Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-09
SOCIETY MINISTRIES
TAKE HOUSE BY STORM
money Roy" Hotchkiss and Alvin
NJ. Smith Divide the
HOnOrs.
GREAT AUDIENCE AppLAuDs
'aiis for Repetition OF Each Num-
ner-Many Well-Known Young
reople Take Part In Fenton ia
cobs's Play and Tennis Dance.

AahO HI tutOh
cobs's Play and Tennis Dance.
~ tho very end OF the worst the
''lcai season within the memory OF
ne Oldest usher. there came into tho
.,cademy OF Music last night show
nat not only filled the house from
nNhdelier to orchestra pit, but kept n
"n'rls or laughter tumults OF APP
.'ause and swelling waves of admra-
'nn from overture to finale
froSralnmed ns the Society Min
Srcis and Vaudeville" the performance
presented last night as the first OF
,hr"e undertaken for the benefit of the
neiie Bryan Day Nursery. included
W." OF every style OF entertainment
Nhown 10 the stage. except tragedy
"nd emotional drama. but the key
"'t" or the whole affair was-fun,
And or fun there was enough to
htpply half a dozen minstrel and vaude-
vie shows. Furthermore. the comedy
"hS the more infectious. the more ir-
'esistible. because the making Of ii
gave the comedians just us much pleas-
as IL gave the audience. So also.
INC dancing and singing were the more
'n"ctive. because the dancers and sing
rs danced and sang because they
wanted TO; not because either dancing
or singing was their business or their
Profession. In short. the whole
affair practically n spontan-
y
Wanifcstcd itself in Il laudable and
highly successful effort TO entertain a
'h"atcr full of people. for the benefit
~, most deserving charity.
AUDIENCE INSISTS on
NEPETITION OF EACH NUMBER
Nor did any one Of the actors. sing
tTs or dancers fail to accomplish tho
result desired. for the audience seemed
determined that the programmed show
would be not long enough. and in
sisted upon repctit!ons OF every single
number that was presented. go that the
performance continued until li:l5
o'clock. instead OF II. as the co,npe-
tent general director. Alvin NJ Smith,
had planned.
For tho frst and greater part OF
The evening, that inim!table comedian,
graceful dancer and genuine minstrel,
Honey Roy Hotchkiss, and his big
aggregation OF luminous blnckfacc en-
tertainers. occupied the sthgc and de-
lighted the house. with the irst few
words Of the opening chorus. IL was
apparent that Mr.. Iiotchkiss had as
semblcd an unusual company OF sing
er4. and as the show continued. other
and sciking talents were disclosed.
Tho FIRST OF tn" end men 10 be In
i-oduced was T. Croxton Gordon, who
pulled some me-" gags In "A clever dia
lect and quickly got his audience. lie
was followed by Fcnton s Jacobs. who
sprung = Eumbcr OF Jokes that again
stirred UP the tumult. Then. owing
80 the absence OF Blanchard Forbes.
John womhle sang Mr. Forbcs's own.
dear ballad. The Rose OF Ny Heart"
and sang II In the prettiest OF tenor
voices. CroNto0 Gordon's Might Time
Down IN Dixie" set the house
cumming and happy 10 receive two
more end men. Roger Miiihiser and
Buly Burke. who euualed their pre-
dcccssors IN wit and sheer fun. and
were also enthusiastically applauded.
<I\IN VI SMITH AND
HENRY HOTCHkISS LEAD RIOT
C. :. Burnett sang When the Bells
IN the Lighthouse Ring in splendid
sonorOus bass voice OF rare quality
which astounded those who had not
heard him sing. And then entered
%lvin NJ Smith and that Honey Boy.
and. after that, there was riot Their
stuff was fresh. bright and funny, aud
the!r songs made even that singing
chorus work TO keep up. Meanwhile,
Ralph Ludwig's appealing tenor was
heard TO fine advantage in There's IA
Little Spark OF Love Stili Burning" and
Douglas Gordon sang Cant You Hear
Me Calling. Caroline" The Honey Boy
closed the minstrel show .irst-pnrt with
RUFF Johnsons Harmony Band" which
almost sang itself after the Honey Boy
got II started
All the singers OF "musi" songs
Messrs. Womble. Burnett. Ludwig and
+. Gordon. were supported and in
spired by double quartet that sang
behind them like a big, human organ
This octet was composed OF Mcssrs
Ralph Ludwig, John Womblc Columbus
Canepa. Jcter Jones. James Cowardin
John Reinhardt. c. :. burnett and
Horace Powell
! Immediately after the first part. Crox-
ton Gordon and Fenton Jacobs pre-
sented sklt OF !ool!shness. entitled
Playing the Home Town" which
served happily 10 display the various
and assoUed talents OF this indefatiga-
bic pair, M we'll as an old Jackson Ward
costume that WAS funny IN itself
"HONEY BOY" IIOTCHKIss At
HIS BEST IN MOSoLOGUE
In his monolosue. which followed, the
Honey Boy was at his best. There
are few professional minstrels who
might not learn bit from the methods
o. Henry Hotchkiss.
IN When de Days Works Done I'm
Dixie" Matthew Peasants proved that
= II Is possible to make music. though
playing the banjo, while Al Schra der
showed himself TO be the minstrel and
soft-shoe artist that Al q. Field be-
lievcd him TO be when he engaged the
Richmond boy for next season 4 num-
her Of the mlnstrels. dressed az bows
and girls. also contributed TO the sue
cess OF this sketch
Afier a brief intermission, the cur
tain went up on ono OF the prettiest
scenes that even the ingenuity OF NJ
Sam Cahen has ever provided-a SET
ting showing the exterior OF the Coun-
- try club OF Virginia. Extremely well
built; the facade OF the club was as
lfelhc as II is possible for a repre-
s.ntation or building to be. while the
lawn contained all the essentials OK
ccpt the grass. IT was crowded with
millions OF the prettiest girls in the
whole. wide. sunshiny world. and their
clothes were almost as pretty as they.
The particularly charming Miss Emily
Wade sang and coquetted so winsomaly
that the whole house was in complete
accord with young Raymond Massie
when he actually wrapped her In