The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-06-24
POLI'S


 Patrons of Polls have come to know by a logical process of reasoning that Manager Poli is never sparing of ex- pense to the end that his clientele may witness the very best that is pro- curable. both for vaudeville and stock Wfthal it is simple fact to say that not one in a hundred who attend the theatre has any conception of the enormous expense it entails to produce some of the acts and some of the pro- ductions that are constantly being given to Poli patrons at a nominal price of admission. Take for example the coming week when Manager Poli will offer. for the approval of his pa irons Owen Wister's great play, "The Virginian'', which is in it's ninth year of success and which will be played next season at the top price of admis- sion. Though in the big cities and on the road for nine years this sum mer season is the first time it has been released for stock, and Manager Poli, having nine theatres playing stock was enabled to engage the play payment of five thousand dollars cash, which is a record.
 Aside from the enormous royalty, the fact must be taken into consideration that ''The Virginian' by the very na- ture of the play and the atmosphere of it all cannot be produced in slip shod fashion, and therefore it becomes necessary to cast the play with thir- ty people, twenty-five of whom have speaking parts, and each part an es- sential of the whole. Several of the characters are so sharply drawn that stock actors with all their versa tility cannot do them full justice, and there fore Manager Poli coincidental with paying the royalty engaged every available actor who had appeared with the original company. One of these who will appear in the play is Harry Holiday. an actor who originated the role of Uncle Hewie'' in the original production, and who has played the role more than two thousand times, returning to the cast next season. MT Holiday is one of the most fin ished character actors of the American stage with a wonderful record of suc- cesSes, and it may be gainsayed that no ordinary salary secured his name to @ contract. This is an illustrative case and there are six more of the original company who will appear in the forthcoming production. Then it might not be amiss to cite the fact that the four acts, taking place in the western country call for elaborate Carns, one of the best artists in the country, has put in the best work of his career to the end that there may be no detail of scenic construction omitted. Electrician Meyer has also been at work three weeks constructing electric apparatus and lighting effects which will prove revelation for stock, and finally there are scores of other details to be considered.
 As to the story of "The Virginian'' 1t is wonderfully well written and holds interest from start to finish. Alive with dramatic situations, pro- life in comedy, connected and yet puzzling in plot, it all makes for the best results, and under the stage di- rection of MT. Socola the Players are entering with increased vim into the spirit of the play and it will be splen- didly given.
 The scenes are laid in Wyoming in the early eighties in summer and the curtain rises on the cabin of Uncle HeWle, an elderly couple who are cele- brating the birth of twins and await ing the arrival of the Bishop to chris