Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1914-12-20
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We&A44tN for the Boyd theater, he was
seated at his desk, setting
down the prop list" as the agent Of a
fly-by-night company called off the
articles he wanted to have provided for
the uses OF his company when it came to
the theater. The agent asked for three
of this. and six of that and four OF the
other thing, and several of something else,
with extra people and a lot of other
paraphernalia, until Pony had a written
list about foot and half long. AS the
agent stopped for breath, Pony looked
over his shoulder, and asked in a quiz
zical way;
Say, you people carry the star. don't
your
This story is apropos Of nothing at ALL
and would not be here related at this
time. IL it hadn't been that a company
just leaving Omaha came mighty near not
carrying the star" When q" Joseph and
His Brethren" was approaching Omaha.
it was heralded as having practically"
the original New York cast. The leading
woman, who had been in the first COM
pany, had ben replaced by another, and
one or two other lesser characters had
been changed, but the great bulk Of the
company was inc Sd1tle t1S ndu dppCnl C%t
on Broadway. Much stress was laid on
the fact that the newer leading woman
was an Improvement on the original
and that the performance was all the
better for the change having been made.
Co far, SO good; it didn't make lot of
difference, anyhow, for the two women
were merely names to Omaha neither OF
them ever having played here. And so the
ID. asa1 hA ~ fa4nnn RrA
started, and 1t was good one. and the
woman who played the leading female
role was much praised by the wiseacres
OF the local press. Then 1t happened.
% -tt
1t appears that the feminine star of the
big company was also the star In a pro-
duction of film in which the local suf-
fragists are much interested, and to show
their good feeling the leading fsuffragists
Of Omaha provided a big bouquet to be
sent to the pretty actress with their COM
piiments Efforts to deliver the bouquet
met with some difficulties, until finally
after much striving with the manager. OF
The company, 1t was developed that the
advertised leading woman was not with
the company, nor had she been for
week before coming to Omaha. The man
ager knew this. but had not disclosed It;
the program carried the name OF the
missing star. and no one was apprised OF
the substitution until the incident of the
bouquet was forced to an issue. 1t
would have made little or no differ
ence in the patronage of the play If the
truth had been told at the beginning; the
young woman who played the part, and
whose name was still withheld from the
public, gave an excellent performance. II
is doubtful il anyone could have gotten
more out of the role than she did, SO the
mere change in actresses did not lessen
the artistic value of the production. II
was a double injustice, though. The pub
lie was deceived. and the young woman
who played the role was deprived OF
credit justly due her.
II has long been known that player
may be a great success and never see
Broadway; also that a play may be
worth while and fail in New York and
that most Of the great hits" of Broad
way have to be tanned down and CLEANED
mn before being sent on the road. So,
also. Il win in time percoiate through the
massive minds of the controlling powers
mat IL isn't necessary to advertise the
original New York cast" especially when
that cast is made UP Of people who are
for the most part as yet undiscovered ey
fame outside the region Immediately ad-
iaeent TO Forty-second and broadway
It's a long, long way from the Hudson
20 the Missouri. but all wisdom doesn
dry up on the journey.
Mutt & Jeff in Mexico" is coming 70
the Brandeis theater beginning matinee
today, special children's matinee Tues
day.
Beginning with the matinee Christmas
day at the Brandeis theater the dear old
musical comedy, ''rhe Prince Of Pilsen, .
will be the attraction for three days
The Prince of Pilsen' Is not so old
fashion after all. Certainly It con
tains more music than half dozen OF
the average current musical comedies
and there IL enough comedy in the char
acter OF Hans Wagner. the rich brewer
from '.zinzinnatin who H. mistaken for
PiIssn's Prince, TO flood with laughter
the anemic plots of many presenils
iibretto. For the revival OF this musical
comedy gem there has been assembled
east Of unusual ability. Including join
w. Ransone in his original role OF Hans
Erq~.@o,.l Mora the rra