Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, April 11, 1909, EDITORIAL, Page 6, Image 14

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    THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEEi APTJTL 11. IPOS
What is Going on in
OLT week in Omaha was marked
H
If at all by a lark of activity
t th theaters. Tfie Boyd hart
fine attraction that wna vaiuable
chit fly for the purpose of show
ing; those who attended that they
had not seen the worst; the Krug observed
by presenting Ita lat attraction of the
season, Ita boards being now Riven over
to the uses of the blograph. while at the
Burwood the feature was the closing week
for Mr.- Grew and Mr. and Mrs. Bacon.
The Orpheum continued Its money-losing;
business, due to tha fact that the lower
floor hasn't about 300 more seats. At leaat
that many more could bo sold earn time
the house opens Its doors. But the real
feature of the week wn the commence
ment of final work on the excavation for
the new Brandels theater. The graders
re now busily at work putting down the
hole In the ground needeu .jr the founda
tion and the underneath workings, and It la
hoped that by the time they have finished
the contracts for the superstructure will
have been let and the builders will be
ready. Messrs. Brandels and Woodward
at Burgess are eager to have the house
open on January 1 next, and attractions
are now being booked In New York for
the house.
Plana for the theater call for something
that is Just a little ahead of anything In
the west, not excepting Chicago. Whether
the dream of the architect will be fully
realiied In steel, marble, mosaic and tap
estry is not yet fully determined, but the
prospectus Is wonderfully attractive Be
ginning on Beventeenth street, the first
three stories of the new building will be
designed especially for the front of a
theater. A port cochere will extend almost
the entire length of the front of the build
ing, built of iron and glass, with the new
est Ideas In light effects. A deep vestibule
will give entrance to the lobby of the theater,
where the box office will be located, and
from the lobby progress will attain the
the foyer, which Is to be one of the
features of the theater. It is spacious In
design, with high vaulted celling and fin
ished ! marble and mosaic. On one side
will be the ladles' parlor and on the other
a smoking room for men. A roomy prome
nade Inside runs back of the seats and
provides accommodations for visiting be
tween acts. Six boxes flank the prosce
nium on either side, roomy and elegant in
design. The feature of the construclion
Inside will be the Immense marble pillars
rising at either side of the proscenium
from floor to celling. These will be the
only columns, as the balcony and gallery,
will be aupported on the cantilever princi
ple. The walla are to be hung In tapestry
and other Interior finishing la In keeping.
The mural decorations contemplate an
elaborately simple display, which will
make the general effect of the auditorium
richly beautiful. All the appointments are
to be on a similar scale and the whole will
make the Brandels the handsomest theater
In the west and one of the most beautiful
In the country. The final acceptance of the
plans awaits the coming of Mr. Bmll
Brandels, who Is now In the east, but Is
expected home shortly. When the plans
re fully determined the work of prepar
ing the specifications will be taken up and
It Is hoped that blda can be Invited early
In May.
WOMEN WHO'D PLAY THE MAN
Actresses More and More Seek to En
act Male Iloles.
NEW YORK, April 10. Sarah Bernhardt
la certainly the Orand Old Woman of the
drama. She Is now well In the 60s, but no
less difficult a task than playing the title
role In Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergarac" Is
to be her next undertpklng. Constant Co
quelln, with whom she had played the
part of Roxlne so frequently. Is dead, and
probably no actor In France Is courageous
enough Just now to take up the part. He
played Cyrano more than forty times this
year during the weeks preceding his sick
ness and his triumphs are freshly remem
bered In Paris. Sarah Is going to act the
role, however, and It Is fairly certain that
the public will want to see her.
It waa only a short time ago that Mme.
Bernhardt wrote to her representative,
William C. Connor, who has been her friend
and adviser ever since the death of Maurice
Orau, that she hoped this season to add
another role to her repertoire, MephlBto
phelea, in a version of "Faust" that Henri
Bataille was writing for her. There waa a
delay about hor acquisition of 'his new
masculine character because Mme. Bern
hardt and the dramatist fell out and she
wanted him to get out and let hor finish
the play herself. Just how M. Bataille re
i celved the suggestion Is not known here;
but Mme. Bernhardt has not yet played
1 the devil on the stage, so there are grounds
, for bellevtrfg that he may have objected
' to withdrawing at this crucial point.
The desire to play Cyrano marks the ex
treme of the Frenchwoman's ambition to
play men's roles. She acted here as the
Ingenuous hero of "15 Passant" as long
go as her first visit to New York; but
the only other male charactera she has
subsequently shown here were Hamlet and
the hero of "L'Alglon," the little duke of
Relchstadt. Abroad she has played the
hero of De Musset's "Lorensaeelo" and
began her recent cycle of men's parts In
that play. Her tendency to gather as many
uch roles as possible into her repertoire
, waa also shown by her ambition to act
Romeo whenever an appropriate Juliet who
also spoke French could be found.
Mmo. Bernhardt is not an exception. The
disposition of women to play musculine
roles undoubtedly grows stronger. Maude
Adams, who made the fame of "L'Alglon"
In this country, has since that time gilne.l
I even great vogue for Peter Pan, although
I ahe could not do the same for the hero of
; "The Jesters," which Is the latest mascu
line figure she added to her repertoire. It
Is said that she would appear only in male
role If there were plays enough of that
. kind to Interest and occupy her. It waa
' the desire of two actresses to get "L'Aig
' Ion" that led to the parting of the ways
between Charles F roll man and Julia Mur
' lowe, who waa then under hia management.
