1
MBKU was nothing oC unusual im-
I portanrc on view at the local the-
aters during the pant week, al
though the attractions offered were alt
worthy the consideration of the various
audiences to which they catered.
At the Hellig there were two absolutely
new shows, so far as the local public
Ik concerned. "The Vanderbullt Cup"
opened the week, and Isabel Irving In
"The Girl Who. Has Everything" closed.
Yav -one night. "Under Southern Skies"
llpped In. People who went to these
three attractions knowing what they
were to see were apparently .well satis
fied. At the Maniuam the San Francisco
Opera Company held the boards at the
outset in a creditable performance of
"The Wedding Day," giving way later to
the latest company which has played
"The Heir to the Uorrah'" on j.he road.
The Baker players gave an excellent
performance of Anthony Hope's pretty
play. "Tho Adventure of Lady Ursula."
Our old friend, "Human Hearts." was
at the Empire, "Deadwood Dick" at the
Star, "The Heroes of '98" at the Lyric
and vaudeville at the Grand and Pan
tages. Tonight the Hellig will offer John
Cort's new comic opera, "The Alaskan,"
with Tedly Webb, Mrs. Anne Beatrice
Kheldon and -other favorites, the engage
ment continuing until and Including Wed
nesday. The last half of the week" we
will have a chance to see "The Royal'
I'lief" again at the uptown theater, and
to come later on may anticipate "The
College Widow." "The Rollicking Glrj."
Calve In recital und as a Thanksgiving
offering, Maude Filly in "The Stronger
Bex."
The Marquam will hold forth the San
Francisco Opera Company as an induce
ment In "When Johnnie Comes March
ing Home" tonight and all week. The
Raker will open this afternoon in "Tlje
Pit," Wilton Laokaye's great success.
1'he Empire, this afternoon and all week,
will Indulge in "A Wife's Secret," and the
Star in "Dangers of Working Girls" at
tile same time. Today the Lyric stork
rompaiiy will give its last performances
in "The Heroes of '98," and will give
way tomorrow night to the Allen stock
company, which returns In "A Stranger
hr a Strange Ijind." "Vaudeville con
tinues at the Grand and Pantages.
' Till: ALASKAN" TONIGHT.
?hn Cart' a liig Comic Opera Will
lie-urn Bacfganent at iieiiig.
A young and enthusiastic advance agent
has come to town to tell us that at last
some one has dared to get up a new kind
of comic opera, and that it has been proT
Sliced with great success and will be pre
sented by John Cort, the producer, at the
Hellig Theater for four days, beginning
tonight, with a special price Wednesday
matinee. This bold theatrical enterprise
Is "The Alaskan." an entirely Western
product, with scenes laid in and about
Nome, und humorous characters such as
circulate about mining communities, ln-
' stead of those that dally In the atmo
sphere of ancient kingdoms.
In' accepting "The Alaskan" from its
. authors, beyond the fundamental merits
of the nov.el book, lyrics and music, tve
are told that Mr. Cort saw rare opportu
nities for entirely new characters, and
new, unusually brilliant stage pictures.
Novel situations and scenes galore were
suggested to the manager, and he aet to
work to give the long-suffering, comic
opera admirer something refreshing to
see and listen to.
The result was "The Alaskan," which
comes to Portland direct from a success
ful Summer engagement in New York, at
' the Knickerbocker Theater, and a tri
umphant week's engagement in Denver,
at the Broadway Theater. It has Nome
for Its playground, and prospectors, min
ers, Nome show girls and the motley crew
: of other adventurers of the rough-and-ready
days of the Alaskan gold country,
for Its people. Joseph Blethen, a young
Seattle newspaper man, who scored suc
cess in the Northwest with "The Chl-
. nook" .and other plays. Is the author of
, the book and lyrics. The score is by
Harry ' Glrard, a well-known baritone,
who appears In the leading male role.
The, opera has been staged by Max Fig
man. Practically all the effects of the
production have been brought direct from
Nome. It Is said to possess manv strlk-
. Ing stage pictures and ratchy song hits.
A big company Includes Agnes Cain
ttrown. who will sing the prima donna
role: Harry Glrard. Edward Martlndell,
Teddy Webb. Harold Vizard, William
Fables. Artne Adair. Amy Leicester. M.
, V. L Smith and about 60 choristers and
, an augmented orchestra.
The story- hns to do with a mining camp
In Alaska. Richard Atwater has been
"grub-staked" by a Mr. Easton, a New
Yorker. An employment agency at Nome
sends a stranded thentrical company,
male and female, to help in the mine!
which furnishes the comic element!
Easton has died and left his fortune to
Miss Arlee Easton. together with a glow
ing eulogy of Richard Atwater, who has
been a favorite of the old man. Miss
Enston makes the trip to Alaska to In-
'spect her property and, incidentally, to
see what sort of a man her partner.
Atwater.-! may be. Arriving unexpectedly
she meets first Smallberry Strander, who
has arrived with the theatrical people.
Strander determines to win her, the Mir
ass, beiore anyone else has the opportu-
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5
Mr
nity. She detects the plan and intro
duces her chaperone as the heiress. At
water, arriving on the scene, passes of
the actor for himself, and .makes love
to Miss Easton as the foreman of the
miners. This pleasant little play at cross
purposes requires two acts to disentangle,
but it finally adjusts as it should be.
