Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-23
At THE PLAY HOUsES


Little Johnny Jones'" a musical melo-
by George NJ. Cohan under direction
of Sam II. Harris. The cast:
Anthony Anstey, an American gam
Sing Song, editor Of the Peii9 d@zette
............,. ...........::. Charles Baehman
tician and horse owner owner Sam J. Ryan
Henry Hapgood' who also s,9,, makes the
Leslie valet to earl OF Bioomssood.
..................W William y. Meehan
J IhS nk starter at the cecil. o.n
'e',Ai.s' starter - ,ne j. Harrington
Captain squirvy Of the ST. Hurrah. -.
- :................. ~; !. HsIlnse s,
inspector Perkins ..........F Fred Wslcott
Stevens, a walter. ...........E Edward Sheehan
Hung HTs CHUNG ''''''' Harry Kittredge
Johnny Jones, the American Jockey;
Mrs. Andrew Kenworth, a fanatic on
the subject of reform. Helen Courtney
Florabelle Fly, of the San FRANCISCO
Bessie, an American girl. 80. Edith Tyler
Earl OF Bloomsbury. Stella Tracy
Rosario Fauchette....-.......... Stema Tracy
Goldte Gates. ........s...ss .Stella Tracy
Little Johnny Jones" made his be
lated bow in Omaha last night and proved
that he is worth waiting for. The piece
has been before the public continuously
for year and a half. and It is quite as
much of a success today as IL was at the
first. The only changes of note in the
original cast are the substitution Of
Bobby Barry for George NJ. Cohan and
of Miss Stella Tracy for Ethel Levy, and
by that same token neither of the sue
cessors has any occasion to apologize to
the original The piece is a pleasing
mixture of melodrama and farce set TO
music. 1t partakes of the elements of
all in a combination such as TO make 1t
! av.A Inh
Jones is a Jockey who is accused in
England by an American gambler of be-
ing crooked. He is ruled off the English
turf. The gambler is a partner in
Chinese lottery in San Francisco and is
trying to marry a wealthy widow, who
happens to be aunt to the girl Johnny
Jones hopes to marry. Johnny's name is
! cleared, the gambler is thwarted and all
! ends happily. But the proceedings par
take of that peculiar dash and swing that
characterize the Cohan productions, and
the stage is busy all the time II 1t isn't
chorus singing or marching, in some
entirely new groupings, and with splendid
! lighting effects, ii is two three or
only one, singing, talking or doing some
stunt to occupy the time and furnish
real fun. The songs are many and most
of them we'll known, so they were well
coined last night like old friends.
Bobby Barry, the Johnny Jones of the
company, is a diminutive little chap, whose
| only fault seems to be that he too closely
copies the original of the part. Mr.. Barry
has a talent of his own or he wouldn't be
able to do George Conan 50 exactly on the
stage. Stella Tracy, the soubrette, is Just
as cute as cute can be and carries herself
with a most pronounced swagger. She
| gives evidence of ability to sing and ought
| to be permitted to do so, instead of being
confined to the limitations of Ethel Levy's
voice. But these are not the only ones
in the company, not by a good deal. Tom
Lewis is doing stunts that mark him as
the real hit of the performance. In the
character of the Unknown he wanders in
an apparently aimless way through the
| action of the first two acts, carrying a
"stlll" jag and saying funny things in q
droll way. In the last act he turns UP as the
detective who runs tho Williams TO earth.
Then, Sam Ryan, as Timothy d. MCGEE
adds quite a little to the fun of the even
ing and Helen Courtney and Adele Rafter
are clever enough to get good deal out
Of the roles in which they are located.
The chorus is a well drilled and apparently
ambitious organization. for II gave a most
successful imitation of a lot OF girls al
work last night and this after riding all
day on q train with nothing to eat For this
alone they are entitled to credit. If they
could do so well when tired and famished
for food, what will they do tonight, after
they have had sleep and something to
eat? It's worth while to go and see.
A large audience waited patiently until
9:S5 last night for the rising Of the cur
tain, the delay being due to the non
arrival of the Rock Island from Denver
The performance rewarded al for the wait
1t is not only snrightly performance, but
each OF the three acts is beautifully staged
and some novel effects are offered in each
The piece will be presented again tonight
and Tuesday night.