Mis Marlowe waa so anxious to represent
, the young hero that ahe never forgave Mr.
i Frohman for handing the play over to
I Mia Adams. Her own rights to the- part
i she considered proved by the success she
; had mad lu "Chatterton," a one-act play
; that she now rarely perform. Only a
short time ago Annie Russell, who had
, made her greatest aucceases In gently in
genuous roles, decided1 that she wanted to
I get Into line and act a masculine role. She
lected one that ha always been a in ted
to woman, however, und acted Puck In
"A Midsummer Night' Dream."
There Is of course la this tendency noth
ing like a return to those palmy days la
which the woman Hamlet was only a little
career than tha woman Iago. Old records
Of the drama announce as many women
Hamlets la ti e e are Xyns toilay. As far
back as both Mrs. Banl.y and Mrs.
' Barnes mad successful appearance In the
rolo and were taken seriously by large
audlencsa. It waa significant of the taste
of ths time that sumo year later Char
lotte Barnea, who had failed In every other
rol in spit of tha talent and popularity
at hor parents, was finally aoccpud as
Hamlet, which, to Judge from biographer
of the day, erms to have been due to the
fact that she looked worried and nervous
ly nature and thus offered an early ex
ample of tho doctrine" of physical suit
ability Apposed to art.
Mrs. Shaw, Fanny Wallack, Mrs. Broua
ham. Susan Denln, who Inter was an ad
mired actress of old women parts until a
few years ago; Mrs. F. B. Conway and
Jullin Seaman were some of the women
actressea who took a try at the Prince of
Denmark annually. It Is not o surprising
that thry had the courage to do It as the
fact that the public enjoyed the plays
enough to come and see them and even
talked seriously about their conception of
Two
ISCRIMINATINO theatergoers
who both enjoy and appreciate
light comedy acting of a high
order have at present more
opportunity to Indulge their
this direction thun for some
D
tasto
in
time. In fact, the theatrical season Is
waning with considerably more dignity
than It has exhibited at nny time since
It opened last September. In addition
now playing In this city with thoe of
players of quality the public has an op
portunity to compare the result In the
case of two, experienced wpmen star
now playing in this city with those of
more youthful but far less well qualified
actresses who have been seized upon
and exploited by managers who think
that the public prefers youth to brains
and beauty to skill, says tlie New York
Sun.
The two stars who are at present en
forcing thl comparison ore Miss Henri
etta Crosman and Mis Grace George.
Both of these actressea have achieved
stardom only after a long period of ap
prenticeship and years of hard work
and Intelligent study and exercise. They
furnish an Instructive contrast to tho
hand made stars with which theater
goers have become rather more familiar
of late than seem necessary.
Take the case of Mis Crosman first,
since she Is tho elder actress. As a
young girl she studied far grand rpera
In Pari until Illness obliged her to
abandon her ambitions 'In connection
with the lyric drama. Then she came
back determined to take up work on the
stage of her native country. She was
some time In getting, a hearing, making
her first appearance in "The White
Slave" m lH8-whlch, It will be noticed,
comes pretty near being twenty year
ago, and was eleven yeara before she
became a atar.
Her next appearance was a brief en
gagement in, what was then called "vari
ety;" In 1890 she played subordinate
parts In Augustin Daly's rompany, then
still prosperous; the following year she
Joined Daniel Frohman's Lyceum Thea
ter Stock company, following that with
two years of miscellaneous parts with
the role. In later years -the number of
these gifted women grows ever smaller.
Charlotte Cushman will ever remain the
most notable of the American actresses
who played seriously the parts of men, for
in that category are not to be Included the
list that appeared in "The French Spy,"
"Jack Sheppard" and other plays to which
it had become a theatrical convention to
assign women.
Adele Belgrade used to play Hamlet, and
that was not more than a score of years
ago. Her mnst successful predecessor by
only a few years was Mrs. Daniel Band
man n, who played the same character all
over England until a comparatively re
oent period. Mra. Kmma Waller used to
act that role, aa well as Iago to the
opposite characters prayed by her husband.
Mrs. Waller, who wis a survival of the
tragedy queens, lived for years after her
retirement over In West Thirtieth street
and taught the young theatrical Idea to
shoot in a direction that there is not the
leaat demand for today.
Marie Prescott was the last of the women
Iagos In this city. She acted the role with
her husband when he came here from his
Vlrgina farm to give a series of Shakes
pearian plays. Several years ago Helene
Mora, whii waa popular then as a singer
of sentimental mother ditties in the music
halls, decided that she wanted to attempt
the melancholy one and her music hall
public In those daya was large enough to
enable her to have her way with the
managers. So she acted the closet scene
at Hydo & Behman's so acceptably that
It was scarcely possible to sit through It.
Those who went to sooff remained to yawn.
Less than two years -ago Adelaide Kelm
tented the loyalty of her slock company
clientele In Harlem by appearing there for
a week aa Hamlet and escaped violence
which may show that her friends had
learned to U)ve her or that, like Helene
Mora, ahe waa competent. These later
efforts It will be aeon, or presenved for
the outlying theaters. They never pene
trate the heart of the theatrical district.
