The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-20
STUDENTS OPERA
"The College Chaperons'
Purely a Kansas Affair.
Written by Sherman ShOup, q
Student.
CTnDC ADE CTTnNNHyC
ACTORS ARE STUDENTS
Grand Opera House Filled Last
Night.
Ike Production Is a Decided
Success.

For the first time in the history of
the state, perhaps, an opera of which
both words and music were written by
Kansas boy, and in which the actors
and actresses were all Kansas boys and
girls, has been presented to the pub
lie.
This event took place last night at
the Grand opera house. THE College
Chaperones," a light opera by Sher-
man Shoup of Washburn college, was
presented for the first time in public.
Nearly every seat on the floor and in
the balcony of the house was taken,
and the audience gave the perform
ance the glad hand. The usual big
bouquet of roses was handed to the
star, the usual curtain calls We're re-
characteristic of first night perform
ance except that Mr.. Shoup, the auth
or, was not called upon for a speech.
That must have been timidity on the
part of the audience, for Mr.. Shoup
was there, and played the piano in the
orchestra during the whole perform
ance, and directed.
There are a good many elements of
genius in Mr. Shoup's work. Of course
the opera lacked dramatic force: 1t
didn't scintillate with clever comedy;
the acting was in many cases awk-
"dId Dul ldhlHS all lIliIlSS lLlO COH-
sideration, Washburn has reason to be
proud of Mr.. Shoup and the singers
who presented his first effort as a
composer of opera. There is some very
pretty music in 1.-THE College Chaper-
ones" there was lots of washb,rn
color" and the whole performance
moved off with considerable dash. 1t
started on time, there were no long
waits between acts, and the girls and
men on the stage were good looking
and didn't paint too much. Produced
at home, The College Chaperones made
decided hit. 1t is essentially a Wash
burn production and a stranger in the
audience last night would conclude
that Topeka is real college town and
Washburn great university.
There isn't any plot worth mention
ing to THE College Chaperones." The
boys and girls constituting the senior
class, who sing catchy opening
chorus, and then decide to secure an
official class chaperone. They finally
agree upon Tom Allen and his wife
Martha Allen. Tom is a queer old
edy role in the whole show. 1t was
very well played by Byrne Thatcher.
After the first act, the plot goes
rambling off into very wishy-washy
love story. involving the affections of
one Marjorie Ames, for Raymond
town, and Joe Lyons, the captain of
the football team at college. Both Of
them are making love to Marjorie, but
Raymond Charles has the best of it
and pushes the football hero off the
deck with ridiculous ease.
During all this love making affair
the college Chaperones" are absent
just as they should be.
The last act reintroduceS the cob
bier and his wife in the business of
chaperoning a senior class picnic. The
two chaperones obligingly go to sleep
while the "doings" are on. Finally it
all winds up with a grand chorus in
which the students inform the chap
erones that the job of college chap
eron is nothing but a great big joke,
after all.
Majorie Ames, the principal cause
of all the trouble, was played by Miss
Nellie Pond, who has beautiful con-
tralto voice. Winifred Sears, the
friend and roommate of Marjorie, was
played by Miss Clara Freshman, who
decided hit. Raymond Charles. the
town boy who got the girl, was played
by DIR. Elmer Hill, who in reality is
ex-captain of one of Washburn's great
est football teams, while Joe Lyons,
the football man, is played bv DR.. H.
P. Knowles, who probably never but
ted his head into rush line. Both
men have excellent voices and DR.. Hill
shone brightly in his solo mum bers and
duet with Miss Pond.
Miss Hulda Chaplin made a pretty,
winsome Jennie Blair, the milkmaid,
and William Beard made the most of
his small comedy part of Billy OFT, the
messenger boy. Miss Eleanor Sims did
very we'll as Martha Allen, one Of the
two chaperones. and the minor parts
of Professor PAUL, dean of the col
lege, and Charley Payne, student,
were taken by Ray Ufford and Leo
Haughey
The chorus was composed of the fol-
lowing boys and girls: Misses Verda
Phinney: Birdie Chandler, Myrtle
Whiteker, Florence Waugh, Mildred
Carrier, Ina KendeIl, Maud Stonehill,
Dora Mclaughlin, Messrs. Harold Tice,
Guy Winner, Fred Weede, Francis
Stocker, Howard Clark, Glenn Webb.
Clifford Knight, Berten Crane.
herman Shoup, the author Of the
opera, is a Holton boy. He is a stu
dent in the Washburn school of fine
arts. His talent seems to lie in the
direction of composing music. He has
written many pieces of music, and is
still a very young man. Prof. G. B.
Penny regards Mr.. Shoup as possessed
of decidedly unusual talents. His
opera, 1.-THE College Chaperones," has
all been written since. Christmas. He
has written the orchestral parts Of the
opera, but these parts were not played
last night. The instrumental part was
furnished by Mr.. Shoup at the piano,
a violin and bass viol, with now and
III on little helm from the cnrnaf op5