Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-06

Messrs Woodward & Burgess and was
managed by them for two seasons, when II
was sold to Sullivan g. Cousidine. who
tried vaudeville in It, and failed r. L.
Johnson represented the firm as manager,
and after the house had stood idle for
some time, he formed a partnership with
Mr.. Bilz, and they took the theater under
a lease, and installed a stock company. So
we'll did their venture develop that they
bought the house. and are now realizing
the fruit OF their enterprise. Sam Bear
Of South Dakota and Dick Ferris OF Cali
forna contributed much to Omaha's
amusement by their stock organizations at
the Boyd during several summer seasons
and other energetic impressarlos have en-
gagged in similar ventures at other houses
such as the Lyric and the Bijou. Then we
have had summer opera under the direction
Of VIII Carleton and some others. II can
hardly be said that Omaha has been neg
lected as a point for amusement ventures
during the three decades that have slipped
away since James Il. Boyd first determined
to erect a theater at Fifteenth and Farnam
that was TO be the first real theater the
city ever had, and was far ahead OF the
requirement Of the day.
d.
This lengthy preface was scarcely needed
to bring US to the real event Of the week
but the remarks Of General Manderson set
dancing into active life many half torg Jttel
events OF nights at Omaha theaters, ani
out Of the memories thIs aroused came
among others the names OF those hero
arrayed. These we're an enc ,gslic lot Of
showmen, who. II they did rot all succeed
at least all tried to dessrJe success and
each in passing left warm friends in
Omaha. And now Mr.. Burg ass is hack in
the work, presiding over the most beaL.'-
ful theater Omaha has. one that is rot
only a source of pride to the cltiseu5 hut
which will long be the envy OF other Cities
throughout the west. The congra tulaton
showered on him on Thursday nistt came
from friends really glad % welcome him
back, and the intense interest he has shown
ever since lie entered .nto The new enter
prise indicates his slncete satisfaction 18th
the undertaking.
The opening of the Brand,s was an
event that can only be truthfuhy described
as brilliant" 1t was an assemblage Of the
best OF Omaha's citizenship. the culture
as well as the wealth Deing represented
In the great audience then gathered It
p.
too; in this as in other things the occasion
marked the progress OF the city socially.
1t is probable that IL a census OF evening
suits had been taken at the time the Boyd
theater opened in 1881 not as many could
have been found west OF the Missouri
river as were worn at the opening Of the
Brandeis. In these matters Of social ncety
the growth Of the city is exemplified: not
oil
woman, or that the words of cheer and
congratulation spoken to the Messrs Bran
deis were any more sincere than those
folks are paying little closer attention TO
the amenities OF life, and realize a little
more clearly the social obligations which
sometimes take the form Of dressing up"
In this and in other ways the occasion had
something of the aspect Of an epoch-mark-
Ing event. And that 1t was greatly enjoyed
by all is admitted without further proof.
The presentation Of THE Climax" for
closing the career of the Boyd as Omaha's
leading theRter may have been but coin
cidental, but 1t was singularly appropri-
ate The theater was opened by a remark
ably strong acting organization presenting
| one of the sweetest of modern melodramas
Alabama" To call this play sweet" is
not to misuse the adjective, for it was, is
and will be for a long time a real delight
and the wonder is that 1t is not enacted
often enough. All the story Of the play
glows with romance, the strife Of brothers
the love Of a woman, and back of 1t the
bitterness Of politics giving way before the
| progress Of events IL was Augustus
| Thomas's first success. and while he has
done much more ambitious work since, he
has never quite equalled the human touch
| he gave to Alabama" And the little