THE OMAHA SUNDAY BEE: MARCH. 3, 1918.
9 B
. Tracy .3 0 0 I Ms A3
BHANOSIS HtPPODflOMt ! iV If. 1
1 1 f -4 9.
Vf ,If ',3
okespewre Spells Ruin ?
Not So You Would Notice It if You Make Up
Your Judgment from the Advance Sale for the
Robert Mantell EngagementWhich Argues for
Deep Public Interest at Times for the Classics
M
MANAGERS who believe that
. Sbakespeare spells ruin "
might have had their eyes
opened had they been able
to, watch the lines in 'front
of the boxofhce window
over at the Bovd throuEh-
out the week, buying seats for the
Mantell engagement. Mr. Mantell has
played here before, with considerable
success, but it is not recalled that the
announcement of his coming ever ex
cited the populace to any real pitch.
This time. the interest seems genuine,
and the. engagement begins with a sale
of seats that spells success for it
from the financial view. For the mat
ter of that, Mr. Mantell's agent says
the story "iV the same all over the
country wherever he has played this
season; people -show a greater interest
in the substantial drama than has been
noted for many seasons, and give
close attention, to the Shakespearean
classics. This is comforting, indeed,
to one who takes his theater seriously,
looking upon it as something better
thn a mere place to seek amusement.
It must not be inferred that this is
going to lead to an epidemic of
"classics;" heaven forfendl It is
simply n indication that for the mo
ment folks who have been fed up on
th frivolous,, or, who can get little
comfort 4f rom,'' the movies or the pic
torial reviews, are coming in for a
chancet and that enough of them still
linger around '(e old place to make
it i worth.? while for some good actor
to devote his. talent and ability to the
presentation of drama that has more
"body'Jvthan frothy
Thinking overcome recent experi
ences, one wonders if we are to ever
experience the thrill of coming across
a new or novel arrangement of the
time-honored material from which
modern light comedy is built. The
wife, temporarily estranged from her
husband, seeMng safety and solitude
in domestic service, for example. The
situation Is piquant in Its possibilities,
and with variations innumerable has
served to sustain play after play, and
yet shows, little Sign of wear. While
it is- grateful to tis all, because of a
sdcition, and likely will for that rea
son retain it popularity far ahead in
to years to come,' it is always the
sarne. Some day, a pioneer play
monger will rise up and alter the
whole situation in such a way that the
auditor will not recognize it. What
will happen to such an one is beyond
conjecture; he may be' recognized and
rewarded, but moje than likely he
will meet the fate that usually over
takes anyone who undertakes to
thrust an innovation on the public.
But' he may feel sure that his idea
will not die, and some' time-a succes
sor will come along, spring it "anew,
and get much credit nd considerable
cash or so doing. ; And as it pro
gresses others will take it, twist it
arrund, smooth, it out . here and puff
It up there, and get further fame and
increasing quantities of cash from it,
for the public will like it better each
time It 18 paraaca m umcicm guise.
TW U the reason for so little, of
invention or real novelty at 'the thea-
ter; redoes not pay. The folks like
to see the things they know all about
in advance.
"Richelieu, the play in which
Robert ,B. Mantell. foremost classic
tragedian on .the American stage, will ! and beautiful leading woman, is seen
AHA
fG&yeJy
Virgin ia Irurin.
other dramas, chosen for presenta
tion here from a list the most exten
sive and formidable since Edwin
Booth's day, are "The Merchant of
Venice,"- Monday night; YHamlet,"
Tuesday night; "Romeo and Juliet,"
Wednesday afternoon; "King Lear,"
Thursday night; "Macbeth," Friday
night; "The Merchant of Venice,"
again Saturday afternoon, and VRich
ard III," Saturday night. For all of
these plays Mr. Mantell carries com
plete and elaborate scenic equipment.
In "Romeo and Juliet" Miss Gene
w i r r .411
vieve Hamper, Mr. Manteus young
open nis week s - engagement at
Boyd's theater tonight, is perhaps the
most timely of all the classics, in that
it deals with a period of storm and
stress in French history that is being
duplicated on a more gigantic scale
today. It was Cardinal Richelieu who
saved France, then a young and Strug,
gling nation, from the clutches of
secret intrigue, and made it a power
in the European family. The play
in which Mr. Mantell will be seen,
the work of Sir Edward Bulwer Lyt
ton, is a story of a conspiracy that
sought to overturn the cardinal
minister and his government and
destroy the significance of France.
