the belief
|. is general that 1t will be the greatest
season tho Academy has ever known. &
new musical comedy every week, and
the company will divide It's time between
Richmond and Norfolk, alternating with
dramatic stock company, II fall the
plans In contemplation at present are
carried out Il
William Rochester who was with tho
.Sutan OF Suu," and before that
staged all the Chamberlain enterprises,
Will DO the stage director Of the yAcnde-
(N,,,,
Lime, formerly with tho king Dodo,'
Company and the Castle Square Opera
Company will be tho musical director.
The prlma donna is Dora de Fllpnc,
who was with Mascagni at the beginning
Of tho season. Ninettc ThuHnn. who has
been tho soubrette IN Frank Perley's
most notable successes, will fiji u similar
role In the Academy Company Charac-
ter parts will be played by Bessie Tnnne-
hill whose work in that line Is hetter
known, perhaps. than that OF any other
artist before tho public In his country,
Matte Martz. formerly with the Ros-
tonlans, VIII sing soprano parts. and
Nellie Victoria, who was with Rogers
Brothers. and is known here through her
fno work In When Reuben Comes to
Town" ill7tplay sonbrette parte.
Harry Davies. who was for three
years first tenor Will, tho Castle Square
Opera Company. will MI A. similar place
with tho Academy organization, while
Joseph Phillips will DO the primo barl-
tone. Sylvester James, who was seen
here at the head Of the University OF
Pennsylvania Mask and Wig CLUB, will
lead the list OF comedians, with John
e. Young, who was last In the famous
production of "Santn Marla.' Arthur
Barry, the basso buffo was brought to
this country from England by Sir Ar
thur Sullivan to sing In the "Rose Of
Persia" and has filed many notable ems
gagements since that time The char
acter comedian will be Charles Glblyn,
formerly with the ''sultan of Sulu,'iin Il
similar capacity
There will be n chorus OF twenty-four,
the largest organization of the kind even
seen In this territory. The names In the
list are as follows; soprani--Alma Estee.
Dorothy Marlowe. Czech Murray, Edith
Lane, Margaret Superba. Mabel Nlyen,
Katherine Dalton. Edythe Nelson,
Lillian Yost. Victoria Stuart, Altl-I.es-5
lie Curtis, Violet Albrecht, Algie Yale.
Ruth Deshon. Beatrice litchfeld. Ana
Be; Niven.y l'cnori-rW. G. Nudge. sey-
Hao4r Jewett, Charles p, Sanford, Robert