THE OMAITA SUNDAY HEE: MAY 19. 1907.
D
Gossip About Plays,
Atri) ADAMS In "IVter ran." an I
maybe Ethel Itarrymore In nn
of hrr earlier plays, and the sea
son Is over for Omaha, save such
SJI tha stork pomnnnlnl afTnrA
M
Wlaa I-sng and hrr associates will con
tinue at the Burwood Until tha An A r.f
June, and next Sunday the opera company
..i op-n lor the summer at the Boyd,
in the meantime the Elmore company Is
buy at the Kruir. and ao there will be
little lack of places to go In Omaha, for
when the weather gets too hot for the
theater the parks will be In full blast and
the amusement seeker will still have ample
room for choice. The season Just closed
was not notable for any one thine;, unless
It be the number of nights the Boyd stood
Idle. Omaha folks had a chance to see
aome of the best things offered by the
...-juMjers -curing the winter. Plrh.r
Mansfield, Otis Skinner, the Crane-Jeffrevs
combination, Amelia Bingham, Viola Allen
I.. . . . .on., Alien,
Maud Adams. OIs-s. Vethr.nio tti
Hoberts. Fay Templeton and other un
doubted stars selntllated and sparkled
across the footlights, and were accorded
much respectful attention and such plau
dlta as they deserved, while a number of
aspiring Individuals gave us a taste of
their mettle. The stock company at the
Burwood weathered a season more or 1.
Imr.t,.. j "
In? ' k dlfflruIt";" ead-
th! IT A u W!" falr,y "fl at
me end. At the Krug the bunion.. ,.
what the cashier has become accustomed
wniio mo Orplieum had the
blKBeRt
n us local history. So,
altogether, the
season now so nearly
over qui to pleased
... grouped me men most nearly con
cerned. What the coming season will bring
forth Is somewhat forecasted by the siila
of the Burwood theater to a firm of vauclo.
v lie promoters. Omaha will be without a
etock company, while two vaudeville houses
WIH compete for patrone. The Boyd
will continue to purvey only the higher
class of amusements, while the Krug will
.it iot ine popular priced
stuff, and
imngs win run along
yore.
very
much as of
One change that may come about will be
an arrangement whereby Mrs. Flske can
Way In Omaha next season -instead of
Council Bluffs, n is not certain if this
will be possible, but it may.
It is announced that Guy Blending has
been engaged by Kiaw & Krlanger to play
the part of Charley Steele in the dramatised
version of "The Itlght of Way." This will
be put on next season. Theodore Roberta
is also named in the company, but his role
is not mentioned. lie will very likely get
Joe Portugais, the only other really strong
figure ln the story. Some two or three
years ago this department of The Bea ex
pressed some satisfaction that "The Itlght-of-Way"
had withstood trie efforts of the
dramatists to transfer It to the stage, but
the deed seems to have been did. It is not
at all likely that-nmre than a fragmentary
presentation can be made, and the effort
seems doomed in advance to disappoint
those who have reveled ln the delights of
the Parker story. The character of
"Beauty" Steele Is one that naturally would
attract the actor of Intelligent ambition
by its apparent hopelessness. In many
ways It Is one of the most tantalizing In
fiction. The general atmosphere of the
story Is one that appeals to the dramatist,
too. It contains the elements of melo
drama as well. "Beauty" Steele's triumph
In the court room, when n-j clears Joe
Portugais, whom he knew to be guilty of
murder; his scene with his brother-in-law,
whom ha knew to be a thief; his defiance
of the lumber-Jackets at the road house,
the fight ln which he was apparently killed
and thrown Into the river, and his rescue
by Joe, are all material right to the hand
of the makor of thrillers. In this respect
they could hardly bo improved on.
But what a wealth of muteriul is there
for the true dramatist. Charley Steele a
magnificent scorn for everything but his
own wonderful attainments; hla contempt
for convention, and his loyalty to certain
tenets of truth and honor; his "ki-ptlclsm,
that led him flint to scoff at the creud of
the Episcopalian rector, and later to de
mand, "Tallorman, show me a sign!" Ills
undoubted respect for and pride ln hla
wife, and later his love for the humble
maiden he found at a country poatofflce;
the gradual development of his deeper
nature, until the real man triumphed ove
the mere man of genius and his soul was
born amid the trials of his voluntary exile
a kaleidoscope of contrasts that offer
oolor in such profusion as to be absolutely
confusing. And then for action: Conceive
the scene of the tailor, with the white hot
cross, branding the skeptic that his soul
might not be lost; of the girl nailing the
cross back on the church door; of the trial
Scene, where Charley Steele bares his breast
to show the tailor's crime and exonerate
the girl; of his trip to Montreal and' his
midnight visit to his old home, where his
wife lived with another man. wedded be
fore It was known whether he lived or
died; the fight, wherein, he and Joe pro
tected the church funds with their lives,
and the last final scene, ln which his wife
gases on the dead body of Joe, thinking he
Is the hero of the affair, and remarks that
"these low people always look so common,"
while almost within her reach lies the body
of her husband, but her Idle curiosity will
not take her across the threshold of the
door these are but a few of the great op
portunities of the etory for dramatic ef
fect. This takes no account of the love
making, of the comedy, of the scenes be
tween Charley and Joe, of any of the
myriad possibilities (if the book. ?o won
der the dramatlzers have stood ln awe' of
"The Right of Way." It contains material
enough for a dozen plays, each a good one.
