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Show PLAYS AND PLAYERS. H At Pittsburg the Boslonlans are H ( Miming that the performance of "The Muecn of Laughter," given there last .Monday night, was the llrst one. A Pittsburg dispatch snys of It: "A large H iid fashionable audience greeted the H Costonians to hear the Initial per- B fo nuance of the romantic comic opera, ' The Qufcen of Laughter." Miss Ysabr-1 1 Kaplan, who wrote the book, and fcJ. William Brady, the composer of the' 1 uisle, were called before the curtain nid applauded. The time of the story - set In the sixteenth century, the place Lugubria, and. whle there are several sirs that may become popular, the opera In its entirety can hardly be classed as up to the Bostonkins' standard." Easl-i Easl-i ru people are no better able, to enjov than were the Western audiences It wn's H rled on. H ft AVagenhals & Kemper, have secured H for Frederick Warde and ICatheiine 1 Kidder for next season Stanislaus 1 Stange's play. "The Daughter of Hami- mr." The play will be given an elabo-H elabo-H :ate production. H S. William Brad, who is responsible H for the score of "The Queen of Laugh- H ler." is theoungest of American, com- H porcre. He Is 26 years of age and an H American. " H Mark Gray Lyon was buried in Keo- H kuk. 'la., recently. On April 23, 1879, j he caused excitement by firing two 'hots .-"at Edwin Booth in McVIcker's B ihcatcr, Chicago. He wrongfully J ilaimed that Mr. Booth was his father. H Whisky and vanity prompted the act. H WilliamFavcrsham's new play next Iln Garland's "Hespor." Tho work of 1 dramatizing the novel Is being dono by Channlng Pollock. During Mrs. Flake's engagement In San Francisco two of the threo books most in demnnd at the public library were "Hedda Gablcr" and "A Doll's llou.90," the Ibsen dramas Mrs. FIske played there. O 1 In a recent interview Wilton Luckaye gave iui interesting account of how he achieved hi grotesque make-up for Svengall in -'Trilby." "I have paid a great deal of attention to make-up." said Mr. Lackaye. "Many actors think little about It. Some don't use it at all. Joseph Jefferson doesn't. He never makes up. But, in my. opinion, 'make-up plays a largo part in an actor's success. When he comes on properly made up, he has played his prologue. I ascribe much of my success suc-cess as Svengali to my make-up. Probably Prob-ably the best known of the formulae of acting is, "Curves- are the lines of beauty; angles nro the lines of strength.' A character like Svengall, strong, unscrupulous, determined, has no curves. Nature has been overklnd to me in tho matter of curves, to I needs must eliminate them. I made up my eyebrows to form peaks. There were two angles. I made up deep. pointed shadows under the eyes. Two more angles! I selected a long, pointed beard. Another facial angle. My hair I combed to 'form a pointed eret. giving me still another angle. To reduce my figure to Machiavellian lines was a harder task. I ordered a coat that lit ine ay snugly as a corset. "The coat-tails had a decided slant, and there 1 had more angles. The sleeves were made short to give length to my hands. I drew long, purple lines on the back of my hands between the fingers to make them look longer. My trousers were so tight that had the scams been a quarter of an ich deeper 1 could not have walked. My' ."hoefi were long and pointed, my collar high. There was quite enough angle when we had finished." Daniel Frayley has done so well In South Africa that he has extendsd hie season, and trays that he will remain away from America all of next season, playing return engagements at Capo Town and Johannesburg, following with a visit to Ceylon, then a tour through China, Japan, returning by tho way of Hawaii, reaching San-' Francisco In June. 1005. After a short engagement in 'Frisco and Los Angeles. Mr. Frawley will proceed to New York. . To mark what will prove the- record run of the season among the strictly dramatic productions, David Belasco and Maurice Campbell signalized the one hundred and seventy-fifth performance perform-ance of Henrietta Crosmnn In the Belasco play, "Sweet Kitty Bellairs," by a special matinee on Thursday. May 12. At this performance and at the one hundred and seventy-sixth, the same evening, appropriate souvenirs were presented to each woman patron, consisting of handsome copies of "The Bath Comedy." from which the play waa taken. Thus, for the third successive succes-sive time. Mr. ' Belasco will carry off first honors of the season, as the play will be given more than 200 times. Paul Tletjcne. ,the composer of the musical play, "The Wizard of Oz," is, engaged to Miss Eunice Hammond, daughter of the late vice-president of the