Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1919-05-27
"JolLlEs OF 1919" NEW DE.
PARTuRE IN MlNSTRElSY
Combination OF Old Time Minstrei~Cn-
tertainment and NJ odern Day Mus
zeal Comedy-SpeeiaI Scenery and
Handsome Costumes Add to Success
Of Undertaking.

the direction of Joe Bren Producing
Company of Chicago. opened an en-
gagement of two nights at the Odeon,
Monday to a large audience. Prior to
the world war the Eiks' Ministries was
an established institution, being offered
annually. the proceeds being used by
the lodge for charitable purposes.
During the struggle in Europe no
effort was made to present theatricals.
but now the lodge has renewed its
dramatic efforts and the Elks' min
strels undoubtedly will perform each
year as in the ante -bellum days.
This seasons Offering, which COM
bines minstrelsy with musical comedy.
is one of the best ever given by the
Elks and is pleasing from start to
finish. The special stage settings are
attractive and the cast is handsome
| ~ Costumed thruout.
New Departure in Minstrelsy.
The opening of the minstrel first
part is a departure from the estab-
lished form and thes curtain rises on
the winter home of o. l.. Ingledue, at
Palm Beach, where he is host to a
large party of friends. Chorus num-
bers and solo by Mns. Vina Herman
Valentine, In Starland." mark this
opening. Mrs. Valentines number be-
ing especially good. The host then
announces the appearance of min
strel troupe for the entertainment of
the guests and the minstrel men. in
the fiashy first part costumes, with
the "end men" in burnt cork appear to
form the Circle with the guests
ranged in the rear as choristers.
Mr.. Ingleduc acts as interlocutor and
the end men arc A. A. Nicholson. J. A.
Rails. E. F. Byrnes, Lee Fetters, G.
Walter Thompson. Roy NJ. Good,
George Hockridgc and Alex Robb, the
| latter of the Bren company.
Vocaists and Comedians Score.
The song numbers by the vocalists
and comedians scored heavily and all
were recalled E. L. Byrnes sang
Dixie Land in France and Robert
Monteith made a big hit with the
ballad, ''The Rose of No Mans Land"
! George Hockridge and Lee Fetters
sang "A Good Gal Is Hard to Find. ;"
and. You Can Not Shake That
| announcing that the latter song was
composed by Mayor Wilson. G. Wal
| ter Thompson scored with Bert Will
sons knockout number, "Oh. Death
Where Is Thy Sting Andrew Bow
man. Jr.. delighted with the ballad.
That Wonderful Mother Of Nine" and
Alex Robb responded to several en-
cores when he offered. I'll Say She
Does" The first part closed with
The Wedding March in Ragtime" with
Roy VI. God as soloist, and A. A.
! Nicholson appearing as the bride. Lee
Fetters as the groom, j. a. Rails as
| the brides father. Alex Robb as the
! parson, Z. E. Byrnss and George
| Hockrdse as the bridesmaids and G.
Walter Thompson and Roy N. Good as
! the grooms men.
Thompson in o'Brien Role
| Opening the second part, G.. Walter
| Thompson appeared in sketch
reminiscent of Neil OBrien. the scene
being buffet dinner on the laugh
land limited Mr.. Thompson APP
waiter, and the cast included Chesley
Caewin as o. L. T. West. Andrew
Bowman, Jr. as Will B. Dunn. Mrs.
Walter Thompson. as Virginia Wander
foud. a movie actress; r. C. Brock.
Ray Gilgen and c. G. Pigman as pas
sengers. The skit was replete with
O'Brienesque patter with Jokes Of a
personal character directed at the
audience.
Mrs. Bernice Howard and the six
teen syncopated dancers appeared in
a pretty dance number, Mrs. Howard
acting as soloist and singing When !
Hear .Syncopated Tune
Banjo Trio Entertains.
"A Few Minutes OF Banjo Harmony"
was offered by the Elks' banjo trio.
composed OF Z. r. Woodland. H. f.
Cobb and Glenn Merrill The trio ap-
peared with electrically lighted banjos
and gave a repertoire of old favorites
and popular numbers.
The final scene had the ball room of
the Marshalltown Club, in New York
City as it's setting. A handsomely
costumed number by the chorus, "Tne
Fox Trot Ball" served to open the
scene, and was followed by an operate
medley and the sextet from Lucia
by the Sand Car-lots Opera Troupe,
composed Of Mesdames Vina Herman
Valentine and Bernice Howard, and
| Messrs. G. Walter Thompson, Lee Fet-
| ters, Andrew Bowman, Jr., and Ray
| Gilgen.
Joe Bren, as the unwelcomc guest
"intruded" to present his piano
speciality, with the assistance Of Alex
| Ross, the offering scoring heavily
| The closing number was THE Songs OF
| the Past" presented by Mrs. yalen-
tine, Lee Fetters and chorus.
| Appearing in the minstrel circle, in
addition to the comedians and the
soloists were r. C. Brook, Byron Ruth
Horace L. Patton. Chesley Cagwin, c.
C. Pigman, Irwin Connolly and John
Travis. The chorus was composed Of
Miss Grace Wiley, Esther Martin
Alma Wetzstein, Grace Lennox. Caro-
line Biermann.f Helen Lepley, Pear
Adams, Vivian Thompson, Isadore
Topf. Martys Cord, Mildred Flower
Helen Dixon and Lenore Wetzstein and
| Edward Gavney, William Anderson
John Mccormack, Clarence Johnson
Ralph Bowman, Lester Kirkpatrick
Miles Cox and Wayne Thompson, Th'
Odeon was, filed almost to caDacit;
for the opening.
/ Cadets Examine Machine Guns.
1 The high school cadets were in
structed in the use Of the differen
parts Of machine guns used In TIL
i j, 4 - *.