Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-05-07

It really, truly happened, that
nice story about little Red Riding
Hood. 1t happened on the stage
at the High school auditorium on
Friday evening. Sure enough. there
was the little girl herself with her
golden curls, bright red cape and
her basket of goodies for grand
mother. And there were all of the
village boys and girls who knew
everything that happened. And
oh, there was the awful old wolf
himself who was so fearful looking
that even some of the village chill
dren were so afraid of him that
they cried for their mothers, right
on the stage.
And that really did happen. For
realism. few operate performances
can exceed that of the children's
musical play. Little Red Riding
Hood" which was repeated on Fri
day by the children of st. Johns
parish and by Mrs. Elizabeth Brad
ford After the big scene between
the leading lady the wolf and the
woodman who saved the day with
his trusty axe, members of the
littliest chorus of bluebells became
so frightened that one refused to
go on the stage at all and another
cuddled in her corner hiding the
horrible sight from her eyes with
her hands.
The audience. composed largely
OF children, was delighted with the
whole performance and clapped
fhnir Al II II tsia 9tto Ifx,
young heads bobbing all over tho
house munched their marshmal-
lows and candy hearts impatiently
during the delay in the opening
curtain and the long waits between
acts Even one of the young gen.
tlemen OF the chorus was detect
ed in yawn late in the PERFORM
ance. He afterwards maintained
that he had only done that, how
ever, ito make 'em laugh"
Little Miss Douglas Geake,
daughter of George Geake, popular
tenor, was a credit to her fathers
profession throughout the per-
Torrance. singing the title role
with delicacy and artistry. She
was particularly pleasing in duet
numbers, the "Bye-bye" song with
the mother, Miss Olive Harden, in
the first act, away to Our Homes"
with the woodman. Langdon Leon
ard, in the third act. She carried
an amazing number of songs in
her memory for the whole operetta
and at times dramatized her part
with much fervor.
Miss Harden's airy, sweet voice
was heard to its best advantage IN
a bird song In the first act, one of
those "Tra, la. la. Ia" things which
isn't hampered by words. Among
the other adult singers, Mrs. w. {.
Jenkins as the grandmother, Lang
don Leonard as the jolly woodman,
and Buster Harden as the wolf. al
carried their parts well, although
the words of the latter were some
what muffled in his elaborate wolf
head piece. His woodworking was
very effective, however.
The woodland scene at dawn ir
the second act. which brought II
several pretty dances and songs BY
the flower girls, was charming
VILLA Salter as dawn awakening tn,
flowers displayed a robust voice OF
promise. Little Margaret Westlakt
did an elfin dance In this scene
Katherine Needham as a gorgeous
gold butterfly fluttered here ant
there in graceful ballet dance
Sybil McLandress as yellow
buttercup did a sprightly song ant
dance, and Mary sadie Normen
as rose sang a pretty aria Il
clear voice.
1t was the bluebells, however
who brought down the house. AL
though their ranks were somewha
depleted by the wolf episode. thret
little tots in blue and green flowe
costumes rose to the occasion ad
mirably. Mary Imogene Terry. nj
of four years old. sang her par
with great earnestness and effec