Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-12-24

~ Mitcueil, carpenter ana Con-
tractor; Perkins 4 Wcldie, brick
layers and plasterers; w. Cox,
mason; Rogers Brothers. iron
front; George c. Macan. upholster-
cr; kthrwiodcr Brothers. fres-
cocrs Russell smith, scene paint
er; Gawtnrop|& & Bro. steam Mt
ters; James France painter; II. Il.
Piclsels. tin roofcr; r. &. Simpson,
mason Of steam apparatus, and
doubtless others whose names we
cannot now recall.
/ Tho list OF members OF the active
committee for the opening evening re-
calls number of the best-known
citizens OF half "A century age, aud the
| leading Masons of that time. The
last of that cotcrle to pass on to his
reward was lsaac c. Pyle. whose death
occurred but few months ago. after
ne had reached his cightieth birth
day. lie was good Mason through
and through.
Week Of Famous Players.
Following the grand bali came a
week of dramatic performances by the
the mana agemcnt of The Fords. OF Bal
timore. Tho cast included Mrs. Ber-
| nard, j. w. Wallack, Jr. ono OF the
best leading men and actors of his
| day; G. Il. Bishop, comedian of great
versatility. and, later, the father of
the star, who at first was quite ready
/ TO disown her for appearing on the
stage, but who eventually Joined her
company out OF sheer admiration for
! his brilliant and beautiful daughter
talents. She sang quite as well as SHE
acted, and. indeed. seemed TO bn a
woman ot extraordinary accomplish
ments. II was a gala week FOR play
goers. There were eight performances
which attracted patrons from all parts
Of the state and from surrounding
sections of Pennsylvania and Mary.
land.
THE Grand Opening" occurred on
Christmas afternoon. 1871, when the
company presented DAISY Farm" that
had found much favor in London. and
had but recently been imported. Tile
crowd was tremendous. Almost all the
city turned out. but only a small frac-
ton OF the throng was able TO gair
even footroom. There were flowers
and bouquets for the star and every.
body was pleased. delighted and en-.
thusiastic. The same evening tho
dramati2ed version OF Sir Waiter
SCott's Rob Roy was played and th,
house was again filled from the CALLER,
to tho aisles-to the smallest squar,
of standing room. There were NOR,
oh L.,
everyone went home enraptured ovei
the play and the playhouse
As You Like 1t was the bill 70,
Tuesday night, with Mrs. Bernard a.
Rosalind. She supplemented the par
by singing a Cuckoo Song, which adde,
90 her local repute. The Man witt
ihc Iron Mask followed on Wednes
day night, and neXj evening Mrs
Bernard took benefit unto herself.
frequent custom in those days, ap
rearing in bonnie Fish Wife" an,
Mr.. Wallack in Don Caesar do Raz zar
ON Friday the star was seen a
Ophella and wsllack az Hamlet, an,
= they appeared in Oliver Twist at tn
closing performance with repetition
lct Daisy Farm at a special matine
on Saturday. which crowded the hous
with women and children.
The repertoire for the memorabl
week may be taken as an illustration
OF the wide versatility of actors o
those days. for here is almost ever,
quality Of drama, and singing Bcsider
In the varied program.
1t is noted in the advertisements @
tho plays that matinee admission,
! with seats, were 80 cents. and at nigh
seats In the orchestra circle were on
dollar, while a box seating four NIGH
have been had for i've dollars.
The first. entertainment followin
the Opera House was lecture by tn
ltcv. =. a. Henson, a noted plstforr
orator of that time. for the benefit {
Delaware Avenue Baptist Church.
Since that memorable night,
years ago, the brightest and mos
brilliant stars OF the English -spealSin
armament have shone on the stage {
The Grand Opera House. What n
interesting galaxy it was In point {
ability il had never before been equa
I'd, and we rlight truthfully say W
shall never look upon IT'S liz
again, Ponder for moment the me
and women who strodc those board
To be sure. any list must begin wit
Edwin Booth and Joseph jefferson
Dion Bouccicault, Nat Goodwin, l.,
win Forrest, Forbes Robertson, Ricl
ard Mansfield, the Sothcrns-fath,
and son. Charles Fechtor, John Slecr
er Clark, John Drew, Francis Wilson
and such artists of the other sex Z
Madam Modjeska. Rosina Woke
Madame Ristori, Charlotte Thompson
Fanny Davenport, Madame Jana,
schck, Lotta Crabtree. Mary Andel
son, Susan Denim, Maggie Mitchell
Minnie Maddern--now the distinguish
ed Mrs. Fiske--MaXine Elliott, Lucil
Western, Genevieve Ward, Ro:
lCoughlan, Annie Ward Tiffany. an
such musicians as Ole Bull, Carlott
Patti, and singers OF such world wiC
repute rs Louise Kellogg, Emn
Thursby. and host of others scare,
~ less conspicuous i'm the places The
had won and held in esteem by u
music-loving world.
Booth In Hamlet and Iago.
Edwin Booth was here i'm the vel
heyday of his splendid career. and
have seen him here in Hamlet, or ;
the great lago was. indeed, to ha'
sat before the mightiest of the Angl
Saxon players, perhaps OF all times,
the best plays ever rendered In Il
English tongue. He came here sa,
dened 10y the shadow that cane acr7
fre family hearthstone, in the assass
nation of former President Lincoln !
his brother, the more promising act
of the two. and gave US HIS most
Illuminating INTERPRETATIONS Of the n.;.
ter dramatist
Almost everyone living in that tin
iTornor1ber,s Toeenh IaffcrSou'p nnpoa