OCR Text |
Show 1 Wtf Zte 7r Nighters II : . The Leighton playors have made friends. They f ,i i also played "Friends" on their opening and while ;' Ws the play possibly did not give to each of the ! 'i players any groat opportunity yet on the whole i lr the verdict of the playgoers has been one of Tril approval for the clever work of the organization h i I that has come to the Grand for a stay of some y ! weeks. Surely no company could have made its .; 1 1 initial bow to a more fashionable or enthusiastic A ! i audience, and the welcome accorded the stran- i ir 1 1 gers proved two things, first that Salt Lake City - B f really wanted a stock company and secondly " b that it is generous to a visitor who announces a I, l lengthy stay. ; ., 1 1 Local Interest was heightened by the fact that j S vthe company selected for its opening play the ' 'V i I first work of Ned Itoylo and also that one of the ' rt I I members of the company was a brother of Mrs. fj 1 I Riser, of this city. Then many of the members h came with introductions from old Salt Lakers :'n 1 ;i who are now to bo found along the Great White . 'I jjjj f Way so that the actor folks did not feel entirely $'..! H I as strangers. Of the men, Messrs. Leighton, H . g I Chambers- and Clarke had the best opportunity B. 6 V'!:f in "Friends," while Miss Emily Dood and Miss H I ' jane Fearnley took prominence in the wo- B , . men's parts, these five making good in every H I , ,1'f llne- Mlss Dodd ls altKtlier charming, of a H I i fine stage presence, with a strong, yet softly H '!t '';' I 'i modulated voice and withal a stylisli dresser so H ! "' j , we can look for some excellent creations and HW . j 1 1 good work on the part of the loading woman. H 4 ' r Hr Miss Fearnley is clllc and 110 doubt bo B 'ill Si secn in mSnuo roles to advantage. Miss Scott PH' I; HE nncl Miss Qellmrt navo not nnd thoir cuanc0 aB ! H yGt but from n passing glance one would say that H T' ') 1 tliey wil1 comPlete t0 tno utmost satisfaction the Hf fu n 1 women of the company. Mr. Leighton and Mr. HP "jj'nf ? Chambers were both good while Mr. Clarke per- 1 'r g i formed most creditably the character of Otto. Good clothes and accessories helped to make , , m the production a good one and Mr. Lelgliton's , , , J I' little speech of thanks was really a gem in its 1 j'tjj f way. Here's luck to you, Leighton playors, and i T I B I may you leave Utah's capital with the same feel- M I ng of delbt as was evidenced by you on the r jLj;$ I reception Monday evening. 8 '' R I There is some times omnipotent suggestion in ''Y V4 B a name aud those of the ardent playgoers who f'& "1 Bl foresaw in "Alice-slt-by-tho-lliro," the limit of boreal bore-al ''III ffl (lom rePsd by tno,r own lieartli sides and uvold- 'I'lliB 0(1 wliat r BarrIe nad prepared, ostensibly as a ' f i f B pleasing form of drama. The only derivation u') trom the piece is probably in the picture that t fj H while in India it i& all right to do as "good In- 'f'i H dlans" do, but never attempt to introduce into ,;$ ''E civilized Brittany the innocent customs of the ,' f. ;; Kf; Hindoos. Especialy while a play-stricken maid 4 ; is at large In your apartments. B'Hw fill No morftl 8tory is tld; no social theme is I VsiK expounded: "Alice-SIt-by-The-Fire" is construct- ll 0(1 In tlie maln ot 8llly 1Ines an(1 nonsensical sit-uatlons sit-uatlons too ridiculous to be InterMtag. The il- H; jl M I luBions of unsophisticated maldent, who delve so n'JI seriously into moral tone of problematical plays y ' mWM aB to drftW Parallels of tlie players in their own K- :iflH domestic environments. ljHH Miss Knott shines to about the same extent BBWKB as does the vehicle of her present selection. For HjraBHf frantic acting there is never a minute that Alice HUHfBl is not working and every situation is converted HHBm into a mad scene that would do credit to the HffiRHS mnBt emotional heroine of melodramatic stage. PSjHgP Around this leading lady is gathered a company Hlfl If! in thc reater Part capable of better things that Ira! jf' this piece lias t0 offer' Mls8, "Viola ICnott, PPSI i daughter of Roselle, ls possessed of a pleasant B'f il S stage bearing and a clear voice though given B!lf '!k IB' little scope as "Amy Grey." As a comedienne, Miss Grace Gibbons is a bright light even in this doll piece and shows qualifications for char-actors char-actors requiring greater comic ability. In all justice to the other members of the cast we can only say they all succeeded in producing all that their respective parts allowed. t & The Lyric has been playing to good houses all week to a bill that is nicely