11
THE COURIER
Butter-Hies" in which John Drew will appear at Boyd's Omaha,
next week, is the play in which Miss OH vo May, formerly of Beatrice,
Neb., now Mrs. Henry Guy Carleton, made such a pronounced hit in
New -Yoj-k last winter.
Charles .Frohman's company in "Charley's Aunt" commenced a
three nights engagement at Boyd's in Omaha Monday. Mrs. Potter
and Kyrle Bellcw followed at this house, presenting "The Iron.
Master," a favorite play of the Kendals, Thursday August 3d; Friday
,In Society." This afternoon the bill is "Camille" and tonight
"Charlotte Curday.''
Next Monday in Omaha John Drew will begin a three nights en
gagement at the. .Boyd opera house, presenting "Butterflies" at each
performance. Mr. Drew's company will not be seen in Lincoln,
leaving for the cast immediately after the Omaha engagement. At
Sliie'Fifteenth street theatre, Omaha, "The Fast Mail" will be pre
sented Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and "Mr. Barnes of New
Yyrk," Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
J. H. Haverly's Mastodon Minstrel company will appecr at the
Lansing theatre Monday, September 3. Haverly's company con
tinues in the enjoyment of a large measure of popular favor, and
seems destined to keep the name of the popular manager before the
public for a great many years. The promise 5b held out that some
substantial improvements have been made in this year's program.
Among the members of the company are: Burt Shephard, Harry
Budworth, Alf Gibson, Harry Armstrong and E. M. Kayne.
Nelson Roberts, Mies Madeline Pollard's manager, has purchased
from T. Henry French the rightB for "Moths," and it is in this play
that the heroine of the famous breach of promise suit will make her
debut as a star. The piece is a dramatization of Ouida's novel by
Henry Hamilton and was seen several years ago at Wallack's New
York with Miss Rose Coghlan in the role of Vera, which Miss Pol
lard now intends to essay. Mr. Roberts said that he had not decided
upon the date of the opening of Miss Pollard's season, but it will
probably take place in Boston in October.
"The Royal Entertainers," the Lincoln organization headed by
Frank Burr, Forry Moore, Ross Curtice and Will O'Shea that
has lately made a tour of Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyom
ing, has been engaged by Manager Frank C. Zehrung for
fair week at the new Funke. Mr. Zehrung witnessed a per
formance given by "The Royal Entertainers" at Fremont re
cently, and he is contLlont that they will please Lincoln aud
iences. The company is hard at work on soma new business for the
Lincoln engagement, and an attractive program is promised.
Alexander Salvini and his wife, Maud Dixon, who have been visit
ing the elder Salvini at Monte Catini, Italy, will open their tour
about October 1. Before returning to America they will go through
Italy, Switzerland and Australia, and then join W. W. Wilkinson,
director of the company, in Paris Sol Smith Russell will add The
Heir at Law" to his comedies. . . .Joseph Jefferson is to revive "The
Cricket on the Hearth" and has engaged Minnie RadclifTo to play
Dot De Wolf Hopper's filth annual season as a comic opera star
will open on September 3 at the Broadway, New York, with the new
operetta, "Dr Syntax" by Cheever Goodwin and Woolson Morse
By the middle of autumn New York will have thirty-four theatres in
full blast
The opening of the new, or more properly speaking, the
"rejuvenated" Funke opera house, which occurred Wednesday
evening was not the formal opening of the house. For that occa
sion Mr. Zehrung has secured an attraction that will appeal
more directly to regular theatre goers than "The Fairies' Carnival,"
which, however' has been a drawing card all this week
Roland Reed, who will present his new play. The formal
opening will occur September 12th. and promises to be an event
of unusual interest. Mr. Reed is said to have an excellent
company and a strong play this season, and his popularity is re
lied upon to fill the house. This comedian's brief remarks to
the audience when he last appeared at the Funke are re
membered by a number of habitual theater goers, and it is not
unlikely that on the occasion of his reappearance he may sup
plement, in an appropriate manner, what he said two or three
years ago. There will be palms in the theatre and perfumed
air, and the orchestra will rise to the occasion, and the mana
ger of the house, Mr. Zehrung, is now putting the finishing
touches to some impromptu remarks which he has been con
structing for the past four months, and which he expects
to explode sometime during the evening.
