The Washington times., 1911-10-01
MUSICAL COMEDY
LEADING FEATURE
OF WEEKS PLAYS
THE Blue Bird" Will Be
Attraction for Belasco's
Opening.

i Opening.
The most eagerly awaited dramatic
attraction of the season, perhaps, Ii
that Of the New Theater's production OF
THE Blue Bird" which is to open the
Beiasco tomorrow evening. No recent
play has been more widely discussed
than this famous fantasy of Maeter-
nncks or apparently more widely
liked. 1.-THE Blue Bird" is the product
on the one hand of the three-fold
genius Of poet, philosopher and humor-
list, and on the other, Of the most
mastery stage creativeness that has
been witnessed in this country. The
author has conceived the wonderful
poetry and the producer has been able
scenes, and a dramatic action replete
with surprises. All the devices of
theater illusion, every resource known
TO modern stage were at the disposal of
the New Theater management, and they
were employed without stint in making
this production.
The effects are enhanced by appro-
pirate music from Debussy, Bizet and
Massenet. There also are a series OF
unusually impressive dances, eight in
number.
The production defies definition, and
one critic came nearest when he called
IT lovely vision in dramatic form 1t
is essentially a fairy play about
appeal is first and foremost to the
mature mind. But since its philosophy
is expressed in the adventures of
children in a fairy realm, ii addresses
itself almost as wildly to childish i'm
agination.
The attraction at the Columbia The
alter opening tomorrow night will be
Joe Weber's musical comedy, Alma,
Where Do You Live?" Truly Shattuck
and Bernard DAILY are at the head Of
the company, which is practically the
same as was seen during the years run
at Joe Weber's Theater, New York.
The three acts of the French Vaude-
willie are as meaty and as fully of the
comedies. Jean Briquet's music has
been retained In its entirety. and the
fourteen numbers are claimed tC be the
most irresistible. lifting music that has
been heard in decade.
, The story of Alma, Where Do You
1ive?' is as follows: Ambrose Cadillac,
q wealthy Partisan, dies and leaves
peculiar will. Aside from the ordinary
requests he has left his entire fortune
Of 100000 francs to his unsophisticated
nephew, Pierre lie Peache, pl divided he
has not made love to any woman or pro-
posed to any by certain date which
happens TO fall twenty-four hours after
the reading Of the will. If the youth
violates this provision the fortune
reverts to Theobald and CASTOR They
plot to obtain II by enlisting the serv-
ices of the beautiful and fascinating
Alma, a milliner, who is 20 use all her
Pierre on to a proposal. She learns to
love the ingenious young man, how
ever, and decides to protect him. He,
therefore, comes into the fortune and
hn q
exceedingly droll.
Another type OF musical entertain
mcnt has had its day on the American
stage, and its cycle is ended. This Is
the Viennese operetta. For Ave years
America has had d lush of these pretty
things. But the public has seemed to
tire.
, This is indicated by the announcement
for one of tie early musical producI
tions of the season. Messrs. Fellner and
nreyfus insist on calling The Three
Romeoes" an original American musical
comedy The production of the new
musical comedy has been staged ny Mr..
burnside. He is equally we'll known as
a stage director as en- author. For
several years he was the principal guild
ing genius of The New York Hippo
drome
Raymond Hubben has won Il distln-
guished place among the younger Amer
ican composers His music will he in
terpreted by an augmented orchestra,
under the direction of Anton Heildl.
delightfully."- sparkling bill Of Eu-
ropean and American polite vaudeville
stellar novelties has been put together
by Manager Dewitt for Chase's this
week The absolute certainty Of clean,
wholesome, and amusing features is
factor in polite vaudeville operation
that makes for permanent patronage.
and II is probably fact that no other
vaudeville theater in any country has
as large 4 bedrock" attendance as
crowds Chase's at every performance.
This weeks bill is manifestly fine in
respect to diversity Of amusement. The
leading position is held by the distin-
guished comedian, William Courtleigh,
IN George Hobart's comedy of the pad
dock, Peaches" in which the star Is
said to he capitally supported by George
Burr, Alfred Horton, and Edna Conroy.
Mr.. Courtleigh was starred in many
successful plays, and previously sdp-
ported William H. Crane, Henrietta |
Crosman, Clara BloodSood. Virginia |
Harmed. Maxine Elliott, and Mary Man |
herring.
we Ode Tyne Halloween Party" !
is presented by B. A. Rolfe. The large |
company Of instrumental and vocal ar
lists is led by the English cornet viz |
tuOSO, Charles EDWARDS, Mike SeT- |
nard and Willie Weston have been Sc
cured for the third place of distinc- |
ton.
The most marvellous aggregation of |
artistic and comic acrobatic cyclists Is |
the description given the great Dunedin |
troupe from the Coliseum, London. |
Fred Warren and Matt keefe, in their
tuneful travesty hit, The Comedian
and the Yodler,'' should register their
greatest triumph here. Carl McCul- |
Tough, with dialect ditties and drollery,
Will be an important contributor to the
comic section. Queenie and May Done
gan will present their beautiful and
graceful skatorial dancing innovation:
Among the important weekly events of
the world by daylight motion pictures
win be the burning of the North Sta
ton in Vienna. the Dixie's capture of
the Harmsworth trophy, the London
dock strike, the Paris grand prix auto
race, the Carlton Hotel fire. and the
English squadron moored at Vile
franche.
The Holden Players will present the
comedy-draua, Tempest and Sun
shine" at the Majestic Theater this
week This play continues the es-
tablished policy OF the Holden Play
ers of offerins TO local theatergoers
only those dramatizations of high moral
character. a-...
An important factor which has aided
the success of the Holden Players Is
that the individuality of the actors Is !
lost in the ensemble work of the corl- |
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