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What the Theaters Are Offering This Week
The Week's Bills
Mn«on-"In Old Kontticky"; "Tom
Moore."
Bplhuoo— "Th« Oay rnrlslani,
• Grand— 'Tolly Primrose."
Orpheum— Vaudeville.
ntirbßnk— "Renplntr th<> Hurvfst."
Chutei— Band concert; outdoor attrae-
Flucher's— Burlesque and vaudeville.
Broadway— Vaudeville.
Unique— Vaudeville.
t— * LEANOK Robson made last week
r- • a brilliant one In the theatrical
"—* season. In every degree thfi lovers
Ot, drama and music found the week
a satisfying response to their cravings
for the beautiful and harmonious. The
most perfect gem was Browning's "In
a Balcony" which wns presented by
Miss Robson nnd her cot-artists on
Wednesday afternoon. No art exhibit
ever furnished a picture of more deli
cate tints or artistic harmony.
The week to come will lack no great
an artist, but it will be fairly well
stocked with good things for the thea
ter-goer. Outside of "In Old Ken
tucky" and Andrew Mack'a three night
engagement, the public will depend up
on Its appreciation of the two excel
lent stock companies, the Orpheum and
the melo-flavored entertainment at the
Grand.
Andrew Mack ■will present "Tom
Moore," hl» old standby, In which the
Belasco Theater Stock company recent
ly made such a good record. Oppor
tunity will be given for Los Angeles
to Judge the respective merits of the
traveling and stock organizations in
this play.
floclal Interest has been aroused by
the announcement of the theatrical de
but of Ml«s Helen Eaton at the Belas
co theater In "The Gay Parisians."
Miss Eaton Is the daughter of ex-May
or Eaton and her circle of friends in
Los Angeles is a largo one. Conse
quently she faces the trial of a demon
stration made in her honor.
How He Wrote "Ben Hur"
WILLIAM Young, who drama
tized General Lew Wallace's
"Ben Hur," which opens for
two weks at the Mason November 19,
tells the following interesting story of
how he did the work:
"I took the book home and read It
most carefully. Play writing and novel
writing are two distinct arts. My first
endeavor was to find my play in thp
book. I saw It there— many characters,
every seene — what Is called the "gist"
of the play appeared to me. Thero I
had my dramatic machinery.
"In one week's time, I had the
scenario complete. This was most ln
' cessant and exhausting work. It was
r.ecesßary that the scenario should be
in the hands of Klaw and Erlanger on
a certain date, and in order to complete
it I worked forty-nine hours without
removing my coat. This scenario had,
besides all the scenes and characters,
every exit, and the substance of the
speeches of the players. When the
scenario was complete I had the skele
ton of 'Ben Hur.'
. "The next step was to take It to Gen
eral Wallace. He read It and gave his
aproval. Then I began putting thn
fiesh on this skeleton in the form of
dialogue. Before writing the dialogue,
I completely saturated myself with
General Walalce's literary st> 10, en
deavoring to follow, as closely as I
might, all the peculiarities of his form
of composition, so that those who had
read the book should not be disturbed
by the introduction of anything that
would tend to modify or amend the iin
; pression of the original novel. As
there are not more than twenty lines
- : in the entire play taken directly from
■ the book, you can easily see that this
part of»the work took more time and
care than appears on the Rurface.
"I did not begin writing my play
with the first act. As a matter of fact
the first and second acts were written
last; as I said before, the scenario
contained the substance of all the
speeches of the players, as I know
what they had to do and say.
"The writing of the dialogue is per
haps the hardest part of the work of a
dramatist. If he would make his audi
tors feel the fullest Impression of his
inspiration, the most complete efleot
of what his characters have to say, he
must be master of what tho French
call, 'the pulse beat of the drama."
"Those who witness a great play and
■whose ears are soothed by the even
floor and cadence of tho spoken words,
do not understand this most difficult
portion of a dramatist's work. The
playwright may have a sentence in
mind, which expresses the exact shade
of meaning which he wishes to convey,
but unless it has the pulse-beat in tr>e
rythmie sequence of work it must be
rejected. A violation of this grates on
the ears of the uneducated as quickly
and as surely as upon the learned. It
Is like a discord that annoys and ir
ritates, but perhaps not to so great an
extent. It has cost me years of time
and Btudy to master this most Import
ant department of playwrltlng."