The desire of appearing In a man' role
led Miss Barrymore two year ago to at
tempt the part of the boy hero of "Car
rots," which did no more than add another
modest success to her large number. She
like other popular acrescea of the day is
searching for the play that contains the
attractive male character that they are
anxious to play. If there arc not more of
these impersonations within the next few
seawns it will be because tile dramatists
have failed to supply the plays that con-
I tain them.
COMIAG TO THK OMAHA THEATERS
Attractions Promised for the Week at
ths Local Playhouses.
There have been many delineators of ec
centric comedy on the stage during the
J time minstrelsy has been before tho peo
ple, but few, if any of them, have ap
proached the position in this line held by.
Billy Clark of the Al G. Field Greater
Minstrels. Kntlrely original In hia con
cept! n and cliaracierliutlon of his part
of "The Man From Onlonvlllo, Indian Ter
Itry," Billy Clark Jumped at a bound from
a comparatively unknown comedian to one
of the greatest on the Btage. Clark is
what might be called a quiet comedian.
His work Is aa smooth us oil. He get
laugh without effort and they are hearty
laugha.
They come from the heart because hi
wit is such as to touch the deiper feelings
In our nature. Billy Chirk Is seen In ths
first part In which he sings his great hlta.
"There's Always Something Wrong," which
Is a quaint negro plaint, and "I d Bather
Be a IJitle Too Soon Than Just a Little
Bit Too Late."
Minsrrel Ully Clark. "Tha Man Behind
the Fun." will be seen here with the Al
O. Field Greater Mlnatrels st the Boyd
theater during th engagement of two
the Stage
performance Sunday afternoon and even
ing. The success of "The Clansman," which
will be seen at the Boyd Thursday, Friday
and Saturda with the original New York
cominy and $roductlon, continue to be
the sensation and surprise of the theatri
cal world. The play has been the subject
of newspaper comment and public and prl
va .snip everywhere. Minister have
preached about It; politicians, big and llt
le, h 'Ve b en mightily concerned and
worked up. In the larger towns the box
office scenes have been almost riotous, ao
eager Jias the public been to get Its money
In aM obtain the first reservations. Au-
Real Feminine Stars
Charles Frohman's company, during
which period she spent much time on
the read. A year In stock ensued.
Her first striking success In a part of
predominance was perhaps In "Glor
iana" at the Madison Square theater,
but after a few performances she was
taken 111 and did not play for a year.
For some obscure reason th road
claimed her after that until lWO, when
sho began her career as a star. Since
then she has played with conspicuous
success In many productions, the best
known being "Mistress Nell," "One of
Our Girls," "Nance Oldfield," "The
Sword of tho King" and "Madeline."
Miss George's career has not been
quite so extensive. She Is one of the
few stars who are graduates of a dra
matic school, the American Academy
of Dramatic Arts being her sponsor. She
made her debut fifteen year ago In
"The Now Boy," a farce popular at
that time. She was the Lucy In "The
Girl I Left Behind Me," played an
Ingenue In "Charley's Aunt," Madeline
In "Frederic Lrmaltre," and then went
Into vaudeville with Charles Dickson.
She returned to the legitimate stage In,
a Frensh faroe called "The Turtlp."
then appeared In "Mile. Flfl," and was
first starred in "The Countess Chiffon."
She was scarcely ripe for that honor at
tho time, but persevered, her first real
success in a star part being achieved
In "Her Majeaty." Then followed
"Pretty Peggy," "Frou Frou," "The
Marriage of William Aahe." "Clothes"
"Divorcons" -and now '"A Woman' ,
Way."
It is not pretended here to enumerate
every part played by these two ac
tresses, but only to name enough of
those parts to indicate that these two
players have arrived at their present
eminence legitimately, in the only way
In fact, save in the caae of prodigies,
by which such eminence can be Justly
.attained and securely maintained.
Miss Crosman In "Sham" and Miss
George In "A Woman's Way" are now
giving exhibitions of 'skillful work In a
field of histrionic endeavor In which
American ectresses have of late seldom
excelled and In which the English are
diences are worked up to-a pitch of fren
sled enthusiasm that campaign managers
of Taft and Bryan might well envy.
Leading all other native plays In point of
popularity, It Is eagerly demanded In for
eign lands and productions in Japan and
Australia are now on the tapis.
Another of those big, breexy musical
shows from the metropolis of the west
comes to Boyd's April W. 19 and 20. Thl
Is one of the latest Chicago productions,
bearing the title of "A Stubborn Cinder
ella." The opening scenes shows the cam-
About Music,
N A recent number of Every
body' Magazine there was an
article on books by J. B. Ker
foot, and In the course of his
ItigWispl remarks the following para
' i " graph appeared:
"A great deal of fun has been poked, first
and last, at the man who, brought face to
face with any form of art expreasion,
says, 'I don't know anything about that;
I only know what I like and what I don't.'
The fun Is legitimate enough. Its legiti
macy is made manifest and its essence ex
pressed In the famous retort that 'the
monkeys In the soo know that.' And yet
there Is no man, though he be now critic
or connoisseur, who has not, In the begin
ning, found himself thus limited in knowl
edge. The difference lies In one's attitude
toward the discovery and In one's recogni
tion of two facts, namely, that the begin
nings of understanding as well as its re
wards, come from within us, and that the
first step from the simian toward the
human aeatheticism is the self-propounded
question, 'Why do I like this and not
that?' "
This Is the festival of Easter. Today
the thought of resurrection will be empha
sised from pulpit and chancel. Immortality
and eternal life will be held forth, and the
old, old story will be told. In various ways,
and Bung by choirs, while the tongues of
the organa which wer silent during the
last days of "holy week" will peal forth,
mighty in iower, and noble In volume.
