davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1905-01-01
WHEN FOUR COMEDIANS
ACTED JULIUS CAESAR
Were to Play Tragedy Legtimatey But Poor Marc Antony
Never Spoke a Thing

Eddie Foy. of the ''Pif Paff Pouf'
company. tells the following story ef
how the tragedy of Julius Caesar" was
comedians in Chicago fourteen years
ago:
.'Will A Mcconnell wanted to give q
benefit for somebody, and thought a
novel bill would be the thing. McCon-
nell arranged with a clever man named
John Morris, an all-round stock actor,
TO rehearse and put the piece on Nor
ris was a sincere man and went at his
task conscientiousIy. Here is the kind
OF material Mcconnell gave him to
work on:
Arthur Dunn, Julius Caesar; Eddie
Foy. Cassius: John Gilbert. Casco;
Jacques Cruger, Brutus; John Morris,
Marc Antony.
Great mystery surrounded the whole
affair. We rehearsed in utmost secrecy
for three weeks at the Sherman House.
and two days before the date OF the
benefit performance Mcconnell an
nounced his cast and advanced the
opinion that comedians could play
straight tragedy as well as anybody
Finally the great night came and the
theater was packed. McConneil's ruse
charged by both Mcconnell and Morris
to play our parts lesitimately. But We
simply couldn't do 1T The opportunity
for burlesquing was too great Morris
had gone to considerable extent getting
up his costume for Marc Antony and
expected TO cover himself with glory In
The Washington times., 1905-01-01

when he and Maurice Campbell will pre-
sent Henrietta Crosnaap IN David Belas-
cos play. Sweet Kitty Bellairs-" Since
both play and players were seen here
two seasons ago in four performances
they have scored emphatic successes in
the Belasco Theater, New York city. as
well as having played q tremendously
successful engagement in p iladeiphia
and Boston
Mr.. Belasco feels that inasmuch as ne
was only able to present Miss Crosman
four nights during her original engage
ment here. and that as so many people
were unable to secure seats at that time,
Miss Crosman will be gladly welcomed
again in the same role
The stage in Convention Hall will en-
able him to give the entire production
here as II was given in his own theater in
New York city. This he seldom is able
to do out OF town. as the stages are not
constructed sufficiently large to put on
productions of such magnitude. The i'm
preston seems to prevail among per-
sons no have not attended Convention
Hall since Mr.. Belasco has transformed
IL into theater that the stage is built
at one end of the Hall. while the seats
run entirely back 10 the other end. This.
however, is not the case. The stage has
been constructed In the center of the
Hail. seats running back TO the north
end. while the south end is devoted 10
dressing rooms, etc. There is not a seat
IN the thearer from which a perfect view
of the stage cannot be had, neither need
q word, of the book be missed by any
auditor. An additional feature of the
Relasco engagement Is that OF the re-
duc:ion In the price of seats TO $50 70,
The Washington times., 1905-01-01

