Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-05

~ saturday Is Miss Blanche
N Bates in the new Belasco pro-
1901 duction. The Fighting Hope"
$3.50 a play OF today by w. J.
Hur.burt. Apart from the fact that the
engagement OF Miss Bates would rank as
one Of the most important events of the
local season. "The Fighting Hope" has
an additional interest to the public. In Il
David Belasco lnaugurated his campaign
for the betterment Of the American drama
For many years Mr.. Belasco has worked
to develop the art of production and in
this field has attained effects that others
have failed to approach. AS a contributor
to stage literature ne has gained a notable
position. His present departure. exempli-
fled in 'The Fighting Hope means the
development OF a school Of drama by
American dramatists. In putting forward
The Fighting Hope Mr.. Be.asco did not
aim for multifarious and varicolored scenic
effects. In point Of fact throughout the
play but one scene, showing a library in
the suburban home Of the president Of a
trust company, is used, and the cast. In
point OF numbers. Is small. The remark
able vogue Of The Fighting Hope Is due
primarily to the timeliness and simplicity
Of the story developed in the three acts
OF the play and the brilliant acting Of Miss
Bates. The central character OF The
Fighting Hope" interpreted by Miss Bates,
Is Anna Granger. This roe requires Of
Miss Bates that she depict the conflict Of
three intense loves-that for her children;
that, Of rather slender root, for an un-
worthy husband; that which grows almost
imperceptibly and purely. for an en-
ployer whom she has set out to hunt down
as the suppositionaI source of a blotch
1fnnn fha name horpa hy bav MffTa hovra
Miss Bates has not alone achieved all this.
but has found in the roe Of Anna Granger
her largest opportunity and her greatest
triumph. This Is Miss Bates first appear
ance In Omaha as a star. There will be a
Saturday matinee OF The Fighting Hope"
Trixie Friganza, the leading woman Of
George NJ. Cohan's The American Idea,
which comes to the Boyd theater for four
nights beginning Sunday evening. Deem
her -, the usual matinees. is perhaps the
only person In the world with a copy
righted name. Miss Friganza was born
Miss O'Callaghan OF Cincinnati. Della
was taken on at her christening. In her
early teens she went on the stage and
found that Della O'CaIiaghan was received
with more or less mirth when II appeared
In the lists OF the merry-merry with which
she was identified. Becoming a resident
Of New York. Miss O'Callaghan invented
the name "Friganza" and had il copy
righted and registered at Washington.
Then she had her name changed by an
act Of the legislature to Trixie Fnganza.
A short time ago her sister also went on
the stag. and Miss Trixie allowed her to
adopt the name OF Friganza upon the pay
ment OF a small weekly royalty. Miss
Friganza is a shrewd business woman and
Owls considerable real estate.
In the evolution OF extravaganza. greater
strides have been made within the last
two seasons than IN any ten previous
years. The pioneer OF Improvement is
Jack Singer, proprietor and manager Of
the Great Behman show, which comes TO
the Gayety theater. 0ormerly the Bur
wood, for six days, beginning with the
usual sunday matinee today. Novelty Is
the Singer watchword. and this seasons
offerings viii be the best he has vet
presented. Instead OF the suIted and
t~hreadbare skits-whieh he abandoned even
before he took up his notable ''reviews"-
there will be a bright and lively musical
comedy in two acts. II Is entitled AT
Palm Beach" the book ana lyrics being
by Ballard Macdonald; music by Leo Ed
wards. the well known song writer. and
The staging by James German. who has
especially designed all the dances intro
duced. The organization numbers fifty
five performers, including the double
chorus Of forty young and comedy women.
Besides Miss Williams. the feminine con-
ungent includes Margaret King, a clever
comedienne, Lillian Herndon. Fay and
Florence Courtney and Hattie Dixie. The
comedians are Lon, Haskell who for sew
sral years was principal comedian OF the
Cecil spooner company; Vic Casmore, late
Of May Twins company; VIII j. Kennedy.
formerly with Cohan q Harries; Joe Bar
ton and william o'Day. formerly Of The
Time, the Place and the Girl" George
Armstrong;, the Happy Chappy. the high
est salaried single act IN buflesdBe, the
English Pony Ballet Of eight and other
novelties Will BE- introduced during the