In the days of our childhood we heard,
many times, of the necessity of being pre
pared for death, but somehow that haa
been changed. The thought of eternal
life Is more often presented than the
thought of death. "Prepare to meet thy
God" haa given place to "Prepare for
eternal life."
Eternal life means eternal progress. The
way one ued to think of it, it seemed
more like eternal stagnation, or eternal
Idleness. It waa like the poor old Irish
servant who wanted to go to heaven where
"thank God there would be no more dishes
to wash.."
And so, the paragraph which opened this
column today serves perhaps for an Easter
tide reflection as well as any other.
If the "Kingdom of Heaven" Is "within
you, ' then It follows sthat eternal life be
gins here; If eternal lire begins here, It
begins with a question mark.
And that little queatlon, "Why do I like
this and not that?" la the beginning of
the development of one's eternal powers.
"This little question," says Mr. Kerfoot,
"Is the pass-key to an unknown world.
It opens all doors, even the padlocks of
our prejudices and superstitions."
If there is anything In tha world that we
really need today, it is the opening of the
"padlocks of our prejudices and supersti
tions." Evermor ths Phsrisees are seeing
to It, thl t ths sepuJcher Is being
miali! sure, tad that the stuns Is sealed.
Evermore the spirit of Ignorance and
superstition and prejudice and resistance to
a new truth, or to the better presentment
of an old truth. Is rvady to crucify the
bearer of the good new.
Let us Uien grasp. With ths most fervent
hops, any aid to roll tha stone from ths
World Briefly Told
pus of the Columbus university. Here It Is
that Mac, the hero, meets for the first
time a certain Lady Leslie from Scotland,
who has never In all her life spoken to a
man. She I entirely unsophisticated, and
Mao looks good to her. Lady ta'slle ha
come to this country to marry n man she
has never seen, having been bcthrothed to
him during her childhood. The action of
the piece hangs on the love affairs of these
young people. Many brilliant song numbers
run throughout the piece, some of them
being decided hits. One" of the best num
bers Is entitled "When You First Kiss the
Last Olrl You Love," with other good ones
like "Love Me Just Because," "What's the
for the most part far our superiors.
Miss Crosman, to be sure, has personal
limitations, which In the present In
stance prevent her from giving a thor
ough Impersonation. She scarcely feems
the member of an old, aristocratic,
fashionable Knickerbocker family. But
this weakness In her representation Is
more than atoned for by the' deftness
and flexibility with which she indicates
the various moods that take possession
Of the character which she plays. The
manner In which she reads a letter In
the last act of the comedy Is in Itsolf
a liberal education In the art of light
comedy acting, and no young actress
who has aspirations In the same field
ought to miss seeing It. She is mistress
of mirth that rise above tears and of
tears that Just peep through mirth. Her
art Is as strong and flexible as the tirm
of a skillful fencer.
Miss George's art, while It Is exerted
In the same field of light comedy. Is of
a less overwhelming character. The
lightning of light comedy Is Just yet
not for her, but she Is mistress of the
sephyrs and the sunshine. She gives,
moreover, a more genuine impersona
tion than does MIrb Crosman. She la
nearer being the woman that the play
wright drew. She makes her character
In "A Woman's Way" a very real and
humanly delightful person, and In her
serener manner she la quite as flexible
as the older actress. She has, more
over, the assistance of that extraordi
narily facllo light comedian Frank
Worthing, who Is probably today the
best male exemplar of that style of act
ing on the American Btage.
Students of the art of acting, If there
are any, will find food for reflection in
the careera and success of these two
actresses. It may be that the managers
who pin their faith on youth, aa against
experience and skill are right. It may
be that the public will pay mora dollars
to look at a pretty girl making motions
that a stage manager has taught her
than to see a skillful actress doing
things Intelligently and uttering lines
beautifully, but If so it's a pity, and
one prefers to believe that It's a condi
tion that will not endure.
Use," "Adlos, Senortta," and "Don't Be
Anybody'a Moon but Mine.", The c:'st la
headed by Homer B. Mason, who previous
to his engagement with "A Stubborn Cin
derella" was a headllner In vaudeville on
the Orpheum circuit. Miss Grace Edmund
has the party of Lady Leslie, and besides
her many other charms has a beautiful so
prano voice. Which she uses effectively In
a number of songs.
"Shenandoah" will te given at the Bur
wood theater for the week starting this
afternoon. This truly great play by the
Musicians and Musical Events
. sepulcher that entombs the good, or to
J break the seal which bears the Impress of
ignorance In high places, and let us seize
the key which will unlock tho "padlocks
of our prejudices and superstitions."
What a little key it is!
In the realm of music we are so often
confronted wtlh that very statement: "I
don't know anything about that; I only
know what I like and what I don't." Or,
to be more accurate, In musical matters
we more often hear the latter part only:
"I know what I like and what I don't."
In the realm of art we don't even hear the
frank admission, "I don't know anything
about that" But, no matter. That will
come.