Anent George Bernard Shaw
JUST what to do with G. B. Shaw is
apparently a growing problem in
New York. The telegraph news of
last week was enlivened by one of the
greatest advertisements ever concocted
for any playwright and Immediately
the Los Angeles bookstores noticed a
boom in "Plays Pleasant and Un
pleasant," nnd minor females thronged
the library in an effort to surreptitious
ly peep with delighted horror at some
of the frank lines of "Mrs. Warren's
Profession."
It in noticeable that the newspapers
Bre almost unanimously opposed to the
production of the more offensive Bhaw
and Ibsen dramas. Actors and actresses
on the other hand are almost one in
the desire to renounce art for what
they apparently think Is placing them
In the role of educating the human
race. Harry Mestayer, for example, un
doubtedly firmly believes that he gave
great lessons to Los Angeles in pre
senting Ibsen's "Ghosts."
The worm will turn, however, and
New York has proved at present there
is a degree of nastlness beyond which
It Is not, wjse to venture even in the
name of reform. A short time ago
tho "Matinee Girl" In the Dramatic
Mirror offered advice concerning the
then forthcoming production of
"Mr*. "Warren's Profession," which
might have been wisely heeded. She
said:
" 'The two infamous words that de
scribe what my mother is!' shrieks
Vlvie Warren, the younger heroine of
the play, and because her tongue re
fuses to speak the words Bhe writes
them , on a piece of paper and passes
them to the men on the Btage. By
way of a new bit of business, and
with the kind permission of Mr. Shaw
Mr. Daly might direct his Vlvie to
pass them over the footlights, and
let the audience take them home an
souvenir*. Thut would remove all
danger of the house being raided by
police, which might happen .if the
words were epoken. It does not appear
In. "Plays Pleasant and Unpleasant'
what Were these two words by which
.Vlvie Warren described her mother, but
two word! that describe, the play are
•Cancer Dramatized,"'
Marian Shirley, "In Old Kentucky," Mason
Henry Stockbridge, Burbank
The "Matinee Girl" continued to un
burden her mind regarding this sub
ject at some lengtn. Among other
things she said:
"There is no splendid conflict between
the good and evil dwellers in any
soul, no overwhelming surge of the
emotions, no great love before which
the world's conventions are driven as
leaves before the wind. It is all sor
did, hideous, every phase of the ques
tion resolving itself Into the question,
'Does it pay?' And the bread and
butter miss is forced to conclude that
It, the profession commencing with
'p,' does pay.
"Even in the theory that the moral
play is the play in which immorality
is punished, 'Mrs. Warren's Profession'
finds no justification. Her daughter,
unconvinced by her mercenary argu
ments, tells her to go her way to the
'hotels' and she will go hers, which
leads to an 'actuarial calculations
office,' and earn her living by mathe
matics Instead of magnetism. Mrs.
AVarren snivels a bit, but it in certain
that her easy epicurlanlsm will soon
adjust itself to the loss.
"There is not a sympathetic char
acter in the parade of a self indulgent
parson, his Irreverent son, the vicious
mother, her titled 'hotel' partner and
her sentimentless daughter. Having
read 'Mrs. Warren's Profession,' one
wonders why it was written.
"Mrs. "Warren's plea for the lazy,
moralless scullery maid who would be
rich awakens no sympathy. As a veiled
lecture on Socialism It cannot stand
alone.
"Audiences of any age will wonder
why they were asked to drink at this
foul pool. And if I read aright the
American temper and taste there will
be a revolt against this Irish Hasti
ness that has not that mitigation of
French dramatic Hastiness, a lively
wit."
New York Letter
Special Correspondence of the Herald.
NEW" YORK, Nov. 4.— -Things are
looking brighter around Theatrical
Gotham. De Wolf Hopper and "Happy-
land" have started off with a boom.
md his audiences so far have been
very large. ; The anti-syndicate side of
Forty-second street Is holding Its own
very well, and a winning smile Is
playing over the faces of Belusco and
Shubert. Warfleld's business at the
Bijou Is the talk of the town, and it
looks as If it would be easy for him
to run the season out. Reports ure
glowing of the new Blanche Hutea
play, "The Girl From the Golden
West," and rumor lims It that the
Bhubert-FlFher "Itabos In the AVood"
trick Is being whipped into shape.
From Chicago is wafted the news that
"Fantana" has returned to its birth
place, the Garrick. Standing room Is
at a premium, and Its runing mate
at the Studebaker, "The Filibuster,"
has caught the fancy of the "Windy
City" and is to remain there for ail
unlimited period. So It may be said
truthfully that, up to date, the "New
Syndlcaters" are not losing but gaining
ground in the early struggle.
Away in the background the hip
podrome people are becoming factors.
