Los Angeles Herald from Los Angeles, California • Page 24

6 The Week's Bills AtTDITORICM Geisha" BELASCO Girl of (lie Golden West," fourth week BURBANK "A Trip to Chinatown," second week GRAND LOS ANGELES "The Man on the Box" MASON Dark ORPIIEUM Advanced Vuinlrvllle EMPIRE "Vaudeville FISCHER'S "FiRhMuR Bob" THEATER ROYAL The Royal Burlesquerg IMQIE "The Two "A Night on the Oiirliihy ll.ineli" FLEET WEEK IN LOCAL THEATERS ATTENDANCE sit the Los Angeles theaters last week plainly indicated the popularity of the navy as a counter attraction. At the Belasco "The Girl of the Golden Welt" continued Its remarkable run before audiences us large as thi- theater could accommodate: anil at llio Burbank, Morosco'a revival of Hoyt's "A Trip to Chinatown," with its big Bong numbers lively chorus, likewise met with such favor that another week was decided upon. "Florodora" attracted large audiences to the Auditorium, but the other houses tuffered. Wilton Lackayo had the worst week of his season at the Mason. Unfortunately he brought us a trashy play which ever, his excellent acting and I hat of his supporting company could not re- Ueem from mediocrity.

At the Los Angeles, Miss Mary Shaw in her new piay, "The Whirlpool," which was gven its American premiere at that theater Monday night, failed to attract the attendance she should have had. The Grand had only a fair week, and even the smaller musical comedy, burlesque and vaudeville houses showed a lulling off from the customary box office Curiously the managers had figured it just the other way. They thought fleet week would be the biggest week of the season, which merely goes to prove how little you can tell about the theatrical business. "The Girl of the Golden West" has proved the biggest success ever presented at the Belasco theater. Holy week hud no effect upon attendance at this play.

Fleet week iikew Ise saw every seat In the theater sold tor every performance, not excepting an extra matinee given last 1 uesday. As a result tins Bne California melodrama enters upon its fourth week tomorrow. Perhaps that will end the run and perhaps not. It is quite possible that "The Girl" may go after the local record, now lielci by Oliver Morosco'a play, "The Halfbreed," which ran, 1 believe, five week-, at the Burbank. Incidi ntally the women members of the company, exceptng Miss Alice Treat Hunt anil Miss Adele Farrington, are enjoying an unexpected vacation.

BILL READY FOR FRIDAY'S BENEFIT THK program for the Theatrical Managers' association benefit, to be given ut the, Mason opera house Friday afternoon, promises to be the biggest dollar's worth i ver offered In a Los Angeles theater. The receipts will go to the association i harlt ibl fund, devopted to the care oi 111 and needy members of the osslon, and practically every tin ater in tin' city will contribute acts to the bill. The entertainment will begin promptly at 1 o'clock and is expected to run until about 6:30 p. m. There will be no waits, however.

While the curtain is down to permit the setting of the I a vaudeville act will be in pn Sedley Brown will officiate as stage manager, and he is under heavy bonds to keep things moving all the time. In addition to musical numbers, vaudeville offerings and two playlets, single acts will be given from three different plays now running in Los Angeles. Max Figman and his company from the Los Angeles theater will piesent an act from "The Man on 1 Ik- Box." The Burbank stock company will play the second act of "A Trip to Chinatown," introducing numerous specialties that won marked favor at the ink last week, and the Ulrich siock company from the Grand will offer the first act of the currant melodrama, "Forgiven." From the Orpheum will come Daisy Harcourt, singing comedienne; Ida O'Day, the "musical maid," and Iloey and Lea, song parodists. The Edgar Temple opera company from the Audiwill contribute the "Florodors. Bextet" and perhaps another number.

The Belasco company will present Hichard Jirinsley Sheridan's line old PLAYS AND PLAYERS comedy of "The Critic, or a Tragedy Rehearsed." Hobart Bosworth has par-1 tially reconstru. ted the piece, so as to i bring it down to date; and for this OCj caslon only the Belasco forces will by augmented by the addition of two of i the local c. tics, who will attempt to prove that they really know more a'uoul iiiau aCbOFB wTiiOuj t.nO i may have abused in the past have credited them with knowing. The crlt- I ics, by way, will positively appear without the aid of a net. Their only advantage over real actors will be the fact that they themselves will know 1 just how bad they are.

Individual members of the Burbank and Belasco companies will present two playlets. "Mame," a one-act play William Hamilton Cllne, in which Miss Maude Gilbert and Mr. Glnn of the; Burbank coirpany, and Mr. Ruggles of i the Belasco organisation, will have parts; and "The cook Lady," by dley Brown, played by Henry Stockbrldge and Klsie Esmond of the Burbank and I Annie Clark Ward, who is private life is Mrs. Brown.

