Evening Star Newspaper, March 27, 1921, Page 49

[ The Swundy Star, WASHINGTON, Dy Q. SUNDAY MORNING, MARCH ) 27, 1921 —_ — ———————— HE chefs who prepare the theatrical bill of fare f‘m' Washington presented a musical comedy menu for the week just closed and, | in combination with delightful spring weather, it helped to make | everybody happy. “Mary,” whether called “The House That| Jack Built” or something else. like the rose, would smell as sweet and | unless a modernist should get his finger into the | be just as delightiul. i ! and the fact!| pic. It was apparently just to the liking of the audiences, that it had been here bejore did not lessen its popularity. “Take It From Me" also shared in the good opinion and entertained audiences that did not get under cover to celebrate the closing wee of Lent with a pious wind-up. Holy week is considered an "off week” in the man- | agerial circles of the theater. and some managers preter to close their theaters during its run rather than risk possible loss. It is not piety but profit that counts with them. UT Easter week is the time for budding flowers and new hio The world throws off its solemn garb, both of winter and religion. and makes a fresh start with a vengeance in all sorts of gayety. “Erminie.” famous in the days gone by and linked in the memory with | its equally famous sister. “Florodora,” will come like an old Aower re- Vivified, with blossoms more brilliant and beautiful than ever. Those| who will recall it in its pristine glory have not the bright eyes and4osy | che of vouth they had when they first delighted in it, but let n'_he; hoped their hearts will take on again the youthful beat. With | it will come not only the famous Francis Wilson of yore, upon whom time has but a light and sympathetic hand, but De Wolf Hopper. ! another musical comedian. famous in the days of yore as the central | figure of "Wang” of never-to-be-forgotten brand.” “Erminie” ~hnuld1‘ launch the world afresh on its happy quest of pleasure as nothing cl\c; in tle way theatrical can do. SCRLOSSOM TIM fashions. S will come with “Erminie.” Just what Composer Romberg has done with famous old Schubert melodies to fit them to modern musical comedy remains to be seen. The new production comes with an air oi the classics that needs must be good to be the suc- cess hoped for it. i presen*-day incentive cannot be invoked to brighten the corners of the stage, then by all means let ingenuity do its utmost. Reminders of the past cannot but help recall many things that brigat- ened the eves. brought the tears or heiped to entertain the mind in_ the | days when the stage was not a purely commercial proposition. Macter- linck says the American stage of today is barren. *But it is certainly, prolific in musical comedy and revue production. wwho is Mrs. Sothern in private * Kook E H. SOTHERN and Julia Marlo: i 2 + life, have gone to Paris and En d for the summer, after divid- ing their winter between Washington afid New York. They will return in August to begin rehearsals for th biennial tour, which opens in Boston September 27, after which they are to visit the principal cities east of the Mississippi in “Hamlet.” “Taming of the Shrew” and “The! Merchant of Venic In Paris they will replenish their wardrobe for *Hamlet” with new costumes and afmor. Mr. Sothern expects to intro- duce some new stage devices in “The Merchant of Venice.” Mrs. Sothern is said to be very proud of her degree of doctor of laws from George ‘Washington Univarsity. especially in that it makes her the only actress of the stage so distinguished. A NEW musical comedy, “June Love,” went into’“rehcarsal during the week. It is by Otto Harbach and Rudolf Friml. Sherman Brown, lessee of the Davidson Theater, Milwaukee, and a prominent western manager, is the producer. It will come to Washington June 27. Johnny Dooley. Lois Josephine, Else Alder and Clarence Nordstrom are among the principals in the cast. L\ FONTANNE, the English comedienne, has made such a hit in Dulcy,” a new comedy. playving in Chicago, that her name has been promoted to the electric lights. The role of “Dulcy” typifies