The drama In which Mr. Standing will act
ts sure to be a good one, but It will not
exhaust the possibilities of the novel.
Cnmtaar Events.
Beginning Friday night, and continuing
Saturday matinee and nltht there will he
offered by the management of Boyd's
theater the most important bill of its tea
son's repertoire, when Charles Frohman
presents Maude Adams In her fomous
play "Peter Pan." In order that everybody
may have an opportunity to see Miss
Adams, contrary to her usual custfm she
will act "Peter Pan" on Wednesday and
Saturday matinees. The cast and produc
tion of
Peter Pan" for its performances
a. Boyd's theater will be precisely those
xrhlch were seen alt last season by tha
audiences which thronged the Empire
theater. New York. In fact, everytlng is
being done to open Mlas Adams' preaent
aeaeuii as auarlclouely as, aha began laat
year's.
The fact that thla will be Mlas Adams'
first visit to Omaha In two year a. aa well
as the general fume of her performance
In "Peter Pan," will naturally make the
rush for aeata very great. But every ef
fort will be taken to distribute the aeats
with strict fairnera. It has been decided
not to accept uny orders by telephone.
Mall orders, enclosing checks or money,
will be filled In the order la which they
are received. The sale of seats will be
conducted strictly according te the policy
of "first come, first served."
Tha popularity of J. M. Barries "Peter To molk . other thlng.
Pan," surpassing any other work that eve ,
left bis pen. even "The Little Minister. " Out of the firs of the May festival I re
la now so general as scarcely to call fat reived this token for my ' comfort:
addition! exposition. Its story, ldo "Criticism is the soul of art. Its natural
hus lii-cn tralnerl nnl rewritten by many
famous writer, reads In outline as fol
lows; Once upon a time there lived In a certain
tlty a family by the name of Darllnft. Mr.
and Mrs. liarllna; were the parents of three
children, Michael, John and Wendy, a jrirl.
The children slept In the most dellarhtful
of nurseries, attended by a wonderful dog
called Nana. Nana could do anything but
talk. Whenever Mr. and Mrs. Darling
were away from home, she not only
guarded the children, but got their night
clothes, prepared their bath and put them
to bed. So upon the night which we have
In mind the parling parents felt no hesi
tancy about going to the opera, leaving
the children In the care of Nana. But the
nurse dog had no sooner left the nursery
than there flew In through the large lat
ticed window which happened to be open
Ulry boy ln a curlou8 "ult of reen- He
ha1 ht"n there Mor- 11 turnM out but
iknl s.rlU. !! h.l l.fl
on that earlier visit had careslessly left
his shadow in the room and now came
back In search of It. Very stealthily he
crept about the nursery, guided by his In
visible fairy companion, Tinker Bell, ln
search of his tost shadow. At last finding
It and fastening It to himself again, with
the assistance of Wendy Darling, whom
he had awakened by this time, he danced
irom one ine 01 me room 10 in
m most ecstatic Joy. omy stopptn
Wendy suddenly aked him who
i . ... a .. .h.. .v.. v
from one elde of the room to the other
g when
he was
anyhow. It turned out that the boy was
Peter Pan, and that he lived far oft In
the Never-Never-Iand, where he was cap
tain of the famous Band of Lost Boys.
Tho Lost Boys, you see, ar those little
chaps that fll out of their perambulators
when the looking the other way. If they
Music and Musical Notes
Hid week two good concerts will be
given. On Tuesday evening Mr.
Bcheriel will play a violin recital
at the Schmoller & Mueller Audi
torium, assisted by the Scherzel
string quartet, which has lately been or
ganized. Mr. Scherzel says.ln a personal
note that the latter is "of course not a
Knelsel or Joachim, but with a smile or
two for a starter wo might be able to ac
quaint the public with a few of the best
works ln chamber music." Good luck to
Mr. Scherzel and his new organization.
The Quartet on Tuesday will play the
"Kaiser Quartet," Haydn, three move
ments; allegra moderato, theme and varia
tions; finale, presto, "Dcr God und das
Maadchen," Schubert (andante con moto
and variation).
Mr. Scherzel will give the Vleuxtemps
Concerto ln D minor (two, movements),
Zlgennerwelsen, Sarasate; Airs Russes,
Wlenlawskl; the Ooddard Conzonetta and
the Elf Dance by Pepper the latter by
request. The personnel of the quartet Is:
Mr. Scherzel, first violin; Mr. Don Smith,
second violin; Mr. I. Muller, viola; Regi
nald Coke, 'cello.
On Thursday next, May 23, the Robert
Cuscaden school will give its fifth and last
free recital of the season at the school
auditorium In the Schmoller & Mueller
building. The orchestra and soloists of the
school will be assisted by Miss Margaret
McMenemy, contralto, pupil of Mr. Fred O.
Ellis. The program will Include the Henry
VIII suite by Edward German, a tone poem
by Keiaer, solos by Miss Helen Sommer
and Miss Sadie Klrsohb'raun, besides lighter
numbers by the orchestra. All students and
music lovers are cordially invited to attend.
