f THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL. PORTLAND. SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 17, 1907. - v. l . 1 1 i 5 V r : oo x - s 1u l2 UN".TtONTUB5.WEP. TliB BEAUTY CHOKTJy uiTnt ALASKAN " 'TUC A! A ! TrX Vr"V .!; , ir i i ' It WHBT JOHNNY COKES " iiri WMMIMI !. ... - . W , , v , r c5CENE PROWTttB PIT Kt TUB BAKEK, THBATOE. f,-.. - HIGH CREST OF VAUDEVILLE WAVE WILL SOON REACH COAST Capture of Largest Theatre in America by the "Continuous" Presages the Advent of Popuiar Form of Amusement r By J. F. 8. pS Portland coins to be included In the cltle farored by the promulgators of advanced vaudeville? There Is at least a possibility of such a thing, and the negotiations that were bearun some weeks ago, and which were spoken of In The Journal at that time are still pending. It is said. : It Is to be hoped, both for the sake of vaudeville-lovers and the people be hind the project, that It is to be rushed to a completion. It is safe to say that there Is scarcely another city of the size of Portland without an adequate vau ISeville house. And vaudeville has advanced; Klaw & Erlanger have taken it up, with their Usual keen business judgment, an It seems that Portland is at last to have a "look in" to use the vernacular. Vaudeville has developed in Chicago to a point where there are more flrst elass houses" showing 20-mlnute acts than there are producing the "legitimate." The last citadel to give way to the forces of the vaudeville craze is that home of grand opera and cultured art, the Auditorium. It must have given many good souls a sense of shock to hear that the great theatre i in which they had heard Pattl sine- one of her final farewells, in which the DeReskes. Melba, all the other worshiped of the grand opera enthusiast, had been thrown ODen to the unesthetlc public at 60 cents per. It seemed like tiie .twilight of the gods. Indeed. But the main thing was that, as a temple of art, the gorgeous barn by the lakeside didn't pay. And as a house of vaudeville the receipts are said to be very gratifying. The auditorium is not alone in its humiliation. In the same city the Chi eago opera house, the Olympic, the Haymarket, the Majestic, and heaven knows how many others, are devoted to the same duty of retailing pleasure at a half ogiiar me seat. Tns wave of vaudeville enthusiasm which hp 6-nn nm veara aa-o has annar ntly reached Its crest with the acquisition of the largest theatre in America. Xn every city there are three or four houses which hand out more or less amus- ng enierxammeni or mat character. The Orpheum circuit has held the palm throughout the west for the excellence of its performances, but the Klaw & Er- DRAMATIC CALENDAR FOR THE WEEK HEILIO Tonight, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with Wednesday , matinee comic opera. "The Alaskan;" Thursday. Friday and fiatur Chef" Saturday matinee, musical comedy, "The Royal MAaV41!n7SHomnel8CO Per compn ln "When Johnny " Comes 6 A.KER Resident stock company ln "The Pit" BTAR--French stock company in "Dangers of Workina Glrln EMPIRE "A Wife's Secret melodrama. "mni uini. ORANVau'dJilHe w"npany ln "A Brane Strange Land." PANTAGES Vaudeville. NEXT WEEK'S ATTRACTIONS HEILIO Sunday and Monday nights. Henry W. Savage offer, m. College WIdow;'-Tuesday and Wednesday nights, musical corned v i--The -Rollicking Girl;" thanksgiving attraction. Thursday Frtdav and Saturday, Maud Fealv in "The Stronger Sex." ' naay MARQUAM Murray and Mack; Primrose and West BAKKH "The Ensign," resident stock company. EMjIBg-TUlr Udb. V - -v ' 1 . r---1 . , , y ,- langer people threaten to wrest it from them and to establish houses wherever their rivals are located. As a rule, the Orpheum theatres give falrjy good entertainment of their kind. Not all the acts are good, but one can be reasonably certain of seeing two or three acts at least that are decidedly interesting. In Kansas City, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Denver, Salt Lake, the houses are always crowded, and the even ing performances usually gather Just as fashionable an audience as can be seen in any other theatre ln those cities. You can drop ln almost any hour, late dinners do not have to be foresworn, and. above all, the theatres themselves are usually clean and comfortable and handsomely equipped. Also, the ventilation is of the best. p Some time ago there was considerable talk on the part of the Orpheum people of extending their circuit so as to take' ln Portland, Tacoma, Seattle and Spo kane. Whether there was too much local opposition, or whatever the reason whs, It "died a-bornln'," and unless the new theatre talked of last month be comes a reality, Portland's chance of having a high-class vaudeville theatre seems rat nor slim. Therti Is no doubt but that the several theatres of that class now in the city are manlng; money. They deserve to. They furnish a couple of hours enter talnment at a low price. Frequently the acts seen in these houses are as good as those In the higher-priced vaudeville theatres of other cities. When the Grand brought May Yohe out here the other day it probably cost them a pretty penny; for, although May Is something of a back number, yet who still commands good salaries. The propensity to Indulge ln "has-beens, however, doesn't pay as a rule. The public on the whole would rather see two new, hrlght acts than one May Yohe. A form of curiosity may lead people to inspect musty things, but they greatly prefer ln the long run a bright, new and entertaining act. The press agent of the Sullivan & Consldlne people announced that his management Is paying Miss Yohe J ,000 a week. We believe that