Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-02
I'VE ARE IN SOCIETY"
Musical Comedy Produced by
Washington Amateurs.
1T WAS A GREAT BIG HIT
Mrs. Thos. C. Noyes Brilliant in the
Prima Donna Role.
GEO. O'C0NN0R's COON SONGS
Caught the House and Other Features
Added to. the Interest Of the Per-
formance-A Notable Audience.
GEO. o'coNNoR's COON soNG'

The interest of the amusement-seeking,
as well as the social world was last night
largely directed to the performance of a
two-act piece which introduced players
whose names are comparatively unfamiliar
to theater programs I'VE Are In Society
Is tie title of what the management an
nounces effervescent musical comedy
in two acts, and the fact that it was for
the benefit of the National Junior Republic
was of itself interest-compelling.
Washington has bestowed much talent
upon the professional stage. Scarcely a
week passes during the theatrical season
that does not bring to attention the name
of some player whose early career was de-
veloped from some such generous occasion
as that which brought together an as
semblage which tested the capacity of the
Belasco Theater. The successes of Wash
ington players have been so brilliant and
numerous that any production enisting the
services of this city's talented people COM
mands general attention 1t is quite I'M
likely that many of the entertainers who
gave their services last night will ever ap-
pear behind the footlights with any save
the most unmercenary motives but this
VII be because of personal Discrimination
and not for lack of genuine ability that
would, in several cases, meet the most
SAdttiHS pIOIeSSiOIdl requirements.
An Opulence Of Talent.
There was an opulence of talent that
would have delighted the heart of any
New York producing manager, and 1t was
talent Of the sort that needs no urging
Every member Of the enormous company
was on tiptoe, and the atmosphere was
electrified by the ardent eagerness to
please on one side of the orchestra, and
the no less anxious readiness to be delight
ed on the other. Before the opening
overture was concluded the applause
started, and before the first scene was
concluded it became evident that both per-
formers and auditors would find cause for
abundant mutual satisfaction. There was
no handicap in the matter of sordid de-
tails. AS many choruSes as Were needed
were on hand to follow one another at
the composers sweet will without
troubling over such details as changes of
costume. The gowns were very beautiful
and the ideas for several concerted num-
bers were wrought out with most in
genious appeal to the eye as well as to the
ear.
1t is usual when a production of
musical piece is made to sacrifice some
one concerned in it's authorship COM
position. Usually it is the librettist. This
danger is cleverly met by concentrating
all the responsibility for books lyrics and
music in a single Individual, Mr.. Phelps
abundantly compensates for departures
from accepted methods Of play structure
and for an often audacious unconventional
ity of rhyme. The title, I'VE Are in So
ciety," indicates the general tone of the
piece, and the opening scene shows a fash
iOnable reception in busy progress. Here
appear the youth and maiden who are
forbidden by parental ambition and selfish
ness to wed, and here in duet and ballad
are expressed the romantic determination
to be steadfast in devotion until all is set
right in the last act.
Mrs. Noyes in Prima Donna Role.
A very important share Of the response
bility of the performance rested on the
shoulders of Mrs. Thomas c. Noyes, who
had the prima donna role. Her exquisite
vocalization, combined with absolute Sc
curity of stage presence, combined to estab-
lish sense of safety which seldom exists
in first-night productions The numbers in
which she sang were concentrated in the
most trying portion OF the performance.
They occurred just when interest was at
the crucial pont-a point where INSULT
cheney was likely to mean irretrievable
disaster. The ovation accorded her was an
earnest of enthusiastic appreciation, which
was maintained throughout the entire
evening. Mr.. NJ. Leroy Cough was a very
agreeable figure in the cast the young
wooer whose suit was opposed with hu-
morous affectation by a social climber, rep
resented by Mrs. Piquette Mitchell. Dur
ing the second act DR.. Alfred Hopkins,
whose makeup as a rural statesman was
one of the good things of the production,
delivered stump speech that sounded like
the real article. Mrs. James F. Mitchell
and Miss Olga Converse represented young
women of prominence in the butterfly
world. The dancing by Miss Converse was
a wonderfully effective display of personal
grace disciplined by conscientious training.
Mrs. James c. Hooe and Miss Edith Spot
ford, as brokers' wives, invested their re-
spective roles with personal charm, and the
chorus of society people went through the
graceful calesthenics of musical comedy
ensembles with a precision which bespoke
infinite care in rehearsal and patience on
the part of the stage director, MT. Percy
Leach.
The COON numbers. without which no
representation of this kind is complete, fell
as a matter of natural right to Mr.. George
O'Connor, and called for multiplicity OF
encores that for time seemed to threaten
a monopoly. Mr.. Andrew Y. Bradley
showed good comedy sense as fast and
foolish youth with punch-bowl prediction.
and Mr.. Brown assumed the role Of a
French count. Mr.. Harry Wheaton Howard
was in the musical directors chair, and
met emergencies as they arose with ready
resourcefulness Some striking novelties
were introduced among them being a roller
skating number. in which portion of the
company mounted on wheels gave practical
illustration of the delights described in song.
The music has rollicking and infectious
quality and the dialogue showed an appre-
citation of the value of current alluSion for
laugh-getting purposes
The programme committee was composed
of Miss Gertrude Bayne, Mrs. Alexander
Britton, Miss Flora Britton, Miss Emma N.
Hume, Miss Emile c. Fitch. Miss Grace
Needham.
Those in the chorus were Miss Anne
Bayard, Mrs. Andrew Bradley. Miss Mary
Brewster, Miss Gertrude Brown. Miss
Katharine Clabaugh, Miss Shelby Con-
verse, Mrs. Victor Cordell, Miss Jean Cros-
by Miss Marcy Curtain, Miss Esther Den
ny, Miss Lucretia Dodge, Miss Mollie
Dodge, Miss Helen Downing, Miss Elsie
Hoban Miss Olivia Howard. Miss Marquee
rite LeBreton, Mrs William Littlefield,
Miss Isabel Magruder, Miss Pauline Ma
gruder, Miss Polly Mason, Miss Belle Nc
GILL; Miss Sadie Murray, Miss Sessions,
Miss Elizabeth Sessions, Miss Alice
Shepard, Miss Hester Shepard, Miss
Dorothy Sibley, Miss Addie Slack. Miss
May Slack Miss Marian Stevens. Miss
Lillian Stone, Miss Elizabeth Prescott Miss
Stephanie Prescott, Miss Laura Wells, Miss
Helen Wilson, Miss Florence Worthington.
Mr.. George F. Appleby, Mr.. Hamilton Bax-
ter, DR.. Frank Biscoe, Lieut.. Roger D.