The great scene in the play in which
Kichelieu foils his powerful court
enemies by drawing round his young
and lovely ward, involved in the in
trigue, the magic circle of the Church
of Rome, has never been surpassed
for dramatic power in all the range
of stage literature. As an intensely in
teresting and fascinating story the
drama of "Richelieu" is unsurpassed
Py ny play in the Mantell repertoire.
Richelieu," which will be repeated
Wednesday night, is the only.non
Shakespearian play of the week. The
. . i e t 1. 1 ii.-t L
in tne roie oi onancspearc uiai in
fers the tragedienne the opportunity
for the fullest display of charm and
talent.
During her engagement this week
at the Orpheum theater Ruth St.
Denis will be assisted by Margaret
Loomis, who was the most graceful
member of the St. Denis organization
last season. Ted Shawn, husband
and dancing partner of Ruth St. Denis,
A
SWEDISH
AUDITORIUM
' "strap wrnn.
Sinter Joseph Rosenblatt fa CmmC
of JowbHItHrgfoolMuslo
Wednes., March 6, at 8 115 p. m.
Prices, $1, $1.60, $2
A. L. PIJfKDS, Sloax City,
IoeaI JHanagw
ITnab Piano Used
CONTINUOUS
1:1$ lo II P. M.
ID)A
VAUDEVILLE
2:15-5:15-7:15-9:15
ALL THIS WEEK:
MR. and MRS. WM. O'CLARE
A Breeze From the Lakes of Killarney-slnglng & dancing
" OMAHA'S FUN CENTER"
Ev'ttfi. 25-BO-TSe-tl
Pally Mu, 15-28-50
FRED IRWIN'S BIG SHOW
Bartow! Mttt BI 1 " Cutlnly IHtrrat
DrtflMl Ofltrlai inn ytnit o' ma
VaMerlH ImIbm Im Mayw, irof1 A tula.
Waa A Laity. WalarltM A Bert la. Hiltlag fat
Btauty Charm. 12 Maaalfltaat Settiaaa.
LADIES' DIME MATINEE WEEK DAYS
t-4
CLAUDIA TRACY
tongs and Eeeentricltiei
MaxIneBros.&Bobby
Two Boys and a Dog
JOHNCON BROS. &
JOHNSON
Minstrels Extraordinary
LEXEY ft O'CONNOR
Smart Songs and
Eccentric Dances
Tom Linton and Jungle Girls
Comic Singing and Tropical Oddity,
"The Up'to-DaU Missionary"
WHO
ARE THE THREE MOST POPULAR GIRLS III
Aanvar Tkia Quaitlaa at Oar Bax OMaa.
OMAHA?
DAILY MATINEES
Ar V SEAT, 15
Ezcapt Sat.
and Sunday
, 7;1S and 9:1S Every Evanlnf, 18e, 26c and 38c
Orehaatra Floor and Baaea Raaarvad. Phona Douflaa 600.
has answered the call to the colors.
The series of pictorial and dramatic
dances to be presented have been gor
geously invested scenically. The
repertory will include "The Japanese
Flower Dance," "The Moon of Love
Waltz." "The Peacock Dance" and
"The Dance of the North American
Desert" An Omaha character actor,
Charles Withers, will be seen as the
star in one of the feature acts, a trav
esty melodrama called For Pity's
Sake." Billed as the one-man glee
club, Frank Crumit will exhibit his
ability as a fun-maker, a singer and
an instrumentalist. Composers of
such popular songs as "Cleopatra Had
a Jazz Band" and "Don't Bite the
Hand That Is Feeding You," Jim and
Betty Morgan are to present a pleas
ing vocal act Vivian Holt, operatic
soprano, and Lillian Rosedale, pianist
composer, will offer a concert feature.
Two eccentric clowns, the Gaudsmidt
brothers, with their Spanish poodles,
are laugh producers. "A Twentieth
Century Elopement" is the title of the
comedy sketch to be presented by
Verce and Verci. The Orpheum Travel
Weekly will picttirize upon the screen
a trip through the Yosemite valley,
which was once a tortuous river can-
y0n"
Fritzi Scheff, the well known prima
donna, will appear at the Orpheum
theater the week of March 10. Mist
SchefFs program runs the entire musi
cal gamut from grand opera to the
latest popular ballads and there is al
ways an insistent call for "Kiss Me
Again," which has long outlived "Mile.