That nothing Appeals SO strongly to
Americans as womanly charm and con-
sideration for others has been proved
again and again. But 1t seems to be ex-
emplified in the career or Nine Schu-
mann-Heink, who. unaided. has climb
ed to eminence as the worlds greatest
prima donna contralto.
If all the stories of the kindly deeds
of this artist could be gathered II would
require several volumes of finely printed
books to properly place them before the
reading public. They could not be gath
cred however because Nine. Schumann-
Heink Is as unostentatious in dispens-
ing charity as she is kindly In honestly
advising and aiding those who look for
ward to careers on the stage
The enthusiasm of Nine. Schumann-
Heink in any work she undertakes and
her indefatigable energy would give ma
terfal for other books. Her childhood
was filed with hardships and disappoint-
ments enough to discourage an optimis-
tic and exceptionally healthy fuli-grown
man The eldest daughter of the COM
mandant of small military station in
Austria, the drudgery of the household
devolved upon her because the fathers
pay was too modest to permit engaging
a servant, and the mother as the wife
of the most important army officer of
the post, had too many social duties TO
perform to make IL possible for her to
cook, scrub, wash, iron, etc.
Nurse-maid and Pianist at Once.
At the age of eleven, therefore, this
child had not only a big house and fam
lily TO look after, but when a little sister
arrived she had additional work as a
nursemaid. IL is told, however. of The
child that she performed the housework
with much energy that while her
mother was paying social calls the little
Ernestfne would shift the child and era
die To the front parlor and while rock
ing the baby to sleep with her left foot,
worked the piano pedals with the right.
and while practicing her plano lessons
would let her fresh, strong, young voice
out until it reached the neighborhood
for block in either direction.
At the age Of thirteen the girl became
| so insistent for an operate career that
her plentifully shocked parents shipped
! her off to the convent at Prague, re-
solved that no child Of theirs should
! ever disgrace them by going on the
| stage, But, as is usually the case In
such affairs, the action Of Papa and
Mamma Roessler accomplished the very
thing they were seeking to prevent
| The nuns IN the Praugue convent soon
discovered in the singing during deYo-
| tional exercises a voice of such power
and sweetness that most of them want
/ ed to have the child In charge for the
development of her vocal and piano
playing tendencies
The Washington times., 1905-01-01

letters. was asked once how he felt
when his first novel set the literary world
afire- His answer consisted of six short
Anglo-Saxon words-'"That my fight had
just begun.
The Other Girl is a good play A
poorer cast might have presented IL
with acceptability to every city in the
Union II was the more enjoyable, then
when acted by a company of excep-
tional merit. Three of the men gave
marked pleasure-th- star. Mr.. Bennett.
who acted the pugilistic clergyman. and
Mr.. Byrne who impersonated real re-
porter. and not circus barker" with
II notebook in his hand. =
Mr. Thomas has written better come
dies. of course. But mighty few other
men have written better comedies In
our time. and with our, life rs the ma.
terial.
Buster Brown at the Lafayette.
oyerflowed into an extra matinee.
Chase's celebrated Christmas at the box
office. The Academy held its own
largely. The Lyceum went on it's way
rejoicing. Christmas comes but once
a year to these theaters. and they made
the most of 1t this time.
Schumann-Heink in comic opera, q
| rare musical announcement; PIN, Pan,
Pouf," from the New York reviews. a
Henrietta Crossman in Sweet Kitty
BeIla.rs:' The Burgomaster;'' more
inviting yaudeyilie;;" the old, familiar
The Washington times., 1905-01-01

delivering the funeral Grafton. But he
didn't get chance
Matters progressed quite Iegitimately
Caesar is supposed to be assassinated
Little Arthur Dunn appeared as Caesar
wearing pair of green -Galways' and
wreath made of the same material.
His line I'm as fixed as the Northern
star was the last that was uttered.
'Cruger started the fun by turning a
fiip-fop IN the center of the Roman SEN
ate, while Gilbert and / siezed Arthur
Dunn and played hand-bau with him.
Poor julius Caesar had an awful time
getting sassinated. We tore off his
'Galways' and his costume and trampled
him until the poor little fellow did be-
lieve that We really meant to kill him.
Then Cruger. Gilbert and myself
had three-handed boxing match. The
audience apparently thought more of our
exhibition of athletics than It did OF
| our tragedy. for when we attempted to
; proceed with the lines OF the play, they
would yell Time
I'VE made fun for an hour or so and
then the curtain was rung down. The
people seemed satisfied with the even
fng's entertainment
The man who suffered the greatest
disappointment was John Morris. He
didn't get an opportunity to utter q line.
and his three weeks constant rehearsal
and his fine costume went for naught
After that night Mcconnell altered his
| opinion as TO the legitimacy OF come
dians. "
The Washington times., 1905-01-01
AT the Theaters.
National-Schumann-Heink.

