Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-02-26
THE ELKS' MINISTRIES
Second Performance Draws An- other Record Breaking Crowd.

With every seat filed and with standing room at q discount, the Wa terbury lodge of Elks gave the sec ond performance of the big min strels at Polls theater last evening. The rough points of the first night were all planed over and the produc- ton ran as smoothly as did Dave Sheehy's money from his cash reg ister. Many new and original jokes were sprung by the end men and the comedians and the audience warmed up to the entertainment with much more vim than on the first prcsenta- tion. Many of the city officials oc- cupied prominent sittings, Mayor Thoms holding session i'll one of the boxes. This prompted one of the end men to make him the butt of joke, which said that the mi4strels were able to do more to the mayor than the republican party could do, as they got him in d box. City Attorney Kellogg was also present and took the medicine administered to him in good grace The chorus was simply grand last evening and responded to forts. Musical Director Smith beam ed lovingly on his big class of min- strel pupils and he had good reason to feel proud and elated, for his strenuous months of labor were re- warded by as clean cut and well en- faI mi, ,,ofra r,0 nS hac ever graced the boards of this or any other city. It was musical triumph for the musical director. Stage Di- rector Tom Freney was like boy with his first pair of pants. He felt so tickled that he was very 10th to close, although tired and weary from the many nights and days of worry and work to perfect all the arrange ments and compile them into q pro- duction that would leave good taste in the mouths of the thousands who were in attendance. He also per fected one of the grandest minstrel triumphs which any amateur organi- zation has accomplished in New England. Jack Robinson and his corps of accommodating stage hands were a part of the triumphal process sions too, and not small part either, for upon them devolved much of the success of the stage pictures, which attracted the critical eyes of the spectators right in the very begin ming.
 There were many visiting Elks present from other cities, d party from Meriden occupying one of the boxes, which prompted one of the witty end men to ask the question if the interlocutor blamed them for living in Meriden, and the retort was, that he did not blame them for liv- ing there, but he did blame them for wanting to live there. Everybody was happy on the stage and off it. There was not hitch in any portion of the whole entertainment and it will go down in history as musical success, second to none in the his tory of amateur minstrels. One of the surprises of the night came just at the closing moments. The chorus singers had washed up and were oc- cupying positions ill the rear of the theater when the thought occurred to one of the committee, if it would not be a good idea to join in the last chorus with the singers on the stage. Quickly were ten or dozen of the chorus collected and as the stage singers began the hip, hip, hooray" chorus those in the rear of the Eouse took up the refrain and almost knock ed Musical Director Smith off his feet, while Tom Freney wondered what in thunder was happening out side It was a fitting surprise to the two directors, who had done 30 much to compile book of surprises for the delighted audiences of each even- ing. After the performance many of the Elks adjourned to the club rooms, where an impromptu minstrel per formance was conducted until the small hours of the morning.
 Following are the names of the per formers:
 Director, Thomas NJ. Freney.
 Musical director, K. A. Laslett Smith.
 Interlocutors, Acly W. Castle, Lewis NJ. Holland.
 soloIsts. Robert T. Bayley, Leo Race. J. NJ. Daly.
 Comedians, John H. Cassidy, John F. Hackett, Thomas Cannon, Frank F: Kiely, William Fogarty.
 Chorus, Albert A. Adams, Burton A. Black, Howard C. Bowen, Charles K. X. Byrne. Edward F. Callahan, Joseph F. Connor. Daniel c. Campion, Mortimer ]. Connor. Frank J. Cor coran. James F. Colwell. Finton ]. Connor. J. W. Courtney, Leo courte- manche, Robert J. Dow, William q. Donovan. Joseph Daly. I. C. Dona- hue. Frank r. Egan, John x. Finn. John Freney. ]. $. Farley. M. (. Ger man. r. F. Gleason. Hugh A. Gilland,