The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-04-21

formances Wednesday and Saturday
afternoons at 2:3O O'Clock.
Prepared for presentation at heavy
expense, with every detail of the pro-
duction absolutely new and in itself a
play Mr.. Leighton believes will prove
, the greatest western story ever given
the stage, the engagement of Butter
nut Jones' promises to prove an aus
piCious event ia the local theatrical
season. OF the scores of western plays
that have been turned from the pens
of playwrights during the past few
years, but few have lived through a
single season. There has been no secret
in the cause Of the failure of the 9TH
ers. Superficial, untrue to the real
conditions that exist in the west and
great southwest, Overdrawn and melo-
dramatic, the play-gOing public
stamped its disapproval of such produc
tons in an unmistakable manner.
"Butternut Jones'" as Mr.. Leighton
has told the story, is of the men and
women whose lives have been so close
ly identified with the UpbuilGing Of the
western country, who have made it
what it is and whose existence needs
no coloring to appeal irresistibiy to
American audiences. Harry Leighton
has spent weeks with these men and
women sharing their work and play,
their happiness and their sorrows. The
story he tells in "ButteTnut Jones" is
filled to the bTim with the great truths
of the ranges of the southwest, of the
work of the men and women of the
country. their loves ard hates, failures
and successes. 1t is life as western
people know it, not a creation of the
stage.
The things that have been responsible
for the failure of other western plays
7 IL - Sui 60
The western bad man" has no place in
''Butternut Jones'" With him have
been crowded out the Indians, the
''greasers" and the shooting ARRAYS
Not a shot is fired on or off the stage
during the four acts. These are the
things westerners are giving up their
lives to drive from their midst. They
are the things that are untrue to the
best of the west and Mr.. Leighton con-
siders them unnecessary.
"Butternut Jones" is a romantic idyl
of Texas and Oklahoma. Butternut, a
cow-puncher, is employed at the Twin
Bar ranch in Vail Verde county, Texas
owned by Catherine Cloud, a pretty
Kansas City girl, who at the opening
of the play is getting her first taste of
western life and her first insight into
the lives of western people. Surround
ing the girl and Butternut Jones are
of Miss Clouds city friends and Rich
ard Thorne, in particular, to whom
Catherine is supposed to be engaged.
Mr.. Leighton carries the girl and But
ternut through four strong acts, first
amid the picturesque scenes of the
Texas plains, then at the opening of the
Cherokee strip in Oklahoma, later in
Perry, Okla, twenty-fOur hours old,
and finally in the girls home in Kansas
City. The second scene of the third
act, showing the little town of Perry
being built. is exceedingly realistic.
"Butternut Jones" is a story we'll told
and Astounding in humor and logic of
the plains and hills. Butternut is first
a college man and then a cow-punch-
er, because he sees in the latter work
quicker road to his goal. Mr.. Leigh
ton will play the title role, and it is
expected he Will create one of the finest
characters of his successful career
Miss Emily Dodd, the beautiful and
talented leading woman of the Leigh
ton players, viii be seen as Catherine
Cloud, and much is expected of her in
the role.