The Washington herald., 1913-02-23
By JULIA CHANDLER NAME.


When it became known to Mr.. L. stod-
dard Taylor, manager Of the Belasco
Theater, that Tyrone Power had severed
his contract with William Faversham's
Shakespearean company, he wired the
actor-manager that ii was his opinion
that he could not find in all America SO
great a Brutus as R. d. MacLean. Mr..
Powers temperamental fit, which caused
his withdrawal from the Faversham or
ganization, was ill-timed as far as any
possibility of taking advantage Of Mr..
Taylors suggestion was concerned for
Mr.. MacLean was already embarked upon
a highly successful season Of Shakes
pearean revivals, in combination with
Charles B. Hanford, Odette Tyler, ana
Marie Drofnah, and was, therefore, not
obtainabie as 6 substitute for Mr.. Power
in the Faversham production Of Julius
Caesar" a circumstance which makes
the stage the gamer, for Mr.. Faver-
sham secured, in the person of Berton
Churchill, a singularly human and ap-
pealing Brutus, and this week We shall
see Mr.. MacLean's portrayal of the role
at the Columbia Theater on Tuesday
evening, a characterization which has
been so filled with power as TO have
awakened the enthusiasm of critics and
public alike wherever the MacLean-
Hanford. Drofnah-Tyler company has
tended tour last fall.
The week of classic revivals at the Co
lumbia Theater will be inaugurated to-
morrow night with .'Othello,'' which will
be repeated Thursday and Saturday
evenings, with Mr. MacLean in the title
role, Mr.. Hanford as Iago. Miss Tyler
as Desdemona, and Miss Drofnah as
Emilia
Tuesday evening We shall see Julius
hN n
Venice on Wednesday evening and
Thursday matinee, with Romeo and
Juliet Friday evening and Saturday
matinee.
Johann Strauss melodious spirit Will
set The Merry Countess" waltzing in
the Belasco Theater all this week. the
operetta coming here with the same eX-
ceptiOnal cast which won such high
praise for it when it was produced in
the Casino Theater. in New York. last
August
THE Merry Countess is revision
of the Strauss operetta formerly known
as Die Fledermaus' c'Night Birds'D,
in which Fritze Schcll was seen in the
Belasco Theater in this city about
year ago. he larger portion of the
original book has been dropped, but the
melodious dance music. written by the
''Niennese waltz king" has been so pick
ed up here and there that the PERFORM
ance is said TO take on the aspect of d
regular Strauss festival.
Miss Gladys Unger dragged the old
hook of Die Fledermaus" out of the
dust and has favored it with a wit
which, combined with the lifting strains
of Strauss music, has scored brilliant
success for The Merry Countess"
The operetta is unusually well cast,
headed by Jose Collins. who but five
years ago made her debut in the Lon
don music halls where Lee Shubert
found her one fine day and brought her
over for the New York Winter Garden,
where. even last year, she seemed just
a wisp of a-girl who was dancing her
level best and warbling her sweetest in
order to keep a foothold on the Shubert
pay roll. Then last August came the
premiere of The Merry Countess in
the Casino heater, and 10. little Miss
Collins was twinkling star, whose bril-
liant rendition of the difficult .Czardas'
aria in The Merry Countess surprised
the most blase of critics into singing
her praises.
Fritzie Won Busing, who is the dainty
singing comedienne of THE Merry Count
css." is the daughter of Frederick Won
Buslng, one time distinguished concert
master of the Boston Symphony Or
chestrs. Miss Won Busing, who created
the prima donna role in Paderewski's
opera, "Manon.' starred in Princess
Chic was priIna donna of the famous
Castle Square Opera Company in Bos-
ton. and. en- tour. is the wife of Forest
Huff, the light comedian of The Merry
Countess aggregation.
Other notables of The Merry Count
css' company are Maurice Farkoa, who
first came to America with THE Artists
Model" and popularized the famous