News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1916-02-16
The Japanese Girl

"rhe japanese Grip, an operetta In
two acts, was presented by the Girls
Glee Club of Peoples Academy on Friday
and Saturday evenings to crowded
houses.
This first attempt on the part of the
girls of the Academy to give an entertain
ment distinctly their own, met with great
success, and from beginning to end the
performances were very finished. The
opperetta was staged under the direction
of Miss Simpson and Mr.. Merrill and the
solo parts were taken by the following
girls:-
0 Hanu San, Mildred Powell
0 Kitu San. Freda Noble
Q Kayo San, Thclma Edmunds
Chaya, servant, Beatrice morrill,
Nora TWIN, Phyllis Hill
Dora Twinp, Muriel Smith
Miss Minerva Knowall, Elizabeth Powers
The scene was laid in a beautiful Jap.
anese garden, lovely with blossoming
cherry trees and trailing wistaria, lighted
by the glow of Japanese lanterns. The
opening number, ''Sing O-hay-o," sung
by a chorus of thirty voices was birth
day greeting to the young Japanese beau
ty, o Hanu San, whose coming of age is
to be celebrated with the customary jap
anese ceremonies.
At the conclusion of the chorus,
| 0 Htnu San in recitative and song,
"Friends of My Childhood, replied to
the greeting, and the Misses Powell, Ed
munds and Noble sang the trio "a Soldier
Shall My Hero Be-, accompanied by the
chorus. "The Flower Song, sung as
the girls wove the garlands for o Hanu's |
birthday, was effectively rendered by the |
girls seated Jap fashion around the stage. |
This was interrupted by the appearance
of Chaya, Miss Morrill,, whose Patter
Song, in which she bewailed her lot and
told how much she had to do, was we'll
received by the audience.
Then followed the Sayonora, or mourn
ing song, sung behind the scenes, while
Chaya knelt disconsolate ON the stage.
At this point an interesting Japanese
custom was introduced by the the ap-
pearance of Hanu San, who has re-
ceved bird as messenger tom her
father absent at the wars. To the bird,
Miss Powell sang 20 Tori-Kayo', very
difficult number, which she did extreme
ly WELL taking the high notes easily.
The closing chorus of Act l was the
Lullaby, one of the best numbers, which
died away as the Jap madens fell asleep
on the stage.
Act III opened with the appearance of
the TWINS. Nora and Dora, who have
run away from their governess to investi-
gate Japanese life on their own account.
Their mischievous pranks pleased the
audience hugely, as did their song "We
Are Not Finished Yet" Miss Powers,
as Miss Minerva Knowa)l, the governess,
look her part perfectly, and elected much
applause by her song, "When 1 Was a
Iirl."
Then followed the Tiptoe Chorus, where
the Japanese girls fnd Miss Minerva
asleep over her sketchb book and wake her
oy spreading their parasos in her face.
After some embarrassment, o Hanu San
comes to the rescue and in Difference to
their Western visitors, the japanese
maidens sang "In Praise of America,
where pretty effect was secured by the
Use of American flags. o Hauu San is
hen decorated for the festal day by her
friends, while o Kitu and o Kayo, sup
ported by the chorus sang "Carmine
lips"
A real touch of Japan was given by the
singing of the National Anthem in jap
Inese, which was followed by the Japan
'se dance, the most pleasing feature of
he entire operetta. Eight girls in flow
red kimonas of pink and yellow took
'art in the dance, for which they were
rained by Miss Shepardson, in the Ply
ical Culture class of P. A. Following
re the names of the dancers Edith
stewart, Merle Smalley, Beryl Cram, Bar
ARA Small, Avice Badger. Nora Greene,
Doris Graves and Esther Greene.
The concluding chorus, which featured
procession of lanterns and flowers, was
ung by the entire cast and the curtain
vent down on the farewell hail to Hanu
AN.
Throughout the operetta the P. A. Or
hestra of eight pieces, under the direc-
ion of Mr.. Merrill, assisted the chorus.
The decorations for the stage were
made entirely by members of the Fresh
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