Is It not a remarkably encouraging thing,
however, to think that even those who
know best and most about a subject, have,
at seme time or other, stopid to think
"Why?"
The aforesaid monkeys In the too are
rot to be blamed for their limited knowl
edge. They know nothing perhaps about
anything! Perhaps! Did you ever notice
that peculiarly quizzical expression an old
ape will wear. In looking at the human
beings outside the cage? But the simian
tribe knows what It likes und what It
doesn't.
The first step upward la the question
"Why?"
1
If, In the matter of music, we could get
our fellow men and fellow women to ask
themselves why they like ' one kind of
music and not another, we would have
stalled a thought process which would
bear fruit.
One of the most prevah nt excuses which
we hear, for a gross mistake or for a
cruel deed, is, "It's too bad, but he didn't
mean to do It; he Just didn't think."
It la a great question whether the fact
of "not thinking" ia not the gravest if all
evils.
"Evil ia wfought from want of thought
as well as want of heart."
Thus salth the Poet. But that is not
Bald in excu.se, for, or palliation of, the
lack of thought.
What has sent many -a great soul through
Gethsemane, but the superstitious prejudice
of people who would not stop to ask them
selves the question, "Why?" When you
read the life of Richard Wagner and real
ise what he passed through It makes your
heart sick because some of those old musi
cal pharlsees, who should have welcomed
truth, would not ask tl.emtielves, "Why dj
we not like his music? Why do we like
this that we have, and not that which he
presents to us?"
Read the lives of most of the great com
posers and you will find that they wire
the lctim of padlicked prejudices and
iron-bound superstltiDn. Those who would
not li.len to their message were the chief
pi:evJ ar.J lie pharlsces who sat in the
musical seats of authority and aet a guard
to see that ths atone waa sealed at the
door of the sepulchre In which the Spirit
of Music was entombed.
When the student"' begins to ask this
all-Important little question he has begun
to study th eternal things. "The beginning
lati Bronson Howard has been the stand
ard of Its kind for over twenty years. It
first having been produced In New York
City at the Star theater on Broadway on Sep
tember . H9. Viola Allen and Henry Mil
ler sharing honors In the leading roles. The
play has not been seen In Omaha since
early In the theatrical season of 1!. when
It was given at the Burwood theater. In
addition to the big cast needed to present
the drama, that crack organisation, the
Omaha Guards, will participate In the hlg
battle scene. Additional Interest Is given
this production because of the Initial ap
pearance of three new members of the Bur
wood company Thaddeus Gray, leading
man; Hugh Gibson, comedian, and I,ea He
monde, character woman. It is believed
that all three will Immediately Jump Into
popular favor. There will be matinees to.
day, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
To follow the big revival of "Shenan
doah," the Burwood theater will offer
"The Cowboy and the Lady," the title roles
In which will be played, respectively, by
the new leading man, Mr. Gray, and Miss
Leone.
James Thornton will be at the Orpheum
this week. His songs, "When You Were
Sweet Sixteen" and "My Sweetheart's the
Man in the Moon," long ago attained great
populurlty. Mr. Thornton has been appear
Ing with conspicuous success in a mono
logue. Another musical number Is the
engagement of Elizabeth M. Murray, whose
reputation as a singer of Irish and negro
character songs Is second to none. Julie
Ring, supported by a little troupe of far
ceurs, will present " The Wrong Room, a
piece said to abound In comical situations,
from the pen of Herbert Hall Wlnslow.
"When Caesar C's Her" Is a travesty of
"Caesar and Cleopatra," by George Bern
ard Shaw, and will be presented by James
and Sadie LeonaTd and Richard Anderson
The 81sters Gasch are European gymnasts
but have appeared In this country for short
tours, having been featured at the Victoria
Roof Garden and other prominent music
halls. A third musical number, but one
in which music Is combined with comedy
of the most grotesque type. Is contributed
by the Vlndobonns. A light an humorous
number will be that of "Mack" and "Ma
rlus," both former newspaper cartoonists,
who have Joined forces and are presenting
a little skit entitled "Evolution," In which
they give free play to their talent and
fancy.
LATE GOSSIP FROM STAGELAM)
Interesting; lilts of Personal Chat
About Theater Folks.
David Belasco was In his boat mood at
a dinner at the St. Hegis preceding his
vacation his first vacation in twenty long,
hard years.
Mr. Belasco, In the course of a learned
review of barefoot dancing, problem plays
and such-like outcroppings of stage his
tory, smiled and said:
"It may be true, as some have claimed,
that Immoral plays are due to the Immoral
taste of woman. Yes, that may be true;
but, gentlemen, did you ever watch at the
theater an elderly, staid, perhaps somewhat
unprepossessing wife, brooding over a hus
band a little younger than herself? These
wives, surely, are no supporters of the Im
moral stage spectacle).
"Such a wife sat in one of my theaters
during the production of a drama. The
heroine, a beautiful girl, said at a dramatic
moment:
" 'Merciful heavens, I am undone!'
"Tho wife rose hurriedly.
