Omaha daily bee., 1905-05-21

II the popularity OF the summer
stock In Omaha, for two thea
I[IW12i ters are open and each is doing
- very we'll At the Boyd the
Ferris players are greeted at each perform
ance by overflow attendance. and at the
Krug. where the stock company is still
more or less Of a venture, the patronage
has been most hattering The parks will
soon be open, Manager Cole of the Krug
starting his yesterday. and for the next
three months at least the public here
abouts will have no occasion to complain
that amusement for the evening is lacking.
And the managers promise that It will be
amusement worth while. too.
Even twenty years has brought a change
In the show business. II you don't be-
lieve 1t look over some Of the play bills you
have laid away as souvenirs and try
to conJure up the whereabouts of some
OF those who were named then stars,
and some who appeared In support.
scrapbook that has been carefully pre-
served contains playbills at one of the
principal theaters of the Missouri valley
for the season of 1886, and even a hasty
persual OF it sets k motion a train OF
pleasant recolections. On the first page
is given a program OF the concert given
by "Donovan's Original Tennesseeans."
company ever sang through the middle
west? Then comes a bill announcing the
Special engagement of the great dramatic
reader and actress, Laura E. Dainty and
star company in Tom Taylors great
drama, depicting life, love and crime in
London, entitled, The Ticket of Leave
Man." Frank f. Aiken was the Bob
Briefly OF the cast. and T. J. Langdon was
Hawkshaw, the detective John T. Ray
mond, under the management Of Brooks
g. Dickson, followed. playing Running for
Congress-" and "In Paradise" Ben Stern
was back with the company then as
usual Helen Modjeska was making a fare
well tour. playing Rosalind, and Maurice
Barrymore was her Orlando. w. f. owen
was the Touchstone Of the cast Mary
Shaw was the Celia, and some other well
known names are in the cast Lilly
Langtry followed Modjeska, presenting
Gilbert Sullivan's "Pygmalion and
Galatea." The cast does not disclose any
names that are deeply impressed on
American stage history.
The press agent was more modest them
for the announcement Of James ONeill in
Monte Cristo'' mentions that "a mammoth
special car is used to transport the seem
cry. No press agent would start out now
adays with less than three sixty-foot bag
gage cars to carry the scenery and props.
Mr.. John Stetson-long since gathered to
his rest-was directing manager of the COM
pany and in the cast supporting the star
are the names Of Frederick de Belleville,
still a prime favorite as Nortier; George
c. Boniface as Villefort, and Eugene
Blair as Mercedes Evans, Bryant &
Hoey's "Meteors" were darting through the
wilderness OF western water tanks" at
that time, and with them the French sis
ters Twins on the bilD, who were doing
songs and dances, with and without music;
J. Bernard Dyllyn, who was then plain
John b., and who did limitations; and Hal
len and Hart, who were then doing a comic
turn. Just as they are today Bryant and
Hoey made one team and Evans led the
company in a one-act farce to close the
show. The c. d. Hess Grand English
Opera company was paving the way for
the Savage organization. offering Fra
Diavolo." Effie Ellsler was playing LA
Belle Russo" offered as David Beasco's
greatest success. and Frank Weston was
supporting her Con the bill, OF course)
James s. Mafit had the role OF Toby the
donkey in "The Devils Auction" a part
that ]. B. Dyllyn later fell heir to- Sol
Smith Russell was out with 'Edgwoot
Folks" under the management OF FREQ
Bergen. The Carlton English Opera COM
pany played repertory or well known com
positions Jessie Bartlett Davis appearing
in the contralto roles. VIII Carlton!
is the only other name on the bill
that is familiar. Among the for
gotten pieces that were offered is 9Th,
Merry War" silly little composition tina
had one splendid female chorus in It
Brooks & Dickson also had out in tht
Ranks" a melodrama with a long list o.
names. only one Of which is nowadays il
any degree familiar. that OF Selma Fetter
who has since added Royie to 1t. Jacl
Monyhan, well remembered here, was ou
with Morris s. Books company. playin
Power OF Money" one OF the. old-tim'
thrillers. He had the role of a policeman
and when he wasn't doing that with tn
company, he was "out ahead" squarinl
the newspapers and fixing the towns 10
the shows coming
Good old Barney McAuley was abroa'
that season with THE Messenger from
Jarvis Section" one OF the best plays o
the kind ever written, and presented by on
of the most genial comedians who eve