Los Angeles herald., 1910-01-09
ORPHEUM ROAD
SHOW COMING


| once every season the vaudeville
world comprised within the Orpheun
circuit-and that means all the United
| States west of and including Cincinnati
! lis excited by the announced coming
1 of THE Orpheum road show, direction
of Martin Beck" Hundreds go who
[ never attend a vaudeville performance
at any other time. How many of them
| know the "why" of an Orpheum road
| show, or what gives it such drawing
| powers?
The Orpheum road show is Mr.. Beck s
personal selection of acts, so put to-
gether that they compose his idea OF
a perfect vaudeville bill AS the art
lists offer themselves for booking, in the
summer. the long list is scrutinized,
and from the many a very few-about
| half q dozen-are picked as the best
in their several lines They start and
finish the season together; travel with
their own scenery, stage manager and
accessories; they are a complete organ
ization, and are the envied of all others
in their profession.
Vaudeville, in plain English, spells
variety" and hence an Orpheum road
show is usually formed to embrace as
many varieties of acts as is possible.
There is always a sketch for Mr.. Beck
is a devoted adherent of the playlet in
vaudeville and its most aggressive sup
porter. Then there is a spectacular
act, for the eye must be pleased as
well as the BRAIN musical act
pleases the ear; an animal act shows
the prominence of these performers
on the vaudeville stage and there is
then a typical song and dance or va
riety' act, to cover that. field. with an
acrobatic act, a negro act, and so on;
aab xTir1 tC
selected as the best of its type.
The Orpheum show which will open
here next week Monday contains five
acts. Miss Ida O'Day, who will come
with "A Bit of Old Chelsea, gives the
sketch; the vehicle is obtained from
Harrison Grey Fiske. a modern classic.
La Titcomb, "the singer on horseback," "
is the spectacular number; she dances
and sings on a magnificent white horse,
and adds a flash of color to the whole.
Hyman Meyer, ''the man at the piano,
we'll known and far famed, is the mu-
steal attraction. Maude Rochez will
bring a miniature variety show in it
self with her "Night in a Monkey
Music Hail." as every performer is a
simian. Melville and Higgins are the
song and dance artists.
Of course, as Los Angeles always
gets eight Orpheum acts, three will
be added TO the ROAD snow, comprising
acrobatics, cycling and bit of min
strelsy so that the broadness of the
variety field is aptiy illustrated.
As may be readily imagined, the
liveliest competition ensued when the
road show was formed, and the artists
engaged were the envied of the entire
profession. Hereafter, when they seek
engagements, it will only be necessary
to state. Il was with the Orpheum
road show" the rest will be easy, for
their places as aristocrats of vaudeville
is thoroughly established by that one
assertion.
Mr.. Becks idea in putting forth this
show is to illustrate just how fine
vaudeville can be made-to present an
ideally balanced and highly ornate bill.
He is ever seeking the elevation of
vaudeville, and through th'- extremely
expensive organization he draws the
unaccustomed patronage that after
ward develops into the steady-gOers.
He believes his prize bill means about
the finest entertainment that the the
ater of today affords.
That's the why of the Orpheum
road show.