Arizona republican., 1906-05-22
A WEEKS STAND
 OF SWAIN SHOWS
''Jssse James" Presented to a Large
 Audience Last Night.

Jesse James," as depicted by the company of players. showing as one of the w. l. Swain attractions. pleased nearly fifteen hundred people last night in the big tent of the company located at the corner of Fifth and Washington streets. The piece natur- ally attractive to amusement owing people in the west was made doubly in teresting by the high class manner in which the cast of twelve people pre- scented it. From the applause every one seemed to enjoy the ay.
 However, the play itself is not all that there was of last evenings per- formance. for the company has among its numbers six of the cleverest enter tainers that have visited the city for some seasons. The leader of the fun makers is H. J. Menkemeller, who took the part of Lige. His dialect was ser feet and his facial expressions kept the audience in an uproar.
 The fact that Mir. Swain presents his shows in a tent was considered by many as a reflection on the quaIJy Of the plays he plans to present during his stay here, but it is only those who are not up to the times who carry such views. Mr. Swain has been in the show business for sixteen years and his name has been prominently identified with several of the great hits of various sea- sons. Three years ago he was out with company of his own doing week stands. He found in many places that il was possible for him to show only by using trust houses and these only after signing a contract in which the ] trust took the big end of the receipts | nf each performances He adopted the tent idea for what had TormerIy been called hall shows and in this was a pioneer. Since then it will be recalled | that some of the greatest artists of the country have appeared under a canvas and it is in such a manner that the theatrical combines or trusts are being fought.
 l The past two seasons the tent idea
 has been kept up and MT Swain re-
 marked last night that it was the most fortunate thing that had happened to
 him in a long time that he had been forced to the use of a tent 10 present
 his attractions, for he has found the
 venture a paying one. IL is known to
 those who follow theatrical gossip that
 MT. Swain's show is the "best dressed
 cimbination of it's class on the road.
 It travels in its own train of private
 cars. carries what scenery it uses and has a repertoire of plays of more than ordinary merit.
 Miss Leona Leslie is the leading lady and Warren Burrow the leading snau
 of the company. The comedian, Mir
 Menkemeller. has been referred to be- fore. Miss Gertie Hasson, who does character work. it will be remembered is the lady who made such a name for herself on account of her black face
 character work several years ago when appearing with the first Roanoke com pany. Ed Hilton is the heavy man. The Moores, Mable and John. are gen
 eral business people and a clever team of entertainers. For these entertain CTS MT. Swain has supplied a minia . Lure opera house under canvas and ;: is such a combination that makes uP
 the show which will remain in Phoenix during the present week. The seats in
 the auditorium are arranged with the comfort of those who occupy them in view, and certainly it is a treat to hear really first class repertoire out in the
 open air at this season of the year.