The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1911-06-03
Play House Has Been Oper-
ated at a Loss the Past Sea-
son and He Declines to Re-
new Lease.
LOCAL THEATRICAL
PUBLIC WAS GOLD"
Did Not Appreciate Splendid
Attractions Offered-Miss
Affie McVicker Is to Leave
the City.

The departure from the city today
of Miss Affie McVicker, resident man.
ager of the Gennett theater. the past
season, marked the abandonment of
that playhouse by Harry G. Sommers,
of New York, who has been the lessee
for the past three years. Mr.. Som
mers had an option to renew his lease
which expired with the close of this
season, but notified Clarence Gennetr.
owner of the theater yesterday that
he would drop out of the local theatri-
cal field. Poor business was assigned
as the reason. Miss McVicker stated
today that the house was run at loss
last season.
1t was currently reported today
that Omar G. Murray, owner and pro-
prietor of the Murray theater and for
some time a prominent figure in the
local theatrical field, was to lease the
Gennett in the interests of the Shu-
bert brothers. rivals of the theatrical
trust of which the Sommers chain of
theaters is a component part. Mel
ther Mr.. Murray nor Mr.. Gennett
could be located today to confirm the
report.
Miss Mcvicker Popular.
Mr.. Sommers secured lease on the
theater three years ago, superceding
| Ira Swishel in it's management. Mrs.
Swisher acted as resident manager
the first year Of the Sommers regime,
Ora Parks of Marion, the second. while
Miss Affie McVicker. who was assist
ant manager under Mrs. Swisher and
Mr.. Parks, had charge of the play
house the last season. She was one
of the most popular and efficient man
ayers ever connected with the Cen
!. nett and her departure from ,Ae .l.y
is deeply regretted by her host of
! friends. She will spend the summer
with her parents at Seabright, New
Jersey, and will manage one of Som
mers's theaters in another city-not
at present known to her-next year.
| To Mr.. Sommers. is given the credit
for bringing a large number of high
class attractions to Richmond and
with furnishing Richmond audiences
with several of the best plays of the
year. The last season was particular
! ly notable for this. 1t was featured by
such stars and productions as Javlowa
and Mordkin, J. e. Dodson in The
House Next Door, Mrs. Ffske in
"Beckey Sharp" Rose Stahl in THE
Chorus Lady," Francis Starr in THE
Easiest Way" Richard Carrie in
jumping Jupiter" Madame Sherry,
Kyle Bellew in "Raffles; The Spend
thrift" Henry Woodruff in The Gen
ius;" James X. -Hackett in "A Kings
Game;" Blanche Walsh in The Oother
Woman;" the Russian Symphony Or
chestra, THE Sweetest Girl in Paris, -
Ben Hur," and Miss Nobody From
Starland." A better lot Of stars or at
fractions could hardly be asked for,
and no complaint can be made on that
score. ...
| Mr.. Sommers, who was in the city
yesterday, declared that the attend
ance at the plays was not large enough
to justify bringing them to the city.
| He said that in the beginning he hop
ed to make the Gennett link in his
chain of theaters, but that later de-
velopments had showed that 1t was a
money-losing proposition.
| The work of Mr. Sommers in the
Richmond theatrical field is appreciat.
ed.