The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-06-30

Some months ago Charles Berkel
trooped into our home town with a
number of players and the idea that
popular priced stock would appeal to
Indianapolis theatergoers. He even
went so far as to include war tax in
his price list
Among those who trooped into the
city under the Berkell banner was one
Ida Belle Arnold. Then things be-
gan to happen. Nearly four months
has passed and this same Miss Arnold
is today the comedy favorita IN our
home town
Her success in building up a large
personal following is the more remark
able because Miss Jean oliver, leading
woman, has swept everything In front
of her from a popularity standpoint
Miss Oliver plays leads. Miss Arnold
does not Miss Oliver is an "Ameri-
can Queen" as one patron Of Eng
lish's told me. He also told me that
Miss Arnold was the funniest WON
an" on the stage today.
His verdict was given after Miss
Arnold had eappeared dressed in a
in Getting Gertie's Garter"
l. + l.
A woman can not be an artistic &C
cident" when she can convulse an au-
dience in any part she tackles. She
has done nothing better than her work
in The Gold Diggers' this week She
is cast as Topsy st. John. little New
York gold digger. who has dug her
way into the heart of plumber in St.
Louis. In the hands Of Miss Arnold,
the character is not overdrawn She
has a whale Of a comedy opportunity
in the last act and she walks away
with the show.
Miss Arnold is a good Snowman.
She knows how to get certain effects
out of specific material Above all, she
knows how to read lines rapidly so
that every word can be understood.
The truth is, Ida Belle Arnold is one
of the most interesting players who
came to town with the Grand Players.
Her personal following is exceeded
only Ivy Miss Oliver.
l. T. +
1t is Interesting to note what other
cities are doing along the municipal
theater idea. / have the following
letter from one of authority in the
Municipal Theater Association in ST.
Louis:
"All records in the long history of
Gustav Luder's Prince of Pilsen.' as
well as all records of the ST. Louis
Municipal Theater. were broken by
the seat sale of more than S35, 900
for the week which ended last night
Saturday.
That is $1,000 more than the larg-
est seat sale ever recorded for one
week in Municipal Opera s five years.
The next largest was $4,000 for Kali
mans Miss Springtime' of last year.
'"St. Louis entertained the Inter
national Rotary convention on Tues
day night-the Rotarians by vote hav-
ing chosen The Prince of Pilsen from
this years repertory for that purpose
and an audience Of 10000 saw the
performance. From Tuesday until
the close of the week with Sundays
performance, there was not vacant
seat in the theater, and crowds un-
able to get in lined the fences sur
rounding.
Altogether $1,000 persons saw The
Prince of Pilsen' during the week. OF
that number there were at least / 200
each night in the free section which
Municipal Opera maintains that no
st. Louisan may be deprived of the
pleasure of the entertainment for lack
of price The use of the new sound
amplifier and tone equalizing device
made it possible to hear every word
and every note in all parts of the
theater throughout the entire week,
and audience and management were
delighted with It's result"