Modiste," in which play the jaunty
Miss Scheff first used it to captivate
the public.
"The Gipsy Trail," written by Rob
ert Housum, a well known Cleveland,
O., newspaper writer, will be the of
fering at the Boyd theater for a four
night's engagement commencing Sun
day evening, March 10, following a
highly successful engagement in Chi
cago. The same identical cast and
production have been retained for the
road tour. The freshness of the play
is matched by the performance ot an
exceptionally well balanced company,
uiuiuuiiiK who rvrugcr, Allan uine
hart, William Riley Hatch, Charles
Kennedy. Malcom Macomber. Zeffie
Tilbury, Ina Brooks, Sallie Bergman,
L-ina upps and Atmee Hanlon. Seats
for all performances will ero on sale at
the Boyd theater box office Monday
morning at 9 o'clock.
s
Tom Linton and His Jungle Girls.
in a scenic singing, tropical oddity,
"The Up-To-Date Missionary." is the
headliner of the Brandeis Hippodrome
unci ins lor mis coming weeK. iom
Linton, the well known comedian, and
Grace Lindquist are featured. Mr.
and Mrs. O'Clare call their offerinar
"A Breeze From the Lakes of Killar
ney," and Mr. O'Clare introduces his
original songs, "A ToaJt to Dear Old
trin" and "The Land of the Blarney
Stone." Little Miss Claudia Tracy
presents an offering consisting of a
little of everything that develops in
to a screaming number from start to
finish of her act. Johnson Brothers
and Johnson, a trio of singers and
comedians, present a diversion in
black and whiteface, and Maxine
Brothers and Bobby put a new as
pect on gymastic stunts in "Two Men
and some Dog. The Sidney Drew,
comedies, always increasing in popu
larity and the Pathe Weekly complete
the program, which should prove
highly satisfactory.
Harry Lauder, who is making his
farewell tour of this country and who
will appear at the Boyd March 14,
matinee and evening, has attained
to the proud honor of writing some
of his country's songs and "Tipper
ary" is by no means the only air that
has spurred men on in action or
helped them forget the fatigue of
long tramps to the front. It appears
that most of the Scottish regiments,
and even some of the English ones as
well, have gone into action to the
strains of Lauder's homely ballads,
and throughout the recruiting period
when the regiments were being form
ed and sent to the front and were
marching through the streets of Edin
boro and Glasgow and other towns
to take their places on the 6ring line
in far-away France and the Darda
nelles, they swung along to the lilting
strains of "I Love a Lassie," "She's
Ma Daisy" and "When I Get Back to
Bonnie Scotland."
Another hit added to the growing
list of Pepple and Greenwald's musical
successess is to be seen in the sextette
De Luxe, which is the headline at
traction at the Empress theater for
the first. half of the week. James
Mahoney and Ruth Rogers, a preco
cious pair of youngsters, have a num
ber that consists of singing, talking
and dancing. Both are excellent sing
ers and present several exclusive num
bers. Jere Sanford, in "The Chore
Boy," offers singing and yodeling. The
Four Pierrots, in a comedy novelty
surorise complete the bill for the first
half of the week. For the last half
of the week the bill it headed by "The
Poolroom," a dramatic story of the
underworld. The cast includes six
men, with Royal Douglas, late movie
star with the Essanay company. The
Ruby Girls present instrumental and
vocal numbers that combine technique
and a perfect exhibition of voice cul
ture. The Melino Twins present a
comedy talking and tumbling offer
ing. Christie and Bennett, the Vir
ginia boys, offer a comedy singing
number.
"Bill" is the title of the book to be
presented all week at the Gayety thea
ter by Fred Irwin' Big Show and Leo
McDonald, the author, intent'onally
gave it a name that would set people
to wondering what it is all about As
a matter of fact, "Bill" refers to one
Bill Shakespeare, whom Mr, McDon
ald has seen fit to resurrect and bring
to Broadway that he might see to
what plight his beloved theatrical
world has come. "Bill" calls on In
spiration to guide him upon his fu
ture course and The Spirit of Ragtime
does wait upon him and gives him a
good tip on what to do. "Bill" is
finally seen in an up-to-date office and
the manner in which he meets exist
ing theatrical conditions of the day
brines the olav to a most interesting
conclusion. Ladies' matinee daily all
week, starting tomorrow. Today's
matinee at 3.