Other numbers will Include Fuhrer's ladies' string quarter, with Lucy Fuhrer. 'cello soloist, and the Strollers' con- cert quartet, both under the management of Len K. Behymer. Adele Farrlngton of the Belasco company, who will sing; and Jack Pymonds from the i Empire. OBSERVATIONS BY A FIRST NIGHTER MISS LILLIAN IIAYWAIiD of the Ulrlch stock company has been reading the brilliantly epigrammatic and remarkably self-contradictory philosophy of that most profound lunatic, Filedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, and a result Miss Hayward Is almost afraid of herself in the dark.

Herr Nietzsche, you may recall, declares that man Is what he thinks himself to be. Now. tor several hours each day, and for several more hours each matinee day, Miss Hayward Imagines hersell to i iof 1 lie deepest melodramatic dye, and when she run across this Nietzschean pronouncemenl she to wonder If overmuch pla at villainy had indeed affected her morals. However, Bhe didn't take the idea very seriously until one night last week. Then something happened to make her think.

Foi something over a decade Miss Hayward has been an adept in stage villainy. She lias an Intimate acquaintance with the poisons of the Bo She wieids a dagger with the grace and ciii i tlveness of an expert, and course she is a crack shot. I suppose that Miss Hayward, in the course of her histrionic criminality, has burnt enough good ponder to wreck the city hall several times over, or to blow every strong box in every bafik in Los Angeles. Nevertheless, until lust week, Miss LOS. ANGELES HERALD: SUNDAY MOH3SING, APRIL 26, 1908.

Hay ward never had fired a properly loaded rifle In her life. Her experience had been confined wholly to the practice with blank cartridges. With them she was a dead shot. In fact, for aH practical dramatic purposes she ooulil hit the ace of spades at twenty-flve yards with unerring accuracy. Beyond that, however, her prowess remained an unknown quantity.

To all of which she stands ready to make affidavit upon request. Consequently, when I suggested to Miss Hayward that we go on a little tour of the town shooting galleries, she at once expressed a delightfully ingenuous temerity; assured me that she I would be frightened to death; and de-I dared that she probably wouldn't be able to hit a flock of hay stacks If they were flying low. Ultimately, however. her coyness was conquered and we fined forth to startle the Main street sharpshooters. It was Beet week.

The shooting gal- I leries were crowded by sailors and marines from the warships. The popping was Incessant and the scores were good. A woman sharpshooter, however, was a distinct novelty for the boys In blue, land the minute Miss Hayward appeared upon the scene she attracted a large and admiring audience. She held the rifle-butt about three i Inches from her shoulder; asked what the sight was for, looked longingly at the paper target and blazed away. The little lead pellet plumped square into the bullseye.

The attendant's smile, translated into English, meant "Accident." I thought so, too, but the next 'shot just missed the black and the third landed inside again. Then Miss Hayward, delighted as a child at her success, went after the little tin ducks SCENE FROM "A MAN ON THE BOX," WHICH MAX FIGMAN WILL PRESENT AT THE LOS ANGELES THEATER THIS WEEK SCENE FROM "A MAN ON THE BOX," WHICH MAX FIGMAN WILL PRESENT AT THE LOS ANGELES THEATER THIS WEEK I that are so hinged they disappear from sight upon being hit. She bagged eight ducks in ten shots! "Do you know who I am?" she asked the boy. "You bet I do, Miss Hayward," ho answered, and wo went on to the next place. Here, at a distance of twenty-five yards, she put two shots into the black of the target, the third missing altogether.

Next she tried to shoot the light out of the idol's eye, but in this was unsuccessful. When the bill was paid the attendant remarked: "I'll bring that back and more too next Sunday, Miss Hayward. You're all right. You shoot better than the average man." "I never shot a loaded gun in my life before tonight," she replied. The boy didn't believe her, but he was too polite to say so.

In all we visited four galleries, and in each of them Miss Hayward's shooting created a sensation. i could see, however, that something was worrying her, and I Inquired about it. Then she told me of Nletzschfi. "I've been thinking I could shoot," she said, "and you see 1 can. Now I have also been thinking I could commit all manner of crimes.