They are preparing a Christmas spec
tacle ut the big circus building greater
than anything New York has ever
seen, and they propose to launch it
the name week as the Drury Lane pan
tomime. "The White Cat" ia shown
at the New Amsterdam. New York
cannot stand but one of these big
flimvH, and they are to have four this
year.
George Ade's new play, "Just Out of
College," won't do. Business Is bad.
Drew is pegging along fairly well with
Delancey. Lulu Ulaner's "Dolly Dol
lars" is holding up to good receipts.
"The Prodigal Son" has dropped off
end its run has been ohortened and
"The IVarl and the Pumpkin" haa got
down to ordinary figure*. Lew Fields
LOS ANGELES HERALD SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT.
needs a new production if he Is to stay ?
much longer in New York, and Marten- f
ret Anglin will never be able to make I
"Zlra" a paying proposition. .j.
Proctor goes back to two a day at the *
Fifth Avenue with his star stock, and *
his Lilian Russell boom on Twenty- %
third street is a wonder. The house I
won't hold the audiences, clay or night, *
who want to hear her warble. A new •?•
set of attractions are being rehearsed V
all over town, and a complete shift In '/,
theater programs may be expected . ■
early in November. ' ••
Greenroom Gossip
Henrietta Crossman's new play,
"Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary," Is very
like an old and popular comedy called
"The Scrap of Paper."
A magnificent new music hall on Lon
don lines will be built In New York
shortly. The plans are drawn, loca
tion selected and money up.
Otis Skinner will do a new play be
fore the end of the season.
Grace George will have two English
leading men in "The Marriage of Wil
liam Ashe," 11. Reeves Smith and Ben
Webster.
Fay Templeton and her new play
are doing- things in Chicago at the
New Colonial, formerly the Iroquois.
Ben Hur played to $7,000 in one week
in Winnipeg.
Augustus Balfour, of Ben Green's
Players, has completed a one-act Mex
ican play, "Just Across the Line."
The parents of Sam Shubert brought
suit in the United States circuit court
of New York, October 16 for $200,000
against the Pennsylvania Railroad
company, alleging that negligence
caused their son's death. The suit is.
one of several others, aggregating $600,
000 and growing out of the same wreck,
Madame Modjeska begins her season
at Pittsburg tomorrow.
Henry Arthur Jones, the English play
wright, Is In New York with the man
uscript qt two new plays which will
be produced shortly. .
Miss Isabelle Evesson, who recently
made an attempt at being leading wo
man at the Belasco theater here, read n
paper on Bernard Shaw before the
New York play-goers club. The after
noon was set aside for the discussion
of that author and the players agreed
upon the greatness of the Irish eccen
tric. •
The Dramatic Mirror prints "a par
tial list" of parts played by Sir Henry
Irving during his life time. The list
Is in fine type and nearly two columns
long.
Klchard Buhler, Brenda Fowler,
Henry Aurbach, Adolph Jackson and
several others well known in Los An
gelea theatrical circles are touring Ari
zona with a detective play. They go
to Honolulu next.
W. T. Gregory, the New York rep
resentative of lielasco, Mayer &
Price, was in Los Angeles last week.
The report printed by several pupera
that John lllackwood, Phil Wilson uiv]
Adolph Jiamish were to build a new
theater ia enthuultstlcully denied by
each of the trio.
George C. Tyler has received the
manuscript of Alfred Sutro's new play.
They Bay the author of "The Walls of
Jericho" has written a remarkably
strong play. Ellis Jeffreys will come
back to America early in the new
yeur for its production and later will
do it in London under the manage
ment of the Charles Frohman-George
0. Tyler international combine.
Before a good audience Jerome K.
Jerome made hit) fli'Bt American appear
ance as a story teller and reader on
the ufternon of October 17 nt the Em
pire theater. New York, lllu Herloua
nees of countenance and delibe»-ttteneß»
Carol Arden in "Polly Primrose," Grand
Andrew Mack in "Tom Moore," Mason
of action helped much toward the ef
fect of his efforts and the appreciation
of his humor, that has been so popu
lar in this country when delivered
via his books and plays. The portion
of his gray hair that is not missing
Is parted in the middle and bunched
over his oars, around a close shaven,
roseate but almost clerical counte
nance that surmounts a rather stock
body.
E. H. Sothern and Julia Marlowe
presented "Tainlng of the Shrew" as
a roaring farce and were generally
scored by the critics of New York.
Hlchanl Mansfield has obtained ono
set of the Kscurlal tapestry panels to
be used for the tableau curtains in
the production of "Don Carlos." The
live panels were at the Paris exposi
tion of lUOO, and tlve copies were woven
afterward for each country.
