Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-27

EA AN III the DIlllldtI duOlenC6 OF
Az the first night at the new Bran
kVk dels theater win be able TO re-
- call other Omaha theater open
ElSSSEN !ngs. OF recent memory-com
S paratively speaking-there are
two, the first plays at the Burwood, now
the Gayety, and at the Krug. When onc
turns to the first night at the Orpheum,
then called the Creighton, one begins Ia
dip into older Omaha theatrical history
and into the history OF the American stage
for that matter. OF the twenty-five play
ers on the stage at the Creighton in the
drama, 1.-THE Masqueraders, " no less thar
sixteen subsequently became stars and are
today among the most brilliant lights in
the theatrical armament.
This, withal, was not so long ago, the
exact date being August %, 1895. -Four
years before that there had been another
theater opening, that of the new Boyd,
which is now eclipsed in splendor and pres
tlge by the new Brandeis. Thursday, Sep
tember 3, Alabama" the first famous
play OF Augustus Thomas, was given by
the A, M. Palmer Stock company, and al
most as many famous names are to be
ound in the dramatis personae of this as
IN the cast Of The Masqueraders."
before the new Boyd opened, the chief
Ok1aha playhouse was the old theater OF
the same name, and this had it's first per-
Torrance Monday evening, October "a, 1881.
Fay Templeton and her company giving
"The Mascotte."
The programs of these three perform.
ances are interesting documents. Others
may have copies OF them, but for this ar
ielsAthey were obtained from the collec-
tion&t Mr.. Milton Darling. who has a re-
markedly complete array Of dramatic
souvenirs Of the sort.
The program for the Creighton opening
announces Charles Frohman's Empire
Stock company from the Empire theater,
New York, presenting a New and Original
modern play In four acts by Henry Arthur
Jones, entitled rhe Masqueraders.'
The cast is given as follows:
David Lemon ....Henry Miller
Sir Brice Skene. ...,... William Faversham
Montague LushingtOn. ..,.....J i, DodsOn
Edule .,....,,... Charles Miles
Hon Percy Bianchfiower, Robert Edeson
Sir Winchmore Wills, Nj. D. George Bryant
Ta%ncourt. 80. jameson Lee Finney
carter. Flannsberg
'.'.''..,....F Harvey
Hodney ''''''. r'''''''' ,''.'.,l Edgar Morton
sharland ;.,,.,.. ,.,..-..-. p. Sorrento
Brinkier, proprietor OF The StaS"p
...,.......,.............E y. Bnckus
Thomson ...,..". Whitman
= servant '.... .s.,..,,. .,...,,.,H Henry Damon
nulcle L~afondle, ....,..,.,. Viola Allen
ltelen Larondle ...,,. ,....... Emma II. KemD
Charley WishangeE Lady STAFFORD .....
''sE.s'''''-' $500. ......... May Robson
Lady Clarence Relndean..,,..Ida Conquest
Lady CradoVer, ......... GeneyieVe REYNOLDS
Guests, Dancers, Fox Hunters, Hotel
Servants and Walters.
Here are names which the most casual
acquaintance with the stage VIII recognize
as now famous. William Faversham. for
instance, whose production Of "Herod" is
one Of the most notable events Of this sea-
son, From the position OF leading man
with the Empire Theater company, Mr.
Faversham became a star and played the
romantic drama untl his soul grew wearled
OF H. The matinee girl would have him
speA said his managers, and Mr.. Faver-
shAn was forced TO become his W
producer to get way from tho sort of
drama dear to the carame contingent.
This he did successfully in Eel Gran Gal
cato" and again this year I'm the stephen
Phillips play.
Henry Miller's rise TO fame Is OF course
also familiar, and so with J. e. Dodson.