balanced and includes in-cludes some very good numbers. Commencing this afternoon there will be an entire change of program, which consists of Williams & Rose, in their comedy sketch, "Christmas Eve;" Frank Coombs and Muriel Stone, in the "Last of the Troupe;" Charles H. Duncan, the Jolly Singing Sing-ing Commedian; Kurtiss and Busse with their There was not muoh to the "Cowboy Girl" song of Morrow and Miss Schelberg, neither of the pair having any more vocal power than is ordinarily or-dinarily allowed. Dorothy Kenton with her banjo proved a clever clev-er entertainer, and compares favorably with other performers on that instrument of which we have recently been favored with a few. One of the star and likewise most expensive attractions of the present season is on the bU1 this week and there can be no mistake about who ls the headliner. Papinta in her dazzling dances, was the marvel of all who saw the show. Her fire dance with mirror and electrical effects, is one of the most spectacular acts that shows on vaudeville boards anywhere. L BUBBBBBBw... , , t ... iwl L LOUISE MINX. With Ned Wayburn's Dancing Daisies at the Orpheum- trained toy jjrriers; William Windon in the "Colored Nursogirl," with changes in the motion pictures and illustrated song. i & &l A splendid concert program and the most spectacular dance ever seen hero and there you have all that is really good of this week's bill at the Orpheum. The playlet "Now," by the Davenport Daven-port company, was one of those sketches which falls far short of its purpose and is not the sort of stuff that makes vaudeville appreciable. Barring Bar-ring this one number, the bill is all to the good, though mostly musical. Charlotte Ravenscroft not only has a clear tuneful voice, but handles the Violin with the grace of an artist. The RIalto quartette is an attraction in itself as one of the best numbers of this sort seen in a long time. Another good bill is promised for the week commencing Monday. ' J Jt Lillian Rusaoll, in her new play, which Is to be produce at the Salt Lake Theatre April 12 and 13, has one of the comedy hits of the year. Kollett Chambers, the younp playwright, has utilized a subject ill which the public is deeply interested, that is International marriages and divorce laws. In a olover satirical vein, he has a laughable and interesting story in "The Butterfly." Butter-fly." The action of the play treat of a young widow of a millionaire who made his money In railroads and soothes his conscience oy giving it to the church. Betsy Killlgrew has lived all her days in a restricted atmosphere. Young and iuLEuCe the money which the old magnate hoadecl so carefully. With her wealth she wants a title. A fortune hunting Earl is- willing to exchange his coronet for dollars. The play opens a year and a day after the death of the railroad king. Mrs. Betsy has thrown off her mourning and is about to plunge into the gayeties of Now York and Saratoga. Her engagement to the Earl is to ho announced. In the midst of her plans a second will is found, wliich provides that if she does not marry an American the estate is forfeited to a nephew of the dear departed. Betsy is plunged into grief and disappointment. Suddenly she recalls re-calls that in the will nothing is said about a third marriage. At this opportune moment a musical genius calls upon Betsy with one of her best friends. He proposes that they marry and part at the church; she will produce his opera; get a quick divorce; marry the title and frustrate the will. The genius accepts the offer. His " opera is a great success. But when the time comes for Betsy to get her divorce, the title is not so alluring as it was. An Italian prima donna of Irish descent complicates the situation and causes more indecision on the part of Betsy. Mr. Joseph Brooks has surrounded Lillian Russell with a capable company of comedians including Eugene Ormonde, John Flood, Fred L. TIdon, Fron Tyler, Roland H. Hill, Grant Mitchell, Isabel Isa-bel Richards De Vaux and Kate Griffith. wtf & April showers- have worked their way with Harry Loighton and next week at the Grand Theatre the star and his company will present a facial comedy so rollicking and wholesome In complicated situations, wit and clever lines, that dull care must speedily betake Itself from this playhouse. "Incog," from the versatile pen of Mrs. R; Pachoco, and the comedy in which the famous Charles Dickson starred for years, will be Mr. Leighton's offering at the Grand for the coming week, the engagement opening Monday evening and continuing through the following Sunday evening. There isn't an uninteresting moment