The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-08
NEWS OF THE WEEK IN
THE THEATRICAL WORLD
BY JAMES GRANT THURsTON

New York, May 7.-(Special. )-Monday
will be National Theatre day in the
United States, but the center of the cele-
bration will be in this city where Pres
identident Taft will formally open the
Actors Fund fair and in return receive
a gold medal. For many months prepar-
ations have been going forward for the
fair which will be held all week in the
Seventy-first regiment armory Actors,
actresses, playwrights, managers, mag
mates and society people will all take
part. Under the management of Daniel
FL Gilman, Charles Burnham. Abraham
Erlanger and others the plans have
chrystalized until it is certain that the
fair next week will be the biggest, most
successful, most gorgeous and most
everything else possible.
Every actor and actress of Importance
has played part in the arrangements.
Many special performances have been
given for the fund and on Monday plays
will be given simultaneously through the
Urited States, the proceeds to go to the
fund. In the course of the week the
fund ought to be swelled by more than
a million dollars.
The medal will be. presented to Presi-
dent Taft by William H. Crane, the
nestor of the actor men. The National
California club will conduct nugget
booth at the fair. Mrs. James Speyser,
wife of the banker, will have charge Of
| several booths.
Among the actresses who will be seen
at booths are Olga Nethersole, Margaret
Anglin, Minnie Dupree, Valoska Sur
raft. Violet Black. Mile. Dalbery, Carlot-
Ring, Mabel Barrison, Nora Bayes ami
ever so MANY more.
| Before sailing for Europe Marc klaw
arranged that the special performances
| in the east and west should start SIM
ultaneousy, the starting time being three
hours earlier here than on the Pacific
coast.
The most ambitious vaudeville manager
| In America is Percy Williams. He hopes
next season to send both the Oberam-
mergau Passion Play and Sarah Bern
hardt over his circuit. When Mr.. Williams
sailed for Europe he said he would offer
every inducement contained in good Am
ertcan dollars to bring the leading fig
ures in the great Passion Play TO the
United States.
| AL Woods Is certain that he can
stretch 1.-The Girl With the Whooping
| Cough over into a summer attraction.
1t is hodge podge of puns and situa-
| items with Valeska Surratt. mostly stick
/ ing out (of her clothes, in the utular role.
The program explains in detail to note
i that Miss Surratt doesn't wear corsets
and the audience is politely requested to
paw particular attention to the mole
| syhich she wears just abaft her spine.
The farce Is one those typical ant
tctica pieces which out of town people
seem to enjoy seeing while in New YORK.
on their vacations. The Girl With the
Whooping Cough is a cross between 6
burlesoue and musical comedy. with
nothing but lines. Some of the lines II
the dialogue are invisible but the othel
lines are all strictly within sight of thu
audience Among those in the cast arr
Amelia Bingham--for Miss Bingham hal
really gotten stout since we saw he
last.
Julian Eltinge has said so-long to vaud
eyile The clever female impersonato
goes abroad for long stay
The season Is within sight of the clos,
now. and, looking backward the mos
| noteworthy things seems TO be the length
of many Of the runs. Madame X,
the French play of absinthe and cigar
, cites will run into the summer, although
1t has been on the boards here now TO
UNIV ards of three months Other play
that are enjoying long runs in the met
4 rorols are 1.-The Dollar Princess,
.Father and the Boys 1.-THE Forum
Hunters" 1.-The Spendthrift,'' "Sevel
Days" Alias Jimmy Valentine "Tn
LILY" and "1'he Bachelors Baby"
The principles of the cast engaged t
support Gertrude Elliott during her Lon
don appearance in Mrs. Burnett's 9TH
Dawn of Tomorrow" will include Henri
Anley, Herbert Maring, Jameson lie
F'inney. Ada Dwyer Portia Knight, Ro
Fairchild and Ernest Joy. OF these til
English players mentioned have all bee
seen in this country. Mr.. Ainley wa
Maude Adams leading man in 9TH
Pretty Sister Of Jose" Mr.. Warning wa
AIrE. Paddy Campbell's leading man upol