The Washington herald., 1914-01-11
Comedy Tragedy and Musical Fantasy the Leading Local Payhoses
WASHINGTON PLAYGOERS
AWAKEN FROM APATHY
Lipely Attractions of Last Week Scored Wash
ington Triumph, and Are Now Replaced
By Wide Range of Themes
BY JULIA CHANDLER NAME.

BY JULIA CHANDLER NAME.
The pulse of the local manager grow
stronger. He Is even evincing small in
terest in life. All due to q more iivef
interest in the theater on the part of tn
Washington playgoer since the beginnin
Of the new year.
With the exception Of the Belasco
which was tenanted by Miss Julia Dean
In Her Own Money" local playhouse
did big business last week. That. tn
Mark Swan comedy was slimly attendet
sistentiy recurring domestic wrangiint
from curtain to curtain would whet tn,
nerves of any audience to a fine edge
Besides one does not pay out real money
to sit through three hours of continuoui
display of I'll temper in a theater II one
Graves such excitement. Quarrels are ly.
ing around loose and no charges are made
for their annexation. So why 60 to ses
three stupid couples squabble through ar
evening? At least that is how Washing
ton seemed to feel about II.
But Mark Swans intended sermon as
preached in Her Own Money" was for
gotten in more pleasant themes. The
Queen of the Movies" which brought
back to the producing field Thomas w.
Ryley, Of "Florodora" fame. packed the
Columbia all last week. fulfilling the first
nighter's prediction that its decisive
punch" its lifting melodies. remarkable
chorus, capable principals. sartorial won
ders, and elaborate setting would win for
the piece a speedy popularity.
The combination of Christie Macdonald
and Victor Herbert music also justified
the enthusiastic reception accorded
"Sweethearts" at the New National last
week. for a daintier operetta was never
heard in this city. and there Is no doubt
that little Miss MacDonald's art has
achieved expansion since her Spring
Maid" performance.
Even the popular priced theaters felt
the pre-holiday shadow Of apathy lift
from their houses last week. the report
coming from Polls that Tn the Bishops
Carriage" a play seen twice before in
this city, attracted exactly 1854 people
during the week, figure representing al
most per cent of Washington's popula-
tion's population.
History should assuredly repeat itself
this week, for the promised attractions
are Of exceptional charm and interest.
Willis P. Sweatnam comes to us for the
In a drama which should give him ample
opportunities for his inimitable gift of
darky characterization.
Harrison Dickson, who wrote the "Old
Reliable" stories for the Saturday Even
ing Post, has named his new play for
the fascinating Uncle Zack. whose per
sonality dominates the production which
will be offered by Henry W. Savage at
the Columbia Theater this week. Not
only has Mr.. Dickson won fame through
his "Old Reliable stories. but through
many scholarly articles in the North |
American Review, and other periodicals. |
on the negro race and its tendencies
When il came to getting his delinea- |
tons of the character of the Mississippi
darky in line for his play Mr.. Dickson |
met a competitor in his field Of special |
that competitor being Mr..
sweatnam, whose faithfulness to the |
qualities of the better |
lass darkey have been the marvel Of the |
public for some years. Mr.. |
;weatnam helped materially in winning I
anne for 1.-THE County Chairman" and /
he success Of Excuse Me" was due en-
irely to his remarkable portrayal Of the
legro porter. 80
The production of "old Reliable" has
,een made under the personal supervi-
ion of Mr.. Savage, Mr.. Dickson, and Mr..
;weatnam. 1t comes to the Capital after
weeks run in smaller towns. where II
las been received with great enthusiasm.
Mr.. Savage has surrounded his new star
With an excellent cast, both for the In
Of the romance Of the white
ok and for the background of darky life
n the South. against which this romance
5 set, the company including Mrs.
,harles @. Craig, Miss Sydney Shields,
sen Graham. Frank NJ. Thomas. Daniel
toby, and Worthington Romaine in the
rincipal roles.
Exceptional interest will center on the
selasco Theater this week, where Miss &
Dorothy Donnelly comes as the star of
Maria Rosa" a three-act drama of pure
assion. by Angel Guimera, one of the
oremost literary men of Spain. In his !
eloved Catalonia, the province in which q
e has lived since he was seven years old. I
is the idol of the people. c
While he is a poet primarily, and also !
strong editorial writer, in recent years r
e has devoted his attention to the stage
nd the drama more than to either. He I
as written many plays, mostly tragedies, Z
which only two have been adapted. Il
rst from the Catalan into Spanish, and v
ON the latter into English. (
The first of these was Marta of the I
in which Mime. Bertha Kali 1,
h appeared some seasons ago. The sec a
Id is Maria Rosa" which has to its Il
edit a European sensation, but which o
d not have an American presentation
it'll last February. when amateurs pro- n
iced it at the Toy Theater in Boston. O
here II had several performances. a
How maria Rosa" was adapted for the N
nglish-speaking stage is an interesting a
DRY. Mr.. Fitzpatrick. who is the author h
the book, THE Man Who Likes Mex
D." met in Mexico City, during his RAM N
es there, one of the priests of the ca h
edral. This was in 1905. Conversation
rned to the theater, and the priest men, "
med Maria Rosa which was then n
Barcelona. The priest, who
d seen the play. gave so thrilling de- w
ription of II that Mr.. Gillpatrick made a,
note Of it. Within a month after meet o
3 the Mexican priest the author sailed h,
om New York for Barcelona, carrying q,
tiers Of introduction to Guimera, who W
Is then on the crest of his popularity. :,
dr. Gillpatrick's first night in BARGE A
Ia was spent In walking up and down a,
: city's promenade discussing Maria n
'sa" with its author, who explained to
n that the story was a true tragedy Of h,
; mountains, presented in the play just ~
he had gotten 1t a short while before a;
I'M one of his guides. =,
When Maria Rosa" was first finished
was produced in Barcelona with tre- ~,
ndous success. and afterward shown @.
Madrid. where a company of Catalo- a.
CALENDAR OF THE WEEK. :
Belasco-SMarfa Rosa.v ah