Madame Muenteferlng announcea that she
will continue her classes through the sum
mer months, term opening June 1. Address
the "Barnard" or downtown studio.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Ellis will be in
Omaha this summeri Mr. Ellis Is prepar
ing to amuse himself with a naptha launch
at Cut-Off lake, having Joined the Rod
and Gun club lately organized.
Mr. and Mrs. Borglum will not go to
Europe this season, as has been their cus
tom for many years. They are so pleas
antly situated ln their new residence
studio that a summer in Omaha should not
be irksome.
Miss Bella RoblnBon sails' from New
York June 18 for Europe. She will go at
once to Vienna an J put heraelf under the
care of Leschetlzky. Miss Robinson takes
Influential letters. Her most Interested and
close musical friend Is Fanny BloomAeld
Zeislers, who has helped her In her work
for many years. Those who have known
and watched. Miss Robinson's career and
grieved that she could not realize her
dream of foreign training will rejoice
heartily with her that ut last the magic
way has openud. All good wiBhes and uc
cess! There Is every reason to believe that
Miss Robinson will soon be coiicertizlng.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Kelly sail for
Europe tho latter part of June. They
will Bpeud a little time ln Ireland and
ths balance of their three mouths' abbtjice
In Loudon and Purls.
The following interesting concoction was
sent me from Seattle. It tells its own story:
Perhaps some singers may get a much
needed hint of the imuortance of a clear
enunciation from perusing the following
skit. How many times 1 have heard
iNi vins beautiful song, "My Roearv," sung
after this fashion, which the author (of '
the parody, not the ballad) swears Is a
correct stenographic reproduction:
Thee yowrzl spen twlth E-e-e, deer Art,
Are rasxa string of pearl stew me;
I count thoh nio vur rev ree nunna. cart
My row eirree! My row slrree! parl
E-e-e chow raiy purr leech purr lay pralr
To fill a har tin ab sense rung;
I tell leech be run two the yend
Dan there across is sung.
O mem mow reexe that bless sand burr
No bahr ran gay Nan bit her law
Sigh kih seech bee Dan stry vat lass two
leran
Tewk li the craw
Swee! Tar!
Two kill ss! the craw! 8s!
"Do I sing It aa badlv as that?" I seem
to hear aome fair contralto murmur re
proachfully. Now, what la a critic, who
wants to be both honest and polite to
say ? Providence Journal.
While we are in the line of poetry, Wil
son G. Smith has broken loose again:
There once was a pupil of IJazt
Who In rhapeodle
io bp
!llS CllH
rained his wrlsst;
So he grabbed up hla chair
And thumped out the air,
na tnumpei out the air,
Saylpg, "Thla is as good as my Asst."
There was once a young I-tal-l-an
Who thought he could play the plan's
Bui he pedaled ao bad
That hla hearers got mad;
Now he piddles the luscious banan'.
1
There was once a critic-musician
Who aspired to social position;
He gave a pink tea
To the powers that be.
And then wrote them up on commission.
4.
(To the srlng poet laureate.)
Now the vernal mollycoddle
'Gins to bore ua with hla twaddle
On the blooming blooms.
And gentle breath of noting:
What he needs la a new noddle
And an urgent pra.ver that OodM
Players and Playhouses
are not railed for In seven da'ys. they re
main forever a part of Peter Pan's band.
At this point ln the Introduction, Wendy's
two little brothers were awakened and
were absolutely fascinated hy Peter as
Wendy was. But greater still was their
Joy when Peter, by blowing fairy dust upon
their shoulders, Invited them to come away
with him to the Never-Never-Iand. So
away they all flew through the latticed
window far, far off to the Never-Never-Land.
There they encountered Red In
diana and Pirates, a formidable crocodile,
some wonderfully ferocious wolves, until
at last when rescued from the pirate ship
by Peter, the little wanderers are returned
to their parents.
Thus runs, ln mere skeleton, the story
of "Peter Pan," the most daring, the most
fanciful stage spectacle written within the
memory of any modern playgoer.
Miss Eva Lang's reception at the Bur
wood theater on her return from Kansas
City was a genuine ovation. Phe made a
splendid Impression by her careful and
artistic work In Dona Dolores Mendosa,
hut for the coming week she has even a
better character, that of Dorothy Vernon,
ln "Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall."
This Is not the distorted melodrama pre
sented at the Boyd theater last winter,
but a correct version of the excellent
drama prepared by Paul Kester from the
novel by Charles Major. The production
la under direction of Mr. Woodward, and
Is complete In every detail. All the light
ing and scenic effects needed to give tho
stirring events of the drama proper back
ground rfre provided and the costuming Is
excellent. Miss Lang will be seen as the
charming heroine who dared her high-
collary, its living forces. Suppress it and
art would degenerate into pure commer
cialism, and as there would be no standard,
so there would be no value." Quoted from
London Observer, July 29, 19u6.
4
The Paris correspondent of the St.
Jame s Gazette writes:
I should like you to see Challapine, the
great Russian basso, whom Herr t.'onrled
of New York has secured for the opera sea
son at the Metropolitan. If he does not
make a sensation there, as he walks down
Broadway, even before his voice la heard, I
am very much mistaken, und he must have
changed very much since I heard him In
Bolto's "MephlHtopheles" at Orange. Not
since the days when Maurel's lago gave
the critics a subject worthy of their met
tle, and set their Imaginations mad In
search of a rhetoric ruruly demanded by
an operatic performer, lias such a presence
and such a dramatic gilt been seen on the
operatic stage.
