Omaha daily bee., 1919-06-14
The Play S the Thing
A Breezy Review Of New York Stage Written
Especially for Sunday Theatrical Pages
Bv ZAYDA GLOVER.

New York, June l3.-Musical Com
edy easily occupies first place as the
favoritc diversion Of the Metropol-
itan season now approaching the
ssere and yellow" Even the lin
gerie farce" = popular and mush-
room as it has become-must yield
40 the drawing power of the more
refined musical show. Melodrama
has had some vogue. So has polite
comedy. But for continuous draw
ing power, for sheer power to fur
nish entertainment, for ability to
thoroughly satisfy all audiences, the
new style musical comedy has@un-
questionably established itself in the
premier position.
Nor is the reason far to seek. The
mood Of American audiences for the
past year has been exceptional. It
has run strongly to the lighter kind
of show. Playgoers have demand
cd amusement, pleasant diversions,
laughter. They have not cared
except in few and marked instan-
ces--to witness performances in
which their feelings have been ruff
fed or their emotions harried. I'm
doubtedly this. has been the result
ut the reaction from the stress and
grief Of war.
Oddly enough the soldier boys re-
turning from the front in France
have had much to do in moulding
Z The seasons theatrical character. A
veteran manager estimated the other
day that at least $4,000 men in kha-
ki attend New York theaters week
{ IN, and these men are almost unani-
NOUS in their demand for the light
production.
Give me show full of good
laughs" is their cry to the box Of
ilccs.
The general public has kept step
with them.
One Of the pioneers in musical
comedy popularity is 1.-THE Velvet
Lady" It is replete with tuneful
airs, pretty scenery, ninble girls,
amusing situations and best of all,
George O'Ramey's makeup as the
broad coincidence. Few actresses,
especially as pretty as Miss Dram
ey is, would have the courage to
make up as the acme of home1iness,
as Miss O'Ramey does. Fewer
still have the ability to depict with
as much fnesse the bibulous maid.
Susie from Sioux City. 1t would be
easy for her to overstep the bounds
of propriety. but despite the uncer-
tainties IN her feat she manages to
restrain them from offense. She
kisses lavishly, but wholesomely.
She talks unctuously and laughs in
toxicatingly. One gets from Miss
O'Ramey's performance the kind Of
refined enjoyment that bespeaks the
real coincidence.
Julian Mitchell, the well-known
stage director, has been signed BY
Oliver Morosco to stage three mus
ical productions for next season.
Nj. Mitchell 10 busy on the first
one, entitled, Wanted, A Thrill"
the book Of which will be written
by Glen McDonough with music by
Alfred Goodman Matthews.
Mr.. Mitchell is busy on the first
On The way to the coast for 4
summer season, Henry Miller and
Ruth Chatterton will appear in
Oma1la and Salt Lake City in "A
Marriage Of Convenience" the de-
ightful Dumas play which met with
great approval at Henry. Miller's
sheater here and afterward in Chi
cago and other cities.
The tours of Miss Chatterton in
The Merry Month of May" and
Mr.. Miller and Blanche Bates in
Moliere" will be practically
identical and about a week apart.
After the larger California cities
have been visited, Portland, Seattle.
Boise, Salt LAX. City, Denver and
OQnaha will be favored.
Lew Fields is rehearsing aThe
cnely Romeo. which win BE