The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-10-21
ANOTHER BEN HUR
SEASON IS COMING
X. q ELS PRODUCTION SHOWS HEan
FOR THREE DAYS IN
.iSw; NOVEMBER
BRING MANY PEOPLE
ALL TOWNS WITHIN RADIUS or
HUNDRED MILES WILL SEND
QUOTA OF THEATER-
L.,

Richmond is to have another sBen-
Hur'' season. Klaw & Erianger's
international production OF General
Lew Wallace's masterpiece IL to be
shown at the Academy, on November
10th, nth and 18th.
This is the new presentation Of the
play which created furorc in New
son and completed an international
triumph when tho London press ac-
claimed 1t the most gorgeous spec
tacle ever shown at the Drury Lane
theater. England's historic playhouse.
"Ben-Hur." on both its previous
stagings in this city, taxed the ca
pacity Of the Academy at every PER-
Torrance and hundreds were unable
to secure admission. People nocked
here from all suburban towns and q
record for local amusements was ~
tablished, which has not been dis
turbed by any offering up to data
Eclipscd Other Cities.
In fact, receipts and attendance
eclipsed those OF Washington. Baltt-
more, Buffalo and other cities with
double and triple the population OF
Richmond.
To make the forthcoming season .
success in keeping with the other
visits, Leo Wise, business manager Of
the Academy, Is arranging cam
paign of publicity that would do
credit to r. T. Barnum IL he were
alive. He has contracted to advertise
the international production In ev-
ery town, village and hamlet within
a hundred mile radius. His slogan II
"AlI roads lead to Richmond" Mr..
Wise Is sanEuine that two thousand
or more visitors will be attracted.
and that local merchants will be benz
Gifted as we'll as the theater
Remodel the Stage.
Active work in remodeiiing the
local stage for the production will be
started at once. Mr.. f. G.. Cooks.
general agent for klaw Il Erlang-
tend the arrangements. In course
of conversation with representative
Of this paper last night. Mr.. Cooke
said:
Although the Academy stage was
completely overhauled from cellar TO
rigging loft for the original produce
ton of Ken -Hur considerable
work is necessary for the proper
handling OF the new equipment,
which In the most gigantic ever ufif-
lied for the setting of spectacle In
side the four walls OF "a playhouse.
William Ayres. master mechanist OF
this attraction, recently invented
some ingenious contriyanees for tho
manipulation Of the flfteen big scenes
that go to make up the entertain
mcnt, and performance can now
he given as perfect In detail on the
stage of the Academy as In the New
Amsterdam theater. New ! ork.
The Bigncss Of It.
IAN idea Of the higness Of the In
ternational production can be CLEAN
ed from the fact thas eight so-feet
baggage cars are required to trans
chanical paraphernaiia from one city
to another and two Arms palace
stock cars are utilized for the racing
stable Of twenty odd thoroughbreds
and the camels employed In the spec
production Ia the vocal and fnstru-
mental arrangement OF Edgar still
man Kelley, which adds much dig
ance. Gistav Hinrichs for many sea-
sons orchestral director Of italian
grand opera at the Metropolitan op-
years professor of music at Columbia
orchestra. and personally conducts
each performance.
From every viewpoint, Ben-Hur.'
as now arranged and staged. is the
last word In American stagecraft."