the chatter- box of the ages, who always manages to say the wrong thing every time, mixes her metaphors and platitudes and gushes bromides upon the slight- est provocation. The play is said to be unusually brilliant and original in satire. * *x Kk ¥ -k ¥ k % * ¥ ¥ ¥ HARTLEY MANNERS has purchased and will produce a new play by Fannie Hurst. founded upon hcr novel, “Humoresque,” with Laurette Taylor in the leadinil role, that of Mrs. Kantor, the mother. Since the appearance of Mis$§ Hurst's novel, Miss Taylor has adapted it for public reading, giving a number of private recitals of her adantation. * ¥ ¥ % BLAXCHE BATES. who boasts of coming from “good, old Puritan stock,” says: “I am against a public censor for the stage and screen. Morality is regulated largely by geographical location as well as by the gurny of thought which directs the decision of a moralist. I am with St. Paul—All things to all men.’ * ¥ ¥ * HE following ten actors, artists and performers have been selected by vote of the National Drama League as having contributed the most to the American theater this year: Lionel Atwell, Ben Ami, Charl S. Gilpin, Dudley Digges, Lee Simonson, David Belasco, Miss Varesi, Miss Margaret Severn, Fred Stone and Eugene O'Neill THE UNIQUE CAREER OF DE WOLF HOPPER. AME and fortune have long fol- lowed De Wolf Hopper, who, with Francis Wilson, distinguishes the re- vival of the famous old opera. “Er- minie.” Mr. Hopper began his career at the age of twenty-one. having dabbled in the study and practice of law in his busiest hours. But the major portion of his leisure time was devoted to private theatricals. He appeared in an amateur performance of ‘on- * at the Fourteenth treet 'way back in 1879, as Dr. Theater. Nordaunt. His first venture was a paripaetetic Already Mr. Hopper has been deluged with requests for a revival of “Wang.” for which he will long be remembered, and with the public demand ever growing for such a re- vival, it may be that Mr. Hopper's next appearance will be in that very role. Charles S. Gilpin. THE sensational emergence of a negro actor from obscurity to fame is just as full of romance as that of Jones from Pullman porter to em- peror of a tribe of West Indian na- partnership with Jacob Gosche, with whom he wandered for four years in the Criterion Company, and an en- gagement with “One Hundred Wives." But Mr. Hopper aimed for greater and bigger things and had his eyes turned toward comedy roles During his portrayal of the role of Owen Hathaway, in “May Blossom,” John McCaull's attention was drawn to the promising material for light opera. and seeing in De Wolf Hopper a bright and shining star for the pro- ductions he was planning, he hastily enrolled him as a member of his forces “Desiree” was his first venture un- der McCaull. and as Pomeet he cre- ated a most favorable impression. From then on his rise to fame was rapid and he subsequently passed from what he termed “a dress suit” role to a “padded” one, playing com edy parts that were particularly suited to his talents His singing and speaking voice both | aided him in his npward fight and his personality dominates a stage and holds the attention of an audience He is tall, broad-shouldered, has a hearty, cheery air, which appeals to his associate players as well as his sudiences. Mr. Hopper s with the sole ide: &°get there’ I had no definite bent at the time, but was willing to try anything that would develop any ability I possessed and I gradually drifted into comedy—and w ted by Mr. McCaull to appear light opera. “Since then T have learned that he polieved me wonderful timber for that branch of the profession and told others so—but as for me, I little realized what he thought. “Those were the days ary of a present-day clevator man would have been a princely sum to an embryo actor, and my thoughts never in their wildest flights traveled to the heights I feel I have reached in public faver—I just seem to have yisen to prominence through earnest endeavor and perseverance. My voice has been one of my chief as- gets and my large frame has won for e domineer “an cquinped &= =ith a aon; ersonality.” “I