The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1923-08-16
RECORD BREAKER At
LAKEWOOD THEATRE

Last Monday night was a record
breaking night for Lakewood Thea
tire, many people being turned away
because of the crowded condition of
the theatre building. There were
many attractions, it being the initial
appearance Of EAST Is West" by the
stock company, the amateur perform
ance of the Country Grocery Store"
and the battle of music in which the
regular orchestra, NThe Kings of Har-
mony and the Castle Bar Society Or
chestra played for the long program
of dances. There was so much do
ing that night at Lakewood that the
newspaper man had difficulty in fol-
lowing the trend of affairs. Praise
and favorable press notices are gen.
orally due not only Lakewood Stock
Co. for their splendid rendering of
the delightful comedy East is West"
but Samuel Shipman and John B.
Hymer, the authors of the comedy as
well. The stage settings are in
themselves a real show with colorful
scenery and oriental effects. This
scenery was reproduced at Lakewood
from the stage settings of the New
York performances and was carried
out to an unusual degree of perfec-
ton by Charles Perkins, the Lake
wood theatre scenic artist. Mia
Mack, the charming wife of Roy
Briant, played the role of Ming Toy
in the lead for the week with Walter
Kingsford as Lo Sang Kee in the lead
ing male role. The love boat on the
Yang-tse River, in China is plen-
did representation of the love boat
shown in the play on the bigger
theatrical stages. One local girl,
Miss Bertha Cayouette assists in this
love boat prologue Of which Henry
Crossen is the proprietor. Others of
the company who are playing this
week in this famous play are Robert
Hudson, Richard Halliday, David Wal
ters, William Watts, Barry Whitcomb,
Albert Hickey, Dorothy Stickney
Jessamine Newcomb and Mary Halli-
day. The play itself is delightfully."-
Oriental and the interior of Lo Sang
KEGS home takes the audience over
the seas to the strange abodes of
Chinese people. The costumes are
quite as interesting and beautiful,
coming from Chrisdie's in New York.
Miss Mack in her leading role is being
graciously received by the Lakewood
audiences.
The amateurs for Monday evening
presented an interesting sketch of
country grocery store, with John b.
Hymer as the proprietor and Roy
Briant as his son and assistant. Doris
Sylvester of Skowhegan and Dorothy
Stickney of the Lakewood company
were among the customers while Tom
Tempest, who is at the Hymer cot
tage.~ereated much amusement as the
breezy travelling salesman. An es-
pecially good feature of the country
grocery act was the dancing by Gun
boat Smith, one of the colored per-
formers at the carnival which closed
at Lakewood the same night. At the
conclusion of the performances prizes
were awarded to the holders of cou-
pons given last week, these gifts in
Guiding baskets of groceries, umbrel- |
las and aluminium ware. The gift of |
baby which had been much herald !
ed proved to be a little pig dressed |
in baby clothes
Mr.. Hymer will continue these Mon |
day night entertainments for the rest |
of the season and next Monday night |
Mr.. Hymer will have a snappy produc-
ton free to all attending the regu-
lar performance
The battle of music was waged long
and royalty by the two aggregations
of players. but the patrons remained |
satisfied with their regular orches-
ira. The evenings pleasures lasted |
until tho morning hOurG and tho |
crowd departed from Lakewood !
grounds after an evening of varied !
pleasures.