THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN. PORTLAND, MARCH 15. 1 1908.
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WA8 a mildly interesting wet In '
local theatricals, possibly be
cause the Lenten spirit nas
seised upon the purveyors of amuse
ment, and aealn possibly because the
aforesaid managers, being wis in tneir
day and generation, concluded that the
.public was not sufficiently bored with
the contrition of. the time to break,
away from things earthly. .The fact
remains titet the only dramatlp offer
Jns; that could possibly move one to
enthusiasm was "The Three of Vs." as
presented by the Baker players., and
which served to Introduce Blanche
1 Stoddard, a new leading; woman who
. promises to fill a long-felt want at the
Third-street theater. That talented
ounr woman gave us a comprehensive
and thoroughly satisfactory Interpreta-
-' tiop of the complex character of Rhy
McChesney. a fine type of Independent,
right-minded, young Western woman
who neither wore knee-length dresses
nor toted a gun. but who defended her
rights rltrht manfully and mothered
: two brothers who wre really hardly
worth her trouble. This' brings up the
clever performance given by Howard
Russell In the part of Clem, the elder
of these two dependent brothers. The
part Is an elusive one and by no means
an easy task for the best of actors. :
Mr. Russell scored most effectually as J
Clem. Jn fact It was next to Miss (
Stoddard's, the best achievement of the j
week and topped anything he has
done during the current season.
At the Heilig Charles B. Hanford
during the early part of the week ap
peared tn a repertoire of Shakespearian
plays. Rlauvelt, in song recital with
Albert Rosenthal, the cellist and Edith
Kellogg, pianist, gave up end Id satis
faction. I'm told, at the I lei It on Fri
day n lgrht. Otherwise the "syndicate'"
playhouse was dark.
Th'e Marquam management certainly
hit upon a uuppy idea In turning that
theater in to u moving picture em
porium, fr the time being, and all
through the week crowds of people I
streamed in and out of the big theater
, to see the merry films. It was a
time of general prosperity for all con
cerned, "A Royal Slave" raised the hair of
the Empire patrons to Just the most
aelightfui altitude. "Our New Girl."
a farce with no speed limit regulations,
keep everybody in good humor at the
.Lyric, the AUen company putting gin
ger galore into It. The French com
pany made "Anita, the Singing Girl"
well ortn seeing and pleased the Star
clionteie immoderately. Both the Grand
and Paniages vied with each other in
trying to break their former records
and gave us excellent vaudeville.
The present week will proffer "Th
Black Crook" tonight and tomorrow
night at the Heills. On Tuesday night
occur the KxeuOer-Bauer concert,
which will he under the direction of
Mioses Steers and C'oman. Already
there is a heavy advance sale and a
larpe nttendnnce Is assured. It will b
one of the bis, musical events of the
year. Thursday, Friday and Saturday
nights and Saturday matinee the popu
lar Sun Francisco Opra company re
turns in "The Toymaker" at the same
theater. Later bookings are "Coin In"
Thro the Rye,", a musical comedy n--w
to the Coast; Janu-n J. Ytrbett, former
U-hanirM'n," in "The lady and the
Hurglur": "The Burgomaster": MhiV
.Manncrtng. In "Glorious Betsy," und
Mrs. Patrick Campbell In repertoire.
Tonight "Dream City," a Weber suc
cess which ran well on Broadway,
comes to the Marquam for the week.
In the cast are Mary Marble and a
number of other well-known people.
The week following Creston Clarke will
present "The Power rnat Governs" at
the same place.
The Baker bill for this afternoon and
all week is "Zira," a new version of
"Wllkie Collins' story. "The New Mag
d;in." It should be good.
The Star will devote Itself and the
energies of the French company to a
piece called "On Thanksgiving Day"
this afternoon and all week. The Em
pire will present "Sis in New Vork."
.opening at the same time and extend
ing for the same period. Tomorrow
night "The Stowaway" will be een at
the Lyric, the Allen company playing
-U throush the week. Tomorrow after
; Tuvin there will be new bills at the
ttrand and Pantages. A. A. G.
T1IK HL.UK 1 ROOK" TONIGHT
lmou Musical r traapanra
Heilig Tonight and Tomorrow.
at
- The attraction at the Heilig Theater,
s Votirteenth and "Washington streets, to
- night and tomorrow night mill be the big
V spectacular production of the musical ex
travaganza. "The Black Crook."