started out —y in when the rol panding that T wanted 1o} tives. _ Charles S. Gilpin, as “The Emperor” in ON “The Emperor Jones,” has made himself the talk of Broadway. Critics have been unanimous in rec- ognizing his greatness as an actor, and the Drama League has especially honored him. Gilpin's best previous work was as the old “slave” in John Drinkwater's “Abraham Lincoln.” Current Attractions OFF RACHMANINOFF Concert Kogg}\]nl'sm Concert NATIONAL- | 8:10 o'clock, sharp. POLI'S—“Blossom Time,” new evening at 8:20 o'clock. this evening at 8:20 o'clock. at 2:15 p.m. morrow at 1 p.m. - tomorrow at noon. GAYETY—"Girls of the U. S. A,, | at 3 o'clock. CAPITOL—"Hurly Burly o'clock. AT THE THEATERS THIS WEEK “Erminie,” light'operfl. Opens tomorrow evening at BELASCO—“Hearts of Erin” romantic play, with music. Opens KEITH'S—Julian Eltinge, vaudeville. New show. Opens tomorrow COSMOS—“Around the World,” vaudeville. New show. Opens to- STRAND—Skelly and Heit Revue, vaudeville. burlesque. musical play. Opens tomorrow New show. Opens burlesque. Opens this afternoon Opens . this afternoon at 3 “Erminie,” “Erminie,” one of the most fanitus of modern light operas, is scheduled | for an elaborate presentation at the National Theater with Francis Wilson and Hopper, the two. distinguished light opera comedians, in the leading com- edy roles. This iatest “Erminic” pres- entation marks an époch-making event in stage history. The curtain will rise nightly at 8:10 pm. ex- actly. It is seventeen years since the opera was last produced. On that occasion Mr. Wilson played the role which he will essay in this production. Shortly afterward he left the comic opera stage for legitimate comedy under the direction of Charles Froh- man, and achieved success in “The Mountain Climbers,” “When Knights | “The Bachelor's Baby" | Were Bold,” and other plays. Though fast friends for many years, Mr. Wilson and Mr. Hopper have never before appeared together. It 18 hardly necessary to state—except for the benefit of the rising generation— that they are cast for the roles of He was born in Richmond, Va., for-|Cadeaux and Ravennes, respectively, ty C indication of five years ago, and attended a dramatic and musical ability. Upon leaving he learned the printing trade. Unable to employment at his trade in_Phila- delphia, he became a barber. The call of the stage was insistent, however, and in 1903 he joined the Gilmore |Comedian Jubilee Singers, owned by Carey and Carter of Hamilton, Ont., | and a few years later. the Williams and Walker Company. Later he was with the Pekin Play- ers of Chicago. where he was given a wide experience in all varieties of act- ing, including vaudeville and grand opera. When this organization went to pieces in was forced to strug- gle for a living in the fields of em- ployment open to his race. He was, at one time, a Pullman porter. At last he got a chance to join the Lafayette Stock Company of New ! York city, a negro organization. Here he was discovered by Lester Lonergan for William Harris, who was assem- bling his cast for “Abraham Lincoln.” Then the Provincetown Players de- cided that a negro could best play the vart of Brutus Jones in O'Nelll's play, r‘rl;l im-- choice naturally fell upon 3ilpin. His interest is deep in the devefSp- ment of the dramatic ability of his race and in securing proper oppor- | tunities for that development, = He stated in his speech before the Drama League that he was not the only apable actor of his race. but that he merely happened to be the lucky one. i1t is because of this interest in his people that he is coming to Washing- ton to appear with the Howard Uni- versity players. e e Ethel and John Barrymore, “Claire de Lune,” a new play by Mrs. John Barrymore), will open un- der the management of Charles Froh- man. Inc April 1L the same being a pair of delightful tholic school. where he gave some | rogues and vagabonds whose misad- ventures furnish the basis of the plot. For the title role (originally sung secure | by the once beautiful Pauline Hall) Irene Williams has been chosen. This young singer had great success last winter in New York