The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-07-03
NEWS OF THE WEEK IN
 THE THEATRICAL WORLD
BY EMORY B. CALVERT

New York July 2..(special)-Broad- ways summer plays are proving more popular than ever before. Despite the fact that the regular theatrical season came to an end more than month ago. l2 theatres and four roof gardens are going full blast, as well as dozen or more vaudeville houses.
 Four of the theatres are housing dramas that promise to last throughout the summer, while the remainder, as well as the roof gardens, are devoted to mu- sical shows. Of the plays, too. The For tune Hunter" and Seven Days nave run through the entire theatrical season. and will likely run into the next. The two remaining dramas, ''rhe Spendthrift' and "9er Husbands Wife," opened late in the season and will likely run through out the summer.
 The musical shows may be divided into two distinct classes, viz: the regular sea son musical comedies, Whose success mas caused them to extend their runs ana the summer musical play written and pro duced especially for the summer auoi- ences.
 
 sun,mer show experiment was tried and for A time. 1t had hard road to traVei. The managers began by producing the winter variety of musical comedy But they soon found out that this was nol wanted. and they gradually introducea new features, until the summer nlusicai play became separate institution. u nav he described as an all-star vaude- vile production, supplemented by large and briefly dressed chorus, With SUI pendous ensemble effects
 There are four such plays along broao- way at the present time. "The Summer xvidowers,, at the Broadway theatre. acirlies, at the New Amsterdam Roof, "Ti,lie's Nightmare at the Herald souare theatre. and "The Follies of l9lo' on the New York Roof. The last named nlav Is the most recent addition and IS reviewed below.
 As to which is the best of these four shows if is an extremely hard matter to decide.
 From a comedy viewpoint 'Tillies Nightmare" wins the laurels Ihis IS due to the excellent work of Marie Dress- Ter who is, think, the funniest woman on the American stage. In addition to her humorous qualities she possesses un- usual ability as an actress, and in the last act of the play, when she awakes from her dream to find that she is only o ..boarding house drudge' instead or the 1vifo of A New York millionaire, sne makes the audience forget, TOT moineh'' that the play is comedy
 There are also some very pretty musi- oa, numbers in this production, as well as large well-trained chorus.
 If "Cirlies" lacks anything Tn humor' if makes up for this deficiency In otner respects It has, undoubtedly the iarses nrett,est and best drilled chorus in New vor,x There are girls of every descr1p- Non-all young all pretty. The chorus r,an are dressed like a husky bunch or xounp college students and do some excei- Ilent work. Joseph Cawthorn piays the leading comedy role and is very lunhy as German professor of botany.
 The music is very catchy, and one or the songs that Is fast attaining. popuia. ltv ,s Life Is Just Merry-Go- nounu' | .,The Summer Widowers IS NIT. ne~ Fields show. with MT Fieios III .ne 's1 e,, ,ng comedy role of the keeper or oen- oatessen store. This play is fully up to the standard. and has probably the pest scenic effect of any of the summer pays I+ also can lav claim to the largest COT lection of vaudeville stars.
 A.,de from the summer musical plays .,,a revival of 'sThe Mikado'' by an all star cast at the Casino tnea'ie pos. ing very popular, and the run mas peer extended from four to SIX weehe. :.
 "The Arcadians" is drawing crowds al .ta Knickerbocker theatre, while Ds wolfe Hopper in "A Matinee ldor i' nroving a lucrative attraction al the Lyric. ,oor,
 s thourh 1t would be a great deal moro ,rosnerous than the winter season.
 ziesfeld's annual summer proouc IF t.rs nresent one entitled "Follies o
 ,a1o,, ,Un has made its appearance on th'
 n ,giv varIr Roof and can be briefly de
 scribed as a musical crazy quilt. m m book is by Harry Smith but the yr,c
 nave ~ been contributed by Gus Edward
 and a host of the prominent Broadwa' song writers. v.,a.v,,,