The Pacific commercial advertiser., 1908-11-29
THE MISER'S MILL WAS
WELL WORTH GOING TO SEE

A full house at each performance
generous applause, and a responsive
bond of sympathy between audience
and pIayfolk, must have been a source
of qualification to the composers OF
"The Miser's s Mi1''-Mrs. Jarrett
Lewis and Edna Proctor Clarke. TIC
them is due credit for very pretty
tuneful operetta. The enthusiastic re
ception accorded by the adult audience
gave promise that it would be a
source of delight to the youthful audi.
enee at the matinee that followed
Mrs. Lewis was not only the musical
composer, but the director of the or.
ehestra, and showed herself an artist,
Throughout the performance she main
tanned perfect evenness of action in
both the orchestra and upon the stage,
and at no time was there a hitch. Mrs.
Lewis deserves especial praise, for
hers was a labor of love, as the pres
entation was for the benefit of the
Honolulu. Free kindergarten. Working
under many difficulties and disappoint-
ments, incident to almost all initial
performances, and with only five re-
hearsals, Mrs. Lewis may have trem-
bled for the result, but success met
her efforts.
There is but one scene in the oper-
eta. and this was a model of stage
craft. 1t was a wintry forest, and in
the background arose a quaintly-pic-
turesque old Dutch red brick mill, with
it's four red vanes cjrcling slowly. Eff
fective lighting, aided by colored cal
eium shades, enhanced many pretty
pictures. Before this mill were group
ed troops of fairies, gnOmes, little
Dutch villagers, and last, but most i'm
pOrtant, there was the old miser,
changed on a Christmas Eve from a
crafty, gold-greedy, heartless, child
hating wretch to a mirthful, generous,
loving and benevolent old man, whose
gifts on Christmas Day cheered all the
children about the mill, which ground
out on that day, not flour, but Christ
mas gifts in plenty. The two grand
children, around whom most of the op-
eretta eenters, had favors done them
by the miser, fairies and the grotesque
little gnomes.
The principal role was carried out
by Mr.. James Wilder as the miser.
His Interpretation was excellent, as
were Miss Alice Spald-
ing, as Gretel, and Vernon Tenney, as
Hans. They played their roles with
good effect and their voices carried the
dialogue clearly to all parts of the
house. Miss Spalding has a dramatic
voice and of most pleasing quality.
The Christmas fairies were all dainty
and pleasing, and of these Miss Ray
Bell was most bewitehing as Love.
II would be difficult to refer to in
dividuals in so large a list. All did
well and the ensemble was perfect.
The orchestra, composed almost entire
ly of amateurs. played well and re-
spOnded perfectly TO Mrs. Lewis lead
arship. Mrs. Lewis stated after the
two performances that she rever ex-
perieneed such perfect good feeling
among musicians, for they worked in
harmony with her at all times. The
lshers were a bevy of pretty girls.
Who performed their duty in "a most
.harin;ns, manner The east was as
follows: ~ s'E 7 r.
Herr Knicker-A Miser. er..........
....-........M Mr.. James Wilder
His Grandehildren-
Gretel. $500. Miss Alice Spalding
Hans. Hans..-.l.rri,-..,..Nernon Tenney
Christmas Fairies, ~
Love. .-..,a.. ..--.... Miss Ray Bell
Pity. ....,,..... Miss Ruth MeChesney
Peace. .t.:.... Miss. 1emma Wadman
10y. y....:.:..,..:t.. Miss Vera Damon
Tollity. Miss Margaret Restariell
Nirth. .....,.... Miss Helen Spalding
Attendants.
Misses Adelaide Pratt. Florence White,
Ruttmann, Jeanette Camara,
Marie Holt, Gladys Auerbaeh, Dorothy
Florence Davis, Margaret
Hills. Gladys Kruger. Pearl Hough,
Dorothy Winter. Marie Dawson, Violet
Swift, Alvina Blom, Dorothy Ashley,
Miriam Ovenden. Alice Wong. Elsie
Wong. Julia Wright, Gertrude Me
queen, Alice Beerman, Margaret An
Trade. Healani Lloyd, Eleanor Braneo,
evelyn Carreira, Alice Otto.