Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-19

The past week has been moderately con-
6ucive to comfort in a theater, and at the
iNational-which is the only playhouse
ppen-the tuneful "Mikado" has been
drawing good houses and the people have
evidently enjoyed the performances. judg-
Ing from the liberality of their applause.
The Aborn company will tomorrow night
present Balfe's tuneful opera, 1.-The
Bohemian Girl Wednesday night the
engagement will be given, which will be
emphasized by the presentation of SOU
yenirs.
ONE HUNDREDTH PERFORMANCE.
>Washington music lovers may be justly
proud of the success of the summer opera
season at the New National, which seems
TO go merrily on, defying tradition and
the weather man, Cool nights may or
may not have to do with the remarkable
run now in progress at this theater, but
whatever may be the argument for its
success, surely it is that the box Office
has little or no complaint, for when box
offices have reason to feel bad general
closing of the entrance doors is the I'M =
mediate result. Artists of the Aborn
caliber can not be paid their weekly SAL
aries on poor business and, as the old IA
vorites are still with us, it would seem
to prove that business at the New Ma
tional is on the boom.
Wednesday night of this week will wit
ness the Tooth consecutive performance
here this summer, run that has not Deen
equaled, save by the Aborn season of
last year, in the past twelve years. The
National Theater is reverting back to
the days of Albaugh's phenomenal sum-
mer seasons, when that erstwhile. prlma
donna favorite, JEANNE Winston. held
Washington spellbound. Those were the
days of capacity audiences at every per-
Torrance and the weather was just as rot
as 1t Is today. The success of the Aborn
season Is running close second to that
of Albaugh's, and with the last announce
ment from the managers office local
aheatergoers are still to have at Least
three or four more weeks. A. Is under
stood that "The Bohemian Girl" this
weeks attraction, will be followed by
Victor Herbert's comic opera, The FOR
tune Teller" and that in turn by Tine
Belle Of New York., perhaps one OF the
most successful musical comedies in re-
cent stage history.
=. For the celebration of the Tooth per-
Torrance next Wednesday the manage
ment has prepared handsome souvenir
program of beautiful design. 1t will con-
tain the complete cast of THE Bohemian
Girl with the names of all the singers
who have appeared here this summer as
an added souvenir. There are to be 1900
distributed and there is little danger of
any patron being overlooked. The souve
Mrs will be entirely free of charge and
will be lasting keepsake for those who
have attended from week to week.
[ SCHOOL CHILDREN GUESTS-The
policy of the Aborns in the conduct of
their various opera companies has been
to refrain from so-called pink teas on
the stage following matinee performances,
! hot &c Too flxy tod
to by stock dramatic managers in an ef-
fort to stimulate, by personal acquaint-
ance between actor and patron, business
Mt the box Office.
! The dramatic department of the daily
newspaper is frequently consulted by the
ater-goers and asked to encourage a
closer relationship between player and
public. The stage Is, of course, an at
traction quite beyond any other in the
amusement line. unless that other be the
three-ringed circus, with its managerie.
its side shows, its daring charioteers and
what not. But the stage of today is on
too high an elevation for its directors to |
make of it reception place for all
classes of amusement seekers. The elu- |
sive charm of the footlights is that un-
crossed line that divides the auditorium
Rnd the stage. No sooner is that line
broken and audiences permitted to cross
Hnrestrained than the great charm of the
stage Is broken.
II was. therefore, with considerable |
fourage that Miss Edith Bradford, prima
donna contralto of the Aborn Opera Com |
pany. consented to meet a few of the
school children at the Wednesday matt |
nee performance last week. 1t was Miss
Bradford's intention to have the young
sters come TO her dressing room after the
performance. but one little girl, enthu- I
siastic far beyond her tender years took
the reception into her own hands and
led band Of some 100 kiddies back to
hA CtpoA flee =
side. 1t is such cases Of admiration as
this THAT break the most rigid rues of
the theater and compels recognition on
the part of artists.
1t was delightful little reception while |
1t lasted. and those who witnessed it from
the audience-the few that fingered be-
hind-will know how tired must have
been the hand of Miss Bradford when
those children went away to their din
lers.
Miss Bradford will doubtless receive
more children next Wednesday, and in
stead of the pink tea" idea there will
be another little private Friendship
party on the New Nationals stage.
FRED ROSS.-One of the foremost
actors of the past ten years is in Wash
ington, permanently located at the New
National Theater. He has never appear
ed before the footlights and his name
has never been seen among the cast of
characters in the house program. Yet |
he is here and his name is household |
word in many families on the Pacific |
coast |
Fred Ross is the actor, or rather the
ex-actor, for he has now graduated from
the stage to the managerial department
and is the acting manager for Milton and
Sargent Aborn. Mr.. Ross comes of an
old family of stage people and his sue
cesses in leading roles in the support or |
such representative players as Edwin |
Booth and Maurice Barrymore stamps |
him worthy of carrying the family name |
into stage history. Mr.. Ross has not |
appeared before an audience for the past |
ten years. His last part was that OF
leading man on the original I'm Old Ken
lucky" company. This was in the days
when that sterling old comedy drama was
considered classic. Miss Lula Tabor
was then the Madge.
j When Adelaide Nelson created a sensa-
t. c.. b. Dbl xxvg,,