Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-01-21
ELkS GIVE
GREAT SHOW
6lks Minstrels Pack Days Theatre
Large Audience More
Than Pleased.
From Friday S Daily.

tAe EkS MINISTRIES The show
lived up to its advertising aus being
the best ever given. If there was
any one il the audience SUFFERING
from the blues, they certainly must
have had them chased away for a
long time to come.
The curtain rose on the first
part and disclosed a very pretty
stage setting. The interlocutor and
principals were dressed in evening
dress, the back circle were. dressed
in the white marching uniforms
trimmed with purple. Over the mid
die of the stage was a transparency,
the letters in white on a cardinal
background bearing the name OF Wis
consin. AS the opening chorus was
sung, a beautiful design with the
letters B. P. o. E. in white on a
purple background was lowered from
the flies. Two large American flags
We're also dropped as the Grand Ra-
pids the Heart of Wisconsin, part of
the op ening chorus was reached. Mul
roy and NoTmington were dressed in
white and the other end men were
dressed in velvet.
The show opened with the tolling
of the eleven strokes followed by
the singing of OuId Lang Syne by
John Robert. Then the lights flash
ed up showing the company assemb-
led and the beautiful setting. The
opening chorus was wonderful.
There were 81 men on the stage
and they filled the theater with the
volume of song as they sang the OPP
ening chorus. The chorus work de-
serves special mention and it did
ones heart good to hear the strong
voices of the men ring out
Paul Baesa sang, when I Got
Back to My Home Town" and pleaset
the audience so much that he was
compelled to respond with an encore.
After few jokes by the end men,
Frank Walsh sang 4 Amt Got No
body" No cne would believe that
this was Mr.. WaIsh's first appear
ance as an end mamie certainly
carried out the sentiment of the
song to Derfecfion.
More jokes and Clarence Jackson
sang Il Never Heard of Anybody Dy-
ing From kissing, Did Your" Well
we are willing to take Clarence's
word for this brother Elks say
he ought TO know-Mr. Jackson was
obliged to respond to an encore.
Fred B. Warner, the old standby,
was the next end man to sing and
Fred came across with a sentimen-
tai little ditty entitled Father
Came Home With the MilE1man in tn
Morning." Needless to say, the au-
dience wouldn't let Fred go until
he had responded to an encore.
Probably the surprise of the even
ing was the vocal solo entitled,
Mine sung by Carlton Stamm. 1t
took the big audi ience by storm and
the applause kept up until Carlton
rose to sing the encore.
Arthur P. Mulroy-we have often
wondered what that P. stood for,
and we are willing to bet it stands
for Ireland-sang "I Want to Go
Back to Michigan" Of course Art
was Just singing a song and there
isn't any one whom you could make
believe that Art would ever leave
Grand Rapids, the Heart of Wiscon-
sim, however, as usual Art had some
thing good up his sleeve and his
comments in the song on the city Of
ficiaIs was sure some winner.
John Roberts, the old time faYorite
as usual took the house wit b his
song Cant You Hear Me Calling,
Gardiner" John was forced to re
spond to am encore.
c. A. Normington was all there
with the song that. .Cleve .Akey special
ly composed for him, Il Like a Joke
AS Well as Anybody" 1t seems
scarcely necessary to say that Al ha6
to come back with encores.
The first part ended with the
closing chorus which was another
magnificent example of ensemble
singing.
Seldom if ever, has such a great
firts part been put on by any minis
treIs, be they professional or anna
teur. The jokes were timely an6
good and while lots of them We're
personal as they always are in big
organization, they were all good and
the victims enjoyed them as much az
any one. The singing both individual
and ensemble was far above the aT
erage minstrel work. Too much car
not be said about the chorus work
The way those lust lunged and fine
voiced Elks filled the theater with
music was something to dream
about.
Right here is the place to give
the credit of the musical feature O
the show TO whom is belongs. Cleyt
Akey, manager of the show, com
poser of the opening and closins
choruses and of c. A. Normington'
great end soag, is the individual wht
should and who does receive credi
by those who know for the success c
this great first part.
The curtain went down on the gre
est first part that has ever been pu
on this or any other stage.
THE SECOND PART
The second part vas opened witt