The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-07-08
POLI'S

The stamp of decided )proval havio. been placed on George M. Cohan's musical comedy "Forty-Five Minutes From Broadway" when 1t was produced by the Foli Players a few weeks since playing to the larg- est audienccs that ever attended weeks performances of stock in Poll's Theatre, has induced Manager Poi to negotiate with tho Yankee Doodle comedian for more of his plays and the corning week the Poli Players will produce Fifty Miles From bos- ton." In the first analysis speaking of this Cohan musical production IL is apropos to quote Mary Shaw who, in an article in this weeks Saturday Evening Post, under the title oi Producing a Play on a Shoestrins' writes Some of he biggest financial successes of the stage have been put through in this way (mean1ng with nothing to back the play but the au, the career of a musical play put out few years ago by one of the most enterprising and reputable firms Tn New York. This play was called Fifty Miles from Boston In it were eight girls, whose costumes averaged four dollars each and eight boys with ten dollar suits. The seen cry cost Messrs Conan and Harris practically nothing. The play ran for six months in Chicago and cleared third of million dollars. That's how good the Cohan play which will be produced next week is. The seen ario is laid in a small town fifty miles from Boston and said to be Brook field, Mass, the birthplace of George Conan.
 The opening act shows the exterior of the Wescott residence and the townspeople band and all out to wei come Joe Wescott, one of the boys who has just won the championship for Harvard by his pitching. He is presidented with loving cup and there is general jollificatfon. Jed Woodis, brother of Sadie Woodis with whom Joe is in love has stolen four hundred dollars from the post office where his sister is in charge to bet on-the game and to cover up the de- faIcation Dave Harrigan, son of the town politician and who loves Sadie has agreed to make good the short age if Jed will induce his sister to throw Wescott over in favor of Dave.
 The second act takes place in the Woods home with the boy about to be disgraced and saved by the burn ing of the post office, a most pie turesque scene. During the action of the play all the tunefuf numbers are introduced by soloists and the special NI cluding Small Town Gal" 9Ain't It Awful" "Red Red Rose" 'Harrigan" and others.
 The third act takes place on the public square in Brookfield showing the bandstand and green where townspeople gather, at the band con cert. Tim Harrigan, a village polit1- elan is the central figure in the festi- vities and has made a hit with the people by offering his store as site for the post office. his purpose how ever being a selfish one as he wants the people to buy their graceries from him. The early lines develop that a young chap, Jed Woods. brother of the young postmfstress has embedded funds of the post office. In the end all is straightened out
 John Ince will be seen in the role of Joe Wescott. the Harvard baseball player, John Junior as Jed Woodis. the boy who went wrong, Miss Hol- finger as Sadie Woods, Thomas Key holds one of the best stock com edians in the country as Harrigan, Joseph Eggeston as Dave Harrigan, Frank Kirke as Nathan Wescott, Louise Ripley as Mrs. Wescott, Freda Elemons as Mrs. Tilford, Emma Sai- vatore as Aunt Kate and Airline Ben nttt of the. original company as Nel- liei Harrigan. Miss Bennett has one of the best singing voices in musical comedy and her rendition of the Conan songs will be treat in itself. The Cohan chorus of boys and girls will be in evidence and the village band will differ from ordinary bands in that it can play.
 State Director Soccola will give the Conan play better presentation from every standpoint than the ori- ginal was and altogether it looks ike a big week at Polls.
 The special features will prevail and the new cooling apparatus the best yet devised for a theatre will continue to wait refreshing breezes through the auditorium and up into the galleries.
 Seats for the entire week are now on sale at the box office and atten- tion is called to mothers desiring to enter their babies in the Baby Show to have photos taken at once.