the snme amount spent ln new and "live" acts would have increased the prestige of the Grand considerably. There nre a great many walls heard on the vaudeville question. The "high hrows" execrate the vaudeville theatre and write long essays against it. It is probably everything, or nearly everything, that they say It is. It doles out an evening s entertainment in so many complete packages, like sausage 'links. All sense of continuity Is lost But they needn't worry about its effect on the race. The public is fickle. It changes from one form of amusement to another. As soon as one form has be come popular enough to be open to everyone, the leaders abandon it and seek out some novelty. The publio is sheep-like, anserine, more so In its amusements than ln any other of Its phases of life. And as surely as It does turn from vaudeville there will be a great scurry for something else. The vaudeville houses will be transformed into what? In the amusement centers the tide is almost full. It's Just begun to rise in Portland, so we can iook lorwara wun equanimity to a good many seasons of "oontlnu ous here yet. PROMISES MADE BY TIIE PRESS AGENTS "The Alaskan" at Heilifc Tonight. Something new and decidedly refresh ing ln the comic opera line is claimed for "The Alaskan," which John Cort will present with elaborate effects at the Hellig theatre for four days, be ginning tonight with a specif price matinee Wednesday. The book and lyrics are by Joseph Biethen and Max Flgman. and the music Is by Harry Glrard. With its scenes laid In and about Nome, where climatic conditions suggest various brilliant winter effects such as the Aurora Borealls, but does not exclude a mild summer season there was a chanc for all the bril liancy of scenic effects a comic opera admirer could wish for, and Mr. Cort is said to have produced it with a- lav ish, purpose. ' ' Asia rrom giving tu pise a siaoo- rate staging Mr. Cort has provided a strong company of singers and come dians. Including Harrv Glrard. Aenes Cain Brown, Teddy Webb, Edward Mar- tlndell, Annie Adale, Harold Vizard, William Fables and M. L. V. Smith. An ensemble of 76 people and orchestra are carried by the company which trav els in a special train. "The Alaskan Is the big western com ic opera production which Is said to have made such hit ln New York where It ran for five weeks at the Knickerbocker theatre that it made the New Yorkers Jealous. It played A record breaking engagement at the Broadway theatre, the week of Sep- temDer z3d. Cast of characters Rlohard Atwater, a prospector, Harry Glrard; Totem Pole Pete, foreman of "Discovery," claim, Edward Martlndell; Smallberry Strand er, a Broadway favorite, Teddy Webb; Meadowbrooks Blazes, Ph. - D, of the Metropolitan museum. Harold Vizard; Teddy Bear, the real thing, William Fables: U. 8. mail driver. M. L. V. Smith: Arlee Easton. an heiress. Agnes Cain Brown; Mrs. Good-Better-Best ths V t "Jr t :': ui .x V . - J . x , H W ' t , 1 ' li ' . r 4t ' - J - Y lillf . ' ' -V : 'OlSIWifc H Era Earle Fren ;h fn "The Dangers of Girl," at the Star. a Working iMtaa Kathleen Taylor ln "The Dangers of a Working. ; Girl," at the Star. Eskimo miners. girls, show girls and Alaskan When Johnny Comes Marching Home Ths San Francisco opera company will again occupy tne boards of the Mar quam for the ensuing week and will pre sent what is confidentially expected to prove acceptable to theatre-goers, Stange & Edwards' big military comic opera of civil war times, "When Johnny Comes. Marching Home." The opera Is a particularly gooa one ror me Ban Francisco opera company, lovers of musement pleasantly remembering tne pleasant impression created last sum mer at the Marquam. In the present production tne management or tne nan Francisco opera company have attempt- chaperons, Anne Adair; Claudia Cluster, i ed to outdo themselves as regards cos ine msgneuo souDreue, Amy Micestern tummg-na sceaio -erreovs.- uwyinwa: Trlxle, Marie Ooodner; sextette girls, I wlU be new and correct In every detail. The musical -numbers of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" are all written in Julian Edwards' best style, and the lyrics which Stanislaus Stange gave Mr. Edwards to hang them on are such as would be expected from a schol arly writer such as Stange surely is. "Mv Own Tin I ted States." "Fairyland." "My Honeysuckle Gal," "Love's Night" "Marry the Girl and Be Merry," "Down In the Garden of Eden," "Spring, Sweet Spring" and several others never fall to score. A i the conclusion of the week of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" the San Francisco opera com pany will visit Aberdeen, Washington, Tacoma, Bellingham and Everett, re turning Sunday night Decern' )r 1, for a week of "Said Pasha," Richard Stahl's splendid comlo opera. Cast of characters: Colonel - John Graham "Johnny"), Arthur Cunning ham: Felix Graham, a southern plant- ne er-do-weil, William Blalsdell;MaJor Martin of the federal army, Eugene Wiener; Uncle Tom, an old slave. Brownie Browning; Cordelia Allen, daughter of general Allen, Daphne Pol lard; Constance Pemberton a widow, Maude Beatty; Kate Pemberton, her niece, Alda Hemmi: Robert Pemberton, Kate's brother, Lillian Raymond; fed eral officers southern belles, planters, plantation hands, etc., etc. by the la dies and gentlemen of the o.iorus. The Pit" at the Baker. There has been a heavy run on seat for the Baker company's production ot "The Pit' which will, open this after noon and continue all week. It la an unusually big theatrical event end theatre-goers are quick to appreciate the opportunity to see It at popular prices when given by-a company with t Continued on Page Six.)