Chaliuplne is only 30 years old, and has
already hud twenty years' experience. He
was only 16 when he was the basso of a
miserable little opera company in Kuasla,
and glad to blng for 10 pounds a month.
At the time hb rudely broke his contract
with the Imperial opera, St. Petersburg,
and gayly sailed away to America, gladly
paying hie heavy Indemnity he was earn
ing 1W) pounds a performance, a very big
price In Russia. The public that adores
him will mourn his absence, but I am
afraid It will be years before his c)untry
nien hear him again on his native heath,
for Challapine is a moBt revolutionary
spirit.
Not long ago he refused to sing In "La
Vie pour le Tsur," by Glinka, one of the
great Russian composers, and although it
cost him a heavy fine, he was neither sent
to Siberia nor dismissed from the opera.
His name on the program always insured
a full nouse. I remember that some rive
years ago, when the great Russian slngor,
Godefrol Korsoff, made his farewell ap
pearance ln St. Petersburg, before retiring
to private life In Purls. Challapine was the
only singer ln the long program who was
paid. He received loo pounds simply be
cause with him on the bill the beneficaire
was sure of a packed house even at the
increased prices, and Challaplne's services
could not be obtained otherwise, owing to
his agreement with his impresario. Tall,
fair, magnificently set up, Challapine a
great actor, and one of the best singers
in the world will make even Pol Plancon's
Mephlstopheles look undistinguished.
After the first performance of "Parsifal"
at Bayreuth there was a banquet at the
Fantasie, at which Neumann happened to
sit next to Hanslick. This critic, who
had been a life-long enemy of Wagner,
had been so deeply impressed by "Parsi
fal" that he made no effort to mar the
enthusiasm of the occasion, and he wrote
about this work much more favorably
than he had written about the "Ring"
operas. At the same banquet a discordant
note was Introduced by Forster, who sud
denly said: "You will see, Wagner will
soon die." When asked why he thought
so, he answered: "A man who has created
what we have Just witnessed can live no
longer; he has finished, he must die soon."
Less than seven months later Wagner was
in his grave.
Grieg, Saint-Baens, Masseneb and Leroux
were all In Berlin together lately. The
kaiser gave them a lunch at his palace to
which numerous distinguished neoola .
Invited.
This from the Courier: "It looks very
much as though St. Louis is about to ac
complish something noteworthy In the
permanent orchestra line. The newspapers
of that city are filled with accounts of
the scheme, which embraces a working
fund of t-OO.OuO and the engagement of
Nahan Franko as conductor for a period
of five years at $10,000 per annum. It is
to be hoped, In the Interests of American
music ln general, that St. Louis will suc
ceed in Its endeavor, for like begets like,
and other cities may bs induced to follow
the fine example. In Germany and Aus-
,rla very town of the sixth class boasts
of an excellent symphony orchestra. There
. .
no reason why, in this wealthy coun
try, at least every town or the nrst and
second class should not have one. Until
ths permanent orchestra question Is set
tled satisfactorily ln cities like New York.
Washington, San Francisco, New Orleans,
Kansas City, Denver, eta, America cannot
be considered a musical nation In the
strict application of that term."
Fritzl SchefT. Farrar, Scottt and Frem
stad sailed for Europe lust Thursday on the
Lorraine. Weed, Burgstaller and Gorlts
departed yesterday (May 7) on the Kaiser
WUhelm dcr Gross, gembrlch will leave
May 14 aboard tha Kaiser WUhelm 11.
Calve left on May 2 by the Pannonla,
From Paris comes the announcement that
the French government has recognised the
achievements and' success of Flank King
Clark as a teacher by conferring upon him
the order, "Officer d' Academic." The honor
Is tha more significant as France has al
ways bean far from generous ln its recog
nition of the work done by foreigners, and
so far aa It Is recalled only one other vocal
teacher has received this much coveted dis
tinction. Three weeks ago the Musical
Leader and Concert Uoer called special at
tention to ths wonderful artistic and social
success made by Frank King Clark and his
charming wife in the artistic metropolis of
the world, and this well merited honor Is
the highest confirmation pf how deserved
was everything that was then said.
Lmil Paur. conductor of the Pittsburg
orchestra, soiled May 7. Befoie leaving Mr.
Paur was in New York and Boston for a
number of days to find out what orchestral
men he could secure before going abroad,
when he will also engage men to replace
those members who have refused to renew
thtlr contiacia.
MARY LEARNED
tempered father to the utmost limit by fall
ing in love with the son of his mortal
enemy and discarding the husband chosen
for her. It Is the sort of role In which
she delights roguish, playful and at times
fierce and tempestuous. Mr. Arvlne will
have a better chance as Sir John Manners
than as Don John of Austria, nnd so will
be seen to better advantage. Will Davis,
John Davles, Mr. Klrk. Mr. Birch, Mr.