in prima donna roles in a series of Gilbert and Sul- livan revivals at the Park Theater, New York. Madge Lessing, long an American favorite, but who has been singing_ for years in London and Paris, has_been engaged for the role of Capt. Delauney, in which Jessie Bartlett Davis once shone, and Rosa- mond 'Whiteside, daughter of Walker Whiteside, will_sing the role of Ja- votte, in which Marie Jansen achieved one of her greatest successes. The tenor role will be sung by Warren Proctor. Others Include Alexander Clark, Jennie Weathersby and Alice Hanlon. A brilliant background has been prepared for the old opera. The scen- ery and costumes have been designed by Norman-Bel Geddes, whose pro- ductions for the Chicago and Metro- politan Opera companies have won international celebrity. The revival of “Erminie” is made under the managerial direction of | George €. Tyler, in association with | William Farnum, “Blossom Time.” The Shuberts will present’ a new musical offering, “Blossom Times.,"” at in | the life of Franzs Schubert. “Michael Strange” (the pen name of | death of Schubert, . in New York? the week of : materinl Poli’'s Theater thsi-week, beginning to- morrow night. ¢ The story is sald to be based upon The scene Shortly after the it Is explained, there was published a novel based on an incident fn his life. Out of this Zrew a musical p from hands of Wilner and Reichert, in is lald in Vienna. tomorrow evening, | DeWolf | which was introduced melcdies from Schubert. Dorothy Donnelly has rewritten the story and supplied a new set of | Iyrics. Schubert, i the play, is al- ready famous, but at times sadly in need of food. The first act occurs at an outdoor restaurant in the famous Prater Park, in May, 1826. There gather ‘three maldens, Mitzi, Fritzi and Kitzi, famous in Vienna for their beauty and charm. Schubert falls in love with Mitzi, but there is some doubt as to whether the girl's love, i true love or simply admiration for the composer's great abilities. But Schubert has other friends, the Baron Van Schrobert and a prima donna named La Hellauruna. The prima donna thinks Franz Schrober has fallen in love with Mitzi, and in the endeavor to separate them, she gives a very bad report of the character of “F. 8. the baron, and Mitzi takes this to be hér admirer, Franz Schu- bert. with Mitzi, and his love is recipro- | cated, but ‘poor Franz is too good a fellow to resent his friend’s luck and | he loves Mitzi too much not to rejoice in_her happiness, and so he takes refuge in his music. The cast includes Olga Cook, Leeta Corder, Zoe Barnett, Frances Holli- day, Ethel Branden, Ralph Herz, Colin O'More, Bertram Peacock, gene Martinetti, Yvan Servais and others. “Hearts of Erin.” Tn “Hearts o Erin,” an Irish com- edy, by Charles Bradley and Lorin Howard, George M. Gatts will present the young Irish star Walter Scanlan at the Shubert-Belasco Theater to- night and all this week. Mr. Scanlan, who' is a protege and friend of the composer, Victor Her- bert, has a beautiful tenor voice and as interpreter of Irish ballads is said to have but few equals. He is best known, perhaps, from his per- formance in’ the leading tenor role of Victor Herbert’s opera, “Eileen.” Mr. Scanlan will introduce songs in “Hearts of Erin,” which will not be its least interesting feature. “Hearts of Erin" tells a story of love's young dream in that most dreamy”of all lands, Ireland, at the end of the eighteenth century, and introduces many of the characters of the period, with their quaint sayings, fascinating bits of mystical lore— heritage of their pagan forefathers— thelr strange customs and their warm- hearted sympathies. In the company are Greta Sherman, Olive Moore, Charles Dingle, Daniel Kelly, Law- rence O'Brien, Thomas P. Gillen, Lar- ry McCue and Larry Murphy. | I “The Emperor Jones” Tomorrow. Charles S. Gilpin will appear In i Eugene O'Neill's “The Emperor Jones,” {in a special performance at the Shu- bert-Belasco Theater tomorrow morn- ing at 11 o'clock. The play is one of the season's great successes, and Gilpin's playing as “the emperor” has been so motable that the Drama Leag ently