Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-03

Washington is fast making itself felt
as city of fierce rivalry in the amuse-
ment field. So fierce. indeed. has been
/, this rivalry that some of its projectors
have been showed under bank of fall
ure- AS soon as one project would seem
TO be blessed with success another sprung
up to kill it off. with the result that the
coming summer promises less in variety
and perhaps in quality of entertainment,
especially of suburban character, than
for some years past.
It is possible with this experience be-
fore them, that promoters of amusement
theatrical or otherwise. may be led in
the future TO forestall cheap imitation
that undermines and eventually destroys
the genuine as well as itself by catering
TO Washington's amusement lovers with
the best in their lines, rather than In the
endeavor to compete with cheap rivalry
by falling to its level.
The efficacy of the suggestion has
been well tested by the management of
the Columbia Theater for two seasons.
The performances of the Columbia
Players have been equal in many re-
spects to regular season productions
and this Notwithstanding weekly
change of play. The people know what
to expect of them and flock in great
numbers nightly to them for the pleas
ures of the play. Not once have they
been disappointed. On the contrary. it
would seem that despite capacity
houses, which the nightly rule. the
management strives each succeeding
week to still better its productions.
The present company is one of the
best balanced and talented aggrega-
lions that have ever come to Washing
ton for a stock engagement. and the
efforts of the individual players are put
forth with as much discrimination and
zeal as for regular seasons work,
this. too, with every new play presented
The result has been the development of
some remarkably good indiv idual work.
The plays have all been good and adapt
ed TO the company. and the stage set
ting and direction unimpeachable.
1t is TO be regretted that other engage
ments compel the departure of the Ben
Greet Players after this week. This tai
ented company is capable of excellent
work Its production of Caste the
early part of last week was one of the
real treats of the summer season. Mr..
Greet is manager and producer of wide
and varied experience. He has gathered
around him a band of players equal to
aimostSany dramatic undertaking
Some of his players have become warm
favorites with those who have witnessed
and applauded their performances. Others
though perhaps more lacking in personal
appeal have nevertheless demonstrated
their talent and ability in many ways
The company a whole deserves the
cordial support of discriminating play
Eoers and should never fail to meet with
hearty reception on its return to Wash
ington.
The Cosmos. the Casino and the Ma
SJestlc theaters still retain their hold
on their patrons Their rates are such
as 10 make il possible for any one who
desires to do so TO see their really good
offerings a visit to these houses dur
ing the summer afternoons and even
fngs will furnish convincing evidence
that their patronage is not by any
means confined to those who are drawn
otherwise than by fhe merit of the at
fractions offered.
JOE HAZLETON AND THE PALMY
DAYS--Walter Wilson's comparison of
the ''old stock days" with the conditions
now prevailing in the dramatic field has
aroused controversy. Even in Mr. Will
sons own organization there has develop
ed q strong antagonist IN Joseph Halle
ton, who believes that parts were dress
ed just as correctly in the old days as
they are today. and what's more. were
frequently better acted
That Mr. Hazleton is qualified to speak
may be believed when IL is recalled that
he Is one of but two men now living who
were members of Laura Keene's company
ON that fate full night when President
Lincoln was assassinated.
subsequently Mr.. Hazletcn Joined the
forces of John T. Ford, with whom he
2 remained for a humber of years. Since
= then he has played with some of the
foremost actors on the American stage.
He has also played in many stock COM
panies, but believes that by all odds
the work of the Columbia Players places
~ III, ~t-z
little room for wonder at their great
popularity since the opening of the sea-
son.
There may have been a time" Mr..
Hazleton says. when leading men and
women worked for S21 a week and the
public would sit and see play where
horizon drop could be turned upside
down and made to answer for a rocky
pass, but that must have been beyond the
memory of the oldest inhabitant
Il nave been in the business since the
. days of the old Ford's Theater on 10th
: street, but l fail to remember when act
ors subsisted on their art or dug into
the wardrobe trunk and fshed out a
Roman toga to wear Simon Slade in
Ten Nights in Barroom. or course in
the old days actors used methods that
the theatersoilg public would not stand
for now.
''The day of ranting is only memory
The experienced actor Of today uses more
natural methods. The demand on an actor
Is much less today, except in stock work
than in bygone years. for today the man.
ager is looking for types" II man
% Is wanted to play the part of the ice
man the manager takes him from the
ice wagon. rehearses him for six weeks
and has the real thing Back in the
seventies. when | was a member of John
T. Fords Stock Company at local
theater, everything was gotten up histor-
tcally correct for such productions as
King john Henry WILL. Jane Shore
etc
LOT course tho scenic ar,is, s,..o 80
penter and property man had. in many
cases, as many weeks as they now have
days In which 20 prepare, but with
modern appliances the modern manager
has the best of IT, as is evidenced by the
splendid productions now being given
at the Columbia Theater No, There may
have bSen twenty ollar-a-week lead
Ing men way back in the dim theatrical
past, but they are beyond the memory
of an old timer"