Arnold, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Roberts and
Mr. Unit are also In the cast. Miss Hill
will be seen as Elisabeth of England and
Miss Hudson as Mary of Scotland: Miss
Vaders, Miss Martin and MIfs Duke are
also ln the cast. Each of the four acts
has a specially constructed setting, and
the whole will be found to be the most
massive and sumptuous display ever made
at the Burwood. The first performance
of "Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall" will
be given on Sunday afternoon and It will
be repeated each evening during the week,
with matinees on Tuesday, Thursday and
Saturday.
"A play straight from the heart, a story
of love and laughter, hntn and tears," Is
the way one critic described "The Ped
dler," which will be the attraction at the
Krug theater today. Robert Blaylock. In
the character of Abraham Jacobson, will
enact the principal role, assisted by a
company of capable players. The man
agement has given the play a superb
scenic setting and elaborate mechan
ical effects. Starting (Thursday, "Davy
Crockett" will be the attraction for the
remainder of the week.
Probably the smallest politician In the
United States Is Commodore Nutt, a
brother-ln-law of Mrs. General Tom
Thumb, he having married Miss Lcretla
Warren, her sister, who, while he does
not reach four feet ln height, Is and has
been for some yoars past deputy sheriff
of Westchester county. New York state.
The commodore and his wife toured the
entire world with General and Mrs. Tom
Thumb, under the mnnogement of P. T.
Barnum, but retired from professional life
some years ago, since which time the com
modore has been keeping a hotel at White
Plains, N. Y. The commodore Is Intensely
proud of-hla official position and has hang
ing at the back of his cafe his official club
and badge of office. It is a pleasure to
talk to him of the old days during which
he toured the world and of the famous
. people whom he met, but his fondest recol
lections are of his slster-in-lnw, Mrs. Gen
eral Tom Thumb, to whom he Is devotedly
attached, and his eyes will sparkle wltb
fun aa he relates how that winsome little
beauty coquetted with the general beforo
she Anally blushlngly consented to be his
bride. Mrs. General Tom Thumb is equally
communicative and Is always pleased to
converse with visitors and her old friends,
whom she will be pleased to meet at the
receptions that she will hold while on
tour with the Gentry Bros'. Famous
Phows United this season. The Count and
Countess Magri, accompanied by the Baron
Magrt, ' are making their farewell tour of
this country and will appear here with the
Gentry Bros", incomparable exhibition on
Monday and Tuesday, May 20 and 21.
ESMOND
IMPOSSIBLE HENRY
Flay All Managers Want, but Can't
Get on Stave Changed Relations
of Managers and Playrlghts.
NEW YORK, May 18. "Well, It has hap-
pened again," sighed an adapter of plays,
"I've had another order to dramatise
Thackeray's 'Henry Esmond.' I think this
manager had not been off the steamer from
England for more than four hours before
ha bounded like a panther Into my library
" 'Sh-sh-sh!' he hissed with a finger at
his Hp and mystery and stealth ln his eyes,
'Sh-sh-shl'
" 'Sure, I'll sh-sh-sh all you wish, but
what for?" I said to him with gross famll-
Jarlty, for I've been working for him
about twenty years now. 'Do you want ma
to sh-sh-sh. even before you have shaken of nc.ion that managers ln their prownngs
hands with men and inquired about my about for material come upon for the
health or told me as to your own?' first time and begin to bubble over as this
" 'Lots of time for all that, old boy,' my manager bubbled over 'Esmond.' But in
manager panted. 'But big things must no case that I ever heard of has the initial
never wait upon little ones or the mere enthusiasm of ono of them over' a work of
order of the day. fiction been productive of a play.
"I'm Just off the steamer. Haven't "The writers of plays have thoroughly
even been to my office yet. Pardon my ransacked all of this material. A man
apparent excitement. I've got the most who makes a business of writing or adapt
glorious thing even for you and for me Pla" ny ha" 10 peni half an hour
and for So-and-So, naming a romantic with any piece of fiction to ascertain
actor under his management. whether It is going to do for the stage or
" 'Great heavens,' he went on, 'It makes not- ,
the cold sweat stand out on my face to "The managers, however, are attracted
think that somebody even now may beat by some fine, strong, central Incident of
us to It.' and he walked up and down my tory. captivated by it, in fact, to such
library like somebody ln a foam of fear
thl the bailment man would be knock-
mg at the door at any minute.
ig at the door at anv
" 'Pray be calm,' I implored him. 'Don't
take It to heart so. Cheer up. The beaute-
ous spring Is here, end Jocund morning
stands tiptoe' '
What von f-11nw muH ho v. heen
you
thinking of all these many, many years,'
my manager broke ln passionately, is
what gets to me! It's shocking to think
that for more than half a century this
thing has been kicking around, and yet
not one of you, that even I heard of, has'
" 'Smoke this,' I said to him, offering
him a long black cigar, 'and It may help
your nerves a trifle. You seem sorely dis
turbed.' " 'Say,' said he, refusing the cigar and
plumping Into a seat across from mine at
the library table, 'did you ever, by any re
mote chance, read, or even hear of, a book
called "Henry Esmond," by one Thackeray
William Makepeace Thackeray ?'
"He had finally got It out of his system.
I had to smile in his face.
" 'Yes.' I replied.
" 'When did you read UP he went on
with a quaver In his voles.
" 'About thirty-five years ago," I replied,
with areat calmness.