Values Husband's Affection.
Lexington, Neb.. March 2. (Spe
cial.) Mrs. George Hanna is suing
her father-in-law. Thomas Hanna for
$50,000 damages, alleging he is re
sponsible for trouble existing between
herself and husband.
We're Not Congeneric, That's s
Why We Have No Folk Dances
It is the belief of Ruth St Denis
that the day is not far distant when
America will evolve a characteristic
folk dance of its own.
"A young nation, we have as yet no
national dance,' said Miss St Denis,
"because our citizenry is non-congeneric.
We are not all of the same na
ture and consequently we do not all
like the same things. But it won t be
long, I am hoping, before we will have
our own typical dances even as the
other nations have. I say it is coming,
and it will be developed out of our
present day dances such as the one
step, the fox trot, the tango, etc,
"Folk dances are as much a part of
a country's spirit as its national air.
The folk dance is the simplest farm
of terpsichorean expression becacse
it is so easily done. Our one-step is
the nearest approach to it And the
popularity it enjoys makes me think it
will play an important part in the for
mation of our own national dance." I
Miss St Denis' intefest in a typical
American dance is deep. She has an
ambition to ba its originator. When
not otherwise occupied with her mani- i
fold duties she is busy planning, plan-1
ning. . ,
"Our national dance," said Miss St.;
Denis, "must be typical of American'
life, sounding the national spirit of
our country. It must be, first of all,,
idealistic of the new world, radiating'
the 'growing feeling of America aui
Americans. ;
Price of Sisal Twine. 1
The food administration has regu-,
lated the price of sisal twine for tlio
harvest of the 1918 crop. An oer
has gone out to the manufacturers
requiring that they shall not charge
more than a given amount above the
price of sisal. , J
BO YP Theater
TONIGHT week
r ROBERT D.
rn n nn
if i
UVU ffiUV U
lb La Lb
"THE LEADER OF OUR STAGE" William Winter
TONIGHT RICHELIEU
Mon. Night Merchant of Venice
Tues. Night Hamlet
Wed. Mat. Romeo and Juliet
Wednesday Night Rlctielleu
Thursday Night King Lear
Friday. Night .
Sat. Mat. Merchant ot Venice
Saturday Night Richard III :
Popular Wednes
day Matinee
Roneo and Juliet
wlth tht
Young and Lovely ,
Genevieve Hamper
S Sunday, Mar. 10
Th Comadjr ClassU f tha Century ,
THE "GIPSY TRAIL''
Br ROBERT HOUSUM ,
A Play ef Youth, Romance and Langhter
D tract (ran Calcafa With tha Original Caat ana Fraductio, Including
Otto Knif ar and Elala Mackay.
Seat en Sale Moaday. March 4, I A. M.
One Matinee, One Night, Tburadaj, March 14
Farewell American Tear
HARRY
LAUDER
PRICES: 50c, 75c, SI, $1.50, S2, $2.59
MAIL ORDERS
NOW FILLED
Saet Sal
Maw., Men. 11
r.m.j'- in h . i- .
4
. IZ l a a 'u , Zl
Every
Afternoon
at
2:15
PHONE DOUG. 494
SUPERIOR VAUDEVILLE
Every
Night
at
8:15
I !
WEEK STARTING SUNDAY, MARCH 3
o)lfflY
uitUU U
TL HEDD
In a Series of
Pictorial and Dramatic Dances
JIM fit BETTY MORGAN
In Songs of Their Own
Aa You Like It
VIVIAN HOLT and LILLIAN ROSEDALE
Operatic Soprano Pianist Composer -
In Songa and Stories to Music. '
CHARLES WITH
In "FOR PITY'S SAKE," by Arthur James
(A Travesty Melodrama in Four Acts) .
THE GAUDSM IDT BROTHERS
Netherlands Premier Eccentric Clowns
With Their Spanish Poodles
VERCE & VERCI
Presenting
"A 20th Century Elopement."
FCMMK CRUMIT
The One Man Glee Club
Orpheum Travel Weekly
Around the World With the Orpheum
Circuit's Motion Picture Photographers.
PRICES Matinees, BEST SEATS, 25o
except Sat. and Sun. Few at 50c, Gal
lery, 10c; Nights, 10c, 25c, 50c and 75c.
A'-