se- lected him as one of the ten leading Schrober actually falls in lovc;xh-um-atou of the feminine of furbe- contributors to the American drama this year. ~ “The Emperor Jones” is a study of fear and the inevitable weakening of the human will and character un- der {ts continual influence. Jones, a Pullman porter in the *states,” with a criminal record, escapes to a re- mote West Indian island, where he deceives the natives into believing he has a charmed life_and sets him- self up as emperor. His charm con- sists of a silver bullet which alone can kill him, and which he carefully keeps in his revolver. An Bnglish cockney trader, Smithers, who knows his secret, betrays it to the natives, who make silver bullets out of coins and with the spell thus broken, they start out to “get” Jones. Then begin six scenes of Intense emotional power, where Jones Is hunted through the dense jungles by the maddened na- tives. This special performance is given under the management of the Howard University Players. The cast includes Jasper Deeter, a white actor who has the part of the English cockney. The other parts will be played by stu- dents of the university. The directors of the Howard Players are trying to develop the dramatic talents of their race, believing that the negro has something to contribute to the American drama, as he has to American musle. The aim is finall; to establish a negro theater. Th work of the dramatic department is under the directfon of Mrs. Marie Moore-Forrest of community service and Prof. Montgomery Gregory. All of the scenery used is constructed hv the students in the dramatic work- £hop, under the instruction of Cleon Throckmorton. who designed the scenery of “The Emperor Jones” and George Cram Cook's “Spring.” The costumes likewise were desimned and made by the “players” themsclves. y P Julian Eltinge » This week, at B. F. Keith's Thea- ter, the Easter holiday season will be ipaugurated tomorrow by a mat- inee at 2:15, when Julian Eltinge, probably the first of all the stage’ lows and frills. will appear. .He starred in “The Crinoline Girl,” “The Fascinating Widow"” and ‘has been specially distinguished in_the casts of big Broadway shows during the last decade. His offering is along characteristic lines of delineation. by face, figure and gown. Next wil'be a newcomer, William Kent, with a capable company. presenting for the first time_here a ea comedy; Jean Adair will” givé- the | premiere here of “Any H“-;m,f' a timely farcette: Bert Levy, thejar- tistic” Australian, will make’-smoke pictures; Gordon'and Ford will offer “A Recital Classique,” in;. ‘Which vocal teaching is made merry; Mar- guerita Padula, a planologue, “A Song Study of Boys”: the -Tinnan Dancers. a dance spectacle,” and Mar- TrANCGIE WILSON DeWoLE HOPPEER. and [RENE, WILLIAMS /Va‘i:ionaL L! has long appeared as a star In Ziegfeld's garet Taylor, “The Dainty Little Miss,” a specialty. Today at 3 and 8:15 the whole of last week’'s bill, including Gus Ed- ward’s Song Revue, will be given. “Around the World.” Frederick V. Bowers, the noted artist a number of|and composer, assisted by seven pretty’ girls, whom he calls his “American Beautjes,” will bring to. the Cosmos Theater this week a musical extrava- ganza in three scenes and six episodes, artistic in its every detail and novel in its presentation. It is offered here for the first time at popular prices, having come from the high-priced vaudeville theaters. Another feature, presented for the special pleasure of the ghildren, is Merriam’s Dogs, the largest and said to be the funniest canine comedy aggrega- tion in vaudeville. Others will be Mu- riel Hudson and Dave Jones, in “The Moth and the Flame,” a mirthful oddity; Coakley and Dunlevy, in “The Trench Hounds,"” a blackface laughmaker; Aloha and Girlie, in a Hawailan specialty, and Marie Sparrow, a singing girl with a laughmaking talent. The added matinee attraction will be Billie Burke's big photoplay, “The Edu- cation of Elizabeth,” and the comedy picture will be Sunshine’s “His Un- luckyAJob.” Minor films, including news featfires, will be shown also. An attractive bill of vaudeville