Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-10
OUR NEW MINISTER
IS STRICTLY MORAL
PLAY AT BURBANK CONTAINS
NO faint
Stock Company Appears in Drama
in Which Right Triumphs
and Love Finds the
Way

The bitterest critic of Sunday theat-
ricals could find nothing to reprobate
in the sentiments of "Our New Min
ister," which had it's initial produce
ton at the Burbank last evening. This
play Ito use the conventional term
for a theatrical production), in which
Benman Thompson made one of his
usual hits some years ago, is not
exactly a problem play. In tact, so
far as the lines and situations are con-
cerned, the most appropriate technical
language in which to describe II is
to say simply that it is warranted
sound and kind and will stand without
hitching. Its sentiments are impecca-
BILE, its morality is spotless if some
what platitudinary, its heroics are
eminently proper, and its situations
would meet with approval in any circle
of society.
1t portrays the events consequent
upon the coming of the new MIN
! ister," Thaddeus Strong, to Hardscrab-
BILE, a New England town, and the
opposition he met because he be-
friended Lem Ransom, returned
convict whom the "unco guid' wished
to drive from the community.
The minister falls in love with RAN
SONS daughter, Nance, and partly by
his ellOGlS anu pdlNly ny etNNfSASiiNf
Hannibal Chapman, the village mag
nate, rs discovered to be the person
for whose crime Ransom suffered.
Parts Well Acted
Thus Ransom is set right, the phar-
/ isaical are confounded, and 1t be-
comes evident that hypocrisy is a
very bad thing, and human kindness
and charity very admirable virtues.
Incidentally Strong gets a good wife,
which does not mar the dramatic
effect.
William Desmond made a very
proper new minister" while Blanche
Hall, as the convict's daughter, dld
all that was required of her by her
not exacting part. Miss Lowell Taylor,
as Strong's sister, also met all require
ments, while Miss Louise Royce, as
Dorcas Tattleby, gossiped as energet-
ically as a woman could in a gossip
ing part.
A. Byron Beasley, as Lem Ransom,
made the best of his situations. while
John w. Burton, as Curtis Horton,
made a very lovable old hereto.
Charles Giblyn, as Obadiah Burton,
portrayed a very hypocritical hypo-
critic, and Harry Mestayer, as the viii
lage detective, caused hearty laughter.
Henry Stockbridge, as Skeezicks, a
New York lad, gave a good character
portrayal anu contributed ilAo AuiA
quota to the laugh making.
"Our New Minister" makes no exact
ing demands on either actors or audi
ence. 1t Is a string of portrayals of
the average city dwellers' conceptions
of what country people must be like,
and thus playgoers are sure of seeing
in "Our New Minister exactly what
they think they will enjoy seeing.
"The Dollar Mark" will enter upon
its tenth week tonight at the Belasco
Last week-the ninth of the Broadhurst
piece-was the biggest, in point of box
office return, of any week since the play
was first made known to the Los An
geles theatergoing public.
Florence Reed, who made her first
appearance before q local audience at
the benefit performance given for the
Orphanage building fund at the Belasco
theater Friday afternoon, is gradually
coming to look upon her playing with
the Belasco company as something of
problematical matter, and the only
thing that enables her to retain her
complacency and proverbial good cheer
is the fact that every Saturday she is
handed her pay check just the same as
if she had been working hard at re-
hearsals and performances. Even Miss
Reeds colored maid is wondering when
audience just what she can do in the
way of acting.
AS she was getting the almost-leading
lady of the Belasco company into a
frock of Partisan manufacture at the
benefit Friday afternoon the maid
stopped a moment between two frac-
tious buttons and naively asked:
"Sa-ay, Mis- Florence, when yo going
to know if dey's going to let you join
this we're troupe?"
Manager Blackwood of the Belasco
theater has arranged his play schedule
for the summer, and it looks as if the
patrons of the Main street theater
would have some genuinely good the
atrical entertainment during the next
three or four months. The list of plays
will include the following, although not
in the order in which they will be pro-
duced: Miss Hobbs" Beau Brummel,"
Sweet Kitty Bellairs," Merely Mary
Ann" 1.-THE Lion and the Mouse" THE
Warrens of Virginia" 1.-THE College
Widow" 1.-THE Lady from Lanes" Ca
new musical play by George Broad
hursD, "The Rose of the Rancho"
"Shore Acres" 1.-THE Regeneration I"
1.-THE INVADER" Captain Jinks," "A
Gentleman of France" 1.-THE Girl Who
Has Everything" Captain links" "A
tucket," 1.-THE Embassy BALI and 1.-THE
ably the best play schedule the Belasco
management has ever offered to its
patrons, and the plays noted are for the
most part entirely new to stock COM
panies as we'll as to Los Angeles aud
fences.
Lewis S. Stone will enjoy a vacation
of three months during the summer,
and during his absence the Belasco
management will introduce an eastern
actor of stellar eminence who will play
in Mr.. Stones stead until the return of
the popular Belasco player.
"a Night on Broadway" the Murray
and Mack three-act musical success,
commenced it's second week yesterday
at the Grand before two audiences that
filled every seat. The piece now goes
with a veritable comedy rush, and the
chorus is working like a Marathon con-
testant with the goal IN sight No more
diverting conglomeration of nonsense
and song has ever been offered by these
popular comedians, and the supporting
company is superior to the average list
of assisting players.
Miss Dora Goldthwaite, a prominent
eastern actress who has played with
David Belasco and Charles Frohman's
companies, is spending few months in
Southern California, and when the
Belasco company produces Sweet
Kitty Bellairs' Miss Goldthwaite will
essay one of the chief feminine roles.
Florence Roberts, we'll known to local
audiences, will play a summer engage
ment with the San Francisco Alcazar
theater stock company. Bertrom Lytell