The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-04-15
THE THEATRES
SMITHS.

'"rhe Land of the Midnight Sum- as Sweden has often been called. has many of her sons and daughters in this country They have settled here in every state, and the great majority have proved themselves good citizens, some of them gaining more Or less national fame-take John Erickson who built the Monitor which saved the Unions fleet during the civil war; and. more recently. the present governor of Minnesota, Hon. John Johnson, who, while born in this country. is of Swedish parentage and was consider ed a presidential candidate before the last campaign. What such names stand for, as representing sweden, in inventive and political fields in this country, Arthur Donaldson presents as as exponent of art in histr1onic en- deavors. being the only one from Sweden who has raised himself up by true merit to occupy any particular degree of prominence upon the Ameri- can stage, having been all over the United States with some of the best travelling companies; and when he ap- pears this evening he will consequent ly receive a rousing welcome from his coUntrymen.
 An event of unusual interest will be the appearance of William Collier. foremost among the comedians of the day, tomorrow evening. in 'The Pat roit." his new three act farce. written Dy COlllGE anu J. IldIIley MdIucTS. the English author and dramatist. There is no funnier man on the stage to-day than William Collier and his fun is of the sort that appeals espec- ially to American theatreEoers. His appearance in a new play is a matter of much more than ordinary interest. His plays are always clean. whole some and diyerting. MT Golfers not "The Dictator" "On the Quiet" and his earlier plays including "'The Man From Mexico and MT. Smooth is a matter of record. In his new farce nounced hit of his career. He is not alone seen to better advantage than in his previous successes. but has a play. rich in comedy and appealing in heart interest. that is a distinct addi- tion to stage literature and he creates a character that will not be soon for- gotten. MT. Golfers col1aborator in tine new comedy. MT. Manners, oc- cupies a leading position among the English men of letters of the day. Charles Frohman has made an excep- tionalIy beautiful production of "The Patroit' and he has surrounded MT. Collier with a company that is the largest in point of numbers and by far the most capable that the popular young comedian has ever had. In the company are Phyllis Sherwood, Helena Co1lier-Garrick. Paula Marr. Annie Esmond Helena Byrne John Saville,
 
 Rex McDougalI, Reginald Mason, Thomas Beauregard, Thomas Martin and John B. Adams.
 The rise of an humble workman in grimy overalls and jumper to the pres idcnCy of a great iron corporation; the casting off of the wife of his early manhood and the sharer of his trials and struggles to a position of affluence and power, and his subsequent mar riage to fortune hunting actress. is graphically told in Lem B. Parker's powerful new romance of American social life, Married for Money" which will be seen Saturday afternoon, and evening, at popular prices. The play is said to be Q. severe arraignment of certain phases of life among a social set who have suddenly acquired great wealth.
 Grace Van Studdiford. who comes direct from her remarkable success at the Broadway Theatre. New York Monday evening, in de Koven and Smiths latest comic opera, "Tne Gold