The Lakeland evening telegram., 1920-12-14
AMERICAN LEGION
MINSTREL PROGRAM
DREW FULL HOUSE

The big audience that greeted the
American Legion Minstrel Show last
evening at the Auditorium was with
the performers from start to finish,
and the affair goes down in Lakeland
histrionic history as one Of the big
local talent successes.
The Boys Symphony Orchestra
gave a short concert, then the cur,
tain went up on a darkened stage
from which issued the unaccompan-
led voices of the lineup in "Old Black
Joe." The lights went on and Mike
Dorsett limped across the stage to
add touch of realism to the song.
The whites wore their soldier
uniforms, the end-men and other
"blacks" being in purple minstrel
costume, and in the background the
Twentieth Century Jazz Orchestra
were on a raised platform. Capt.
Steitz presided as interlocutor with
such rare combination Of ease and
dignity that one might suppose he had
interlocuted all his life.
Clarence Christy made big hit in
the very beginning with his What
you Gonna Do When There Amt NJ
jazz" He was followed by Billy
Norvell in hauntingly sweet mel,
ody, Down the Trail to Home, Sweet
Home accompanied by the American
Legion Quartette.
Roger Ford came next, and with
more gyrations than are shown in
the catalogue, presented Sweet
Mamma, Papa's Getting Mad.
Estel Johnson and the quartette
rendered Daddy. You've Been a
Mother to Me- with all the pathoa
Of that popular song.
Then came Bin Mccormack with
the captivating melody, Venetian
Moon,' given with finish and feeling
Paul Sammon, end-man, accom-
panied by a forlorn-looking cur, gave
"Du-Dah" with that professional
touch that has endeared Paul to
Lakeland audiences.
ROY Mcintyre, end-man, gave l
Love the Land of Old Black Joe" l..
a true minstrel manner.
Others in the lineup were John
Scott E. Edison, Fred Sloan, E, E.
Lusk. Henry B. Mccall, John Wright
p v. Yohn, John Stubs, H. d. Men
denhall Harry Frazier, Frederick
Johnson, Sam Gibson, Foster Sloan'
Roy Everett, and Mr.. Palmore'
The curtain went down on tne
GRAND finale by the entire company
and the next number was an over
ture by the Boys Symphony orches-
fra directed by T. Stanley Fllpert'
This organization was cordially re-
ceiyed by the audience.
s. L. Norris, with his 'ole oan1o'
strol,ed on the stage and gave a pt
of singing and dancing followed Oy
uortriIoouist stunt that was the equal
:, onv we have seen here in vaude-
vile.
Mike Dorsett in an original black
face monologue increased MS aire"u'
enormous popularity.
The next number was the Twen-
tiotb Century "Jazz' Band, and never
were thex in finer trim and they had
> bord time breaking away from their
insistent audience.
This feature was followed by some
.or, clever sketchng by VIM. j. NC
rormck. who made his pictures with a
fow rapid. sure strokes, using as the
,ost an illustration of his song, We
netian Moon.
Tra ,ost act of the big show was
sri+ entitled "The Wireless Ieie
nbone : i" Paul sammon, divested Oh
tis negro makeup, took the part 0.
tho wireless telephone CRATER anu
Happy Mack" tROy Mcintyre, rev, was :,
his negro assistant, whose dlvep.lns ep.r, :
ant;cs and blunders created spasmS
Of of' laughter. Roger Ford, calling Bu-
=, os.non,s Cafe, Clarence Christy' an
onnnving nice little boy who Wanteu
e-A--- nr knfTOWs do