The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-11
Theatrical Notes.

Thomas W. Ross, who will appear at
nights and Wednesday afternoon in the I'll
tie role of the big racing comedy drama,
Checkers" says that the most unique ex-
perience of his career occurred during his
last engagement in San Francisco when he
was a member of a company playing a
melodrama. This is the story as Ross tells
it:
1.-The villain of the play was credited with
ready wit. and the occasion of which L
speak was the only time L had ever seen
him feazed. He had made the acquaint-
the night in question. unbeknown to any
or us, they had purchased row of seats
extending way across the theater. AS the
curtain rose in response to a call a the
close of the first act this row of college
youths stood up like one man and chorused
with fine precision and loud voice:
We do not like the villain
THE line Immediately sat down and the
audience Uttered The villain opened his
mouth to speak, but abandoned the thought
and the curtain fell upon his face, which
was red as the setting sun. The next act
was one of nervousness for all of US and
the villain walked around the stage as if
every moment he expected an explosion.
curtain in response to another call at the
close of an act, when the line of college
boys rose as before and chorused:
tenv
THE villain took a step forward to reply
as the crowd sat down, but thought better
of IL again and held his breath, or possibly
he couldn't think of anything suitable to
the occasion in the presence of ladies. The
next act the villain acted as If attacked
with palsy and we ourselves We're decidedly
nervous, but the act passed off until just
before the curtain fell, when again the
college line rose and cried as in one voice:
We do not like the villain: He is rot
q Wi no cyfx i'm fhrpa cho
We will give him cheer and half. Hur-
rahl Hoo!
The Eight Vassar Girls-a company of
talented young women-will be the princi-
pal feature in the Grand's new vaudeville
programme. which has its first perform
ance this afternoon. The "Vassar" maid
ems, as their manager chooses TO bill them,
are said to be excellent instrumental mu-
sicians, good singers and unusually graceful
dancers. And added to these accomplish
mentS they down the programme
as very pretty damsels who know how TO
wear pretty clothes. This speciality should
prove something of a novelty, the Grand
has had few high-class acts along the same
lines and nothing just like II before An
other high-class novelty the bill will be
the exhibition given by the famous Eretto
family. The Erettos are heralded as the
greatest of European acrobatS. In some of
the advance notices of the Grand's new bill
the Erettos are spoken of as newcomers to
Indianapolis. This is a mistake, as they
appeared at the Grand last season and
scored a pronounced success with their in
teresting exhibition. AL Lawrence, a IA
vOrite monolOguiSt and mimic, will be a
prominent contributor TO the programme.
Lawrence is we'll liked in this city as his
work is always entertaining. A magician
who is billed the Great Leon will make
his first local appearance and other enter
tanners in the show will be Green and
Warner. singers and dancers; Bailey and
Madison, in q nonsenSical speciality; Cordua
and Maud. in an equilibristic and wire
walking act. and Frey and Fields in an
original speciality.
Yon Yonson, modest. always in good hui
NOR, and with a faculty for doing the right
thing at the right time. comes to the Park
this afternoon in the familiar Swedish COM
edy drama of that title. He is the Yon
Yonson of old. but he is impersonated by a
new actor, NeIse Erickson. who is said to
treat the young lumberman as a natural
and human character, keeping the play
ladened with a pleasing Swedish atmoS-
phere. This play was written by Gus
Heege. himself actor from Sweden. who
found his material for the play in Swedish
lumber camps of Wisconsin and Michigan,
where he spent three years He wrote the
play thirteen years ago. and il has been
going up and down the land each year since.
number of young Swedes having utilized
AZ 70 gain stage Inc entire company
Is this year made up of new players, some
OF them having lately joined the lyon
1onson forces. Elizabeth Chester. Elma
Gillette. Eva Bennett and Guy Spangler are
some OF the newest recruits. In other years
this play has been we'll received at the
Park on account of its wholesome fun and
elaborate equipment
The well-known burlesque manager-come-
dian. Al Reeves. will bring his musical
travesty and vaudeville combination to the
Empire this afternoon for weeks en-
gagement. Reeves and his associates are
annual visitors at the indianapolis home
! of burlesque and the patrons of that
amusement house have come TO expect
good entertainment of this organization.
! The show this season is said 10 be bright
one, with large chorus of attractive girls
and a number OF funmakers who. il is
| claimed. are among the best on the bur-
| lesque stage. Two travesties will be of
| fered-a satire on "A Chinese HONEYMOON
| and piece called the THE Merry-Co-
| Round" The principal performers with
| the company Van Der Koor a rnagi-
J clan. new to this city; Andy Lewis. a popu-