The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1912-04-04
MRS. BRIGGS OF THE POIJLTR v
YARD"


Successfully Presented Under the Auspices
of the Guild of the Congregational
Church.
Correspondence Bangor Daily News1
BELFAST, March %. With every seat
in the Belfast Opera House filed, the
play given last night under the auspices
OF the Guild of the North (Congrega-
tionaD church, was great success. Be-
fore the curtain was raised on the first
act. male quartet: Arthur johnson and
John Parker, tenors; A. j. Goodhue and
E. S. Pitcher, bassos, rendered two
selections which were highly pleasing.
The raising of the curtain on the first
act was the signal for applause, for there
in an old kitchen stood Mrs. Briggs at
her wash tub, scrubbing clothes to SUD-
port her brood of children. The part of
Mrs. Briggs was cleverIy taken by Miss
Helen Brown, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs
Fred W. Brown of Cedar street. She is
graduate of the Curry School of Elk
preston of Boston and showed her train
ing last night. She was typical "wash-
LADY, and in her lines and business was
excellent. Her makeup was very good
and throughout the play she called forth
many laugh and frequent applause.
Miss Alice Simmons as the Widow
O'Conner, an old Irish woman, had a
makeup and brogue that would fool al
| most anyone. She was an out and out
product of the Emerald Isle in her lines.
Miss Simmons had a two-fold duty in the
play, for she not only took a prominent
part but also coached and staged the en-
| tire play. Miss Simmons has had much
experience in theatricals, having been
! graduated and also taken post graduate
course at the Emerson College of Ora
| tory. She has taught in the West and
| done much platform work.
i Some of the best work done by the
| cast was that of Geneva Stephenson,
little daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. Dayton
F. Stephenson, and Katherine, daughter
of Mr.. and Mrs. George E. Kittredge
who played the parts of the Briggs
| kids" in most natural manner. They
were just real children, perfectly natural
and at home before the large audience.
! Their actions were the cause of many a
laugh and their stage debut was pro-
nounced hit
part of Miss Lee, and Miss Hester
Brown, as Miss Thornton, were ex-
tremely good and were dainty and grace
| full in their pretty summer costumes.
/ One of the hits was made by Miss
Geneva Head, as Mandy Bates, the poor,
suffering, old maid. looking for a hus-
band. Even Miss Heads best friends
failed to discover her when she made her
first appearance in her makeup and cos
tune. She was fearfully and wonder
fully gotten up and in her suffering,
stammering lines she was immense. Her
opposite, Silas, played by Clifford j..
Pattee, was as funny as could be and he
played the part of the lank and bashful
bachelor to perfection.
The character of Mr.. Lee, rich and
arbitrary old man, was exceptionally
we'll portrayed by Morris E. Slugg. He
had an unusually fine makeup, and play
ed his part like professional. Tom and
Jimmy Briggs, were played by Harold
Jones and Alton johnson, both taking
their parts well. The goat, about whom
there was so much controversy, did not
appear, much to the disappointment of
many of the younger members of the
audience. The play was in three acts
and between them were selections by the
male quartet and a character song by
Bertrand L. Davis. The latter is an old
favorite and was given good hand when
he came on. His Ruee songs, always
taxing, were unusually gOOQ and ne was
given big encore. Mr.. Davis costume
was winner and his makeup, on the
order of Rogers Brothers, would be hard
to beat on the amateur stage.
Previous to the evening performance q
sale of fancy work, food and candy was
held and enough money raised to pay the
expenses of the hall, so that the box
office receipts were nearly all gain. l,
is expected that about 500 will be netted.
Mrs. j. w. Jones with Mrs. Leroy Strout
presided at the food table; Mrs. B. O.
Norton and Mrs. George c. Trussell hac
charge of the candy; Mrs. C. E. Owen
and Miss ENERGY CHM, the fancy work
Miss Amy Stoddard, the baskets import.
ed from Jamaica, and Mrs. John C. Pills.
bury and Mrs. Fred K. Poor, presided al
the tea tables.