The Washington times., 1909-05-09
NEW STANDARD SET
BY SUMNER STOCK
Demand for High Grade
Entertainment Reflected in
Local Companies.
COLUMBIA PLAYERS
OF UNIFORM MERIT
Aborn Opera Has Auspicious
Opening Program Offered
for This Week.
By ]. R. HILDEBRAND.

oY j.. X Il1LOED6ANO.
Daisies have been persistently bloom
ing, the grass around the Capitol has
been trimmed. and the Washington
baseball club has struck bottom, but not
until the past week did we know that
spring was really here. Then came the
first straw hats and the summer stock
companies.
The Messrs. Mettzerott and Berger,
Apostles of Rejuvenation, Inc, have
scored again by demonstrating two
things: That stock offerings can be as
capably presented and as appropriately
staged as productions designed for the
road IL one knows how, acd that the
Columbia Theater can be cuol and COM
Portable In summer as well as 'cozy" in
winter. They viii even rejuvenate
Aunt Mary next week
Through the lobby of the National
Theater foliage and flowers form
background, while canaries twitter to
the melody of the Aborn Opera Com
pany.
An Oriental story III Madam Butter
fly" set to music OF Puccini's vigorous
composing and a return engagement of
John Mason will round out the regular
season at the sBelasco. After that the
house will not be dark. but plans for
ly so.
Lesson of Array.
The dramatic excellence of the Co
lumbia players. the pretentiOus organ
ization Of the Aborn Opera Company,
the IenEthened season at the Belasco
have a lesson. They indicate a grow
ing demand in the Capital for thea
trical entertainment. and more than
that, a demand managers must heed,
that this entertainment be Of the high
est order.
To organize a stock company means
hard work and requires intimate
knowledge Of things theatrical. The
time for launching such az undertake
ing is generally shorter than that al
lotted to the formation of road COM
pany. The manager has not to ar
range for the presentation of one play,
but for three, four, five or more-the
number being determined by the ex-
cellence Of his arrangements.
This is preliminary TO al appreciation
OF the accomplishment of the Messrs.
Mettzerott, Berger. and the Aborns. The
Aborns had the advantage. Two sue
cessful seasons have developed their or
ganization into a semblance Of perma-
nency. The Columbia company marked
a new undertaking.
Tie assembling of the cast seen last
week In The Three OF U.s. is a tri-
urnph. There is no star, therefore, each
member must be the stronger. Most OF
Washington saw Miss Julia Dean IN
Paid In Full, and whatever the YER
dict may have been on the Walter play
there was little disagreement on the ca
pability of Miss Dean. without detract-
ing one whit from Miss Deans credit
Il can be said that the most pleasing
feature OF The Three OF U.s. as seen
sast week was the uniform excellence
of the cast In this play are parts that
be developed by genuine acting. In
nearly every case each role was made
10 stand for something.
Has Dramatic Significance.
This policy promises to make the Co
lumbia's summer season more than a
means of light summer entertainment
II the management can maintain this
standard its efforts should have a gem
uine dramatic significance. An oppor-
tunity is afforded in THE Little Min
ister." True. the charm Of Miss Adams
presence Will be missed Instead the
managers hope to develop this play
as they believe they could not do with
a star" In the company is a mem
Der Of the cast that presented the play
in London His suggestions, II is claim
ed, may serve 10 throw new high lights
on the lesser parts. At any rate the
result VIII be worth watching.
The Aborn company has grown In
numbers Il Is behind very few COM
panies on the road. The scenic investf-
ture is adequate. The ensembles are
richer in volume and Of a better quail
tty than those OF the same company last
year. The Times pointed out IN its re-
view of Tuesday that the principals
scarcely reflected the Improvement Of
the company IN other details. At least
enc member Of the cast suffered from
extreme nervousness that wore away as
the week passed. and her singing on
Friday night was a distinct improve
ment over her singing on Monday night.
The fact that the AbOrns are running
In other cities will necessitate changes
IN the cast from week TO week, and IL
IS possible that the leading parts in
robin Hood" were taken by singers be-
low the Aborn standard.
In view OF the care expended in other
details OF this company IL Is hard to
understand the policy OF employing such
a small orchestra The expense Of a
few additional Instruments would seem
insignificant beside the Improvement in
effectiveness. The orchestra Of last
week was inadequate for the full beauty
of a De Koven score.
event of the week was the reorganiza-
ton Of the Washington Symphony Or
chestra. That the concert last Thurs
phony was a matter OF small moment
beside the promise held out by this ven
ture FOR a permanent symphony Orches-
ira in Washington.