Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-24

! G-~
Mr. James X. Hackett and his admirable
company have delighted the patrons of
the Columbia Theater with splendid
production of John Glaydes Honour and
have been greeted with audiences that
more than filed the house at every per-
forrrance Mr.. Hacketts engagement
closes this week. and as the attraction
will be the Pride of Jennico' the IN
terest in the play will be unusual. and the
proba bility is that the crowded houses
which have been the rule during this en-
eagement will continue to the end
robin Hood which was presented by
the Aborn management at the New Ma
tional Theater. showed that this de hoven
opera had lost none of its popularity. 1or
standing room was at a premium all dur
ing the week This week Flotow's Mar
tha" will be the attraction, with an eX-
ceptionally good cast
MIR. Guy Standing in sherlock Holmes
did GOOD business at the Belasco during
the week and will present Robertson
Caste
4. ". r. MacCOLLIN-The main sue
cess Of the annual spring and summer
seasons of the many Aborn opera COM
panies has been mainly due TO the selec-
ton of stage directors and musical con-
ductors of great efficiency. In putting on
different opera each week. with a com
piete production and partial chanse OF
principal artists to hit the requirements
of the various roles. great amount OF
detail work is necessary. as can easily ne
imagined. and capable stage and musical
instructors are most necessary ana OF no
lass Importance than the selection OF
singers and comedians. One OF the iateSl
acquisitions of the .Aborn executive staff
is A ". F. MacCollin. the We'll known
stage director. who has been with Charles
Frohmans companies in The Roilcklns
Girl and The Little Cherub during the
last three years and VINO staged the New
York productions of Vienna Life" king
highball" and other big musical offer
ings It is doubtful if any stage man
aeer has had a more extensive expert
ence in operate repertoire than Mr.. Mac
Collin had with Savage,s Castle Square
opera companies. John T Ford. John
Stetson and his own organization some
years ago. the MacColln Opera Com
rany During these engagements he
staged 116 operas. ranging from grand,
standard and comic operas down to the
frothy musical comedy brand Aside
from his experiences in stage direction.
Mr MacCollin has appeared in a wide
Variety of roles. He appeared in the
first American present ations of many Of
the Gilbert and Sullivan successes, origl-
mating the roles of Ralph Rackstraw in
"Pinafore" the major general in The
Pirates of Penzance," Bunthorne in Pa
tence'' the lord chancellor in ''Iolanthe"
and ko-Ko in The Mikado His musi-
cal and dramatic education, as we'll as
his accomplishments a singer and
actcr. have been most useful factors In
placing him among the foremost operate
stase. directors. and his contract with
the Aborn management promises much
for their future productions.
GREAT THEATRICAL ACTIVITY
With three companies rehearsing through
out the day in various parts of the build
ing, the Belasco Theater last week passed
through the busiest period in it's history
The passerby who happened to have
looked into the Belasco any Gay the past
week would have found the stage OF the
fheater occupied by Guy Standing and
the members of his company preparing
for their production of the English COM
edy. Caste. which they will present
tomorrow evening. AS is the custom with
the organization at the Belaseo. the re-
hearsa begins daily at ~ o'clock in the
morning. and as Mr.. Standing. who per-
sonally supervises the production of each
offering his company makes. has a repu-
tation for painstaking care that is amply
justified by the results il has shown his
players rarely get through their drill until
the middle OF the afternoon The time
elapsing between their departure from
the theater and the time for them to ap-
pear for the evening performance is util-
lied in studying the lines OF the parts
they are to play the following week.
While all was hustle and excitement on
the Be,asco stage last week a similar
scene was being enacted in the large hall
on the sixth floor Of the building. where a
dozen other players were perfecting their
work for the performance of The Marriage
of Kitty. with which they will open their
summer season at the Nixon Theater in
Plttsburg tomorrow evening. The stage
direction of this latter company is in the
hands of Percy Leach a we'll known
Washingtonian. whose recent staging of
The Prince of Parcheesi'' contributed SO
substantially to the success of that anna
teur production. 1naspuch Mr.. Leach
had unusually limited period of time
in which TO bring his company up to the
required standard. he was obliged TO call
extra rehearsals at night and as the
dience filed out of the Lafayette square
playhouse last evening after the farewell
performance of Sherlock Holmes his
tired and weary charges were gathering
their costumes and baggage prior to
barking sleeping cars for Pittsburg
where they are today holding a dress re-
hear.al
Perhaps the most prominent of the
players who made the trip is Miss Chrys-
tai Herne who is we'll remembered by
local theatergoers for her sterling work
al the Belasco last summer in the capac-
lty OF leading woman to Edwin Arden.
Among those who will support Miss
Herne during her season in the Smoky
city. and who themselves may be seen
here later in the season. are Frederick
Lewis. Helen Wilton and few others
Alfred Hudson. sr.. Alice Butler.
VINO appeared with Mr. Standing in
sherlock Holmes. will also play in
Pittsburg this week
N..le Mr.. Standing and Miss Herne
and their companies We're a their tasks
last week still another organization was
rndlng room in the Belasco TO prepare
for its summer activity. ard this is the
company that will open its season al
Fords Theater in Baltimore one week
from tomorrow night. This organization
because OF lack of room. was obliged 10
press the roof of the theatcr into service
as rehearsal hall, although rainy
weather interfered somewhat with the
plans on one or two occasions The Bal
tir7ore company, which is headed by Miss
Wiilette kershaw. will complete it's re-
hearsals here this week. using the han
vacated by Miss Herne and her sr!pportinp
PLAYERS. Both these organizations are
under the management OF William \
appearing now AT the Belasco and the
fact that the local theater is the head
quarters OF his circuit os stock com
panies IS responsible for its being the
scene this summer of greater activity
than ever before
COMING Attractions.