From one end of America TO the other
a sigh of relief is going up because the
producing managers are at last awaken
ing to the fact that theatergoers have
tired OF the meaningless, silly hodge
lodges which have been parading under
the general heading of musical COM
edies- Manager F. @. Whitney is one
OF these who heard the cry. He jumped
several rounds beyond the comic opera
stop and pulled to his aid grand opera
artists to sing and act in his latest and
best comic opera. He was pooh -poohed
when rumor first fioated about that he
had signed Nine. Schumann-Heink TO
sing In comic opera for term of years
Nobody Is pooh pooling now. because he
has the famous contralto and he will
present her at the New National Thea
ter next week. in a new line of artistic
endeavor.
Nine. Schumann-H Heink's first stage
appearance was in comic opera At the
age OF sixteen she made her first pro-
fessional appearance in Dresden in COM
ic opera. But IT Is many years since
she appeared before the nnhIic excent as
The Washington times., 1905-01-01

EARNS RISE IN MUSIC
From D-udgery of Small Household TO Eminenee in
Grand Opera-He'ped on by Nuns.

OF course. the nuns had no intention
OF aiding the child's stage ambitions.
They simply recognized remarka BILE
would be almost a crime not to aid in
Its development Soon nearly everybody
in Austria at all musically inclined had
heard of the girl with the phenomenal
voice, and SO much influence was
brought TO bear on the parents that,
finally, when the girl was within a few
months OF sixteen. they reluctantly per-
mitted her to enter competition fer
the role of Azucena in the Royal Thea
ter. Dresden, to which city in Germany
the family had moved Although the
youngest Of the aspirants for the role
she was awarded the prize. and at the
subsequent performance she became ia
NOUS
What "Schumann-Heink" Means.
1t is not generally known that Nine
Schumann-Heink was twice married
As Ernestine Roessler, she was led to the
altar by man who had gained some
fame as an actor and as an editor This
is not such an unusual combination in
Austria and Germany, and Herr Heink
was man of considerable prominence
:.
Heink. she steadily climbed the opera
tic ladder. creating more German and
Italian contralto roles than any other
woman on the stage.
When Herr Heink ard his amiable
hausfrau agreed to disagree Nine.
HeiDk toook hold of her own business
affairs with such energy and success
that she was able to start her own
bank account. A few years later she
was married to Paul Schumann, the
actor and singer, who later became one
of the stage managers of the Wagnerian
opears at the Metropolitan Opera House,
in New York. His death, at the family
home near Dresden, from a thi;d par
alytic stroke occurred a few weeks age
while Nine. Schumann-Heink and her
company were playing IN Boston.
The first impulse of the prir.la donna
on receiving the cablegram was 70 dis
band her Loves Lottery" company and
sail for Germany. Then she began te
think of her responsibility to her mana
ger. who had spent many thousands OF
| dollars in fitting her with starring
vehicle. Then she began to think. also
! OF the eighty-two players and musicians
| who are with her on tour. and what II
meant to all these to be thrown out O,
profitable employment in the middle OF
| a season. These things she felt keenIy
| and as her husband had been an inyaiit
| for two years, and as all the children
were placed In colleges. she resolved
after giving the company a rest OF {
| few days. to continue to play the sea
| son.
The Washington times., 1905-01-01
{ Chase's-Japanese Guards.

