The Washington herald., 1912-03-31
NeWS of TheaterS

II is getting to be quite the theatrical
fashion nowadays for vaudeville hits to
be lifted out of their native %, so. and
a cent soil, elaborated, and transplanted
upon the $50 and 81 territory.
There will be two such instances before
the theatergoing public of Washington
this week. Billy" the successful COM
edy which will be Produced by the Co
lumbia Players this week, is an elabora-
ton Of the vaudeville sketch "'Billy's
Tombstones," which Sidney Drew pre-
sented with so much success IN the
metropolis and subsequently upon the
road. The Romance of the Under
world also grew out of vaudeville act
Both of these plays made unmistakable
hits here at Chase's in their young and
kittenish days before they grew into full
fledged dramas
Another notable example is THE Lit
tlest Rebel" which was seen in Wash
ington last season in Chase's Theater as
an appealing sketch, and which came
back this year demanding a full evening
for fits production. Further back in
vaudeville history is the case Of THE
Chorus Lady" and many others now
quite forgotten by the theatergoer Of to-
day.
Once upon a time great stars, great
authors, and other important human fac
tors looked askance at vaudeville. Those
were in the days of our supreme ignor-
ance of the possibilities of the vaudeville
stage-days which are quite forgotten
now. Great stars fit in and out of
vaudeville to-day. drawing immense sal
aries, and with the supreme satisfaction
Of having made good before audiences
that lack nothing in the way of refine
ment, and come UP to the most critical
class Of the world. Great authors are
augmenting their princely royalties by
writing short comedies and plays for
vaudeville.
Even Augustus Thomas has yielded TO
the lure and is now working on a short
vaudeville sketch. Paul Armstrong and
Wilson Miner have become regular con-
tributors So have Edgar Allen wooif,
James Forbes. and Herbert Hall Wins
low, while Charles Klein is being pros
pected."
There is as much competition to-day
among vaudeville promoters to secure
playwrights as there was to secure big
dramatic and musical stars a few years
ago.
While all this is true the low cost of
vaudeville has met with general appre-
citation in these times of high living
prices, with the result that the main
stream of theater-going folks has turned
in the direction of polite vaudeville. Proof
of this is seen at Chase's Washington
Theater every day in the week.
The title role of Billy" will afford pa
irons of the Columbia Theater the op-
portunity this week of seeing the new
leading man. Edward Hass Robins, with
OUT disguise. He is big and broad-shoul-
dered and looks the part of full back OF
the college team. Billy is a clever
comedy checked fun of laughs, and is
sure Of the appreciation of the enthusi-
astic. devotees of the Columbia Players
1t was by the merest accident that
Madge Kennedy of the "over Night"
company, which comes to the Belasco
tomorrow night, gave up promising
career as an artista nd became an ac-
tress
While spending the summer at Siascon-
sett.- Miss Kennedy was called upon to
play an ingenue role In travesty on
Hamlet" in which DigBy Bell, Harry
Woodruff, and other well-known players
appeared. Her success was instantane-
our, and Mr.. Woodruff offered her
prominent role in the THE Genius"
over Night" In which Miss Kennedy
will bid for WASHINGTON favor this week,
has been pronounced a greater laughing |
Ia MANI. J