The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-16
~. III. theatres

90. ~U6QU6S
king Dodo." the new comedy opera by
Pixley and Luders. coming direct from
its successful run OF two months at
Daly's theatre. New York, with the same
organization OF rs people. will be the at
traction at the Providence Opera House
tonight for three nights and Wednesday
matinee. The piece is replete with all
that is new I'm bright satire, Willy ~dla-
logue and catchy music, although It's
theme revives the old style OF comic
opera. which is foreign TO the musieal
comedy vogue which seemed 10 have been
I'm vogue for several seasons. The cast
is long one including among Its princi-
pals Raymond Hitchcock. the versatile
comedian, who set all Broadway laughing
over his Interpretation OF king Dodoi
Cheridah Simpson the Junoesque prima
donna. Flora Zabelle. the captivating and
sprightly little soubrette; Greta aisley.
Margaret Mckinney. Arthur Wooley,
/ VIM. Corliss and Arthur Reagon.
When "Ben Hur' was first produced at
/ the Broadway theatre in New York TX
/ was thought the sensational chariot race
/ was as perfect as advanced stage craft
could make II, but at the very nrst per-
| formance Klaw a. Erlanger discovered
| defect hardly noticeable TO the audience
/ In the excitement OF the situation. The
\ scene was all animation except the stage
1 floor The only movement there was the
! threadmills under the horses feet. To
make the illusion complete there must be
perfect similation OF ground movement
KIaw a Eranger determined that this
should be created. and within a week
after the production they put experts at
1
months time and $500 were spent before
| the problem was solved.
The new device wonderfully improved
the realistic effect. Now the horses
gallop, the ciariots rumble and roll. the
walls OF the arena with thousands OF
spectators whirl by, and the ground or
! stage seems to fairly fly from beneath the
horses feet and the great wheels OF the
chariots. BY months Of persistent labor
and lavish outlay the chariot race. which
has been regarded as the most remark
able example Of stage mechanism ever
seen, has been made even more perfect
| an actual reality.
| The race incident cost Klaw & Erlanger
| SIC, 900 before the production was made.
AS seen at the Providence Opera House
the equipment represents an outlay of
1880 and months work.
| Mr.. Skinner's coming production OF
| 'I.azarre" at the Providence Opera
House the first part Of next week prom
| ises to be among the most artistic or the
season There are many yet living who
can recall the sensation created half
century ago, when Putnams Monthly
| published a series OF articles with the In
terrogative title, Have We q Bourbon
Among Us7' the purpose OF which was
to maintain that "LAzu'' or Lazarre Will
| lams, then a missionary among the In 3.
/ in NfapOnaiu
reality the Dauphin OF France. the alb
Quoted son OF Louis XVI. Mrs. Gather
woods romance upon which Mr. Skin
ner's new play Is founded ownes its ori-
gin to this old magazine controversy.
Ezra Kendall will be at the Providence
opera House. Thursday evening, March
26, for stay OF three nights and a matt
nee Saturday In his new three-act COM
edy THE Vinegar Buyer" Ezra Kendall
is one of the few comedians who Is natur-
ally funny and 1t Is said that he never ap-
peared 70 better advantage than In his
new play. He is humorous when OF the
tage and while on the stage Is amusing
without apparent effort. 1t is stated that
his new comedy was written under his
personal directions and II is described as
"a license for laughter" The vinegar
Buyer" is the work Of Herbert Hall Win
slow and written in accordance with
OF the Jap Miller type (Jap Miller OF
James Whitcomb Riley's famous poem Of
that name) who Is supplied with Ezra
Kendalls characteristics.
To that. and Mr.. Kendall assisting In
every way that he could by suggestion
and otherwise is the result in a three-act
comedy which is said IN he funny. The
cast I'm support OF Mr.. Kendall includes
such artists as Charles Bowser, Marion
Abbott, Ed Chapman. Walter Thomas,
u NTE,.
ris The production Is picturesque and
beautiful and these features give evidence
of the high character of the new Kendall
comedy.
The subscription list at Keiths theatre
will open for the stock season this morn
ing at $3.50 a. m. Manager Loyenberg
and the box office officials are being
overwhelmed with questions pertaining
to the subscription system, and many
/ theatregoers who attend the stock COM
pany performances every week but have
no regular seats and go upon different
nights each week, ask II they will be
given souvenir books Manager Loven-
. berg states positively that no one who
does not conform To the regular sub
scribers requirements will be given one
: OF these books These requirements con
1 sist mainly OF having ones name upor
, the subscription book for the entire stock
season for specified seats on specified
nights and In showing. at the end ol
the season seat coupons for the same
seats and the same night every week OF
tn, season, less not more than foul
weeks. There are also innumeraDle Ques
tlons asked about just how Miss Evessor
, and Miss Phillips are TO alternate. Con
: trary TO what many people suppose, the,
will alternate every other week. instead
of every other night on leading woman
, rehearsing while the other Is playing. or
exceptional occasions, when the play!
, offer two exceptionally strong leading fe
male roles. both Miss Phillips and Mis-
4 Evesson will be I'm the cast. as, for In
y stance. I'm the opening production, Lad!
: Bountiful." In this beautiful play, Their
. are two equally strong roles, and both o
Z the leading women will be in the frs
4 production OF the season.