The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-17
PLAYER FOLK SAY
G0OO-BY TO ALL
Benjamin Company Members
Almost Wept on Academy
Stage.
PEEP BEHIND THE SCENES
Audience Even Saw Ghost Walk
and Stage Hands at
Work.
PEEP BEHIND THE SCENES

with whirl OF laughter. world
of kindly speeches and few choking
threats. the Benjamin Players last
night babe farewell to Richmond and
to those who. as one OF the company
gracefully put It, have lightened their
thirteen weeks OF hard work. Prob
ably the biggest house OF the summer
season was waiting for the curtain to
go up when 2. j. Blunkall appeared In
number one" and. as soon as the au-
dience allowed him to talk, announced
that, in order to entertain the house
the stage hands would set the second
and third acts with the curtain up. The
big audience was already In receptive
mood. and this announcement added a
touch of friendliness to the feeling be-
tween the players and those in front.
The first act went with vim and
dash that kept the house in roar Of
laughter, in spite of, or because OF. the
very apparent interpretations and spon-
taneous business that each actor SEEM
ed to feel perfectly at liberty to On
ploy at any time during the action of
the piece. And when the curtain fell
and went up again and again In re-
Spouse to the warm applause. and fin-
ally remained up, while stentorian
voice yelled Strike" and the company
leisurely walked off stage and the
shirt-sleeved stage hands Jumped to
their work, the farewell" was an as
sured success.
Dressing the Stage.
Ivy Bernstein the property master,
dashed on with both arms full Of
plants: Sam Cahen. the stage carpen-
ter. assisted by two or three subor-
dlnates, hauled into place a porch:
Barney Brill called up in the direc-
ton of the proscenium arch to some
body to let down that back drop, three
or four others built a bridge over an
invisible stream; Dutch Eubank. the
electrician. hidden on his little plat
form Just above the right lower en-
trance changed and shifted his lights.
somebody called "C1ear!" and out of
chaos came order, leaving Miss Brad
ley and Jerome Storm to go on with the
play.
4 After the second act. while the
change was being made, the ghost
walked" Paul Benjamin sat at his
table in the centre OF the stage with
his back to the audience and paid off.
AS each member of the company and
stage force was called, he came for
ward. took his envelope. signed the
sheet, and hurried back to dress, or to
work.
Saying Good-By.
When the last curtain fell. nobody
in the audience moved. and then the
good -byes' began. Beginning with
Miss Mccomas. each member of the
company stepped down to the foot
lights and spoke mis- or her kindly and
courteous little good-by. or au revoir.
or auf wiedersehn. Mr.. Blunka1l an
nounced that Mr.. Benjamin would
come again next summer with stock
company, and that. though Mr.. Ben
jamin did not know 1t, he was coming
with him.
Miss Bradley said that she had pre-
pared "a perfectly lovely speech"
but couldn't remember one word of 1t.
jerome storm, who was welcomed
with tumultuous applause. simply
choked up and sat down. Fulton Rus
sell said his clever adieu, and all tho
rest followed.
HE'S Coming Back.
And then somebody dragged Paul
Benjamin on. Pale. either from stage
fright or from lack of make up. he
proceeded to thank everybody in the
world-actors. stage manager. ushers,
treasurer. stage hands. newspaper
men, Leo Wise. the audience, and Just
tains and little hills. and wound up
by asking Just one little personal
favor: During this summer and next
winter. Before I come back again
next summer, he said. won't you
please. whether you are in Richmond
or Lynn, Mass. or Africa, or Barton
Heights, Just mention my name when
ever you can think of It'll"
And down came the last curtain OF
] the season.