The sun., 1919-04-21
GIRL USHER SAVES
MUSICAL COMEDY
Makes Good in "COme Along''
When One of the Chorus
Girls Becomes Ill.

Any young woman who aspires in the
future to begin her stage career as an
usher in a Shubert theatre is advised
to cultivate her voice, her face and
her terpsichorean muscles. This latest
elevation in the standards Of the drama
Is due to decision by the Shuberts,
caused by a recent occurrence In Come
Along at the Nora Bayes Theatre, to
give preference among applicants for
| ushers' positions to girls who can sing.
| dance and make eyes In accord with
the best traditions of the ladies OF the
ensemble.
A few minutes before curtain time on
Saturday night one of the chorus girls
In the musical comedy telephoned to the
stage manager that she was Ill and
would be unable to appear before her
public. Word OF this ran about like
wildfire among the white faced theatre
STAFF. and Bide Dudley, author Of the
book, was on the verge OF collapse.
However. Hattie King. one OF the girl
ushers, having declared she was famil-
lar with the business, was accepted
and the day was saved. She did so we'll
she has been engaged as one Of the
, regular standing army. But the rumor
is denied that the Shuberts intend to
| add a department OF artistic ushering
to the projected school OF dramatic Gull
ture
Finding that no man can serve two
masters-Sinclair Lewis and Kalidasa,
the Hindu poet-Director Frank Conroy
of the Greenwish Village Theatre has
decided on Saturday night to cut Hobo
hemia" OF without a penny. and to give
"Shakuntala" its due after 1900 years
by presenting II at all regular perform
ances to the hordes OF geniuses in Sheri-
dan Square. For this week "Hobohem mia
will be allowed refuge there until the
park benches become fit for occupancy.
Selwyn and Company have taken out
the first papers for a new play by Jane
Murfin. co-author of Lilac Time" and
other bits of dramaturgtc legerdemain.
1t is called The Mythical Prince" but
the leading role will be filled this spring
by another star besides George NJ. CO.
han, who intends in the future to con-
slider only the royalty that can be en-
tered In bank account.
Mollie King having returned to her
niche in Good Morning. Judge" the
dramatic tone OF the city appears to
have been restored. She left on Thurs
day night for religious reasons. but
stayed away the rest OF the week for
recreational reasons.
AS exclusively intimated In this paper,
our Pleasant Sins" will stalk forth at
the Belmont Theatre tonight with a
totally new shirt tail. third version
of the ending was tackled on after the
management and Thomas Broadhurst,
| the author, called a conference OF twelve
friends to view a special performance
given yesterday afternoon to decide the
controversy that has been raging all
over the scenery between author and
producers. These special consultants
after viewing both finishes, submitted ia
| them on approval, handed down a con-
current opinion that these should be
scrapped in favor of a compromise cur
tain based on both. So Mr.. Broadhurst
| and the management pooled their brains
| and devised an ending on which the
public can haYe Its innings.
Henry Hull, who has Just been In
| serted by the Shuberts into a three year
contract in company with Constance Bin
| ney, has developed a fear that the eRop-
erty department at the Broadhurst
Theatre may slip him some eggs for the
| breakfast scene OF "39 East" that may
resemble too closely the eggs that have
| often been the traditional feature OF
| theatrical performances. So he has
placed a standing order with an up
State poultry farm for two dozen fresh
eggs each week, apparently having nc
fear Of his art growing bilious.
AS Martha Hedman is the ignitinG
| spark in Three for DIANA" opening al
the Bijou Theatre tonight, THE Dan
GER" in which she appeared recently
will be kept out of sight until August
| e. f. Albee, owner OF the p. f. Keith
| vaudeville circuit. having once more
been named by the Liberty Loan Com
mittee as chairman of the Theatrical
| Motion Picture and Amusement Inter
ests strata of the new drive. has not
only accepted without pausing to think
but has already started the Precipitation
| flowing at a committee meeting at his
headquarters, 1857 Broadway. Having
a spare quarter OF an hour, he has also
organized a special train that will leave
here to-day with 200 guests. including
| George NJ Cohan. to attend the opeDine
| tonight of the new Il. +. Albee Theatre
in Providence, which is said to be posi-
tive revelation to that city of the bes
there is in the world.
| Brig Gen. Cornelius Vanderbilt las
Saturday night purchased the entir,
seating capacity OF the Winter Garder
for his old comrSnd, the former Twenty
second Regiment OF New York En-
gineers, and 100 men attended ant
voted the General regular person.