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THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL. PORTLAND. SUNDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER 17, 1907.
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UN".TtONTUB5.WEP.
TliB BEAUTY CHOKTJy
uiTnt ALASKAN "
'TUC A! A ! TrX Vr"V
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WHBT JOHNNY
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c5CENE PROWTttB PIT Kt TUB BAKEK, THBATOE.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.)