National Bank of Illinois, The young 'couple met in Paris, where Miss Hammond Is studying art and Mr. TIetjens is building a European reputa-' lion as a musician. The wedding Is fixed for May 24, in the chapel of St. Sulpiee. Paris. Do Wolf Hopper was strolling down Broadway, New York, with his head high in the air, when he walked Into an open coal hole on the east side of the thoroughfare, between Forty-fourth and Forty-fifth streets. Only his right leg went down. When he pulled It forth lie was shy half a yard of trousers and skin. Striking a thinking attitude, while several curious pedestrians gazed at him, Hopper sprang this original joke: "The lid is off." Then he limped away. ( Joe JefTerson has decided to cut his season next year to six weeks. He , played thirteen this sensor.. The new Iron curtain which has been hung' at the Memorial theater. Stratford, Strat-ford, bears the happy legend; "For the especial safety. Hamlet." V ' Rose Coghlan tells this story: I can recall only one experience of an adventurous order. It occurred one peason when Frederic de Belleville. Charles Walcot and A. S. Llpinan wore members of our company. We had taken a special traltl at Kansas City on our way to St. Louie. Owing to a heavy snowstorm we were sidetracked for twelvo hours in a mountainous section sec-tion of the country that had beep invested in-vested with an organized gang of bandits. ban-dits. We were sitting down to while away the time with a game of cards, when to our horror a ruffianly gang of-indlviduals of-indlviduals were seen approaching the car. De Belleville rushed for his trusty rapier, Walcot brandished a pistol, while Llpman seized a top-heavy cane. They were all prepared to die game, and vowed the bandits should only reach me over their dead bodies. When the bandits caught sight of the murderous mur-derous weapons and noticed the look of deadly determination In the eyes of my chivalrous protectors, they seemed completely unnerved and began a precipitous pre-cipitous retreat. De Belleville Jumped from the car, and, seizing one of the bandits by the collar, struck mortal terror to his soul by demanding an immediate im-mediate confession of their Intentions. We ain't agoln' to steal nothln," said the fellow. 'We Jest came down to see If yez wouldn't play The Lady of Lyons for us while yez Is snowed up.' " Robert Edeson, who has concluded his season In "Ranson's Folly," is to present a new play of American life next season. Its first performance will occur In January. A London dispatch to the Chicago Tribune says: "One of the most fashionable fash-ionable audiences of the season gathered gath-ered at Wyndam's theater tonight when Charles Frohman presented II. H. Davles's three-act comedy. 'Cynthia,' 'Cyn-thia,' with Miss Ethel Barrymore In the title role. It was a double event In the sense that both play and nctress were . txLd la London, and while both i passed the lest with success It was the actress who chiefly scored. When tho curtain fell on the third act there was warm applause, which continued until Mlsa Barrymore appeared alone before the footlights. Miss Barrymore showed signs of extreme nervousness, but with the growing sympathy of the audience as tho play progressed this became less apparent, and by the middle of the second sec-ond act she appeared to be In full possession pos-session of her powprs. .When the curtain cur-tain fell on the .charming scene in which Cynthia's husband discovers that his momentary suspicions were baseless Miss Baz'rymore had entirely won the good will of the house."' at Notwithstanding the highly flattering reception of "The Prince of Pllsen'-in London by the first night audience, the London papers, from the Times downward, down-ward, are practically unanimous in' condemnation of the production. The Dally News remarks that "as a comic opera it proves that New York is about ten years behind London In music, dialogue, dia-logue, characterization and scenic setting." set-ting." Eddie Foy tells a story' of the period during which, he admits, he thought himself a bit of "a winner" among the I ladles, says the New York Times. According Ac-cording to Mr. Foy's account, he was much smitten with a young woman whose father was riulte partial to pets. Among the old man's collecti.on was a parrot, which was a particularly line conversationalist. One evening Mr. Foy remarked that a friend of his possessed pos-sessed a bird almost as clever as this one, and he added, somewhat facetiously, facetious-ly, that his, friend's parrot could imitate imi-tate to perfection the sound of a kiss. "Is that among tho,accompllshments of our feathered treasure in the cor-jier?" cor-jier?" asked he. Whereupon the young woman, with