Los Angeles herald., 1907-04-21

The Weeks BHIs

MAsoN-Augustin DAILY Musical COM
pany.
BBLAsCO-"The Undertow."
BtRBANK-"The Sporting Duchess"
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
GRAND-"The Cow Puncher."
FISCHER 'S-Burlesdu
d PEOPLES Vaudeville.
UNIQUE-Vaudevill
EMPIRE-Vaudevlle.
ANGBLUs PALM GARDEN-Ferul-
los band.
THE engagement of Dick Ferris an1
Florence Stone at the Auditorium
is closed, and they will within a
few days go back to Minneapolis, where
they will play their usual summer sea-
son. The company has been disbanded,
and most of it's members will go direct
to New York. Harry Won Meter sticks
with Ferris for the summer; Howard
Scott remains here and Harry Cash
man goes into the new opera company
"The Californians." But the organiza-
tion as such is no more; it's life went
out with the final curtain on THE Holy
City" last night.
The ending of the Ferris engagement
means a decided loss to the Los An
geles theatrical world, which will not be
filled till it is resumed again next fall
for contracts to that effect have been
signed. That these capable players are
coming back is indeed good news, but
Los Angeles will sorely miss them in
the interim. They have given 1t a dis
tinctive theatrical treat, and good as
the other stock companies are here have
carved out a niche all their own. This
must remain empty till they return TO
fill it.
Ferris promised when he came here
that he would do new things for Los
Angeles. He did not expect to put any
other company out of business; he did
declare that he would win a place for
himself BY big productions of a splen-
did nature, and with the aid of his
superb wife and some good support, he
did this, and more; he won a place in
the hearts of Los Angeles that any
one might envy.
But Ferris was sadly Handicapped in
many ways during his season now
closed. In the first place, his company
was so hurrieely secured and at so late
date that it was not by any means
what he desired. No one knew it's de-
fects better than did the genial Dick;
no one strived harder to remedy them.
Next time he will have his organization
picked far in advance-indeed, most of
the members are now spoken for-and |
1t may be accepted as a fact that it will
be a world beater.
Much the same applies to his scenic |
and other effects. The Auditorium s
stage equipment was considerable of a |
joke when he walked upon 1t for the |
first time, and his brief season did not
permit of enough time or authority to
improve it to the extent desirable. Next
fall this will have been done. If he is |
accorded decent courtesy and the facil- |
tiles and authority he Graves the house
itself will be so vastly bettered in the
way of comforts for his clientele that
it will be delightful home. This, how
ever, requires that close working to- !
gether between himself and the house
management, which has not existed 50
far, and for which Ferris has not beenl
to blame. With harmony where discord
has been, and cooperation where oppo-
sition has been the rule, wonders will
be possible.
Ferris is frank to admit that in many
ways this season has been only "feel-
err" He wanted to ascertain the likes |
and dislikes of the Los Angeles public,
and he admits that he made many
trials. He feels that he now knows |
what the people desire, and this sum-
mer will be largely devoted to planning |
along these lines. There will be no
more experiments; there will be Of
ferings which will satisfy from the
first.
With company, house, stage and roper
toire just at the point he 'ishes, it may
easily be guessed what success the
coming Ferris stay will be. The clos
Ing one has been financially good for
this, 1.-THE Holy City" above III else was
responsible. He wishes to adjust mat
ters so that he can make money with
out depending upon any one freak"
The things enumerated must be brought
Into line to make this feasible. And
they will be, for Ferris gets what he
demands; if not in one way in another
OF course Ferris return means that Of
his most charming wife, Florence Stone
1t is no disparagement to anyone else
to say that Miss Stone has done greater
and finer work as leading woman than
any other who ever played here. She is
an artistic, one in ten housand; she
has the finesse of the true deVotee Of
the drama, and in every part she has
essayed, it has been lavishly displayed. |
All the handicaps under which she suf-
fered served not a whit to dim her |
luster or to blight her glory. She has |
following numbered by the thousands, |
and her personal popularity is immense |
On another side, a vastly smaller but |
still more delighted coterie will welcome |
the Ferris return. This refers to their
personal friends outside of the theater; |
their social acquaintances. Both Mr.. |
and Mrs. Ferris off the stage are even
more charming than they are behind |
the footlights. They are ideal hosts,
lavish entertainers, perfect companions
and royalty generous. To those who |
have been privileged to enter their |
lovely home in West Adams street, the |
joys of camaraderie voucheG have been |
limitless, and the good will shown by |
them to those whom they have taken to |
their own fireside will never be forgot |
ten. The great public will miss them |
soreIy, but their close friends will find |
their absence little short of calamity. |