Do you suppose I am really becoming a if I should do something terrible some day, will you promise me that the alienists will get me off free? It's an awful thought, that Nietzsche idea. I'm almost afraid of myself in the dark." Zli invr's opera of "The Three Wishes," never presented in this country, is to have a private hearing before Edgar Temple some timo within the l.txt few with a view to its subsequent production by the Edgar Temple opera company at the Auditorlum. The American lights for this piece are controlled by -Miss Kleanor Nt and Miss Kent is very anxious to have the work tried out here. She has heard it sung' abroad and she believes that "The Three Wishes" is another "Merry Widow." "This opera," she remarked to me the oilier tiuy, "Is now being sung by operatic stock organizations ull over Germany and Austria. You know each city over there has a stock opera company, operated on the traveling Stay system.

Only they don't call them I traveling sihi-k The sented by the company with Herr Sdo, and-so 'as 'The Three Wishes' has been a big success abroad and I believe it will succeed here. The book and lyrics are by Kreen and Lindau, while Zlehrer, you know, occupies about the same position in Austria thut Victor Herbert holds with us. The translation was made especially fur inc. iSome of the work I did myself' and when the opera is presented here it will be given just as it is abroad, wiih one exception. I induced Ziehnr to compose a waltz song for me in the lasi act.

The piece was written for a comedian star and I felt that my role should be strengthened somewhat. So he wrote in another aria which never has been I sung in public anywhere and which. I think, is the gem of all his compositions." It Is to be hoped that Mr. Temple will produce "The Three Wishes." We have had several interesting premieres this season, but nnoo of an opera. Fra.nk Healy promised to give us a new Lehar opera at the Los Angeles several months ago, but he failed to make good.

Afore power to Temple and to the baton of his musical director. Max Fijrman, who comes to the Los Angeles theater this week In "The Man on the Box," will be the last of SIS HOPKINS' SAYINGS I): Ki.se Melville. Many an every-day man Is a weak one. I Many a society bud becomes a wall- flower. There is much that la evil In me- diaeval pot-try.

i A good many songs have plenty of gun. but no meter. Some actors are like get puffed.up no easily. A man doesn't have to go to lion- tana to be In a terrible state. A I Ma tome women are busy In the present making a past for the future.

4' Some women will spend 60 cents on a cab to bave 2 cents on a spool of thread. Pa says the most lielutlful thing 'S. you can nay a womaivMs. that her S' mind Is as lovely as her face. Ma says failures belong to one.

or two a man It too clever A for the or not clever enough. the Cort stars to play In Los Angeles this season. Francis Wilson, Mr. Figman graduated from comic opera and musical comedy into "the legitimate," and like Mr. Wilson also, he has made a bigger success in straight comedy than he ever made In the broader roles of comic opera.

"The Man on the Box." though it never has been presented locally, a long run in New York city when It was first produced there, and since then has been received with marked favor on tour. Mr. Figman brings the play here after a tour through the northwest, where the comedy Itself and his acting of its leading role were alike praised by the newspaper reviewers. The play is a dramatization by Grace Livingston Furniss of Harold MacGrath's story of the same name, a fanciful bit of fiction that is still popi ular, though written half a decade ago. Los Angeles seemingly is experiencing a chorus girl famine.

Last- week the supply of chorus girls was by no means equal to the demand. Girls who could sing passably well, dance a little and who were fairly good-looking found themselves so situated that they could practically name their own sal- I aries. The difficulty arose through the efforts of managers, both in the city and in beach towns, to prepare programs which might be expected to appeal to sailors from the fleet. Kven San Diego sent here for young women of the chorus, but the order couldn't be tilled In a week or there will be chorus girls in plenty out of work. Just at present, however, the supply has run short.

For instance, one theater in S.m Diego which attempted to recruit a chorus of eight girls for popular priced musical comedy succeeded In getting only two through Los Angeles agents and the project was abandoned temporarily. The themselves were at thotr wits' ends. They tried ads in the help wanted columns, but even so were unable to secure enough chorus girls to go 'round. The existing entente cordiale between Manager Oliver Morosco of the Burbank theater und Manager John BlaokWOOd of the Belasco, following several years of open hostility, emphasizes the fact that this is the era of good feeling among local theatrical entrepreneurs. A few weeks ago Mr.

Morosco accepted for presentation at the coming Actors' Fund benefit a one-act play "Mame," written by William Hamilton for Miss Maude Gilbert. The piece has three characters and when he decided to put if on Mr. Morosco expected to turn the parts over to Miss Gilbert, Mr. Ginn and Mr. Mestayer.

Then Mr. Mestayer became HI and was oomptlled to take a rest and apparently there was no one else In the Burbank company fitted to that role. At the Belasco, however, Charles Ruggle.s seemed ideally suited to the part. Now whether Morosco asked or Blackwood offered Ruggles' services unsolicited I (Id not know, but the fact remains that Mr. Ruggles will play the part.