" 'Come, Clarence,' she murmured sternly,
'we've had enough of this. I'm not going
to have you. drinkln' In any Salome dance
or dlsrobln' act!' "
Word from Miss Florence Gerald is to
the effect thut she has Just closed her
season and will him nil Kaster at her home,
254 West Forty-sixth street, New York.
Mrs. Manning of the team Carl and
Manning has returned to her home In
Omaha after a seven months' season on the
Keith & Proctor circuit. Mrs. Manning will
of understanding," says our friend, "must
como from within." When one awakens
with that thought, when the soul, timid and
i doubtful, asks that resurrection question.
there is going to be an answer. And the
answer will depend on the very honesty of
tho asking.
When the question Is asked In sincerity
and truth, and thut, connecting with the
sources of development without, will de
velop one's mind and enlaige one's being,
so that life will be "more abundant" and
tho "rules" of man will bo forsaken for
tho "laws" of art. The man-made rules
are temporal and arc changing every day
and In every place; one has a pet exercise
for tills and another for that; one has a
notion and another has a nostrum. But
the "laws" of art are eternal. They are
laws, not made by man, but some of them
have been discovered by him, and others
are yet to be discovered.
In the matter of ordinary wickedness Is
It not this quebtion, "Why do I like this
and not that?'' which must be asked, be
fore one awakens to a sense of wrong-doing?
And therein lies the beginning of
understanding, the entrance Into eternal
life, the dawn of the rcsurrectl' n morning.
When the Ignorant and untutored youth,
under the spell of some other youth who
bus "turned his face from the clod," stops
and asks himself the question, "Why do
I like this and not that?" his resurrection
has begun, and his 1b beginning; to under
stand the meaning of the word Easter.
When the music student who has been
addicted to the popular aong habit, who
has heard nothing but the vaudevlllo
! shouter, begins to ask, "Why do I like this,
and not the music of the masters?" the
dawn of a new life has begun, "the pass
key to a new world," as Mr. Kerfool puts
it. has been found, and who shall say that
thla new world Is not the eternal "new
earth" which constitutes a part, at leaat,
of the "Kingdom of Heaven?"
Thla is the Easter morn. This, the Day
of Resurrection. This Is the day to ask
the iiuestl.in, "Why do I not?"
"Glory about thee, without thee, and thou
lulfillesl thy doom,
Making him broken gleams, and a stifled
i-plendor and gloom.
Speak to Him thou, for He hears, and
Spirit with Spirit can meet
C'losei is Me t!inn bn-Hthlng, and nearer
than hands and feet."
"I hold it truth, with him whu Kings
To one clear harp In divers tonei.
That men muy rise on stepping -siiines
Of their dead selves to luxlier things."
The Resurrection bpult is in the air.
The hopta are singing Hallelujah!
The Keaat of the Church Is proclaimed.
The Joy of Nature Is so exuberant that
tiie very buds and blades burst forth in
sheer delight.
The t-pilhg uf Souls is here!
Hallelujah! THOMAS J. KELLY.
MaslcalVotes.
Mr. Max Landow wld give a piano recital
at the First Baptist church Thursday even
ing. April lri. Mr. Unduw will play Fan
tasie in F minor, op. 4i, nocturne. Etude,
and Barcarole op. tiu by Chopin, and the
following numbers by Usui: Harmonies
do Holr. S.Miette de Petrarca, Second Bal
lade, Deux Legxndes, 'antique d Amour
and Polonaise. E minor.
AMI F.MR.T8.
BOYD'S
THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT
AKXBICA'M rAYOBITB UDOOB HOW
AIL. G. FIELD
BIXTT KIUT
BOYD'S TB2RS'"
GEORGE H. BRENNAN, PRESENTS
THOMAS DIXON, JR.'S
WONDERFUL PLAY
THE 1 4th K5SSE!
I
CLANSMAN
COMrAXY OP 75 TKOI'LE
CAKIA1AIM OF HCKNKHY AM) KI.ECTKIC.Wi EFFECTS,
AX1 TKOOI'S OK CAVAMIV HOUSES.
Sunday, Monday. Tuesday Tuesday Matinee April 19, 2flT
FKIltCXBS AMUSE MX ITT COMPAKT OFFKB
Tb Quality Musical Show
A STUBBORN CINDERELLA
By Rough, Adams and Howord.
HOMI1 MASON AMD COMPANY Or SXTEITTT-XTTS.
ssMWsWBsTJMBMMi
11 iii iiiMsssiiiiMissswMSsyii
v-sMga pho
ts - Ben.
P!
rol
Introducing ths thrss
new members of ths
company
Ttiaddeusi Cray,
Ulldb Gibson,
Lea Hrmonde.
SHERIDAN'S RIDE THE OMAHA
MATS. TODAY, TUES., THURS.. SAT.j"
iday the leading part In the I. O. Mourer
Jrainj.Uc company next season.
Bin Teal, tho famous stage director, and
Cnarits t roiiman nave parteu company.'
1'neir couirjcl nas expueu ana Wul iiui oe
renewed, for years ltai itua the general
sluise uuecior 01 me Fronmau productions,
in a louniKUt he win o uohuu to as
sume cnuitiB of a new production, una wul
return to mis country in me la.il.
We are told that an American woman
twitted J. Al. Barrie recently on tne thritty
way in which he Uses JoKts anu episouis
over and over again, exploding in 'W'liat
Kvery Woman Knows," lur instance, mu
same witticism that lias nguieu aneaoy
In "The Admirable L'rlchlon," in "My Uiuy
Nicotine" and in "Sentimental Tommy."
