The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-11-09

/, good" while many others smiled a knowing sort of smile which said more plainly than words, Oh he'll be back soon!' And so when I got my foot on l theNladder which leads to big things thought of you. my dear friend, and 1 l want to thank you again for your l kindness and goodness and confidence in me. I've just started, but I'm going to keep on going, and Dolly's belief in me will help me. You told me many I times that my songs and skits were clever and different. You know the atricals, and I knew that you knew 1 That knowledge was a great help to a i chap who had never seen New York production previous to the time he left dear old Birmingham. Now, I'll tell 1 you about Trent tpa tion." Pardon me | if l rave over or seem to be laying it on too thick" but the production is nearest my heart and it's made a big l hit and I'm proud of it.
 Temptation" is an allegorical op- eretta in seven scenes. It has been
 declared the best act ever produced in vaudeville is being paid $3,000 week which is $500 more than any other act | has ever beem paid. It opened five i weeks ago and is now booked for two solid years. It opened at the Palace yesterday and the manager told me to-
  | a hold-oyer next week and wants it for
 two more if he can get it. When you realize that the Palace is the recog- nized premier vaudeville house in this country and that we have the famous l Jane and Katherine Lee (Lee Kids of picture fame) and the Creole Fashion Plate besides, on the bill. and against l them we have taken first honors. l +t'Temptation'f represents an invest Of pIa we Besides the cast of 14 people we have our own musical director, stage man. ager, electrician, wardrobe mistress and valet There is no chorus. In the act . with MT. Kaliz the star, are Shella : Courtney, last year with What's in Name?" Dorothy Smol1er of "The Checkerboard;" Marie Hahn, for three and one-haif years with Pavlova; Paul. line Garon. the beautiful little French girl, who made such hit in the New York cast of "Buddies." Our male dancer was with Gertrude Hoffman for two years.
 Lam enclosing you hurried descrip- 1 tion of the act, but it will give you some idea of it, at least. have given up my office because I have to devote 1 my time to writing now and have no time to waste in town. I am at work l on three acts Gall as large as the pres- ent one). and each one already con tracted for. They will be playing be- fore the first of the year. With kindest regards to Mr. Stanley, Paul Cook and the rest of the good old l Age-H Herald bunch, am, yours sin | cerely, SIDNEY F. LAZARUS. Walton Hotel Seventieth street and l Columbus Avenue. The description which MT. Lazarus l sends me of Temptation suggests 1 most fantastic and original idea. When !! the curtain rises the audience sees ! black curtain on which is tremendous 1, snake. 15 feet high, green spot light ! shows it's jewel encrusted skin. The | mouth opens, the fang darts out and the 1 eyes (small green electric lights) wink l The snake speaks: Creatures of Impulse, Behold in Me |
 Your Master. Temptations: Both day and night I glide and crawl ] Across the path of mortals all. tempt the man who sweats and tolls | l crush the rich ones in my coils And oh what fools you mortals be To think that you can cope with me. Not in this form do l appear, For then Temptation wou would fear dress myself in rament fine And sing and dance and wine and dine | Intoxication fires your brain And Chance lures you with hopes of |
 gain. Passion masquerades as bliss
 And hides its poison in a kiss-s-s-s-s
 Thus one by one you weddings, fools, l make of you my slaves my tools"
 Then the curtainyrises and man is ] discovered at the crossroads, beneath f, a sign post. One arm points to Vice" ! the other to Virtue" He sings
 At the crossroads of life here stand |
 in dread-- EN
 Which one of the paths am I to tread
 Shall turn to the left or turn to the l right,
 On whom shall I look to for guidance | and light.' 'Virtue," Vice" "Chance.r 'Intoxi- cation,' ''Extravagance" and "Passion" | then tempt the man and he makes his 1 choice. Of course, following tha "Prim- rose Path."
 Then follows ballet by four wonder ful dancers. The scene is the Garden of | Eden. You might picture how beautifuid it is when I tell you that the tree has g gold and silver apples on it and cost S1.200 to construct. The story of Adam . and Eve is played in pantomine. Adam and Eve are sent out of the garden Che carries her on his shoulders), while l lightning flashes and thunder roars.
 Then follows a song and dance with i "Extravagance,' and following this is a | scene of five minutes played in a gam bling house by Man" and Chance" It | is straight. dialogue, without music. and | is played inside the house." The fol- | lowing scene isin a cabaret where 'In- toxieation' holds sway. The walls of the room are silver. cloth and the posts are cones of gold cloth. lighted from within by many colored lights. Several I sonos and speciality dances are here in- troduced. The Man keeps getting | drunker and drunker;" Virtue" dis guised as s flower girl pleads with him tin song) to give up "Intoxication." As ! the Man" finishes song praising the good qualities of drink. the girls all