The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-19

laughter and the actors on the stage are brimful of enthusiasm and fun from the time the curtain goes up until it comes down for the last time. The fun Is so spontaneous and wholesome that It would be enjoyable even if the show itself was a bore which it is not. The people who allow their racial prejudices to keep them from attending are missing & very enjoyable evening.
 "Of course Black Patti is the star Of the evening" with the spotlight as faithful assistant during ell the time she is on the stage. Her voice is as sweet and powerful as in past seasons
 "Honey Boy" Minstrels.
 One of the most important events of the local theatrical season is announced for Wednesday matinee and night, when the big Conan & Harris minstrels, with George Evans and one hundred others will present its now famous entertain ment at the Jefferson theatre. The seat sale opens at the box office at o'clock tomorrow morning.
 Although but 6 year in existence, the Conan & Harris minstrels have estab lished a reputation which places 1t in the front rank of all minstrel organizations. The company selected by these astute young managers for the coming season varies somewhat from that offered last year, but in every way Is quite as large and quite as expensive as their notable organization of last season. Headed by the king of minstrel testers, George Evans, the organization contains the names of many famous stars of min- strelsy. John King Is again with the company and associated with him in the fun-making will be seen the well known on l-men, Harry Van Fossen, Sam Leo,
 Earl Benham and a score Of others. Ine singing contingent Is this season partic- ularly strong and promises to be even better than last year. The star vocal ists include such well known minstrel balladists as Will Oakland, Vaughn Comfort and John P. Rogers.
 The vaudeville features consist main- ly of big and notable acts. Alexander and Scott, present a black-face sketch typically illustrative of the classy Ethi- opian, an American team which has made a great reputation the past three years in London and the principal cities of Europe They are comparatively un- known in this country from a profes- sional standpoint, but since their ap- pearances with the Conan & Harris minstrels have become immensely pop ular. Alexander is spoken of as fe- male impersonator who quite rivals all others in this line of work. Two big new numbers have been staged by James German. one as a singing ana dancing act, introducing as the principals Earl Benham and John King, assisted py eo dancers. It is called "Scenes From Blackville" The other is a marching number entitled 'Qdanila." which Is promised as quite the most elaborate feature of the kind ever witnessed on a minstrel stage. The star feature of the vaudeville portion of the programme will, of course, be George Evans, who will entertain for 15 minutes with new budget of funny yarns and a new reper- toire of comical songs. ,che concluding feature is one-act minstrel comedy with music, which was written especially for this entertainment by George M. Conan, and which he calls ''The Fire mans Picnic" It is described as quite the funniest negro sketch ever written by MT. Conan. while the music which he has composed for 1t has already won much vogue.