New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-19
THE PRINCIPALS.
BY HECTOR TURNBULL.


have one popularity. in common-their
salient features are always easy to see
and very difficult to describe. In this
respect we firmly believe that MAID
in America" is the Winter Gardenest
show that ever came into the cele-
brated building. After nearly three
hours of IL one leaves with the I'M
preston that the new show consists OF
a large number Of supremely confident
and highly popular vaudeville hesd-
timers wing with one another to DIS
tract tho attention of an enthusiastic
audience from q chorus OF girls SO
carefully selected and exposed that
the contest seems almost unequal.
1t is this struggle that holds the IN
terest. There is no plot, and no pur.
pose at all in the authors plan Deyond
giving each. contestant ample oppor-
tunitv to display his claims upon the
attention Of the audience and to see
that the fun lasts for a full evening
For proofs Of the authors success IN
their novel venture we refer all IN
ouiries to the enthusiastic first night
ers who signified their ecstatc APP
nroval. from His Honor the Mayor HIM
self TO Geraldine Farrar. Morris Gest
I'VE don't count. He enjoyed the play
heartily enough, but he may have been
irduenced a little by the drop curtain
showing the front Of the Casino Inc
atre with signs Of Experience" Still,
ne is an awfully good audience at
dress rehearsals.
At the risk of offending at least
dozen featured principals, we mention
Nora Bayes first, chiefly because she
has as many songs as she could get
and wears clothes That are Simply
sleety with evidences of great wealth.
She sings and dances and sings. Then
there is Belle shlyn, who does iiilers
in. and ought to have sung and sung
and sung.
Equally celebrated is Blossom Seeley,
the ambidexterous pitcherine OF the
vaudeville stage, sometimes known as
Mrs. Rube Marquard. She sings ana
dances and wears advantageous gowns.
Comes Yvette, the Strewelpeter VioHh
ist and singer. fast on the heeis Oh
Minerva Coverdale, who makes no at
tempt to account for her names, OUT
lust sings and dances and sings. =.
Enter trippmgly fsnscl Doly IN
close harmony with Harry FOX, VINO
knows he is funny and Learly bursts
his well filed wardrobe telling ~ 10
tho audience. or, as he calls II, tine
customers" Harry Carroll, the stall
wart lad wko rewrote the music OF 'ne
show in an idle moment. plays and
SINGS and gets a great deal of pleasure
ont Of the evening. James Clemens;
Harold Robe and Lew Brice come ana
90 in various gyratlons.
More serious. indeed, is the speciality
of Mr.. Sam Adams. Our own Mr.. sam
uel HOPKINS Adams should look into
this Charlie Ross is seen IN various
classic roles and Hal Forde IS at ms
hest in the burlesque OF William fa-
versham. Running over three pages
of programme, we come TO the name
NJ Nile. Dazie, who shines in the sec,
ond act. with an elaborate ballet OF
coIor and motion. In this Harry Car
roiTs classics give way TO the less
,riJoiy known strains of Rachmani-
nofT,s prelude" and little Mabel Hlil
oo,,orts an introduction 10 the feature
Iarco NJ Mile. Dazzle and Leo PernlsoH:
Varcuerite Beriza, Ruby Helder and
NJ Snarr intone from group OF
cIooked figures as the dance proceeus'
with Bert Clark and Maude Lam
hort we believe none has been sllgnt
cd evcopt Joe Jackson, who is the luh-
niest tramp we have seen IN seem
ingIv long career as inspector OF tramp
IN Tested vaudeville bills. Mr. JACKSON
is n master pantomimist
Well! Now for the scenic spiehuois'
These. we believe, are due to me ~,
vsrtion of J. c. Huffman and peglh
w;tb' made in America exhibition,
rneander to. Egypt, become suddenly
Roman. fit back stage IN a meIooralha
theatre and end with Grecian gardens;
Tbe whole is an achievement, as wen
&c the drilling of the chorus and the
Gets attained in the various song
u,,uISS Mr.. Carroll and Mr.. Rom
80, have also done themselves PROUD
,,'jtb the songs. He would be daring
sonI Who would say which OF the many
you'd be the most popular. Beng sIi
Of that. we select, without a quiver'
"The Stolen Melody" sung by NOT"
=" VcIyille Ellis took his sketchbook
- berd and borrowed some clever ideas
for the costumes. The imitation OF
iTepe Castles gown was deftiy exc
cuted. Also the sectional or pagoda
oartalettes worn by the chorus. Ihere
POI ,Nenv other features deserving
mention. but the thing to do IN report
inc a Winter Garden show is. we pc
i;eye 10 state in as many WORDS as
nossibls whether or no II is worm see
mo. Briefly, yes. As clincher 70 t9ls
Any the information that me
80 " uses the runway (illuminated),
~ ~ estra aisles and occasionally