Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-05
The Ttleaters
IN GAY NEW YORK
IS SCINTILLANT SHOW
Members of Burbank Stock Company
Show Remarkable Aptitude in
Musical Comedy-Piece Is
deliberately Staged
BY LEMUEL PARTON

The Congressional Record has not
yet been dramatized, but If it is and
if it ever gets into stock 1T Is safe
bet that Oliver Moroscos Burbank
company will make sizzling good
show out of it. This versatile aggre-
cation could take the codes of Justi-
MAN and put them on as musical
comedy, a farce or a straight drama,
and get by with 1t as easily as an
escaped tenderloin king putting on
disappearing sketch. I'm Gay New
York. which opened yesterday after
noon at the Burbank, is a lesson In the
wizardry of selecting a hole and build
ing a doughnut around 1t. Gus Hill
made the hole and Oliver Morosco made
the doughnut. This bit of delicate
imagery may be i'll chosen, as there is
nothing heavy or plebeian about the
show, although the sold out sign at
the box office window at both per-
formances yesterday seems to Indicate
that the dough part of 1t Is all right.
I'm Gay New York." an iridescence
of sunk kissed spume, blown on the
rose tinted tide of laughter, caught on
the amber drift of song, lifting on, the
wings of Lighter something like that
you know how the press agents put
it. The piece itself is happily sup
pressed under the lavish beauties OF
Moroscos bountiful production. The
verdict yesterday seemed to be that
the Burbank company is as good or
better in musical comedy than 1T is
in drama Certainly no better produc-
ton of this piece has been given. The
girls are pretty, the costumes new
and striking, the musical numbers ex-
cellently given and the show Is tull
of verve and sparkle from the opening
moment to the beautiful finale, when
the eagle scars out over the audience.
The performance is full of surprises
in the numerous revelations of unex-
pected talent in musical comedy work
on the part of the different members
of the Burbank cast. A. Byron Beasley
sings his songs and trips through the
frothy dialogue of the piece with the
same artistic finish achieved in the
somber heaviness of the ten score of
villains which he has created. Mr.
Beasley really can sing. He has a
good baritone voice and apparently is
perfectly at ease in this sort of bust
ness. Imagine William Desmond-de-
bonair and ingratiating, chanting a
sagely philosophical recitative about
whats the Use,' and really making
a hit with It. Imagine Mango buffet,
the shy, pensive Penelope of the Bur
bank company, warbling sentimental
song and tripping about the stage with
the gladstone abandon of a musical
comedy star. The piece gives Miss
buffet her first opportunity to shine in
this line of work, and she rose to 1t ad-
mirably. Her song, when l Marry
YOU" was one of two or three of the
most charming numbers of the per-
Torrance.
Miss Blanche Hall is deservedly very
much to the front and aside from her
contributing to the scenic effects of
the piece by her own scintillant self,
rI,4 e.tx oh q v-f11 "
and figures indispensably in the hap
PLY inconsequential plot. Charles
Giblyn appears in the eccentric role
of Herman Schultz. a fashionable
ladies' tailor. Mr.. Giblyn is at home
in musical comedy and exacts more
than the full measure of laughs in
the part. The character is a comic
supplement German. with comic sup
plement dialect, and the laughs which
Mr.. Giblyn gets are to be credited to
him and not to his lines. His work is
admirable throughout. Henry Stock
bridge stuffed into a Submitting bell
hops suit, also is more in his element
than the other members Of the cast,
as this work is somewhat a speciality
of his. He is one of the hits of the
show. Lowell Alice Taylor, Miss Lou
Use Royce, Hale Studebaker and Jessie
Mae Hall all do excellent work.
The chorus is well trained, exhibit
ing remarkable proficiency, consider
ing the short time which has elapsed
since it was first assembled
The NFerris Hartman company at the
Grand opera house presents THE Sui
tan of Sulu" for the current week.
Many who attended the opening per-
Torrance yesterday afternoon pro-
nounced the production by far the best
yet given by the Hartman organization
The fact that the piece was written by
George AIDE is a sufficient guaranty of
its efficacy in providing unflagging in
terest, and the two audiences yester-
day at the afternoon and evening per-
formances were highly appreciative.
The house was packed on both occa-
sions, and although it is holy week the
management is figuring a new house
record for the show.
The musical SATIRE" as it is termed,
is too well known to require comment.
Its good natured travesty of the Amer
lean civilization of subject islands by
gunpowder is illumined by much play
ing buffoonery, cleverly handled by the
increasingly proficient Hartman organ
ization. Oscar Walsh appears as Lieut..
William Hardy and Christina Nielsen
as Henrietta Budd, the colonePs daugh-
ter. Both fit admirably into the part
and contribute the most important in
dividual and duet numbers of the piece
in their songs Mr.. Hartman's Xxi
RAM" the sultan, is by far the best
thing he has done during his present
engagement Miss Josie Hart makes
an excellent Pamela jackson, the judge
advocate, and Muggins Davies is equal
ly good as Chiquita, wife No. 1. Joseph
Fogarty sings and acts we'll as Col.
Jefferson, as does Walter De Leon as
the sultan's secretary.
The second act shows an admirable
piece of staging, depicting the roof
garden of the sultan's palace, with a
we'll painted and well put up cyclorama
background. The chorus numbers are
numerous and catchy and the costumes
good to look upon.
The fifth and probably the last week
of George Broadhurst's phenomenally
successful new play, "The Dollar
Mark" will begin at the Belasco thea
ter tonight. The demand for tickets in
dicates that holy week will have little
effect on the attendance. The Belasco
management has been besieged with
requests to continue the play after
Lent but no decision as to this has yet
been made.
Miss Lillian Russell will open tonight
at the Mason opera house in her latest
success "Wildfire" a racing play, said
to be one of the best which Miss Rus
sell has ever had. She is supported by
an excellent company; in fact, the
original New York company and pro-
duction. Her engagement is for the
entire week, with matinees Wednesday
and Saturday.
Bashful Youth-Miss Bella, does