Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-05-27
COMIC OPERA PLAYERS OTEN
ACADEMY SEASON ,rO.NIOHnOl "

The Comic Opcra Players. who have
made preparations to play sunrnc,
season at the Academy. will Introduce
Themselves to Richmond thcatergoers
to-mofrow night in the melodious mu-
steal play. Tho Firery" by Rudolf
Fr!ml and Ot,o Hauerbach There will
be matinecs regularly on wednesday,
and Saturday. Because OF "a previous
booking AT the Academy the Comic
Opera Players viii not give per
formancH Wednesday night. II Is the
aim Of the promoters OF the venture
10 present the best OF recent musical
comedy successes in thoroughly cred
table manner. With this end in view.
an orEan'zsiion OF thirty-rine people
WAS assembled in Sew York aud p
perusai OF the list or principals VIII
reveal the names OF several PLAYERS
VINO have given satisfaction on Inc
occasion or their appearance at the
Academy with road attractions
MYRTLE Jersey. tho prtrna donna. and
Roger Gray, tho principal comedian.
head the roster Of players. Miss Jer-
sey vas with Raymond Hitchcock on
Broadway last season in Betty" and
Afr. Gray headed h!s own company on
vaudeville tour. The latter also has
been seen here with Nalcska Suratt
in musical comedy. others are An
rette Ford. who played tho title role
in Princess Pat't last season; Alice
Hills, conira!to. y character woman
or WiIe experience, VINO last appeaT'd
in 'hia city IN Madame Sherry: Eli
II. Rush. for two scasons tho soubrct,e
with "Pom Pom" who Is said to be
aood-lookinR aud y clever dancnr: Dan
Marble. brother Of popular Mary Mar.
bic, VIII" ues on Broadway all tho
season In Go TO IT.: George BoEues.
tenor. WHO completed successful sea
son recently a. tho TiYoli. in Nal
bourne, Australia: Russell Lennon.
baritone. VINO viii be rcmembcred for
his work In Flora Bella" At the Acad-
"ny Ihis season. and De;n1ar Popp.n
basso. Ions in tie employ ot tho saw
az" forces and the originate Of the
|role OF BasSou. in Pom Pom"
Importance IS attached b? those re-
spons.ble for tn" organization TO tho
chorus, which is said TO comprise sin
teen Rirls who We're chosen because %.
their youth. ability 10 sing and dance
and 'comeiin-ss. Srccial scenic ard
COSTUME effects are promised for each
weeks production. and an orchestra
numbering ten musicians viii be- pro
Ividci.
when y company headed by Edith
Thayer appeared Few seasons aro
|at th,e Academy IN The Tirefy." news
paper reviewers ,wrot" enthusiastically
|of Rudolf Frimis music, and informed
those who failed to hear either OF ,he
two pefforma noes that they had miss
~
Fms musical plays OF that, or any other,
season. The score of the piece from
overture 20 finale incindng the un-
usually interesting entr'acte number,
lis described as so enhancing. so mclo- !
ldious.t the ensemble numbers ar. so /
|skillfu!ly constructed. and tire orches- !
|tratior so strikinsly good, that Tho |
|Firefy' would he weli worth hearing. /
|if only for the music. Among ,hr
song plumbers supplied by AIR Friml
are Love Is Like Fireny" Clan |
|nina."s"The Beautiful Ship From Toy |
land Something" Tommy Atkins |
on Dress Parade" Sympathy" a
|Woman's Smile" and when a Maid |
Comes knocking at Your Heart"
OTTO sHaucrbach has provided An APP
peaing and humorous story about !
which Mr.. Friml has cntwined the en-
trancinR musical setting of The Fire
fy." The piece is in three acts. and I
Is believed to he about the most APP
Dropriate musical play that the Comic ,
Opera Players could have selected for
their initial offering. Miss Jersey. Of
Course. will appear in the role of Nina. |
In which Miss Thayer was seen here.
She appears first as little Italian
street singer. then. toward the latter
part OF the first act, DISCUSSES herself I
rs A boy to escape from cruel IA
,here