El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-17
Columbia Theater Has Il
This Summer-HarIv
Smith No Boob.
(RrEmorr D. CnIrert.l


New York. n. Y. sune lust where
the land Of burlesque merges with the
territory Of comic opera has perhaps
never before been made public In fact.
there have beer those who see little
difference between these two forms Of
amusement They hold that inasmuch
as short skirts and symmetrical legs are
a prime property OF both entertain
ments, the Only distinction that can be
be made between musical comedy and
burlesQue is that the former bars the
slapStick. while the latter employs that
primeval funmaker.
Now, however. 1 can announce TO an
avid reader the discovery of a new land,
or rather the exact boundary between
two ancient territories n a word, /
have found the identical spot where
comic opera and burlesque Join hands
1t is at the COiumbia theater, in the
heart Of New York. and the medium
through which they become one is The
Merry Go Founders" a summer show,
which had its premier this week.
The Merry Go FOUNDERS" is divided
into two acts and four scenes, each one
OF which is neat and tuneIul con-
glOmeratiOn Of burlesque and musical
comedy. There is. for instance, the
usual burlesQue chorus, entrancIngly at
tired in the latest summer styles OF
fleshings, the equally well known comic
voice; the burlesque breadth Of humOr;
and a couple of songs that would do
credit to any comic opera
To explain this pot pOurri Of Operetta
and buffOOnery, il is only necessary to
look at the program precautiOn very
few visitors at the Columbia theater
take, for IL is commonly agreed among
its patrons that as long as the manage
ment continues to maintain its double
standard Of beauty and exploitation ali
such trivial matters as plots and pro-
gram explanations thereof shall be
cheerfuuy waived. In this case. how
ever, the program tells a tale worth
cleaning.
In the first place, it viii be noticed
that Nat D. Aver composed the score.
Now Mr. Aver has that k-ack of writ
ing music that captures the public fancy
and just naturally calls for the syn
cOpatiOn of a burlesQue slapsticl0 for its
best effect. on the Olner hand, Paul
West wrote the lyrics, and Paul is al
ready a celebrity in comic opera, for
he has officiated in like capacity for
The Wizard Of o." and the Babes in
TOyland.' 1t is plain. therefore. that
The Merry Go Rounders' takes its
burlesQue from Mr. Aver and its comic
opera effects from Mr. " est Both
these properties are fittingly mated by
Aaron Hoffman, who has a reputation
for leaving more plot out of his PLAYS
than any other living playwright Mr..
Hoffman wrote the book for the pres
ent piece.
In a word. "The Merry Go Rounderss
is an impressiOnistic musical farce with
a chorus especially chosen for its fit
ness. We predict that its varying cos
tune, its songs, dances and comedians
will remain al the Columbia throughout
the summer.
Harry B. Smith is peever. He saws
that puzzlewitted press agents are ma
ligning his business perspicacity. which
means, in plain English, that they think
he's a boob. Harry isn't. He saws "a
himself and he says so so convincinelv
that hereafter he will be mentioned
with the same respect accorded the
revered and loved John d. Rockefeller.
This is the way Mr. Smith puts it.
There's a mistake somewhere Soma
fatwitted press agent must have blum
dered when he stated that I had sold
my rights to Robin Hood before
made any money out Of it. As a matter
of fact. I did sell my rights to Robin
Hood just before the present revival
and for lump sum, which was so much
larger than what I could possibly r.
ceive for this engagement that I have
no cause to regret it. But remember
this. before the sale was consummat-
ed I had. since its first production.
made no less than $225.O0O out Of Rob
in Hood
Il did not take curtain calls at the
Robin Hood first night on account Of
my native modesty-a quality which I
assure yC- IS mucn more common
among hbrettists than it is among GER