Mr. Barrie replied, with a laugh, tliat his
nationality was to blame.
"I am a Scot," he said, "and we Scots
abhor waste. tid you never hear ot trie
aged Saunders Cariyle, who always riranK
otl his whisky to the last drop tne instant
it was poured out for him?
" 'Why do you- drink down your liquor
in that iiulck, greedy way ?', u strunger said
to Saundets an a reprotiihfql turner
" 'I once had one Knocked OVei,' tjie old
man explained."
Forbes Robertson and Gertrude Klliuit
will tour this country next beason in
Jerome K. Jerome's '"the Passing of the
Third Floor Back" a play which has some
Hlmilarlty to "The Servant in tho House,"
They will start with an euia icnicnt at
Sister Maxlne's New York theater.
Mrs. Carter-Payne is considering seri
ously the advisability of casting In her
tortiines with the Shuberts. Kassa, the
romantic drama by John Luther l.oni?, In
which she appeared lately, haa been shelved
for the prest-nt, but may be seen on tour
In a few weeks. For the summer the ac
tress will head a St. Ixiuls slock company
In revivals of bur own successes "i lie
Heart of Maryland," "Zaza," "Du Barry"
and J-t Tosca."
Eueene Walter is writing: an antithesis
to "The Easiest Way," which he will call
'Another Way. The play will probably
bo used as a vehicle (or his wife. Miss I
Charlotte Walker, lie has Just completed
a melodrama of the bulky, undisguised
kind, which will hp called "The Iast Mus
ter, and which Will probably be produced
late In the spring or early la the 'fall.
According to reports from Pittsburg
james rv. nacaeii nas rounu a piny ru
murkahly well suited to him in "A Son of
the South," by C. T. Dnscy. A trial per
formance was given during the Pittsburg
.. .1 .iwImA (T...,n,l I. . .
ngagemi'M nno maraeo lavor grei ica ip
IIITIIIK AVI I . Hill ni'll will in, I juirn.-iii iii,.
la., i.nln Ihla Hoaunn hllf U'lll linlit It 111
play again mis nrnooii, iui m iixiti in
toy aSai ....o.-.., .....
- I aa I, la ..n.linn, ,t..vt .II
reserve and use it as bis medium next fall.
Sarah Bernhardt has returned to Paris
ftpr a five months' tour which included
ul.. u rwi tit lJ..l.i'u;,iirir In tliu 1 1 1 ,1.. ni r v
and is now playing "L'Alglon." She is
111 la now Jia,uiK i4 niti'ii. nun id
ntemphitlng a production of "Cyrano de
.r.-. ...... " In nl.l..l cho mill tim, ...... - -
ie Gascon. Nothing seems to be beyond
lis amazing artist.
'Do you rec'gnize the perfesslon?" an
old darky asked at the box office window
of the New Amsterdam theater on the night
(If Mr. Mantell s "lar.
wny, wnai orancn or me profession no
you belong to, uncle?" the afflahle ticket
nelli r uiiki d.
"Ise on Mr. Frank McKee's fo'?ea, sah."
mild uncle. "I got full charge o' chimin'
nut his offices."
He got by.
John Galsworthy's new three-act play,
"Strife," which deals with the InterniiiiulKu
problem of labor and capital, nod which
lias Just been produced with marked suc
cess In Ixndon. la to be given an American
hearing next season.
Porter Emerson Urowne lakes the prise
In the "Playwrights' Opening Night Speech"
contest. Ills entry wan liled the otner
evening when his nt-w play, "A Fool Tlieru
Was ' brought Lola.it iililiaid forward as
a star actor at the Liberty theater, New
York. Mr. Jirownu's remarks were brief
and pointed and his example might he fol
lowed with profit by other members of
his profession. His speech follows In full:
"Playwrlglua snould be seen and not
heard." Hear! Hear!
One of the first announcements of new
plays for next seam. a conic iroiu tne
olllc.es of Lleber at to. It seeinx
that Henry iil.issom, llio king of luu
present-day librettists, has found his kln
dom tramped and has sought ..ew w or Ins
to conquer. In short, lie has written a four
act play, entitled "Miss I'nllura."
tfceue are sit in New England, but the
author's promise that It will not be ex
cessively rural removes -ail cause for ap
prehension from thut source. it is tvtn
hinted that the i-lay mil take a place In
the ever-Increasing number of pi ys of
big tlienitH und t.inely liti-as. The jnesiiii
Indication are that Miss t'hryslal Heine,
who has scored so heavily aa Walker
Whllesidoa leading lady In "The M.-l.lag
Pot" all season, will be featured In the
title role.
"The Battle," Cleveland Moffett'a re
markable play on brains, business and the
tenement queailon In which Wilton
I.ackay is now slurring at the Sivoy
theater. New Yolk, has been accorded the
d!t!i!(". nn c.-f being made an International
attrition. Dr. Mersbach. the famous
German inipr- .iKarlo. has arranged to pro
duce t ie pluv in Merlin next cin. Ii ii
his opinion that the problems Mr. Jli.i.vi,
deals with are of particular interest to
G-rnyans today, and he also states thm tile
play ia more like the character, sttcally
Oerman play In structure and method than
most of our American plays.
Walker Whiteside. Ho Is only 3.'. lt was
a atar at 17. Ills first role was that of
Hamlet.