The story deals with the love of a
outhful pair called Rudolph and Amina.
Near them dwelLs an old necromancer
'. named Hertxog, and popularly known as
"The Black IVook. ' Hertxog has entered
into an unholy pact to "deliver to Zamiet,
the areh-ttvnd. one soul a year in return
for an additional year's lease on life, and
the evil choice of tht- old magician falls
upon the lovers, possibly directed by the
- appeal of a wk-ked Count olfeivsteln
who asks Hertzo's aid In securing the
lovely Amina for himself.
The theme affords unlimited latitude for
scenic and spectacular effects, and it is
T fcaid that with the aid of modern lnven
- tions and intricate electrical devices the
producers have succeeded in constructing
an unusually beautiful and pleasing en
H tertainment. Instead of the old-fashioned
r . ballet features the more modernized ones
of a comedy chorus will be rendered, in
, iiuijunctioo aith a strong vaudevite turn
' bv the reh'hrated team. Pierce and Ros-
1 ii, pv st mine a qui' k-chan;e wtunu
siuiinji act. Tu DonaAeU family, a tor-
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i(cn" acrobatic troupe of note, is alm an
additional feature of intereBt, and the
vivacious Hessie Browning In a clevpr art
of imitations. Seats are now eeling at
the theater. 1
DREAM CITY'
HEIUJ TODAY
Lively Musical Play Opens at tlie
Marquam Theater.
The Joseph Weber production of
"Dream City." which enjoyed an all
season's run at WeberB home-like
theater In New York all of the past
year, opens at the Marquam at today's
matinee. In "Dream City" the author,
Edsar Smith, in accord with the splen
did and catchy music by Victor Her
bert, has awakened and found au ave
nue In a stage story entirely new and
foreivrn to ny previous effort of a
builder of Ftaa-c material, which ac
counts for its wonderful success.
The torv it.elf of "Dream City" is
built in the imaginative lumbers of
one 'William , Dinglebender, a Long
Island truck farmer, who is lulled to
a willing repose by the dulcet voice
and hot air extravagance of a real
estate boomer, who has pictured in
such srlowlng terms the future of the
Dlnglcbender farm at Maleria center
as a rivsl to Greater New York, that
the susceptible old German, as though
fed upon a Dequincy pill, snoozes away,
soaring under the soporific spell to the
realms of the unreal, where wealth,
beauty, position, ajid all the allure
ments of a modern paradise become his
own.
Of course there is an awakening, but
it is arrived at pleasantly, there being
no rough jar to the fun. and all the
parties concerned finally alighting
upon an air cushion of comedy that
prevents any disagreeable rebound and
makes both agreeable and plausible
this return to earth.
On account of Mr. Weber's an
nounced retirement from the stage, he
has had the no"d fortune or beinsr suc
ceeded in the role of Jjinglebendcr by
v
whom she believes killed. She is suc
cessful and attains a place high in so
ciety under these false representations.
But the woman was not dead and after
wards comes to England. In tne third
act they meet, and a dramatic scene oc
curs, which ends, in Zira confessing her
duplicity. So strong a hold has she
gained over the affections of those
whom she has been deceiving, however,
and so blameless a life has she led. that
in the end the man who has learned to
love her will not eive her up. and in
stead of the usual unhappy ending of
plays of this kind, "Zira" leaves a pleas
ant memory In the minds 01 every on.
KVir tHit reason it is one semi-problem
play that is an immense success in stock
and Is one that natrons of the Baker will
find much to their liking, mere wui i
the usual Saturday matinee.
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that never and Inimitable comedian, said tp surpass in numbers and beauty
Little Chip. Little Chip has made a any previous year's product.
, j , j . . ,.i. 1 "Dream City" is the attraction at
splendid record for himself the past
few years through his excellent worn
in "The Babes In Toyland." "Wonder
land" and olher big successes. That
clever and magnetic little comedienne.
Miss Mary Marble, has also been excep
tionally happily cast as Nancy, the
daughter of Dinglebender. Of course
one of the greatest features of "Dream
City" is the celebrated bevy of female
beauties for which a Weber show- Is
noted, and iu this case the chorus is
the Marquam Grand Theater tonight
and all w.efc. with special priced mati
inee 'Wednesday and Saturday.
' Crcfeton . Clarke Next Sunday.