So far as I know, too, this will be the llrsi time that members of the bank and Belasoo companies have played together. Incidentally Manager Blackwood in- vlted Manager Morosco to come down to the Belasco one night last week and see "The Girl of the Golden West. Morosco accepted. He had been In the Belasoo Just once before, on the occasion of the Tom Obcrle It Is a curious coincidence that two former members of the Belasco stock company are now playing In "Paid in Full," Eugene Walter's latest and tremendously successful play. Miss Lillian Albert son is playing, the leading role in the New York company, and Miss Marlon Berg, who worked with Miss Albertson at the Belasco, is a I member of the company recently or- I ganized to present the in Chicago, and which is now on the road, preparing for the first Chicago presentation of the drama, May 10.

Presumably Miss Albertson secured for Miss Berg The two were great friends while they were in Los Angeles. For several seasons past Josept Galj braith has had a matinee girl asset in the shape of a most unusual white lock of hair thai has made him among local actors. Now comes Harry Yon Metter of the Grand opera house with a rank Imitation of the Galbralthlan capillary lure. Harry, however, didn't go for to do It. The whole thing was the result of accident.

The heroic Mr. Yon Meter was amusing himself the other evening playing with tie 1 utensils on a woman's dress! ing table. The identity of this woman is Inside the question, but she wasn't in her dressing room at the time, and tht; jovial Mr. Yon Meter decided It would be a fine Joke to turn things topsy-turvy. So he did It.

In the course of his labors he ran across a green glass bottle, the contents of which he mistook for toilet water. This he shook vigorously over his head and, having completed his reign of disorder, retired from the scene. Next day, when he awoke, Yon Meter discovered a considerable patch of bright yellow 'hair in the midst of his ordinarily well behaved raven ringlets. Then It dawned upon him that he was up against a case of peroxide. That "toilet water" had been loaded; only Harry didn't know It.

Miss Eleanor Kent, prima donna of the Edgar Temple opera compnay at the Auditorium, was guest of honor last week at two functions given for her by officers of the Khode Island, one of the big warships stationed' at Long Beach. Tuesday night her naval friends attended a box party to see "Florodora," after which they entertained Miss Kent at a little supper in the Alexandria hotel grill room. Friday afternoon they gave her a tea, on board ship, and the singer enjoyed herself so hugely that she was almost late for the night performance. I Dorothy Bernard of the Belasco stock company confesses to having the cafeteria habit, not because she particularly enjoys cafeteria cookery but because she feels the need of You see, at the Belasco Miss' Bernard frequently is as a serving maid. Often she has 5 carry tray laden with things to eat or things to drink.

Not long ago she met with a mishap somewhat disastrous the Belasco PART 111 china, and since them she has been practicing fray manipulation. Some friend suggested the cafeteria Idea, and since then she has been a consistent patron of some one or the other of those restaurants where every guest Is Ills own waiter. Now Miss Hernard has beome adept In the art. She can pile a tray high with cafeteria delicacies and navigate It safely through a cafeteria orowfi. Hence she expects no further trouble In her stage work along these lines.

After protracted season of unprofitable one-night stands, Frank Healy and his San Francisco opera company seem at last to have come Into their OVv'ii. Ilcaly cluaeu thfcw Htrcison In Portland last night, during which he presented "Fantana," "Florodora" and "The Belle of New York" wtlh gratifying financial returns. Teddy Webb Is back with the company again, as well as ever. The organization has had several prima donnas since leaving here, the present one being Miss Georgie Campbell, a niece of May Ii win. Joseph Montrose, composer, agent, stave director, musician, raconteur, iniil half a dozen other things as well.

Is telling a new story. Being a press agent, Joe's story naturally serves to advertise his wares, but it isn't a bad yarn, and so here It Is. The Montrose headlight. It seoms, was, shining refulgently the other evening against a similarly tinted mahogany baokrgound, in a place where they strve It In mugs if you order that kind. Next to him stood a sailor from the Connecticut, flagship of the fleet.

With the sailor was a landsman, from his talk a resident of Los Angeles. His scene set, Joe at this point In his narrative becomes a reported, and detatls the lonversation he overheard, as follows: "Heen here long?" asked the sailor. two years." "Good town?" ''Fair, but they're awfully slow here. The theaters give plays I seen In New York eighteen months ngo; and yesterday my tailor offered to sell me a suiting Jrtnmy Tasker tried to hand me half a year before I came west. Why, Philly's a live one compared this burg.

