Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1916-02-17
M|NSTRELS
GREAT TREAT
FOR BARABOO
Performance BY Local Tai
ent Unqualified Success
Imported Acts are
Big Feature.
(From Tuesdays DaIIy.)


Before one of the largest and most
enthusiastic audiences that has ever
gathered in Baraboo, the BEST People
on Earth" last night provided what
many voted to be the best production
under local auspices ever given in Sank
county. Which is another way of say
ing that Baraboo lodge, B. P. 0 E. No.
688, served the long anticipated "Mid-
winter Minstrels and Vaudcirco" in two
big courses and covered itself with glory
in accomplishing the feat.
The word feat" is not one that is
generally used in connection with dra-
matte reviews but in this case it aptly
describes the accomplishment For to
put on such performance as that
which graced the Etage of America g
Prettiest Playhouse" last night; to
take local and professional talent from
here and there and everywhere end
weave it into such complete and splen-
did whole is nothing short of feat"
that will long rebound to the credit and
good taste of all who played either
minor or a major part IN it. All hon.
or to Baraboo Lodge of
Elks and those who aided and abetted
them in this merry creation. IThey have
set high standard for type of enter
tainment which in the future promises
to be seen in the AL. Ringing theatre
at fairly frequent intervals.
He would be a foolish reviewer who
would attempt to tell Of last nights
performance in detail. 1t would take
page of type to do it justice. Happily
those who attended the first show know
how fine it is without being told. AS
forIthose who did not see it--well. there's
to be an exact duplication of the entire
program tonight and those who were
absent last evening will then see and
hear for themselves. The theatre box
office this morning reported there were
quite number of seats still to be had.
There should not be one vacant chair
when the curtain rises ut 8:15 this even
ing. And if there be one vacant seat
he who fails to occupy it will have
missed something whicn is better than
advertised.
The phrase when the curtain rises"
brings the writer back to his more i'm
mediate subject. Few were prepared
for the scene which presented itself
when the curtain slid into the files last
night No professional minstrel company
ever looked the part more thoroughly.
There was the sure-enough cork face
chorus, the big stage orchestra pyra-
mided in the center background and the
end men, with bones and tambos all
done into a picture of black. blue and
scarlet that set the audience to voicing
its immediate approval The costumes
to paraphrase are "a scream forever.
You'll see for yourself should you at
tend tonight. Yea, and hear them, too.
Few habiliments could be louder than
those worn by the wielders of the bones
and the tambos and few more taking to
tbs eye than those which accentuate
the forty black faced minstrel boys of
the chorus. And, speaking of that
chorus" it can sing. Indeed it starts
with 1.-The Minstrel Boys are Out To-
night" just before the curtain reveals
the shining worries; and it keeps it up
throughout the merry frat part. A good
male chorus is ever a delight. Mrs. j ohm
NJ Kelley drilled this one in rehe arsal
and to her great credit is due. 1t is
one of the many features of the produc-
ton
And the jokes! They are there by
the bushel it seems. Walter Gollmar,
as the efficient interlocutor and Wink
Weaver, Jack Chadwick, Denny Curtis,
John Slater, George Merklein, Byron
Graves, Martin Arndt and William Mil
Ter as the excruciating end men hand
them out with rapidity that keeps the
audience in constant uproar. The writer
is advised that this part of the perform
ance was never divulged even at the final
rehearsal 1t would therefore seem like
breaking trust to make mention of &c
much as single joke here. 1t would be
unfair to those who will be on hand to-
night The fun il sandwiched in be-
tween the tuneful ballad numbers and