An especially important item in the
prospectus of the present season's
theatrical attractions is that concern
ing the engagement at the Marquam
Grand Sunday next of Creston Clarke.
Mr. Clarke comes in a brand new play,
one of modern American life, written
by Adelaide Prince. It is called "The
Power That Governs."
Z1K.V AT BAKER THEATER
I'lrxt Slock Production of Great Play
, in Portland This Week.
The. production of the famous -play
"Zira" by the Baker 8tock Company thi
week, starting with the matinee today,
marks another milestone in the career of
the popular organization in . Portland.
Since the first of the year one big high
clans production after another has fol
lowed in rapid succession, and patrons
of this theater, and company have en
joyed a series of plays that are seldom
seen outside of the high-priced houses
all over the country. "Zira" was played
here this season for the first time by
Florence Roberts and was one of the
principal plays in the repertoire of that
well-known star. Miss Hiancne toa
dard. who opened last week as leading
woman with the Baker stock Company,
will play the title role, which is en
tirely different from that of Rhy Mac
chesney, her first part In this city. The
first act of "Zira " opens In South Af
rica, during the Boer War. She is
woman who is hiding from the mis
take of her life and the disgrace of it.
and acting as a nurse on the field of
battle. She is recognized by a woman.
who threatens to denounce her. but who
is suddenly struck by a stray bullet, and
Zira changes clothes with her and, be
lieving her dead. Impersonates her and
goes to Bngland. where that woman was
bound, and passes herself off for the one
"SIS IS NEW YORK!" ;
Laughable and Witty Farce to Open!
at the Empire This Afternoon.
Bis in New York" is the title of th
entirely new farce comedy which wii:
open at the Umpire this afternoon and
run for the week, with matinees Wednes
day and Saturday.
There Is alwayR a feling of rest, con
tentment and simplicity in the far-awnrl
country villages and cross-road hamlela
far from the hum and bustle of city life.
There Is a- trustfulness that admits of
open doors and hospitable welcome. A
newcomer Is looked upon as a menu
until provon otherwise. Each individual
In the little town knows the movementn
of his friends and neighbors. Down In
Indiana. In the southwest part of tha
state, is a little hamlet with its cross
roads, postoffice, blacksmith shop, old
fashioned tavern and the usual brick
courthouse. This is the home of Sis, the
generous-hearted, frolicsome Hoosier girl
who Is forced Dy circumstances ironi
romping the streets of her native village
to tread the cemented sidewalks of New
York City, where she becomes the butt
of ridicule. Her sallies of wit, as ha
gets back at her tormentors, soon makes
It appear that she Is outgrowing her
provincialisms, and, as the woman
merges from the child, she rapidly
adapts herself to her surroundings and
becomes a self-made woman, ine. tom
boy returns to her Indiana home a lady
of culture, when she replaces the old
latchstrlng with an electric bell and the
rag carpet gives way to rugs on hard
wood floors. It s a pure, sweet -piay.
brimming with fun.
"THE STOWAWAY" AT LTRIO-
Famous Scenic Comedy-Drama byi
the Allen Company Monday.
The red-letter event of the coming j
theatrical week will be the production of
the famous scenic comedy-drama of lifer
In London. "The Stowaway." which will!
be presented by the Allen Stock Company
at the Lyric for the first time on Mon-
day night. The five acts of this great
play fairly bristle with excitement.
There Is something doing every minute. I
some of the situations being sensational
in the extreme. In addition there are ai
number of excellent comedy characters
and the laughs alternate with the thrills. :
Also there is a vein of delightful senti
ment, the romantic interest Deing Deauti
fully maintained during the performance.
The nlov has been one of the greatest
successes of recent years at the higher-,
priced theaters and the Lyric management.
counts Itsell extremely lununaie in u!-
in. hle to secure it for stock purposes.
It. is a piece that absolutely demands!
elaborate production and to provide! I
scenery and effects to adequately present I
it naS COSl tne UJ'li; intnia-i,. ....... ,m s
mm of monev. One of the most realls-!
tic and effective scenes ever presented!!
on the stage Is that showing the decfcl
of the sailing ycht Success at sea. The
sensational blowing up of a real safe audi
hA vi.-i nt Tnndon streets at niaht-
will arouse the wildest enthusiasm. The'I
first act occurs in the stre.-s of London. 1 1