The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-02-01


sSial induce nents ansl ID new equips
siment of scenic and Emee hanicals az;
fleets, will occupy the boards of the;
Grand RAJ q Opera House An the aear III.
ture. X N AaS:S !SS
Il ..tfTHE PITT 3f{
Wilton Lackaye VIII Visit This city
In the Success Of the Season.
It is claimed for tho play, ..The
Pit" which comes to the, Grand Or.
era House February %. that It Is the
play Of the year, Just as the novel Of
Frank Norris tupon which the play,
has been built by Charming Pollock)5
was the novel Of the year. 1t ia i
story dealing with Chicago stock
speculation. and II is produced on a
colossal scale, scale never before
attempted by William a. Brady.
Wilton Lackaye. long recognized as
one Of the foremost artists on the,
American stage. has found in Curtis
Jadwln role that will overshadow.
his former achievements, great
though they were. He Is presented in
this play Us star Of the first magni..
tude, and one remarkable In size for
there are over three hundred people
in 1t. 4 b 4 q
When it Is remembered that the.
stock exchange Of New York and
Chicago play part Of most vital In.
terest in the lives of almost entire
communities and act and react upon
values and the prices Of commodities
throughout the entire world, It is n
wonder that so little OF tho poetry,
the pathos, and the gigantic emotion
of the life connected with them has
been portrayed either in fiction or
upon the stage. Edwin Tefeore has
touched in mastery fashion on some
OF the phases Of Wall street life IN
short stories published in McClure's
magazine, but Frank Norris was the
first author, of note to give to the
world at, large an adequate idea Of
speculation in the Chicago wheat pit,
The play presents varisembland
picture of the Spectator, Of the
Board of Trade, and never in fiction
or in drama it is said, have we been
brought SO forclbly face to face with
the madness Of the stock exchange.
Chicago is the scene Of the action,
the chief characters are men Of busl-
ness enterprise and wealth, the hero
is multi.millionalre who corners the
wheat only to find himself later cor
nered by the5wleat, after a signal
triumph and magnificent fight.
The Chlcagoan Board Of Trade,
with the wheat pit In particular Is
portrayed, and the contrast between
the drama of romance Us enacted up:
on the stage and the immense and
more important drama that day BIZ
day involves men and money with the
terrible reality of Its implacable
grasp, is irresistibly forced upon us.
In the heroine, most Of all, Is the
contrast set forth 1t is her peculiG-
double character, her fluctuations
from ldeallty to reality, that one
sees the startling comparison with
all its significance. Laura Dearborn
is a creation, she is something new
in the woman of fiction and in the
stage heroine, but she is the truest
true to life. i.
William A. Brady has made the
greatest effort Of his career In pre-.
senting THE Pit" and in organizing
the support for his star. There are
six great scenes presenting the Au-
ditorium in Chicago during the grand
opera season, the lawn Of the Cress-
lers with an al fresco rehearsal Of
"Romeo and Juliet" the music room
in the Jadwin's home, the office of
Brokers, the wheat pit, and last Of
all another room in the Jadwin
home. VI "a