The plans of E. H. Sothern and Julia
Murlowe for next season include pro
ductions of "As You Like It," "King
Lear" and Cymbellne." Percy Mack
ay's "Ftmrls the Wolf" may also ba
produced.
Elizabeth Johnson, daughter of Mayor
Tom Johnson of Cleveland, Is to be
starred as soon as a suitable play
can be found.
The Clyde Fitch plays will be pub
lished by the Macmlllan company si
multaneously in this country and Eng
land. The tlrst two plays to be is
sued in book form will be "The Climb
ers" and "The Girl with the ■ Green
Eyes," both of which; at the request
of Professor Phelps of Yale, will be
Included In the curriculum of the New
Haven university and will be a purt
of the course, on dramatU; literature
for the senior class. These are the first
plays ■ by ■• a modern American pluy
wilght to be .tuuled at Yale.
Watkins Mills' Concert
THE next musical event to be pre
sented by Manager Behymer will
ho Watkln Mills' English Concert
Quintette party, coming to Simpson
auditorium for two concerts November
21 and 23. Last season Watkln Mills
appeared In this city In one oratorio and
one concert, both being artistic af
fairs. He now comes in a more com
plete manner, and with a concert party
to support him. His programs Include
the performances of song cycles, ora
torio and operatic selections, ballads,
and the presentation of "Flora's Holi
day," und Brahms' "Llebeslleder." His
party consists of Edith Klrkwood, so
prano from the Royal Italian opera,
Covent Garden, LonJon: Gertrude
Lonsdale, alto, also of the London Ora
torio; Harold Wilde, London tenor and
a member of the Provenclal Oratorio
association; Edward Parlovlts, bolo
pianist und accompanist.
First Lott.Rogers Concert
The first concert of the Lott-Rogers
Belies will be given at the Dobinson
auditorium Thursday evening. The fol
lowing urtUtß, under the direction of
William 11. Lott, will present the part
Bongs:
Mien liavlt-H, Mesdames Collette, For.
• •hi, lliiri'lsini, Stivers, the Miases Hl
bert, Heurtt, Scaulon, Bhlelda, Mrs.
iltchards, Mesßt'B. Ahpluwull, Gregg,
Helder, Richards, Walker, Barnhart,
Kdßoti, Lott, Pfannkucken, Shank and
Steckel.
However, the shade of the old apple
tree ain't a murker to thut of the old
pluiu Use. for, good things. • - ■ .-.
Helen Eaton in "The Gay Parisians,'' Belasco
"Broomstick Witches," Orpheum
Coming Attractions
MASON — The most successful Ameri
can play on the boards today without
exception is "In Old Kentucky," which
will be seen a Ruin at the Mason opera
house next Monday, Tuesday and Wed
nesday evenings, November 6, 7, and S,
with a Wednesday matlno-e. It has
been presented year alter year without
a break since 1892, and is now. on its
thirteenth annual tour of the country.
From Maine to the Pacific coast and
from Duluth to New Orleans, in every
section of the United States, it Is a
big favorite with all classess of play
goers.
The play tells one of the prettiest
love stories known to the stage. The
character types introduced are Indi
genous to the soil of the blue grass
state. "In Old Kentucky" la h house
hold word nil over the land and the
play seems destined tn go down in his
tory ns the most popular American
play ever written since Mrs. Stowe's
historic novel was made into a drama
of destiny.
MASON — The engagement of Andrew
Mack in "Tom Moore," which Is for
Ihree nights beginning Thursday even-
Ing, November 9, at the Muson, will
doubtless be watched with much inter
est by the many admirers of that pop
ular comedian. Mr. Mack has recently
returned from Australia where his suc
cess was so gre:\t that his engagement
of twenty-one weeks whs conlined to
three cities, although his Intentions
were to have played other cities in the
colonies before returning to America.
His pronounced success necessitated
cutting out several Important points
and extending the time of his engage
ment In Melbourne and Sydney.
BELASCO— For the week beginning
Monday evening the Belasco company
will present "The Gay Parisians," one
of the most successful farces of -mod
ern times. While It is adapted from
the French, the wit is as clean as it
is furiously funny. The entire com
pany will be represented with unusual
attention.. In the line of fun-making
it will be the most important offering
of the season at the Belasco.
