Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-07-28
THEATRICAL
 CHATTER

Mark Twain has handed out stor, about physician friend of his wh, not long ago had to engage nev chauffeur. A big, strapping fellov applied and was questioned as to hi technical ability, his size and strengtl appearing wholly satisfactory What is the first thing you do wheI you find that your carburetter is ou of order?" asked the doctor. Well tell ye,' replied the applicant, {" honestly don't never have no troubl, with 1t. It never gets out of order ain't been sick one day for the las two years"
 Fl:
 Mizpah," the latest Biblical play will have its first New York produc non at the Academy of Music in Sep tember. The authors, Ella Wheeler Wilcox and Luscombe Searelle, have weaved a love story into a stage poem. Miss Elizabeth Kennedy vii play the part of Esther. Charle. Dalton will be King Ahasaerus Frank Losee will play Haman, George Vessels is to be the Mordecai, Eve lyn Darlington will be tht banished Queen Vashti and Mr. Louise Rial will play Hogartha, tht foster mother of Esther. F. w Fl liott, formerly tenor soloist with tho Ovide Music Concert company. ha: been engaged to sing the vocal mum bers. and Mile Arnoldi will be pre- miere of the ballet.
 aI:
 With the return of James O'Neil from London and the announcement that Kyrle Bellew Is to appear ir "Brigadier Gerard" this season, one is reminded that MT O'Neill starred in play of the same name and founded upon the same story several years ago. Mir O'Neill's appearance as "Brigadier Gerard" happened dur. ing one of those intervals when he was trying to break from the clinch that held him fast to Monte Cristo. He had had rather stormy season at best. One of his productions burned, another fell by the wayside and he was just settling down to i make the most of the Eugene Pres brey version of "Brigadier Gerard when along came the Iroquois theater fire and knocked the theatrical busi- ness in the territory where he was playing sky high.
 :II:
 One of the most characteristic of the countless anecdotes of the late Russell Sage is told by Carrie De Mar, the star of Seeing New York" When schoolgirl she was brought to New York for visit to relatives, one of whom, an uncle, was member of a well known firm of stock brokers. She was taken to Change in the course of her sightseeing. and the celebrities of the financial district were pointed out to her. She was shown Russell Sage as he walked out of the building. When he reached the pavement he stopped suddenly, stopped. used his finger nail to dig pin from between two stones. and then stuck the pin in the lapel of his coat. The act was witnessed by perhaps a hundred or more busy. hurrying men of the dis trict. Miss De Mars uncle saluted the old Croesus and then asked. with mingled contempt and amusement: When, in the name of all that's holy, Uncle Russ. Is man rich enough, in your opinion ?" When he gets a thousand more," replied Sage, grimly, and walked on.
 :II:
 Hanging in the William A. Brady offices, in the New York theater build- ing, is large picture of Joseph Hart, in blackface, with banjo under his arm, taken just twenty years ago next month, when he began an engage ment with Simmons & Slocum's min strels in Philadelphia. A visitor yes terday looked the picture over and then observed: You're quite an ex- ception. 1 take 1t, Mir Hart. in being a minstrel who has reached Broad way in another capacity?" That is as you care to regard the natter" re- piled Hart. Wills P. Sweatnam sat on the other end from me when was with Simmons & Slocum. Around the corner from us, in the rival min strel house, Carncross's, there were playing at the same time Joe Weber and Lew Fields. who helped to make up the first part semi-circle and took part in the sketches and afterpieces: Eddie Foy. who paired on with John c. Rice, who has been on Broadway as the star of Are You Mason?' and 'vivian's Papa; Chauncey Ol- colt, whose bankroll by now must be as fat as Joseph Murphy's, and John J. Rafael, who is now in The Girl from Paris at Manhattan Beach. Peter F. Daley. not unknown to Broadway. played an engagement with the Simmons & Slocum troupe that season as a member of the old American Four. Mcintyre and Heath spent that season at the head of big minstrel troupe of their own. known by their name. Charles Guyer. who was in Babes in Toyland," in the Majestic. was of their company. Lew Dockstader, too. was at Carn- cross's, and of them all he has been the only one to stick to formal min- strelsy."