The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-09-04

Vaudeville Stars
Come to Open New
Season at Lyric

with one of the most imposing lists
OF big time vaudeville stars vet
brought to Richmond, the new sea-
son of 1851 will be inausurated
at the Lyric Theatre with the after
noon performance today.
The event of the seasons opening
promises to be the most memorable
in the history of the theatre. Man
ager Rex secured the cooperation of
the booking agents in assembling an
all-star bill Several of the features
are coming direct from New York for
this occasion. One of these attrac-
tions extraordinary Is Beatrice Mo-
relies Grand Opera Sextette, which
has topped the bill in all Of the prin-
cipal theatres of the Keith circuit and
has never before been permitted to
leave the "big time" The Richmond
engagement of the former grand op-
era star and her associates Is spe-
cial favor granted Manager Rex. The
sextette is composed entirely of wo-
men, each of whom Is soloist The
organization includes the following
artistes, all widely known in the realm
of grand opera:
Nine. Louise Arnolda, soprano;
Beatrice Morelle. contralto; Gene
We've Joy. second soprano: Annette
Ford, alto; Grace Langston. violin
iSte, and Alice ESS, .harptSt.
From the Ziegfeld "Follies" will
come the greatest comedy hit of that
massive production, Willie Solar. who
is pronounced by competent metro
politan critics the most versatile en-
tertainer now on the vaudeville stage.
Solar is comedian, singer, dancer.
whistler and novelty performer He
Is also widely known as a producer.
having staged some of the most IA
nous acts now in vaudeville in Eu-
rope and America. His performance
in vaudeville is decidedly unique, be-
ing virtually a zone man vaudeville
show" Willie Solar enjoys the dis
tinction of being the only male per-
former that ever topped the bill at
the London Hippodrome. Shortly at
ter his arrival in America Solar was
given greater prominence on the bill
in Chicago than Mrs Leslie Carter,
with the result that the management
of the theatre In which the two wide
ly different stars were appearing ex-
perienced great difficulty in persuad-
ing Mrs. Carter to present her tabloid
version of "Zaza.,' Later Mrs Car
ter and Willie Solar clashed again,
meeting on the same bill in Pitts
burg, and the temperamenta1 actress
refused to appear until her name in
the electrics was placed above Solar's
on the illuminated sign in front OF
the theatre.
One of the most pretentious at
fractions of the season will be seen
in the novelty sketch production in
which f. E. Give and Co. appear.
The. Give company OF comedy play
ers was originally brought to Amer
lea by William A. Brady and remained
solid year in New York, SO great
was the popularity of the act. Give
has been for several years the most
talked about eccentric comedian on
the English variety stage. His sue
cess in New York was not whit less
than his European triumphs
Likewise notable as an original fea-
ture liz Julia Curtis, the Girl Of Many
Voices" on the same bill. Miss Cur
tbs has an entertainment devised by
herself to suit her own peculiar tai
ents and 1t defies copyists. She is
appearing for the first time In the
Southern country at the Lyric.
Sensational acrobatics combined
with grotesque comedy will be the
Offering of The Peers, European COM
edy gymnasts. The Peers excel as
triple bar performers. but their ex-
hibition Is diversified and they per-
form many dangerous and difhcult
feats OF aerial acrobatics.
With the new vaudeville bill Will
come the newest releases OF the Seiig-
Tribune pictorial news service. These
include recent camera finds In the
European war zones and on the Mex
lean border, two fast and funny f1lm
comedies and the usual screen mis-
Cellany.