The San Francisco call., 1903-09-22
TWO NEW PLAYS
RECEIVE A TRIAL
Opening of Theatrical
Season in Nations
Capital.
Checkers and ''The Light
That Lies in Wcman's
Eyes" Presented.

WASHINGTON, Sept. H.-The regular
theatrical season opened in Washington
tonight. and two new plays were offered
to the American public for the first time.
One Of them. Checkers" was produced
In the new National Theater, and was a
dramatization Of Henry Blossoms book
Of the same title. The other play. THE
Light That Lies in Woman's Eyes"
brought forth in the Columbia Theater,
revealed E H. Sothern the actor, as a
playwright starring his wife, Virginia
Harmed, in one OF his own productions
Both plays drew large audiences, official
society, the army and navy and the regu-
lar contingent Of first-nighters dividing
their attention between the two theaperS.
The Sothern production is a comedy or
rare beauty, with an interesting story
set of by elaborate scenery. Miss Harmed
received an ovation, and after the first
act the audience compelled Sothern to
come before the fOotlights and make
speech. Miss Harmed. after this week,
viii open IN Cincinnati in Iris" and after
a tour in her last years play that will
extend as far as the Pacific Coast she
will put Sothern's play on the stage in
New York, beginning about the middle OF
January.
The dramatization OF Checkers pro-
duced a play full OF action that would
probably draw well aside from the in
terest attracted TO It by the book. The
play introduced Thomas W. Ross as a
star. and he. with Miss Katherine Null
kins. was heartily applauded. The prin-
cipal parts are all excellently taken and
to-nights audience approved the play as
worthy Of a long run.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. H.-Kyrle Bel
lew opened his season here tonight in
the Garrick Theater In his new play,
"Raf1es.' an original production taken
from HOrnung's Tales OF the Amateur
Craftsman" The house was well filed
and the production was favorably re-
ceived. Bellew is ably assisted by z. M.
Holland, who played the part OF a de-
tective. a character similar to that in
"Jim the Penman,' which he created
years ago.
NEW YORK. Sept. M.-In the Brooklyn
Academy of Music tonight Henry W.
Savage's reOrganized English grand opera
company began it's ninth year and four
weeks season in Brooklyn with a per-
formance Of Faust" Savage's English
singing artists received an enthusiastic
welcome The allotment Of parts included
Joseph Sheehan as Faust, Winfred Cioff as
Valentine, Francis j. Boyle as Mephis-
topheles, Gertrude RennisOn as Mar
guerite and Rita Newman Of San Fran
cisco as Siebel
NEW HAVEN, Conn, Sept. 2-NIiss
Julia Marlowe made her first appearance
here this season in the new play, Fools
Of Nature" by Henry V. Esmond, at the
Hyperion tonight The comedy was we'll
received and Miss MarlOwe, who for the
first time in her stage life took the part
OF a society woman, was enthusiastically
received. The setting Is English and the
story centers about the infatuation Of
Cecil Bannister for Martha, Lady Breaches
ter (Adiss MarlOwe) in love with whom
also is Captain Jim Chivel Crank Worth
ing). The latter through self-sacrihce
prevents Martha defying social laws.
w. T. Lowell. an English actor, created
the part Of Cecil Bannister, and he, with
Worthing, shared the attention given to
Miss Marlowe. After the third act Es-
mond was called before the curtain.