The Imperial japanese Guards. at
Chase's this week. are expected to give
Washington an emphatic idea of the
men and mettle that have carried every
thing in conquest in the war between
Japan and Russia With the patriotic
feeling that has marked the japanese
nations support of their Emperor. the
Guards send all their surplus earnings
TO aid the cause of their country They
show every phase of japanese infantry
fighting in an act called, in English.
'On the Firing Line" or An Attack
Upon Port Arthur
La Troupe Carmen forms the second
stellar attraction. This is a noted quin-
tet of Spanish high wire performers at
tached to the Circus Royal, OF Madrid,
and touring this country for the first
time. Smith and Cook, eccentric coined
ians; Janet Melville and Evie Stetson.
condolences: Ten Brooke, Lambert and
Company, in Prof Schmaltz's Acad-
emy:" Josephine Gassmau and her sing
ing and dancing pickaninnies. loudly
and repeatedly applauded: La Tell
Brothers, European gymnasts. and pic
lures of travel scenes In Sunny Italy
complete the program.
The Washington times., 1905-01-01
Hickman School Performance.

The frs, exhibition performance Of the
Robert Hickman School of Acting will
be given Friday afternoon, January 20,
at the Lafayette Theater- Contrary to
the original announcement that Ibsen's
Master Builder" would be given. Mr.
Hickman, after several rehesrsals OF the
play. decided that It was quite unsuited
either as a vehicle for showing his pu.
pills 10 advantage, or OF afording enter
tainment TO = normally minded Areri-
can audience Instead of this light
and highly entertaining bin VIII be
given, consisting OF three one-aet plays.
In which more of the pupils will have an
opIoT :unity TO appear, and In which
they VIII hnd material better adapted to
showing their ability TO advantage.
Among weu-known Washingtenians 10
appear in these plays Will be George A.
Bentley. who Will be remembered last
year as producing and playing in the
The Washington times., 1905-01-01
Eddie foY IN Fff. .Faff. Rcuf..

usual matiness Wednesday and Satur-
day
This opera was the first musical pro-
duction to be brought forward by the
Dearborn management, of Chicago. and
was purchased two years ago by VIII
liam P. Cullen, who made a revival OF
the piece, and. Incidentally. a fortune.
by maintaining the compaeE up to a
high standard, and building q new pro-
duction.
The cast is headed by Oscar ]. Fig
man. one Of the younger members OF
the school OF dialect comedians He has
been portraying the character Of the
Burgomaster in the East for three years
and is said to have magnetic personal
it'll The character OF Willie Van Astor-
bilt, a New York youth who essays TO
show the BurgoTnaster and his secre-
| tary around the town, after their 80
years Of burial, Is impersonated by Olga
Won Hatzfeldt
Others IN the case are Charles SharD.
Fred Bailey, R J. Moye. George Nc
Kissock. Oscar B. RagIand. Louise
Mae Franklin, and the sisters Eockhart
Academy-"On the Suwanee River"
On the .-SsIwanee River" which took
rest last season, viii be the offering at
the Academy for the week, commencing
Monday, January 3 AS may be in
fefred from the title IT is a story OF life
in the Southland. but it is promised that
this presentation has not so distorted
and erased the true Southerner as 10
make him unrecogRizable. On the con-
trary the author is said TO bave used
the South as his locale on its very
possibility to present interesting char
acters, beautiful surroundings and uleIo-
dious environments The company Is
| fully competent. numbering such we'll
known people as Laura Bennett In the
character OF Aunt Indy. Mss Ethel
Dunbar. Cecilia Griffith. T. T. Rook.
W. L Clark, Earl Atkinson. Harrison
Stedman. Ray Montgomery, ana the cell
ebrated Glover Leaf Quartet. Matinees
will be given on Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday and extra New Year matinee
on Monday
The Washington times., 1905-01-01
John Drew's New Play

The Duke of kiIncrankie which VIII
be seen here at the National Theater.
the week of Monday, January g. is said
TO exhibit Mr. Drew's fine sense OF re-
strained hunor and his perfect stage
technique as has no other role OF his
en-tre acting career Ferdinand Cots
chalk, well remembered for his brilliant
chsracter-aetiug. is said TO have in The
role Of Henry Pitt-Welby, NJ. P, spien-
did opportunities for satirical speeches
and Immensely amusing situations. Mar
garet Dale is again Mr. Drew's leading
lady this season, and has the role OF
Lady Henrietta Addison, peautIul.
dreamy. romantic English girl OF fash
ion Fanny Brough deineates Mrs
Mulhoiland, the widow of the late Glue
Kfng-who declares that :once widow,
ALWAYS cautious and is as equally pos
tive that ones reputation is the result
OF caution
The Washington times., 1905-01-01
Lafayette-@The Burgomaster."

