The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-05-05
HANCOCK
DRAMATIC TRIUMPH SCORED
BY TALENTED AMATEURS
Brilliant and Artistic Production
of "rhe Belle Of Richmond"
Last Evening
GIVEN BY KNIGHTS COLUMBUS

The presentation at the Kerredg,
thoater last night OF the comedy dra-
ma "'rhe Belle of Richmond" by To-
cal amateurs under the auspices of tn,
Hancock council of the Knights of Co
h,mbus was dramatic triumph foi
the talented people who formed tho
cast and for the Knights of Columbus
II was one OF the most perfect per-
formances of the kind that has ever
been given by amateur talent here. and
reflects the greatest credit on all con-
cerned. In the cast were some of the
most talented people i'm this direction
in the Portage lake towns. and they
have been carefully rehearsing for the
production for several months past,
desiring to give the public something
really worth while. And they succeed
ed admirably, the performance last
night being flawless, full of ginger and
action. love, chivalry, feminine beauty,
masculine gallantry and human inter-
est and winning the most enthusiastic
approval of the large audience present.
The play is n story of present day
life I'm the south, depicting the friendly
relations between the northern people
and southerners, united and brotherly
after the northern and southern men
had fought side by side i'm the war
with Spain forgetful OF the long years
of arrangement and bitterness that
had followed the civil war. The per-
sonages i'm the play were typical of the
best blood of the SOUTH the ladies
beautiful, the men brave, handsome
and chiyalrous. And the setting was
appropriate and suitable in every re-
spect.
Miss Helen McKernan as Nellie,
daughter of Judge Mason, was most
bewtchingly charming, and put much
emotion and realistic feeling into her
part; Miss May Madigan, Miss Bertha
Maier and Miss Fleming i'm the other
feminine roles, did splendidly acting
in sprightly and vivacious manner and
meeting every requirement of their
parts in looks and acting. George
Carroll. as Jerry, lover of Nellie, had
a strong part, To which he did full
Justice. portraying the character of a
cool headed, calm. self sacrificing. but
finally triumphant lover with ease and
marked capability. Norman Starrett
ms Bill the embezzler and forger and
weak wiled lover, successful at first
but quickly discovered was perhaps
~ .Hffnatt1f nf
piece, and Mr.. Starrett did it i'm man.
ner to win the heartiest approval. Leo
J.. Duggan as Charlie Lee did some
strong work and made a favorable inn
preston on local people, who i'm this
play saw Mr.. Duggan for the first time
in amateur dramatic representation.
John Ruonawara and Judge Olivier as
sumed the characters of Judge Mason
and Colonel Lee with naturalness and
charm Fred King as the New Yorker
who exposes Bills villainy and Harry
Dillon, as the crooked bank examiner
and pal of Bill made big hits and kept
the interest and attention of the au-
dience from the time of their first APP
pearance until the finish. DR. Scholler
played the part of a colored servant.
and as usual did his work i'm an artistic
and carefully studied manner, imitat-
ing perfectly the darby dialect, and
lmpersonating in a manner true to
life the character of a venerable and
faithful old retainer, whose period of
service extended over from the days
"befo' de wa " to the present time, and
being sort of privileged character.
The play needed no apologies nor al
lowances for it's amateur character, as
II was as perfect and complete and
given by high class professional
cast and the smoothness and merit of
the production were a pleasure to those
attending. Some of those participant
ing have appeared in local plays be-
lore, and they not only maintained
their previously established reputa-
ions but surpassed expectations by
showing increased abilities as comedi-
ans and actors.
May Go to Marquette.
arrangements are to be made to take
the company that presented the enter
talnment last evening to Marquette in
the near future to put on "The Belle
OF Richmond" under the auspices of
inc Marquette council of the knights
Oh columbus. The success of the local
presentation is such that II Is believed
that 1t would be welcomed at Mar
puette by an audience as large as that
present last night. The proceeds OF
'ne show will be applied to the Knights
vi columbus fund of the Catholic uni
Versity at Washington, for which the
order has pledged half a million doll
lars of which a sum approximatlng
"oout i've hundred dollars Will devolve
upon the Hancock and other councils
having similar membership. or about
TWO and a half dollars for each men,
per' The portion due from the Han