The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-08
At the Bijou.

As the coming weeks offering at the
 Bijou theatre, the new comedy drama
 with music, Anita, the Singing Girl"
 will hold the boards, starting Monday night, with theu sual Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday matinees during the week. The fields of musical comedy, and of the present day meodrama have become so hackneyed that departure from either is welcomed warmly. The combination of the most attractive features of both in 'conedy drama with music" sounds like a novel variation that should please the Bijou clientele. This organization had it's initial performance In Baltimore two weeks ago, and has been playing at the Bijou in Atlanta during the past week. Reports from both cities indicate that the attraction has hit the popular fancy.
 The story of Anita, the Singing Girl" is a new and original one, con cerning the struggles of a girl of ten der years, little Anita, whose mother died when the child came into the world. She was brought up by a cruel foster-father, Manuel Gomez, Span iard of low caste, who has taught her to despise the real father she has never seen. Gomez imbues her with the idea that she must find her fayher. John Baird and kill him for supposed ill- treatment of her dead mother. Baird really never knew he had a child, as Anita was born while he was suHering an illness of many months in hospital, and when he returned, his wife had died, and the infant had been spirited away by the Spaniard. The almost fatal illness of John Baird was brought about by his rich father casting him out through the machinations of Jeal- ous enemy, Malcolm Danvers, who fas- tened the crime of forgery on the son.. and tn en nsurped his place In the busi-
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 In the first act Anita is seen, girl of sixteen singing In a roof garden restaurant. She meets Ned Fremont, wealthy youth who becomes infatuated with her. and his sister, Leila Fremont, 4 good Samaritan. Leila takes ma terial interest in the girl. and helps her to get better singing engagements. Anita meets her own father, but does not knoN him, as he has assumed an- other name. He helps her to escape from the Spaniard, and she learns to love him as a father for his generous hearted protection and assistance. Nal colm Danvers, the old enemy. and his beautiful but hoartless wife, Vera, learn of John Baird's whereabouts, and con spires with Gomez to have him Killed, for fear he may have a reconciliation with his father, and become his heir again. It then becomes an exciting game with the three conspirators against John Baird, Anita and the Ire monts The rascally trio are thwarted by Anita's strategy. and the final re- union of father and son. and the dis closure of the fact that Anita is John Baird's own child ends all happily. There are many brighter moments in the play. and rich fund of comedy re- lief, it is said, with score of catchy musical numbers. The company in- cludes twenty-five people, most prom inent among whom are Eva Westcott in the stellar role William Francis Burke, Frederick Montague. w. F. Garfield. Pearl Seward, Henry J. Spanierman, Molise Campion, Frank Melrose, Agnes Cameron, Roxie Lansing, Grace Moore, Dorothy Vernon, Leta Gilmore John Downs, Harold Orlob, Joseph Hendley and others.