Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-13
TO GIVE 'BENHUR' IN
DRAMATIC RECITATION
MISS MILDRED GILLUM WILL
APPEAR AT Y. M. C. A.
Famous Reader Condenses Lew WAL
Iace's Book Into Evenings Enter
tainment-No Admission Fee
Will Be Charged

Miss Mildred Gillum, for several
years connected with the Ithaca Con-
servatiory of Music and entertainment
bureau of New York state, will give
Ben Hur' at the Young Mems Chris
tian association Thursday night.
This is doubtless the first time any
association has ever been able to pre-
sent such a masterpiece in a large city
as free entertainment.
There are only two readers in our
country who give the story of Ben
Hur." One is Miss Mildred Gillum and
the other is Mr.. Flowers. Miss Gillum
has been said by critics to have the best
voice for heavy dramatic work of this
kind of any woman on the American
platform. Her character work is
strong feature, and easily accomplishes
the difficult task of giving to each Of
the many different persOnages an indie
pendent individuality. Her cutting of
the book has been done with great skill
and she has been able to condense this
wonderful story into an evenings en-
tertainment and still retain all the
strong points.
The story as she gives it carries the
characters from the birth of Christ to
the scene between Iris and Esther, in
Esther's own home, five years after the
crucifixion.
No admission fee to this entertain
ment will be charged, but a silver Of
fering will be taken. 1t is open for
both women and men.
The social department of the associa-
tion is preparing to put on frequent
other entertainments and concerts from
time to time through the season. The
Glee club and orchestra will give three
concerts of high clas character. A
minstrel show will be given soon, while
October % and 20 the association will
present Dr. George Gilbert Bancroft,
the great psychologist and platform
educator, for two lectures at popular
prices.
a force of workmen started last
night to repaint the exterior and the
lobby of the Grand opera house prior
to the opening of Ferris Hartman and
his company in "The Yankee Consu"
next Sunday afternoon. New seats
will also be installed and new carpets
laid throughout, while behind the foot
lights many Improvements are being
made to care for the fifty-odd people
of the company. This seasons comic
opera opening will find an enlarged or
chestra under the direction Of Mr..
Hartmans new director, Jack Raynes,
who was formerly in this city with.
the Kolb and Dill company, and who
was for several seasons with Henry
w. Savage.
Miss Blanche Hall returned home
from her Honolulu vacation trip late
s Sunday night and yesterday morning
began rehearsing MY Wife" in which
she will resume her place as leading
woman of the Burbank company next
Sunday afternoon. Miss Hall brought
with her from Honolulu a trunk full
of Japanese kimonos and other gar
ments which, doubtless, she will find
occasion to display upon the Burbank
stage in the near future. She brought
back with her, too, a lively and en-
thusisastic appreciation of Hoholulu,
it's climate, drives, and it's people
Knowing no one there except a young
woman whom she met upon the boat
and who introduced her in the Island
city, Miss Hall was entertained royal
ly. -Four dinners, two suppers, a dance
and automobile parties without num-
ber were given in her honor. She met
members of the Hawaiian royal fam
lily and finally came away so delighted
with her visit that she promised to
return next year and to play a brief
engagement in the Honolulu theater.
Gavin Young, who has been out of
the cast at the Burbank for the past
two months, will have part in my
Wife" at that Nouse next week.
Harry Mestayer of the Burbank COM
pany received a postal from William
Desmond yesterday, mailed en- route to
Kansas City where Desmond goes to
play leading roles with the Woodward
stock company. His opening bill is
"The Christian" a play in which he
was seen a few years ago at the Bur-
bank.