The greatest of all musical comedy
successes. The Burgomaster." will open
for a weeks engagement at the La
fayette Opera House with a New Year
matinee tomorrow and there viii be the
The Washington times., 1905-01-01
LYceum-Rrnaway Girls.n

Lyceum-R RrnaWay GlIIS.
Clark's Runaway Girls" Is an
nouneed to appear at the Lyceurn The
ater next week a chorus of twenty
three and eight comedians make up the
company. The olio includes the La
Walls, Murphy. Marche and Reilly. Rey-
noIds and GuhI, the Burg Sisters, and
Davis and Rosalie
The Washington times., 1905-01-01
Lions IN Vaudeville.

At Chases next week commencing Ut
the Monday matinee, January 3 the
polite vaudeville program VIII present
Mile. Adsi and her den OF performing
lions: the Six Musical Cuttys, Dfgoy
Bell, tie comic opera comedian; Foy
and Clark. in -.'Fhe Old Curiosity Shop
Kelly and Ashby. in their acrobatic
comedy and eccentric pantomiu1e fesl-
t,Ire: Marion Carson. the prflla donna
soprano. a hit in the Mother Goose"
n1orior, pictl1res OF The Voyage 10 the
Arctic or How Captain Kettle Dis
covered the North Pole
The Washington times., 1905-01-01

''Suwanee River" and another company
of Runaway Girls" make up the forth
coming bills
1t is a motley array-most OF IL good
The Washington times., 1905-01-01
Columbia-"Piff, Paff, Pouf."

The musical comedy, tPif, Paff,
Pouf." will be seen at the Columbiss
Theater for one week beginning with
matinees on New Year Monday. Thurs
day. and Saturday
1t is said that novelty was the note
that Stanislaus STANCE struck when he
wrote the book and to preserve this Inn
portant feature in d production, primari-
iy intended for Broadway. F. c. Whit
ney, the producer, called to his aid the
two most successful song-writers he
could put his hands or, William Jerome
and Jean Schwartz. They have written
When Mr. Shakespeare Comes to
Town. I'm Tired" rip Van WinkIe
Was Lucky Man. Mr. DooIey." and
''Bedelia-" Another song feature is
The Ghost That Never Walked" which
Eddie Foy sings
Alice Fischer. who made her last sue
cess in Mrs. Jack" bright, legitimate
com edy, has made her first invasion into
the field OF musical comedy in "Pfff.
Paf Pouf. Robert Graham. who for
years has been a prime favorite in comic
opera. Is also one of the headliners.
These persons are supported by Vinie
| Daily. John Hyams. the HoIIlns Sisters.
Abby STANCE. Harry Stuart. Fred Mace,
Templar SAKE. Blanch Morrison. and
| the English Pony Ballet"
One of the cleverest and spiciest com
positions of topical nature. according
| TO the press agent, is the song that Vinie
| DAILY sings in the last act entitled
Since Little Dolly Dimples Made a
Hit" 1t relates the career of a chorus
girl. who began by carrying a spear In
the rear row at SIS per" and who is
finally given few lines TO speak. Then
the awful change. Dolly put on grand
airs and didn't notice any of her former
associates The following is a portion
! of the closing verse:
"She said she'd give a thousand
| For song like Nancy Brbwn.'
/ And just to have a city home
| She took a fat uptown
| But no one in the company knew his
name"
The Washington times., 1905-01-01
Coming Attractions.
.Me, Hin and II

Me, Hin and Y
Willard Holcomb7s musical comedy.
entitled Me Him and /. viii be pre-
sented ut the Lafayette Opera House
the week commencing January 9. The
scenes are laid in the Far West. where
miners are willing 20 pay well for music
and dancing -s.zd meet theatrical COM
pany who go out to seek their fortune
where customs are rough but money
plentiful The production is new. and
reported to be rich and expensive Al
though retaining comic opera atmos-
phere. there are no tights
The Washington times., 1905-01-01
Convention Hali-"Sweet Kitty Bel
lairs."