some show of indignation, responded: "It is not. I'll have you understand, sir, that our parrot does not attempt an imitation of a sound he is not accustomed accus-tomed to hear." "Just as- the words were out of her mouth," concluded Mr. Foy. "the pur-rot pur-rot chimed In with: 'Watt, John, dear, till T take this horrid bird out of the room!' " 3 l William A. Brady finds some solace In the news that "The , Wheat King", has failed in London. When word came that Frank NonTs's novel had been dramatized, Mr. Brady thought his plan for the presentation of the Pollock version In London had been upset, and his wrath was so explosive as to -cause much worry, to his friends. Mr. Brady's inclination was to take passage to, England Eng-land and teach the pirates a lesson with his lists. But now he bos sobered down and sees hope ahead. Tt seems ns if Mr. Brady's production may actually profit from "The Wheat King," as out of the angry discussion about the play has come great talk In England about the .successful production In America, Nance O'Nell is still holding Boston captive by the worth the citizens of the Hub llnd in her performances. She lias recently scored a great success in "Macbeth," and Is now presenting the play In n version that demands tho raising of the first curtain at 7:46 o'clock. The recent death of Kate-Claxton's son has brought about the final retirement retire-ment of the famous actress. She was proud of the lad and entertained great hopes of his future, and the death was a severe blow. Rcently while playing In Anderson, Ind., the actress was overcome by emotion and wept for more than half an hour. She says she is weary of life in the theater," and will not play again. All the. time that had been booked for her company haa been canceled. Last week one of the army of chorus rIHh entered the office of Frank Pcrloy In New York with it dazzling smile and an air of extreme prosperity. Mr. Per-ley Per-ley received her, although he did not rempmbcr her name. "How dec do?" said the blonde, with' a smile, her diamonds aflash. "I came In to thank you." The visit- ( or was effusive. "I'm doing very well now, but I never forget a frJend. I've often though how good you wore to me. Do you remember how I met you on j .Broadway six years ago, and told you old had discharged me, and you lent mo a twenty?" "I do remember now." "Yes, It was so good of you. I wanted youi to know I' appreciated your kindness. kind-ness. So glad to have seen you again. Good-by!" She gave him the high handshake nnd an effulgent smile and departed. When she had gone Mr. Perley looked at his hand, still poised aloft. It was empty. He examined tho rug. She had not dropped tlie bill there, nor on his desk. But he had. the woman's word that she appreciated his kindness. kind-ness. t Miss Amy RIcard, tho girl from Butte, Mont., -in "The Stubbornness of Geraldlne," retired from the cast of "Babes in Toyland" at the beginning, of the Boston run. ' She was succeeded In the role of Contrary Mary by Miss Margarite Clarke, who is remembered here foi1 her work in De Wolf Hopper's production of "Mr. Pickwick." Millie James; In private life Mrs. Edgar Ed-gar Stachelberg, says she has given up the stage for good and all, and as a consequence Charles B. Dillingham,, i her former manager. Is left with a lot of plans on hand. The success made by Miss James In 'The Little Princess" Induced Mr. Dillingham to have Paul Kester write n play for the little star. Haddon Chambers was also ordered to construct a play for Miss James. The authors were paid $1000 in advance royalties. roy-alties. Then Mr. Dillingham paid Clyde Fitch $2500 in advance on "Little Nell," -which, Mr. Fitch was writing to lit the actress. At a recent banquet in London one of the speakers was W. S. Gilbert. In the course of his remarks lie referred to the compliments which had been paid him by Sir Arthur Sullivan for producing produc-ing clean plays. He told how both he and the composer had depended on a supposed Japanese authority to supply them with an air appropriate to the entrance en-trance of the Mikado in the opera of that namb. The authority recommended recommend-ed what he said was the Japanese national na-tional anthem, and they adopted it. The air had been performed many thousands thou-sands of times since. It was only long after the opera had been produced that an undoubted authority, while praising the work generally, expressed his amazement that the authors had woven in tho air one of the riskiest songs ever sung in Japan. When, therefore, he was applauded for the cleanliness of his efforts, he remembered how he and his late colleague had been Induced to take up one of the most disgraceful songs Imaginable. |