" 'Then, sir," he thundered, Jumping to
his feet, 'why in the name of all the flames
of why In the dickens didn't you thirty
five years ago gain eternal renown and
immense wealth for yourself by dramatis
ing "Henry Esmond?" '
" 'Well,' eald I, apologetically, 'I waa only
about IS at that time, you aee.'
" 'But.' he kept right at me. 'when you
came to your bualneaa of writing plays, did
not the almoat Idiotically easy possibilities
of "Henry Esmond" as a great, a mar
velous play, ever occur to you? If I bad a
boy only 10 years of age who should read
that book without coming leaping to me
with the cry Jhat be had fallen upon the
makings of the finest play of modern times,
I'd I'd and he Just gasped and mopped
his forehead In his emotion.
"He pulled a small limp leather edition
of the story from his pocket end tossed It
on the table. Then he continued to rave.
" There it Is,' he said. 'I read it for the
first time coming across. Well, we've got
So-and-So fixed out for next season," sgaln
naming the romantic actor 1n his employ,
'and we've got a hit that'll make "The
Music Master" look like something on the
ten-twent.-thlrt. circuit. Get to work, that's
all.'
"Thus he raved on. I didn't stop him.
What would have 'been the use? I had
heard Juat eleven managera before him talk
In exactly the aame way. It had taken me
hours and hours ln some cases days and
nights 1' convince the others that there
was no play ln 'Heary Esmond' aa Thack-
eray wrote It. Bo I Just leaned back and
let this twelfth one talk.
"Why,' he panted ahead. 'I could go out
and order the costumes and scenery today,
from memory. Gee-whlz, what a picture
play! The whole theatrical world must
have been in a atupor about "Henry Es
mond" for more than fifty years! And here
I swing along and pick It up purely by acci
dent. Oh, I do have a little hunk of luck
once In a while!'
"I saw that It was Inevitable., and so I
started In upon him with the greatest mild
ness. It was an old story with me, knock
ing the enthusiasm out of managers who
had Just discovered the dramatic possibili
ties of 'Henry Esmond."
" 'Of course you discovered,' I said to
him, 'that "Henry Esmond" Is a book of
supposititious memoirs, and that the action
is strung out over a period of twenty
seven years?'
"'Of course, I discovered that,' he carrw
right at me, but, my boy, did you ever,
by any chance, hear of a prologue? A
prologue can dispose of the nonessential
opening details and then you can lead
right up with a rush to that big scene
where Eomond breaks his sword before
the face of the recreant prince of the
Stuarts. Holy smoke! I can see So-and-So
doing that right now!'
"Well, there's no use going Into detail
over the rest of It. It took me about three
hours even to half show him, and at that
he went away grumbling that I was a pro
fessional puneturer of fine Ideas and a
fossil ln a rut, and all that sort of thing,
and was as sore as could be that he had
been reluctantly compelled to admit that
'Henry Esmond' had Its difficulties as a
play.
"Like all of the managers who had gone
before him In their enthusiasm over 'Es
mond' as a r'ny. he was captivated with
the theatrical possibilities of thnt dashing
minx, Beatrix, and then I had to show him
thnt. Inasmuch as Esmond was 'n love both
with Beatrix and with Lady ""nstlewood,
Beatrix's mother, no modern audience
would tolerate thnt idea asishown upon the
stage, no matter how daintily It might
be done.
"He was for cutting Lady Castlewood out
altogether then, but thnt, I inannged to
show him, would be absurd, considering
that next to Esmond she is the main figure
of the story. I had to show him how Es
mond was really a bit of a prig. I had to
point out how the book, witn all of Its ex
quisite fineness, is merely a string of Inci
dents, with no continuity, and finally that
the thing that would eternally damn It for
stage use would be the spectacle of Esmond
supinely taking the mother to wife when
he found that he couldn't get the daughter.
"Now, I have gone through all of this
merely to show that managers, far from
being the chilled steel Individuals they are
generally supposed to be, re more often
absolute enthusiasts, not to say dreamers,
when It comes to the matter of material
for stage productions. Their enthusiasm
over their first discovery of lErfmond" Is
wholly natural.
"I suppose there has been no budding
playwright of the last two generations who
hasn't, upon a first reading of the book.
been fired by a false vision of Its stage
PxBlbllltleB. And I have expended enough
breath to move a locomotive several feet.
I verily believe. In explaining to managers
who discovered 'Esmond' that It was not
stage stuff.
"There are now on file at the Library of
Congress ln Washington two copyrighted
dramatizations of 'Henry Esmond,' neither
of which has been produced and neither
of which, In all human probability, ever
will be produced. One could write a 'Henry
Esmond' play of a sort, but It wouldn't
lie Thackeray's story. That story Is not
for the stage.
"I It Imaginable that If so fine a thing
as 'Esmond' could have been done over
for the stage that it would ive been over-
looked both In England and In the United
States for fifty-five years?-for the story
was published, I believe. In 1852.
"There are literally hundreds of works
extent that tncy are quite uname to see
sometimes even after It has been pointed
" .
ction is the one essential or a piay, it
takes more than one Incident out of a book
to make a workable thing on the stage,
"But their enthusiasm, even If It haa to
De gently pnciea, le ail rigm. i ime u.
So do all men who write or fix up plays. It
makes the game easier.