David Belasco will begin his second
week in his newly constructed theater
in Convention Hall tomorrow night.
The Washington times., 1905-01-01

the best seat in the orchestra. Seats are
now on sale at Philpitt's
The play is founded upon Egerton Cas-
ties book, The Bath Comedy"
The Washington times., 1905-01-01

a grand opera or concert artistic Now
she wants to give her armies of friends
In America positive proof of her YER
satility, and for that reason she is
making her first appearance in comic
opera in English
Stanislaus STANCE and Julian Edwards
furnish the vehicle for Nine. Schu-
r.ann-Heink's starring tour, Love Let
ters-" 1t is said to be a high-class.
clean comic opera, with music that viii
set the musical worldly the ears. Mr..
STANCE and Mr.. Edwards Will both be
here with the company and Mr. Ed
wards will conduct the orchestra during
this engagement The orchestra comes
with the company and includes a large
portion of the famous Metropolitan OPP
era House Orchestra of New York city.
The engagement at the National Will
begin with a New Year matinee on
Monday. AS Nine. Schunann-Heink
comes on the stage early in the action
of the opera, the management most re-
spectfully suggests that seat holders be
on hand promptly at S:10. when the cur
tain signal Is given.
Loves Lottery is placed for action
on the morning and afternoon of an ear
ly summer day in the village of Deans
wold. England in the time of George III,
about the year 1915. 1t is divided in two
acts. the first taking place in the court
yard of a house in the village and tn;
second in the secluded part Of Deans
! wold Park The principals in the COM
pany are H. w TreDenick, George l..
Tailman. W. II. Thompson, Louise Gun
ming. Delight Barsch John SIavin
George Head. Tekla Farm, Grace D'Au-
bigne, Margaret Crawford, Elona Leon
ard, Wilfred Thompson, William Meyer,
Walter Paschal. and Lionel Robsarte
The Washington times., 1905-01-01
Star and His Difficulties.

lionel Barrynour and THE Other
Giri scored right off the bat" Mr..
Barrymour is now a star, fuiI-born.
There are theatergoers who think this
achievement the end of his troubles. On
the contrary. he is just facing his great
est difficulties A certain novelist who
ranked at the head of English men of
Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1905-12-24

For the benefit of the belated Christ
mas shoppers we will be open Monday
from q. m. to 9 p, m.
HoL1IDAY's BOOKSTORE
It was weary and iaded set of sales :
people that went home late last night,
for Americus has never known buster
Christmas eve.
A pious fraud Is the man who feels
repentance on q Sunday, for what he
has done on Saturday last, and will do
again on Monday.
Friday was the shortest day in the
year. By tomorrow night large num-
bers of the shortest men of the year
will be clearly visible.
The police declared last night that
Americus had never known quieter
Saturday at Christmas Not u fight,
or tragedy, or bad drunk.
The Times Recorder lh going to abb
sorb the Christmas spirit, and to do
this properly there will be no paper is
sued on Tuesday morning.
Christmas is at hand, the ''egg
trust" 10 busted, and the hen fruit is
plentiful here for the Xmas nog at %
cents and 80 cents per dozen.
Lost night was, in reality. Christ
mas eve, but there was none of the
dIsorderly conduct and horn blowing
upon the streets as in years agone.
There will be the usual Christmas
german atethe Americus Club tomor-
row morning. Tuesday night the
young ladies will give a swell affair
there.