The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-14
BOY SINGERS OF THE CITY
REHEARSE AT THE PARK
Youthful Melody Makers VIII Ap-
pear Last OF the Week in The
Fatal Wedding
CHURCH SINGERS USED
James Byrnes Secures Abou
Twenty Youngsters for Local
Appearance.
..Now-go after it hardr

'Now-go after il hard!'
James Byrnes sounded the piano with one
hand and held the other high above ms
head. A band of boy singers went after II
Ca high note) and not only sounded II, put
held it until the Byrnes hand sank out OF
their sight. This band of youthful singers
raised their faces toward the farthest seat
in the Park Theater gallery yesterday att
ernoon as they went after it and sent
out a volume of sound that rang with the
sweetness of a silver bell. 1t was then
that the women and the stage carpenters
paused to listen.
The boy choristers, from various In
hearsal of a church wedding scene IN Inc
Fatal Wedding" in which they VIII APP
pear in surplice and cassock at the PARK
for six performances, beginning heAt
Thursday afternoon, and Mr.. Byrnes, sew
eral days ahead of the play. was training
them in the special music. After the boys
sent their voices frolicking around the
realm of high to the satisfaction OF their
trainer, Mr.. Byrnes formed about twenty
of the youngsters into line, two abreast,
with little Joe Ratcliff. eight years old, IN
front, and showed them how to get on and
off the stage and what would be expected
of them during the action OF the play.
SWEET SINGERS.
These boys" Mr. Byrnes said, ARE the
sweetest singers in Indianapolis. L took
my pick of over $50 applicants. and those
in training are the best 1 could find in the
churches, some of the church choristers
aiding me in making the choice. / have
heard stronger voices among choir boys in
my travels over the country in this work,
but none clearer or sweeter than the voices
they will come along with their strength
in day or two. This is only the second
rehearsal, and they are a little shy with
the thought of going on the stage"
Mr. Byrnes. himself a singer of no small
caliber, knows what il is to be choir boy
He sang with Minneapolis church choir
for ten years For three years-he is now
eighteen years old-he has been associa tee
with Miss Gertrude Haynes. of Hunting
ton. Ind. who has been winning fame ano
money with her celestial choir act II
vaudeville, Mr. Byrnes training the boy
choristers and she accompanying them or
an organ built after her own ideas, be-
fore the footlights.
II have had less than the common diff
fctuly in getting boys for the Indianapoli:
engagement the trainer said. In good
many cities / have to pick UP newsboy'
and their kind off the streets, but 1 Otter
find splendid voices among them. While
| the youngsters are singing al the Park the!
will be in the personal care of Miss Haynes
and their parents and their choir masterr
will find that the experience will be goot
| for them
CLIENTELE AMONG BOYS.
Miss Haynes has a clientele among DO.
| singers all over the United States. The,
range from the raggedest newsboy to tn
most polished youngster that ever came on
| of a church choir. A boy who sings IL
| one of her stage choirs seems never TO for
| get her. She has had many experience
| with the youthful singers. Last fall. in
| New York theater, she discharged DO,
| who turned on five faucets in the cellar an,
flooded the floor with several hundred gal
| Ions of water The others in the choir de
manded that the offender be reinstated
| She refused Then a walking delegate from
the choir gave her an ultimatum, which
| included a raise of pay and a stage han,
put the walking delegate out in the street
| The boys in training at the Park will hav
| several more rehearsals among the piles o
| scenery on the stage before the compan
| gets here. Every youth in the crowd
| jubilant over his chance TO go on IN
| stage" as we'll the chance to get PAL
| for it,
The singers from Grace Church are vii
| son Maiden. HOS North Alabama street
| Walter and Joe Ratcliff. 2123 Bellefontaine
| Donald McGibeny, 2l3 East Thirteenth
Fred Nelson. 325 East Sixteenth; Carl an
| Theodore Schulmeyer, 1905 North Alabama
Horace o. Miller, 5l7 East Market. an an
| Jack Meyers, 1903 Ashland avenue. TIL
| youngsters representing Christ Church ar
| John Turner, Imperial Hotel; Percy Prossel
| 912 North Oriental; Willard Gribble, I'm
perial Hotel. and Carl Barrows, 1271 Edge
| wood place.
Those who come from Trinity NJ. I
Church are Raymond Harris. 1270 Edge
| wood avenue, and Arthur Rosenbaum, 6C
| Parkway avenue. College-avenue Baptis
Church is represented by Arch Bald. 1S
| Polk street and Ernest Rinard, 91S High
| land avenue.