The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-05-17
When the Amateurs
Are Professionals
IBy G.. Walter Barr.1

lneTe Ia CERTAIN ndll IldIh on tuS
amateur artist of every kind, The
painter in water colors or oil, the
writer of essays, anecdotes, or even
newspaper paragraphs, the actor, can
none of them do work like the man or
woman who has learned the trade. am
more than grocer can make foot
stool that looks like it was bought in
q furniture store.
When the workman has worn Off
the hall mark Of the novice, he be-
comes a real artist.
Sometimes he wears off the mark
OF the apprentice so rapidly that
everybody is surprised.
That is In large measure the cause
of the wonderment expressed all over
Keokuk at the benefit given the
keokuk Concert band at the Grand
theater-everybody knows the men
on the house bills, but nobody knew
before that they are really artists at
ninstrelsy.
Milestone, BRASIL, Miller. Saylor.
Schwartz, Jones and Ball are real
black face comedians, without trace
of the amateur. although how they ac-
complished it is still something of
mystery here at home.
When one found a third part of
straight comedy, one felt reconciled
to some rather crude acting after the
good music. But the acting was quite
az good as that Of the common garden
variety Of companies touring the prov
inces about which the dramatic critic
writes sober and perfectly balanced
sentences and the public talks as
being the real thing in dramatic art.
Kenneth MILESTONE as the city Off
Gals was better than many profess
SIGNALS, John BRASIL as the judge Of
the court was genuine comedian.
and all the rest were entirely ade-
Quate.
Where and how Ben D. Cullinton,
who works at the powder works,
learned that female impersonation
and that Honolulu wriggle is beyond
guessing, but there are worse things
on Broadway drawing many dollars a
week. And how Leonard Matless. Jr,
lived this long on such superlatively
slim legs, and how he kept them from
growing while he was practicing the
things he does with them is beyond
the Psychologist, as we'll as the min
SIrGl ana VGuC6Vllle lGu
That the soldiers in the military
sketch that Miller and BRASIL put on
so well were real soldiers and not
actors was evident as soon as they
marched in, halted and come to order
arms. But it was quite as difficult to
remember that the others were not
real comedians, proud of their long
service in the big time.
The lightning, humorous sketching
by Charles Payton was very enter
tanning and was equally funny and
bright as we'll in its conceptions.
The first part opened with a sur
prise as soon as the curtain went up.
The stage setting was better than
some touring minstrels display and 1t
too was the handiwork OF KeokuR
young men. Arthur c. Lumberg was
the designer, and Elmer Keith and
William Buey were the scene painters.
The costumes were decidedly better
than some companies wear, and
helped make remarkably good stage
picture.
The most Of the time was consumed.
of course, with lhe musical numbers
in the first part. John Nodler in the
middle Of the semi-circle, and the
black face comedians on the ends,
were truly professional in form. More
over, the jokes were of the May, 1919,
crop, told for the first time.
The chorus singing was especially
good, well balanced, In perfect har-
mony, and with exactly enough Of
forte for the size Of the house. The
Al n ..1
must be given Dr. Wander Vanter and
John Nodler as soloists, chiefly be-
cause both are really professional
singers, or have been, with voice train
Ing by masters. The others were as
good as IS generally heard in min
strelsy, the only adverse criticism
being that one or two did not have
voices of sufficient volume to get far
enough into the rear Of the audience.
Much of the value OF the musical
numbers was given them by the con-
ductor, w. H. Bowers, who made the
orchestra really support the yocalists
If every measure Of the music.
The orchestra, which was heard to
better analysis during the intermis-
sion, deserves column Of type all for
1CSel1, LOT IL prayed III me lnoSt ue-
lightful manner, and with fine feeling
as we'll as technic. 1t has risen to
the quality Of making its technic but
the expression of the music in the
&C mpositions-and that is more than
many musicians do.
People from out of town, some OF
them with wide experience, said they
could not imagine a minstrel perform
ance, strictly home made throughout,
of the high quality of that heard here
the last two evenings.
The audience, of course, appreciated
that it was getting more than the
worth of it's money, and the second
night the attendance was nearly as
large as on Thursday evening when
the house was filled.
In the circle were DR.. M c. Vande
venter, Raymond Walker, Gustav Off,
Raymond Blood, Ted Erdsick, G. w.
Dickinson, G. K. Biddenstadt, Carl
Morris, J. T. Wycoff, Phil Chaser,
John HUDSON, VIM. Bird, Verne Plenge,