in "Incog."' The action is fast and furious, laughable laugh-able situations are piled one a-top the other in quick succession and lines are breezy and clever, while a charming love story threads its way through the fun happily and persistently. Mr. Loighton announces that ho has made special preparations for staging the comedy, especially as to costumes. The leading corned role in "Incog," Tom . Stanhope, will be played by Mr. Lelghton, next week. Lyster Chambers will play Dick Winters and Kent Bosworth will play Harry Winters. Miss Emily Dodd, Mr. Leighton's leading woman, who scored so splendidly this week In "Friends," will play Kate Armitago. The remainder of the company com-pany hag been cast In the other roles of the comedy. Beginning next Wednesday that matinee mati-nee performances given at the Grand on that day will commence at 2:30 o'clock instead of 3. Saturday matinees will also start at 2:30 o'clock. & The Orpheum promises to be long on girls next week with one of Ned Wayburn's minature spectacular productions as the headlinor. As it the case with all of his shows "we are seven.' This one is "The Dancing Daisies," who support Louise -Mink. There are three scenes and half a dozen changes of costume, some dancing and singing attached to this feature. Elizabeth Murray, Mur-ray, who has the record for being one of the circuit's cir-cuit's best cards in the way of singing comediennes, come-diennes, is another turn, while La Belle Veola, "Chanteuse legero danseuse acrobatlque" (yes, Mary, French), is a swell looker, judging from advance ad-vance pics. Quigg, Mackey and Nickerson, comedy com-edy and harmony; Dave Nowlin, who sings an opera all by himself with his own voice; Lamont's Cockatoos (said to bo a bird of a show) and "the ever popular" kinojlrome, go to make up the bill which is designed to send the Conference visitors visi-tors home talking about the sights of Zion. (Continues on pngo 13.) WITH THE FIRST NIGHTERS. (Continued from pago 0) THE GRAND OPERA SEASON. Even sanguine managerial expectations have beon more than fulfilled in the advance demand of opera-goers for seats for the San Carlo season sea-son April 15th, 16th, and 17th, at the Salt Lake Theatre. The sale has broken all previous records rec-ords in this city, and the Indications are that the opening performance will be capacity. The grand opera organization comes with a record of enviable success in Chicago, New Orleans Or-leans and other large cities. The fact that Henry Russell is the managing director is a guarantee of a certain degree of artistic excellence. The bill in this city on the opening night of the local season will witness a production of the ever-beautiful ever-beautiful Puccini opera, "La Boheme," with charming Alice Nielsen as Mimi. Miss Nielsen has risen from the ranks of the old Tivoli chorus to the top round of the ladder of operatic fame. Mimi is said to-be one of the roles in which she has been received with the greatest favor in this country and abroad. On Tuesday night "Faust" is given which introduces in-troduces the bright particular star of the company, com-pany, "Lillian Nordica, who has always ranked among the greatest of our prima donnas. "Barber of Seville" and "I Pagliacci" i& the double bill for Wednesday matinee. One of the most notable artists in the San Carlo organization is Perellode Segurola, the Spanish basso, who was also a member of the Grau company. Of the new people the most important are Foly Bereyne, a beautiful French prima donna who haa met with great success as Musette in "La Boheme," and whose "Carmen" is said to be a revelation; Mme. Tarquini, a dramatic soprano; Monti-Baldini and Conti Borlinette, well known Italian contraltos, and Constantino, a Spanish tenor, who has a voice which is said to rival Caruso's. Other artists in the company are: Martin, a tenor robusto; Buschotti, dramatic tenor; ten-or; Angolo Fornari, baritone; Barocchi, basso, and a host of excellent assisting artists.. The. conductor is Armando Conti, from Buenos Ayros and London. The stage director Is Alber-tlerl, Alber-tlerl, late of the Metropolitan opera-1 "e. The chorus numbers fifty voices, mostly from Italy, the orchestra fifty musicians from New York and Boston, and there is a corps do ballet bal-let of twenty dancers. Director Russell says his aim i to maintain a permanent orperatic organization not dependent on a few great stars surrounded by an inferior "ij $2 lot of singers but an oganization capable of giv- fal ing the operas as the composer intended them to ', ' ' ImH be given' with every small part assumed by a Ififl competent artist. Hfl |