Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-11-28
Brilliant Entertainment Given
in New Opera House


in New Opera House
The charming three-act farce,
"Charley's Aunt" given by the
Washington and Lee Dramatic Club,
attracted large audience at the
initial performance Monday even
ing in Lexington's new opera
house. The beautiful auditorium.
recently remodeled and refurnish-
ed by Captain w. f. Pierson, the
owner and manager, showed up to
excellent advantage in all it's APP
pointments, and the verdict of
those in attendance was that the
community is to be congratulated
on the neat and convenient hall
Temporary chairs were used, the
regular opera chairs for the hall
having been delayed.
A few minutes before $3.50
o'clock the curtain was rung up, and
from that time until the conclus-
ion of the performance the closest
attention of the large and cultured
audience was held by the all-star
performance. The scene of the play
is laid at Oxford College, England,
during commemoration week. Act
"opens with Jack Chesney's rooms
in the college; Act 2, garden out
side of Jacks rooms; Act 3, draw
ing room in Spettigue's house. The
story Of the play soon enlisted the
sympathy Of the auditors, who
followed the successive steps of the
plot with increasing interest. The
efforts of the two college b oys to
carry out their intention of bav-
ing a luncheon, notwithstanding
the failure to be present of an
aunt, who was to act as chaperone,
were crowned with success by the
happy thought Of pressing into
service college chum, disguised
as their Aunt Donns Lucia
D'Alvadorez from Brazil, "where
the nuts grow" This the college
chum did to perfection. This
difficult role was filled by Mr..
Manly, who seemed perfectly at
home in "skirts and things" After
many grotesque situations, where
blunderings and astute machlna.
tions followed each other in rapid
succession, the entanglements are
all unraveled, the lovers are married
and everybody olives happily ever
afterwards"
Miss Allan as the real Donna
Lucia D'Alvadorez from Brazil was
charming matron of culture
and wealth, while her companion,
Miss Staples, as the beautiful Ella
Delchey, an orphan, captivates the
audience by her winning personal
ity. The two young ladies who car
ried the house by storm were Kitty
Verdum, Spettigue's ward, and Amy
Spettigue, Spettigue's niece, i'm per
sonated respectively by Miss Rust
and Miss Howe. The lively inter.
est taken in .beIr love affairs with
Mr.. Daingerfeld az Jack Chesney,
undergraduate, and Mr.. Ordeman
as Charley Wychom of St. Olde
College, disclosed the fact that
the audience. like all the world,
GLOVES lover" Mr.. Wilmington
as the pompous Col. Sir Francis |
Chesney ,late ofthe Indian service,
and Mr.. Jones as the dignified
Stephen Spettigue, solicitor at
Oxford, ALSO came in for their share
of honors in excellent rendition of
difficult parts. Mr.. Chenoweth, as
Brassett, the college scout, and
Mr.. Beard, the new fUotman, acted
as though to the "manner BORN"
The production of the play was
under the personal direction of
Miss Annie White, whose success
In this line in the past wss fully
maintained in the presentation of
"Charley's Aunt" The play was
Tuesday night with equal
success. Music for the occasion
was furnished by Mr.. and Mra.
Pennington and Mr.. Samuel Gold
man.