"Time was, as everybody connected with
the play writing business knows, when man
agers actually were hard, unseeing proposi
tions. Not only that, but a good many of
them were actually unintelligent. The
writers and adapters of plays were the
enthusiasts In those days.
"Their enthusiasm wasn't gently pricked
by the hard and unintelligent managers,
either, but they were actually rebuffed.
They were sat upon. They were treated
as lunatics and Irresponsible.
"But now the eager managers are the
ones who have to be gently led Into the
shadowy corner and told how dreamful,
erratic, unworkable and wholly out of the
question their selections of stage material
are, and we are the cold, calculating,
hard-headed persons who tell them whether
their notions spell 'failure' or not. It's an
odd switching about of things, and one
that I never would have thought possible
when I flrBt drifted Into the play tinkering
business, away back yonder ln the drift
of years."
Gossip from Rtaaeland.
The fact that Richard Manfletd has re
leased his entire company seems to lndi-
Who is to bo
May Festival in the Streets of Paris
Auditorium. May 20th ta June 1st, Inclusive
This Is ths asms elaborate seenlo reproduction of ths meat famous
streets and shops of beaotlful Farls, as originated by Mrs. rotter SsJmer
aad proaaoed wltu such phsuotusnal suocssa la Chicago.
A "Queen of the May ' will be obosen tor popular vote. The young
lady receiving the most votes will bs crowned wltn elaborate osremoutes
and pressntea with a fcanlsome diamond ring.
The young lady standing ssooad nd third ln the eontsst will be
raised to toe rank of princesses and respectively presented wltn a solid
gold bracelet aud aacklaoe.
voti roa youa choice
Fill out this eonpon, and wltn oas cent for each Tots, deposit either al
Beaton's, Uysrs Dillon or Vhtruian k aaoOonnell Drug Uteres.
IP
A M f 9 E H E VI"S.
BOYD'S
FRIDAY and SATURDAY - SATURDAY MATINEE
CXABX.ZB TBOXMAir FmuarwiB
MAUDE ADAMS
ll PETER PANS
rKIOXS ROo to 93.00. HO SCATS BXIXBTSO OTXB THE PIOHH
roinnsLT jro eb list.
MAIL OBDXBS riX.X.ED ATTEB LIHH BBXAKS.
STARTING SUNDAY. MAY 2G
THE BEGGAR PRINCE OPERA CO.
SURWOOD SPECIAL
THIS AFTERNOON -TO-NIGHT ALL WEEK
MISS EVA LANG
XV A MASSIVE SCXBXO PBODUCTIOJf OT TXB BXAUTITTO FLAT
Dorothy Vernon of Haddon Hall
Paraonal Star Direction of O. S. Woodward.
Next Week, EVA LANG, in ZIRA
cate that he does not Intend to return to
active work for a number of months, prob
ably not Until after the Christmas Iiolldiya.
Miss Ellis Jeffreys Is said to be consider
ing the cancellation of her American con
tract, as she wishes to return to Iondon
and play under her own management.
"Mexico" is the title chosen for the new
play which Augustus Thomas has Just
completed for L'ustiu Karnuin. It will be
the opening attraction at Wallack's theater.
New York, ln Beptemlier next.
Tyrone Power has been engaged as lend
ing man for Miss Henrietta C'rosnian, who
Is to make her long promised dramatization
of "Pilgrim's Progress" ln October next.
The title given the dramatic version at
present is "The Christian Pilgrim."
"The Know Man," a fantastical musical
piece with score by Reginald l)e Koven,
closed Its season In Philadelphia a week
ago. '1 lie Shuberts. who were- its spon
sors, intend to put it on ngaln next season
after an elaborate revision has been maile.
Charles Ulrlch, the Chicago playwright
whose western play, "The Honor of a Cow
boy," Is being presented wltn success, has
completed another play of the west entitled
"On the Uttle Big Horn." which will be
given for the first time by a stock com
pany late this month.
William Pruette, whose song "I Want
What I Want When I Want It" was one of
the most pronounced successes In Mine.
Frltsl Scheff's production of "Mile. Mo
dl.ste," Is Frank Imnlels' leading male sup
port In "The Tatooed .Man." He appears
as a dashing Arab chieftain.
Many well known players will play ln
stock companies this coming summer. Ame
lia bingham is going to St. Louis. Uorothy
Donnelly to Denver, Katherlne Grey to Mil
waukee, Edwin Aden to Washington, Rob
ert Drouet to Cleveland, May Buckley to
Denver, Valerie Bergere to Toledo and
Hilda Spong to Washington.
Norman Hackett, the young Shakepearean
actor who hus appeared with the Sothern
and Marlowe and James and Ward com
panies, haa been engaged to support Robert
Mantell during the spring engagement at
the New Amsterdam theater. New York.
He Is playing Edgur, De Mauprat Cassio,
Malcolm, and other leading roles ln the
Mantell repertoire.
Lillian Russell will end her first season In
straight comedy in Detroit on June IS. Her
tour In "The Butterfly," by Kellett Cham
bers, I as been highly successful and has
extended as far us the Pacific coast. Miss
Russell will begin her season ln October
next ln a new comedy by George Broad
hurst and George V. Hobart. The central
figure will be that of a widow with a fond
ness for horse racing.