The songs are so old out here they got whiskers on 'em." "We got a good piece on the ship, the other day." "So? What was It?" "'My Yankee Sailor "That's Just It. D'you know? I heard that thing before I left New York. It's so old back there they've forgotten all about It." Montrose gulped down his Bartlett water and made a break for the door. He had composed the music of that song himself only few weeks ago, while Oliver Morosco had" written the words. He says they've got It In New' York now.

but it only reached there last Tuesday. The former New Yorker, however, is probably still telling his friends what a dead slow place Los Angeles really is. Tomorrow night's presentation of "The Geisha" will be the first of that tuneful opera locally In several years, and It should receive a cordial welcome even by the Japophobes. The opera will give Miss Eleanor Kent' the best opportunities she has yet had In this city, as several delightful solos fall to her share. Moreover, it lends Itself readily to elaborate mounting and rottuming.

and when the curtain rises upon the first act tomorrow night a striking stage picture is promised. For the following week the Edgar Temple company will revive "Ermlnie." It has been many years, too. since this fine old work has been heard here. In it-Fritz Fields, Harry Cashman and Laura Wallace will have the comedyroles, and as "Ermlnie" Is essentially a comic opera, there should be something doing in the way of Innocent merriment. Several hundred persons called at tho Auditorium box office yesterday to secure seats for some night next' week, expecting, to hear "Florodora." They expressed surprise when told the opera was to be withdrawn Saturday night.

The withdrawal, however, It In accord with the company's newly adopted policy. One week runs will be the rule hereafter. JamM Noil and his wife, Edythe Chapman, arc expected to arrive in Los Angeles tomorrow from fan Diego. They will remain here a week, the quests of Mr. and Mrs.

Oliver Moroaco, and thon will leave for St. Paul, where they are to head a summer stock company. Dick Ferris and Florence Stone are. going to Minneapolis about the same time, and It is likely the four will the trip together. Under an arrangement just perfected, Neil will play in St.

Paul this summer the same plnya Ferris presents In Minneapolis, and the two will exchange scenery, thus cutting that expense in half. Minneapolis and. St. Paul are only ten miles apart, and the only surprising thing about this plan is that nobody ever thought of it before. Dick tells me that he will do "The.

Girl of the Golden West," "Heidelberg," "Sunday," and other plays that hava made large successes locally. CHRONOPHONE THEATER WILL OPEN NEXT WEEK Manager E. A. Fischer's singing and talking picture machine has arrived, and this week Los Angeles will be given an opportunity to see and hear this latest scientific marvel of the amusement field. The machine produces whole operas, dramas and realistic scenes, showing the pictures of the action and simultaneously reproducing the sounds which accompany the action dancing, talking or whatever may be demanded.

The entire mechanism iB said to be so delicately arranged and so cleverly controlled that there Is not tho slightest variation in the production of sound and motion. Herr Fischer's Chronophone theater at 423 South Spring street, which has been in the course of construction this past month or more, will be completed In time for the opening Monday, April 27. The program for the opening week is as follows: Silvia ballet; "Were You Not to Koko xylophone duet; "This Little Girl and operatic selections from Ernani and Pagllacci; "Twin Duet," and song and chorus, "The Captain of the Pinafore." Jefferson de Angelis, although he is the father of grown-up children, turns handsprings and back somersaults In "The CJay White Way" In a manner i that suggests a young acrobat. XJC JA The Week's Bills ft I AUDITORIUM. (I 1 Geisha" BELASCO I Girl of the Golden West," I fourth week I lilsAMI i I I', "A Trip to Chinatown," second I I Sivi'ck GISAND "Foriflven" Ml V) LOS ANGELES Lvj "The Man on the Box" rAj 1' MASON IS Dark I A i ORPIIEUM I Advanced Vaudeville EMPIRE Vaudeville FISCHER'S a "FlchtlnK Bob" i THEATER ItOYAI, The Ko.vul Btirlesquers Ij I I'MQt'E "The Two "A Night I on the Cudahy llanch" XJC JA The Week's Bills ft I AUDITORIUM.

(I 1 Geisha" BELASCO I Girl of the Golden West," I fourth week I lilsAMI i I I', "A Trip to Chinatown," second I I Sivi'ck GISAND "Foriflven" Ml V) LOS ANGELES Lvj "The Man on the Box" rAj 1' MASON IS Dark I A i ORPIIEUM I Advanced Vaudeville EMPIRE Vaudeville FISCHER'S a "FlchtlnK Bob" i THEATER ItOYAI, The Ko.vul Btirlesquers Ij I I'MQt'E "The Two "A Night I on the Cudahy llanch".