The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-23
CRAWFORD is REoPENED.
L M. Crawford Makes Speech Before
Curtain.

Curtain.
York State Folks the play of all
rural plays. was at the Crawford the |
alter last night to make it's second APP
pearance in Topeka. The event was
also the opening of the theater for the
first time since it was closed by the
city council until improvements, calcu-
lated to make the theater safer in case
of fire, were made.
The theatergoers could see that the
entrance way had been widened a lit
tie by the removal of the stuffy little
box office. The stairs to the door open
ing into the parquet have been succeed
ed by an incline. The exits on the first
floor, on the north side and under the
stage, are marked by red lights. An
asbestos curtain marked "freprOOf as
bestos curtain was in place. The stair
way to the balcony has been widened
and improved greatly. New exits have
been provided in the balcony and gal
Fiery. The improvements and changes on
the stage, such as the spray MOBILES, the
stand pipes, the asbestos covered walls,
etc, could not be seen by the audience.
After the first act L. M. Crawford APP
peared before the curtain and made
quite a lengthy speech to the audience.
MI. Crawford is not an orator, but he
made favorable impression with his
talk. Mr.. Crawford reviewed the fact
that the city council had called upon
him to make improvements, and that
he had quickly consented. He warned
the audience about being panic
stricken. He cited the Auditorium, and
said that panic in his theater or in
that hall would mean the same thing:
loss of lives. He stated that he had
dones all he could do to improve the
theater at this time, but that next sum-
mer he hoped to make further improve
ments.
York State Folks visited Topeka for
the first time last season. 1t was not
Well known to local theater-gOers at
that time, and the audience was small.
1t is better known now. and whenever
Fred E. Wright wishes to send Arthur
Sidman's story of village life to To-
peka, With such actors as Lackaye-
Royce-Crosby in the cast, he can be
| sure of good attendance.
York State Folks is a plain, every
day story of village life. and it is a
mighty good story, too. There is moth
ing ,a Improbable in the plot; no mis-
! no villain OF the double-faced style.
| Every character, every scene and every
incident was brought right from Mar
tlnsvllle, N. Y. to the stage.
James Lackaye, as Simon Peter Mar
| tin the heaviest taxpayer and presi-
dent of the village, does some acting
that has never been excelled by any
actor that has visited Topeka Mr..
! Lackaye makes the role of the robust,
white haired, grabbed old villager who
demands that he dictate everything that
is done and that everyone bend to his
beck and call, absolutely real Every
| step, move, gesture, glance and even
the beating is done in perfect accord to
| the character. Mr.. Lackaye is an actor
who equals the best who have played
here but whose superior is yet to come
His acting this year was exactly the
same as last season. He must be
| Simon Peter the year round.
Ray L. Royce as the quiet, easy go
ing, forgiving ''Myron Cooper the OLD
organ builder, was in great contrast to
the hard-f1sted Simon Peter" Royce
was probably the favorite with the
audience because in his easy going way
he seemed to need some one to whoop
| part of Cooper" as if he had emigrat-
ed with Simon Peter right from Mar
| tinsvilIe.
All through the play the characters
are good and they were we'll cast.
There are % characters in the play
and every one is good. Harry Crosby
| made a capital Lem Dunbar" one of
the important characters. To enum-
crate the good characters and good
| players is to speak of everyone, even
down to Frank Soule, who plays REV.
!. but mighty well played. There is the
secret of the success of york State
. Folks; even down to the parson and
. the postmaster, who are on the stage
but few minutes, the parts are per-
fectly cast. Whenever the pay roll of
/ the company is pruned, then the char
acters will suffer and the play will de-
, teriorate. But now there can be moth
ing but praise for York State Folks. -
The audience was not large enough to
test the capacity of the house