Ho scored buavily as th "Boy Hamlet."
, AMimrMRNTf.
MnriTBEI, ICE IT.
Doug. I50r, :ind. A-I5
TODAY
and all week
A PLAY FOR RED
BLOODED AMERICAN
Bronson Howard's BigMUU
tary Bpsctaol.
n "SHEW AW DO AH"
GUARDS IN THE EIG BATTLE SCENE
15, 25, 35 & 50c-fi,
EXT WEEK)
The Cswboy Ibt Usjr'
CKEIOHTOX
I r Vf WJU n rw. PHONES
VWU UVDOUfi.
INOAMM
ADVANCED VAUDEVILLE
Dally Mat. 9:15. Every Kifht 8:1B
Wssk Starting- Matins Today.
James Thornton
Favorite Author of "When You
Were Sweet Sixteen," etc.. in
"Bong- and Bayirujrs.''
Elizabeth M. Murray
In Her Inimitable
Irish and Nsrro Cbaraotsr Songs.
Julie Ring
And Her Company, playing
"Ths Wrong- Boom"
A Comedy by Herbert Jiall Wlnalow.
James and Sadie Leonard
and Richard Anderson
In Their Great Travesty
"When Caasar C's Bsr"
A Satire on Bernard Shaw's
" Vasar and Cleopatra."
The Sisters Gasch
World's Premier Lady Gymnasts.
These Eccentric European Musicians
The Vindobonas
Mad Melody and Harmonious Humor.
"Mack" and "Marcus"
Cartoonists. In nn Entertaining Pic
torial Cieation, "Evolution."
KINODROME
Always ths newest In motion pioturss
FE.ICTS 10c, 8So and 60o.
MAY MUSIC FESTIVAL
May ltth and J uth
Hoyd Theator
Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra
Mr. Emll Oberhoffer, conductor
Oratorio Society of iinmlia
Mr. Ira It. Pennlman, director
SOLOISTS
Mis T.nu Ise Ormxby, New York, Soprano.
Miss Lather May Plumb, Chicago, Contralto
Mr. Arthur Mnlitleioii. Chicago, Basso
Mr. Carlo FUcher. Minneapolis. Cellist
Mr. Ertni Anton Korb, Minneapolis, Vio
linist Tenor to he announced later
Prices Season Tickets r,.nu and $3.00
Single Admission 7f.c to $2.00
Address May Muslo FsstlTaL
67.' Brandels Hldj.
Chicago Film Exchange
America's Foremost Film Renters
Omaha Office
14th and Douglas fit.
.l!r Ky'l:'ve 1'llin Service can be aeen
at the KiU G TheHt..r every afternoon and
evening, dally change of program, two
llmuHand feet of flluiH each day.
first at .VicVickcrs theater, Chicago In
lssil, ainl Lnt n m iiio L moil iviuurti Uicaler,
ISKW UIK in iXiX
11. s Arw iur in.it night hotiae amounted
to lisb than iw, ins Hint week closed Willi
u li.ouo nuase. .m i ruiKic, lilt! oest know II
critic of mat uay, uesifc.mtta luiu UluU as
In o actor or tne lutuie.
Lam in i.vji i,e aiaiU'd a barnstorming
Caicei oi iilteen y, am duration, during
widen he was never been in one ot Ino
larger cil.eH.
i p. aim "Hamlet." "OthelU.," "King
I.eu'.' "lnc M reliant of Venice, 'iUcuald
lil ami 1 tleili lieu. ' '
And when ciasHic reiierturle fulled to
draw he produced romalic drama with
siicn lilies as "Cousin or tne King,'' "The
Man ,n J, In. k," -J in. Hed Co. k ule, 'lluart
(inn Sworn ' and "Wt uru Kiiik,' most of
wh.ch ho wrote himself.
lurlng Ihene Ultee., year he was his
own manager as well us his own staae
director. "
Two eara iikii, Iih d-rl.li d to sign a con
tract with Messrs. l.lcher & Co., the
uianugi rs of En un ir liolunii, Viola. Allen
and a i.oKt of oli.er m.ii.-i. and lo desert
the little, towns of the middle west for the
regions wh.re lluaiilial reputations are
made.
His flrsi play un.ler tho new regime was
called, "Tin, Maitl dy" by Unrdon
Keane, generally suspected to ba an
actor himself, and rui.iinhed Mr. Whiteside,
with the first inoil.-iii rule he had ever un-deriak-n.
laist summer he wen: to England to visit
Israel angl!, and liie latter' s greatest
Wnik, "The McUliig I'.il" was evolved.
On Oi t'.l.er i. i! 4. "i -e Melting Pot"
was produced In U .siilngt.m, and President
IXouit u : fl;-i't:l lii m tils box, "It's a
gnat, greit piav."
Ami J:. l .' if. Oscar Straus and
n , rei of .it .. r i I d -smrda of plains nd
when they ri ached Chhago It was so suc
cessful that It rin much lunger than any
seilinis play I a.l ever run In that city.
Hut th.i wor.l of praise lavished on the
I lay have been rn more enthusiastic (ban
those, used ! (l.wcillm the act of Whiteside,
now a hnii(lriltolit mure mature and fine
than Ihat which drew New Vork and
Chicago's attertlnn to a youthful Hamlet.
Walker Whiteside has taken a place In
the very foremost rank of modern players.