Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-05-04
BIG CROWD SEES TYCOON
Play for Benefit Of City Band
Draws Large House.
GOOD WORK is DONE BY ALL
Professionals Could Not Have Done
Much Better-Japanese Scene
Prettiest Portion.

u
young men and young women who
are Interested in the welfare of the
Martinsburg City band. The house
began to fill early for no one wished
to miss a single line. and by the time
the curtain rolled up on the first act
there was standing room only. If the
attendance is a criterion from which
to deduce a conclusion 1t IS likely
that a goodly sum Will be realized
The Little Tycoon" is q satire on
the "forelgn-title-worship craze
General Knickerbocker determines
that his daughter Violet shall make
brilliant marriage Violet is in love
with Alvin Barry, young man of
splendid family, whom she meets at
Venice. Returning from Europe on the
same steamer is heightened frivo-
lous Lord-Lord Dolphin-with his
valet, Teddy. The Lords title cap
lures the General. who pays great
court to his "Lordship," and deter.
mines that Violet Shall marry Dol
phin. All on the steamer sympathize
with Violet and Alvin
To get Alvin out Of the way Lord
Dolphin procures his arrest on the
charge of smuggling, and the curtain
/ falls on the separation of the lovers.
Act II finds Violet in tears closely
guarded in her fathers villa at New
port Alvin, disguised as Lord Dol
phin. gains entrance to the villa, but
| is discovered and for awhile check
mated; but as final ruse ne plays
on the Generals weakness-love Of
title-and personates the Great Ty-
coon of Japan thereby winning Violet
and making her The Little Tycoon"
Insofar as the presentation of the
play is concerned it may be said that
it was not quite so smooth as San
Toy" by a professional company, but it
was 50 wei OF -tna asti ger onl
have come away and said that he
had gotten his moneys worth. The
prettiest part of the play was given
in the last act when the Great Ty-
COON arrives from Japan One for
got at that point that he was not see-
ing professional company and the
enjoyment became complete.
The leading parts were well acted
The humor in the play was pre-
sented by Rufus Ready" in the per
son of Mr., L. Dew Gerhardt He was
assisted in that line by Mr.. A. Zim-
norman as Lord Dolphin" and Mr..
H. G.. Bowen as Teddy" OF course
it was not intended that Mr.. thinner
man should prove the mirth raiser.
His part was a serious one, but so
we'll did he take the part of the af-
fected nobleman and so perfect was
| his imitation of the walk that a laugh
was forthcoming every time he walked
across the stage. Mr. f. H. Graichen
as General Knickerbocker occupied
the center of the stage most of the
time 1t is doubted if the decrepit and
ambitious man could have been pre-
scented more perfectly. To Mr. Harry
NJ CIR We is CT dit 1ue 2r the in
which he took the part of Alvin Bar
~ the Wall Street broker
If praise may be given to one over
another then it may be said that the
best work was done by Miss Berna
delta Dean as "Violet Knickerbocker >"
the generals daughter Her acting
was natural and in consequence, easy
Her singing was the feature of the
play She has a sweet, sympathetic
voice and with the exception of the
head tones is mistress of it, Her
finest work was done in the opening
song of the second act.
| Those who took part were:
Chorus of LADIES' May Creque.
Ethel Dawson, Florence Dawson,
Louise F. Foreman, Ruth May Helms,
Eta Johnson, Nellie Kimmell, Eva
Long. Genevieve Linthicum, Aimee V.
Lamar. Ethel NJ. Miller, Bernadetta
Martin, Della Oliver, Ruby Oliver,
!. Rhea r. QuenzeI, Stella Roach, Pearl
See, Nellie E. Schill, Claudio M.
Schill. Edythe L. shaefer, Mamie L,
Whitson.
Chorus of Gentlemen-James G..
Bowers, Douglas Crawford, Robert En-.
gel, E. Weber Foreman, Carl Grove.
BIN Gerhardt, ]. H. Hobbs, William
Kastle, Gilbert McKown, James D.
Moore. George A. Mcdonald jr., Tom
Lemen. Charles Rankin, Attic r. Y.
See, Granville Smith, c. s. Trump, IT.,
Reuben L. Schlll. !.
i The chorus showed that 1t had been
we'll trained. The support it gave the