Mlsa Marguerite Clark, the charming and
etlte soubrette who haa aunDortpd Da Wolf
petite soubrette who has supported De Wolf
Homier for several seasons, has been chosen
uy the Hhuberts to head the compan
y the Uhuberts to head the comoanv
' which
Is to present "The Road to Yesterday" at
the Waldorf thester. London. I'ollowliuz the
tenancy of E. H. dothern and Julia Mar
lowe. Miss Clark will undertake ths role
which was played so artistically by Miss
Minnie Dupree when the comedy was seen
at the Garrick.
Miss Eleanor Robson ln "Salomy Jane"
is approaching the end of her first full
season at the Liberty theater, New York.
Her success In the Armstrong play has
been so decisive that she might continue
to present It throughout the hot weather
if she so desired. As it is, she will have
a comparatively brief vacation and will re
vive "Ealomy Jane" ln the early fall be
fore producing the poetic drama written
for her special use by Edmond Rostand.
Cyril Bcott lias cloned his third sen son In
"The Prince Chap." In New York City
alone the comedy was given Hut) tlmts. Mr.
Scott announced In the course of a speech
which marked the occasion of his closing
performance that his next appearance
would be made in a new play now being
written by William and Cecil de Mille.
The motif of the new piece concerns capl
tul and labor and In Its course current fi
nancial problems will be touched on. It
will be ready for production early next
Quy -standlnf wno now Ieadlng man
season.
w1tn Mme. Alla Nastmova, the Russian
actreBS, Is to be starred next season as
Charlie Steele ln a dramatization of "The
Right of Way." The role originally waa
intended for Kyrle Bellew. At the con
clusion of his present engagement Mr.
Standing will go to London to consult Sir
Gilbert Parker with reference to the new
role. Tho first performance will take place
ln Montreal on October 7. Among those
already engaged for the support are: Theo
dore Roberts. May Buckley, Paula Gloy,
Mlgnon Beranger and Henry J. Hadfield.
Already next season's crop of "stars" Is
coming out. The latest announcements
proclaim that David Kejsler, the Yiddish
actor, will be a Llehler star In the fall;
that Victor Moore is to head a Cohan
Harris company in a revised version of
"Popularity:" that Edgar Selwyn is to be
starred In "StroriKheart." now that Robert
Fdeson Is through with it on this side;
that Edmund Breese, the Ruady Money
Ryder of "The Lion and the Mouse" New
York company, is to be similarly honored
by Henry H. Harris, and that tiie unit
manager Is to feature Grace Elllston In a
new piay to lie put forth in the fall.
The bliuberts are going to try the un
usual experiment of sending Eddie Foy,
Trlxie Frlganza and the American produc
tion of "The Orchid" to London at the con.
elusion of Its New York run. The under
taking is unusual because the piece Is of
Kngllfh origin and this will be the first
time that a European production haa been
brought to America, rewritten for the
American stage, and returned In ta wised
form to Its native heath. It would seem
that Iondoner had had about enough of
"The Orchid." for It ran for aome ) nights
at the Gaiety. Fov bus never been abroad
and It will be Interesting to learn what the
English think of his peculiar style of
comedy.
Do not take a substitute for Chamber
lain's Cough Remedy. It has no equal.
Queen of (Ylay?
J)
BXt.
uuaMerB-T
AM-9EMET.
SSroesSd Mgrs.
N
World Famous Shows Now
United and Lilliputian
Horse Fair
V; 'Urn:' .fil:. 'a,?-.A V ; V .
Magnificent, Matchless, Marvel
ous, Doubled in Size, Tripled
a
Almost Twenty Years of Re
deemed Promises. None Older,
none so uooa. none so .barge.
Will Positively Exhibit Afternoon
and Night, Rain or Shine
18th and Douglas Sts.
Omaha 2 Days, May 20-21
Two Trains of Cars.
Four Bands of Music.
200 Highly Educated Ponies.
200 Dog Actors.
100 Monkeys.
Two Herds of Performing Baby
Elephants.
Two Droves of Camels.
Petit Family
of Acrobats. European Importation.
Eight ln Number.
Mrs. Gen. Tom Thumlj
(Countesg of Magrl.)
With Count and Itaron Magri, the
Smallest Living People.
Oklahomo
The Xine Days Old Babj Camel.
Only One in America.
Oalletti's Marvelous Trained
Monkeys.
Isaac and Esau
The Marvelous G
Never Before Has There Beer
Such a Prodigal Display of
Spectacular Interest.
Free Animal Reception Dally
Children Delight in Riding the
Ponies, Elephants and Camels
and Gentry Brothers Allow
Them the Chance of a Lifetime
ABSOLUTELY FREE.
Peerless and Poetic Street Parade
All the Vast, Varied, Pictur
esque and Faryland Proces
sional Resources of Gentry
Brothers Combined Imperial
Tented Establishments.
Parade Starts From The Exhihitinn
iirounas Promptly at 10 A. M.
18th and Douglas Streets
KRUG ,0c.20cand25o
w Matinee Todsy 10c tod !
First Half of Week, Starting Matinee
Today, the great local Comedy-Dram
THE PEDDLER.
Thursday ik V CltOCKETT.
Coea Into the Home
THC OMAHA DEC
Best & West
talc,
Bnl
OTHERS