ORPHKUM — The "Broomstick
Witches" will be n decided novelty at
the Orpheum next week. These witches
employ only the magic of pretty faces
and dashing manners, and captivate
their victims by means of their singing
and dancing, Clayton, Jenkins and
Jasper with their "Darktown Circus"
are a never fuillng source of delight
and Jasper, the donkey with the hu
man brain, is a great favorite. Ray
mond and Cavery, the noted German
comedians and parody Blngers, will re
turn after a j two years absence with
a big bundle of new things to amuse.
O'Brien and Buckley, a third comedy
couple, have an act which makes sour
faced dyspeptics hunt their cellars.
Wireless telegraphy demonstrations,
the Three Nevarog In their acrobatic
act, Dean Edsall and Arthur Forbes
In "The Two Rubles," Browning and
Wally. the aerlallsts, and new motion
pictures complete the program.
UUltßANK— "Reaping the Harvest"
will be presented at the Burbank the
ater for the week beginning this after
noon. The play Is described as a com
edy drama in four acts by Tom Fitch.
Matinees will be given Sunday and
Saturday.
GRAND— One of the most picturesque
settings for a drama which has ever
been empjoyed by playwrights is the
time of the civil war, and one of the
prettiest of all plays of ' this period
la "Polly Primrose," which | comes to
the Grand opera house for the week
commencing Sunday . matinee with
Mlhs Carol Arden In the- title role. Al
though .the play deals with the south
In the war time there are only » faint
echoea of. the thunders of battle ia Its
lines, for 'Paul Wllstach, the author,
has chosen more delicate and suggest
ive means of showing the strained re
lations betwen the two great divisions
of the nation. It Is primarily a love
story and Miss Arden is said to.ba
charming- in the leading part.
CHUTKS— Manfredo Chlaffarelll . will
present another innovation In this
evening's sacred concert in Chutes the-:
ater. The program will be made up,
not as has been the custom, of stand
ard religious "tunes," but selections of
a religious character which have been
prepared from the greatest master
works In operatic, symphonic and cho
ral repertoire. This list includes the
great soprano solo from the "Stabat
Mater," played by Taddeo; the reli
gious music from Verdi's dramatic
"Alda:" Batiste's magnificent organ of
fertoire;.a trombone solo by Slg. Croce
from the "Stabat Mater;" the second
act of Chopin's, mystical "Oreflee;"
Massenet's sweet and simple "Scenes
Picturesque," a harp solo from ora
torio by Sig. Deßona, and as a conclu
sion, Chiaffarelli's great funeral march,
"Immortality." The afternoon pro
gram, made up of the best secular mu
sic, is the heaviest and most complete
day program yet offered by Chiaffa
relli during his stay in Los Angeles.
The Stage as a Career
IN a lecture before "The Professional
Woman's League" in New York,
Bertha Welby spoke of the stage as
a business career," the social status of
the people of the stage, and the quali
fications necessary for success.
"We on the stage alone know It as It
really Is," said Miss Welby. We do
not invest it with any rajnbow tints,
for we know the hard work, the many
heartaches, the bitter disappointments,
as well as the exciting exhilaration
and happiness that comes from 'suc
cess. . .-. ■ • ;.,
"The stage rests under a sort of stig
ma more easily felt than denned. Still
as a business as well as a profession,
It Is now at least acknowledged- The
man or woman, may enter It and find
It a career of usefulness, success. and
honor. . To the genius, talent and work
of our eminent actors in the past. and
In the present, our stage owes Its lus
ter. It is a profession of the learned
as well as the ignorant. Physical gifts,
up to a certain point, will make up for
deficiency in talent, but with talent,
perseverance and application success is
certain, even for the most illiterate.
Ur Henry Irving says: "The stage lit
erally lived down the rebuke and re
proach under which it formerly cow
ered, while its exponents have been
simultaneously living down the pre
judices which excluded them from so
ciety. Actors and actresses are re
ceived Into society as the members of
other professions.'
"There has been bo much aaid as to
training for the stage that I- can only
say In my whole career I have felt the
advantage of early study with that
most cultured woman of the stage,
Fanny Moras. Study always, and keep
up a atout heart. Every life is made
stronger, better, sweeter and happier
by an earnest purpose, and bo runs
the actor's life away."
Articles of Incorporation have been
fled for the Shubert Theatrical com
pany, with a cupltnl of $300,000. The
dlrectora are Lee Shubert, J. Shubert,
Joseph W. Jacoba and William Kllou.
This incorporation was formed to
facilitate the erection of theater* In
cities where the Independents have not
yet been able to enter. •
"The College Widow" company
(western) after a run of success nt the
gtudebaker theater in ' Chicago lmx
started on Its. long' tour 1 which .will
reach to the Pacific coast and Into tntt
reslona pf British. Columbia.