CAST OF CHARACTERS.
Richard Atwater. a prospector . Harry Glrard
Totem Pole Pete, foreman of "Discovery
Claim" Edward Martlndell
Smallberry strander, a Broadway fayor-
Teddy Webb
Mendowbrooks Blaxea. Ph. D.. of the
Metropolitan Museum Harold Vizard
Teddy Bear, the real thing-. . William Fables
C. .ST. mall driver M. V. I.. Smith
Arlee tTastbn. an heiress. . Agnes Cain Brown
Mrs. Cood-Better-Best. the chaperone
Anne AdsJr
V
EamnH
Claudie Cluster, the magnetic soubrette,
Amy Leicester
Trlxle Marie Ooodner
Sextette girls, Eskimo girls, show girls and
Alaskan miners.
SYNOPSIS OF SCENES.
Act. I. Long- Chance Creek, near Nome.
Summer.
Act II. Arlee Easton v bungalow at Nome.
New Year's eve.
Time The present.
Place Alaska.
RETtRN OF OPERA COMPANY.
San Franciscans Tonight in "When
Johnny Comes Marching Home."
The patrons of the Mara.uam Grand
will undoubtedly turn out en masse dur
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5
ing the ensuing week, as the San Fran
cisco opera -company will again hold the
boards and in one of their greatest operas
"When Johnny Comes Marching Home."
The book by Stanislaus Stange and the
music by Julian Edwards. Is the best
thing done by these clever writers, not
even excepting "Dolly Varden."
"When Johnny Comes Marching Home"
is an Inspiring comic opera, with lean-
tngs toward musical comedy, the locale J
Is In the South, and the period that of the
Civil War. The costuming alls for the
blue uniform 6f the Federal soldiers, tho
hoopskirts. pantalets and ringlets of the
Southern belles, Southern planters, sing
ing and dancing pickaninles, and the na-
Nrrlotlc music never falls to create the
utmost enthusiasm. v
Th San Francisco oDera company Is
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happily cast in the present revival. Ar
thur Cunningham will, of course, be the
Colonel John Graham. His singing of the
part had much to do with the several long
runs of the opera at the Tivoli Opera
House, and Portland theater-goers pleas
antly remember his splendid work last
Summer. It is worth the price of admis
sion to hear Cunningham sing "My Own
United States."
Aida Hemmi will be KaU; Pemberton,
and the beautiful songs, "Fairyland,"
"Love's Night." as well as the duet with
Cunningham, "Kate, My Southern .Rose,"
falls to the soprano. Maude Beatty will
be Constance, Eugene Wiener the Major,
William Blaisdeli will have the part or
Johnathan Phoenix, George Kunkel will
play General Allen. Daphne Pollard. Cor
delia, daughter of General Allcu, Brownie
HCSTCHZSOIV,
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"THJEL
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Browning, Uncle Tom, the old negro:
Lillian Raymond, Robert Pemberton, the
spy. . ,
The San Francisco opera company will
.again vacate the Marquam after the week
of "When Johnny Comes Marching
Home," making room for Murray and
Mack. Returning to the Marquam Sun
day night, December 1, the company will
present for the ensuhng week a most
beautiful production of Richard Stahl's
comic opera, "Said Pasha." The only
matinees of "When Johnny Comes March
ing Home" are given Wednesday and
Saturday.
"The Sunny Side or Broadway."
Murray and Mack in their latest mimical
success, "The Sunday Side, of Broadway."
1MIC
i
will appear at the Marquam Grand all
next week. Novelty and newness are
abundantly promised in this concoction of
mirth and music, and special stress Is
laid upon the fact that "The Sunny Side
of Broadway" is the greatest starring ve
hicle ever used by Murray and Mack.
"Till: PIT" AT BAKER TIIKATEH
Biggest of All Productions of the
Year to Open Today.
After several weeks of preparation, the
Baker Company is ready to give a great
production of Wilton Lackaye's famous
play of modern tinancial conditions. "The
TH." which will open the week with to
day's matinee. This is the Ilrst Portland
production of the piece at popular prices,
and the demand for seats- has been un
precedented all week, showing how quick
the public la to appreciate Manager
Baker's efforts to givo them the biggest
and best New York plays at his popular
theater. Everyone knows about this play,
and much Is expected from Austin Webb
in the powerful role of Curtis Jadwln. as
there has always been a feeling amongst
patrons of the Baker company that thl
AT THE?
- -w-
clever leading man has a world of yet un
used power and artistic ability. He haj
not had a part before this season that has
called for half the force and Intense act
ing qualities this one does, and it Is rea
sonably xpected he will rise to the oc
casion lira manner that will surprtoe even
his most ardent admirers.
"The Pit" will be at the Baker all week,
with only one matinee after today, which
will be next Saturday.
The most prominent character in fhe
play Is Curtis Jadwln, a great king of the)
Pit the great American man's gamble,
where men make and lose fortunes In a
day, and where a man thinks of nothing
but business and money, until his whole
soul i wrapped up in it.
The first acl sliows the lobby of thsj
Auditorium Theater, Chicago, on the last