The regular season at the Lansing theatre opened Tuesday,
Mrs. James Brown Potter and Kyrle Bellew presenting "In So
ciety" to a good sized audience. Among the stage Bettings on
this occasion were some evidences of Mrs. Potter's and Mr.
Bellew's residence in India, and the female star was reinforced by
what our morning contemporary would have the people believe
is great beauty. Mrs. Potter also exploited more or less strik
ing gowns, and exhibited her hair, and talked in a jerky,
Frenchified air doubtless intended to be Bernhardtesque. Mr.
Bellew is older and grayer than when last seen in Lincoln, but
as an actor there is little change. "In Society" is not a pretty
play. Its morale is very decidedly French and the situations
are not unlike those in "Camille," "Article 47," and "The Crust
of Society," familiar to most theatre goers. The immorality of
the play is not glossed over by farcical treament which
sometimes excuses plays of this sort. Neither is the story told
seriously, dramatically. There is a mixture of the dramatic with
the ludicrous that is certainly not artistic Mrs. Potter and
Mr. Bellew both do much better work than is possible in "In
Society," a dramatization that doesn't arouse one's admiration
for Dumas, fils. The supporting company wa9 on a plane
commensurate with Potter-Bellew.
Speaking of his plans for the coming season, Manager Charles
Frohman says, "I shall begin the regular season at the Empire
in New York on September Ilth, when John Drew will make
chis first appearance at this theatre. His new play will be 'The
Bauble Shop,' by Henry Arthur Jones, and it provides both
Mr. Drew and Maude Adams with serious roles. Mr. Drew's
own company will be strengthened for this production by the
addition of J. E. Dodson, who is well known by his work with
the Kendals, Robert Cotton, Elsie de Wolfe, Agnes Miller and
Joseph Humphries. 'The Bauble Shop' requires a larger com
pany than any which has yet appeared with Mr. Drew. An
other novelty which is to be given during Mr. Drew's engage
ment is 'Christopher Jr.,' a comedy of American life by Madeline
Lucette, in the Empire Theatre. The stock company will play
the -Masqueraders.' This will be followed by a comedy which
Bronson Howard has written with a view to the particular tal
ents of certain members of the company. The Standard Thea
tre will probably be occupied by my companies until the end
of February. I shall open there on the 15th of September with
Arthur Law's farce. 'The New Boy,' which has been running in
London at the Vaudeville Theatre, and is still popular there.
By an arrangement with the management of the Lyceum Thea
tte, W. J. LeMoyne will play the comedy part in a new farce,
which will probably run for two months. It will be followed
by 'Marriage another London success, by Brandon Thomas, the
author of 'Charley's Aunt.' Following this will be a drama
by Henry Guy Carleton. The actors in the company which
will give 'The New Boy' are to be Frederick Robinson. Willis
Searle and W. R. Shirley, two English actors who make their
first appearance in this country, George Backus, Charles Green,
Helen Kinnard, Jessie Busby, and Ella Gardner. The play suc
ceeding 'The New Boy' will be presented by the actors of the
Empire stock company that are not in the cast there. I shall
have fourteen companies on the road under my management
playing the successes of last year. 'Sowing the Wind,' -Charley's
Aunt and 'The Girl I Left Behind Me, and there will be
from two to three companies giving each of theso plays in dif
ferent parts of the country. Another headed by Johnstone Ben
nett will play 'The Amazons.'
For old fashioned cottage cheese, try the Central Milk Depot 134
south 11.
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