The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-04-10
GuRksBUR6 SHOW
MAKES GREAT hit
Fairgrounds Benefit At the
Grand An Attraction of
Real Merit.

That the Maid OF Clarksburg" mu.
steal comedy, which was staged last
night at the Grand Opera House as
a benefit for the Fairmont Play
grounds, is an attraction OF real merit
is voiced today by the audience pres
ent last night to witness the home tai
ent show from the sister city.
Had the audience not known that
all the actors and actresses were
prominent society people and not pro-
f~cssionals, this fact would hardly have
been learned from a seat in front OF
the foot lights, as every part OF the
performance was staged with almost
exact precision
The audience was not as large as
had been expected, but still a fair
sized crowd was present. Other at
fractions in the city at the same time
probably kept many away who would
have otherwise attended.
The show as produced last nigi
vas exactly the same cast as deligh
ed two Clarksburg audiences the two
previous nights when the company
played as a benefit for the Elks' Mar
cato Club. Persons witnessing the
performance in the home city and ee-
ing the same production on the stage
at the Grand last evening were unani-
nous in the decision that the play
was better last night than before. as
some OF the newness a worn OF
and the players had Become more &C
customed to their lines.
To pick out individual members Of
the cast as stars would be a real hard
task, for every one OF the seventy-ivc
people who took part played hard for
the success OF the entertainment from
the start to the finish.
N~h@ -11rv woe Gfonral hp DaHnnu T.
Smith and it is his great work which
gave the entire performance that
stagelike precision which made it the
great hit.
Fleming Holden. as an imp~ersonator
of the fair sex in the part OF Ariminta
Alum, the official ch~aperone, showed
that he had many instincts of the ac-
tor, and his work brought down many
a laugh from the audience. His song,
Beautiful Eggs" was II of the hits
OF the evening.
AIgy Cuffs, a victim of the movies,
was played by Percy Byrd and togeth-
er with Napoleon, a burly blackface,
played by Writ Lewis, kept the audi
ence in an uproar with their snappy
| witty comedy.
Mr.. Bird san the song. Come
Take a Dip With Me-" and the cleo
trical illusion showing the ocean
beach with the bathing girls was an
| especially good piece of stage mechan-
ism.
Probably the greatest song hit of
the entire performance was 'Violets,"
by Miss Laura Thompson, who played
the part Of Susie Singer studying for
the stage. Time n time again Miss
Thompson was compelled to respond
to encores.
Another novelty was the song sung
by Miss Bessie G. Byrd, assisted by
the chorus. Looking for Someone's
Heart" At this time the chorus went
about through the audience with
~searchlights which were flashed in
the faces of the patrons.
The dancing of modern dances at
the end of the second act was SPLEEN
did, as was the oriental dancing by
the girls who assisted Mr.. Bird in the
singing of SIAM"
If space would allow, many more
columns could be used in telling the
merits of the performance, but 1t must
be said that the memory of the good
work OF the participants will hnger
q long time in the minds OF the Fair
mopters who were fortunate enough
to be present.
The personel of the troupe is as fol-
lows:
John Kane, Marmaduke Wells, Will
liam Shinn, Miss Grata Carney, Miss
Elsie Morris. Fleming Holden. Percy
Byrd, Writ Lewis, Miss Bessie G.
Byrd, Emmett Gill. Miss Margaret Gill,
Charles Gill, Miss Laura Thompson,
"Bennie" Smith, Frank Jacobs.
Society Buds, etc.-The Misses Sue
Morgan, Kathleen Hill, Regina Deem,
Garnet Gaines. Nell White, Bessie Col
Inns, Jean Eaton. Laura Davis. Louise
Latstetter, Gertrude Lighter. Eliza
beth Boyer, Iona Kersting.
Golf Girls, etc.-The Misses Julia
Sturbois, Elizabeth Thompson. Hazel
| Gardiner, Fanchon Chorpening. Mary
Henery, Frances Moore, Grace Hough-
ton, Madeline Donahue. Ailene Car
ney. Aida Gardiner.
Caddies, etc-The Messrs. Lyle Da-
Wis, William Thompson. Fred Burke.
Fred johnson, Lester Morgan, Boyd
Showalter, Fritz Kramer. George
Thompson, Frank Jacobs, Calvin
Squires.
waters, etc.-The Messrs. James
Hamilton. James Smith. Russell Fran
CHS, Charles Coleman, Martin Walsh,
Lyle Powell. Russell Barratt. Carl
| Hopkins, Wallace Dunkin, June Farr.
i