and film features is announced for today, starting at 3 p.m (Cuntinucy v £0ur (i Tage.) b Coming Attractions At Theaters Next Week NATIONAL—“A Dangerous | Maid,” musical comedy. { BELASCO—"Bringing Up Father,” musical farce. POLI'S — “Midnight Round- ers,” musical revue. KEITH'S—Van and Corbett, vaudeville. COSMOS — Collini's Dancers, vaudeville. STRAND—“Melody Festival.” vaudeville. GAYETY—Abe Revue, burlesque. CAPITOL—Pat White & Co, burlesque. Variety | | 1 | | | ! Reynolds’ “A Dangerous Maid.” Described as a story as bright and gay as a sunrise in June, the new musical comedy. “A Dangerous Maid,” is coming to the National Theater next week, beginning Sunday night. It is declared a new kind of medium for the diverting possibilities of stage stars who specialize in making folks lJaugh when not winning their ap- plause through singing, dancing or general miming. e Mention of some of the cast is.in itself assurance of high quality of the interpretation — Juliette Day, Amelia Bingham, Ada Meade, Juanita Fletcher, Vinton Freedley, Frederic Burt, Arthur Shaw and Creightan Hale. .C. W. Bell wrote the libretto. The score is by Charles Gershwin and the lyrics by Arthur Francis. “The Midnight Rounders.” Messrs. Lee and J. J. Shubert will{ present the New York Century Theater | production, “The Midnight Rounders.” with Eddie Cantor as the star and Nan Halperin, “the wonder girl,” featured, at Poli’s Theater for one week, begin- ning Sunday night, April 3. This is the first. appearance here of the latest of ew York revues, and marks Eddie antor’s local debut as a star at the head of his own company, though he “Follies.” The variety and speed of *“The Mid- night Rounders” are sald to have stamped this show as unique. Besides the star and the featured players, Harry Kelly appears in his famous characteri- zation of Deacon Flood and Lew Hearn is conspicuous in the cast, which also includes Jane Green, James Blyler, Bernice Mershon, Muriel de Forest, Alice Ridnor and many others, with Cleveland Bronner's ballet as a feature. “Bringing Up Father.” A new piece, “Bringing Up Father at the Sea Shore,” the latest Gus Hill attraction, will be seen at the Shu- bert-Belasco Theater next week. It is based on the cartoons by George McManus, is in three acts and has the advantage of exclusive music, a large and competent cast and plenty of novelties. Van and Corbett. Van and Corbett will be the princi- pal stars in the B. F. Keith Theater bill next week, beginning April 4. Collini’s Variety Dancers. A new and entertaining terpsi- chorean feature, Collini's Variety Dancers, comprising Seven dancers, with pretty costumes and special scenery, and Bett’s Seals. presenting the unigue animal combipation of seals, monkeys and dogs in an en- tertainment especially for fhe chil- dren, will be featured in next week's bill at the Cosmos Theater. Others will include’ Lieut. Girard, a one-arm planist; Bert Wilcox and ‘company, in the sketch, “In the Morning”; Reid and Blake, comedy ventriloquists; Hoyt, Winters and company, in a triangular song comedy. a novelty. and Bob Furs and company. in “Bub- Gayety | calisf @, T WHITL PHOEBE The added matinee feature will be play. and the comedy, Mack Sennetts “Fickle Fancy.” “Melody Festival.” A pretentious song spectacle, senting a sextet of charming ists, under the title, “Melody F. will_be the featured attrac ival The Skating Macks, Jack Reddy “Character Studies from Life and Hill, in a musical 'inte Stolen Kisses,” and Frank Sabini, in his original comedy oddity, “I S}lit.” will complete the vaudeville ill. 5 ‘The Chicken in the Case,” turing- Owen Moore, will be photoplay. “Abe Reynolds’ Revue.” “Abe Reynolds’ Revue” will be next week's attraction at the Gayety Theater. It is a combination of com- fea- the edy, music and vaudeville, with- a! cast including Reynolds, Monica Red- mond, Dot Leighton, Flossie Everette, ! Art Mayor, Joe Mercer, Lloyd Ped- | drick and- Spencer and Rose. Pat White and Company. The Capital Theater announces for next week Pat White and Company with a brand-new show in every de- tail, scenery, costumes and faces. The show is in two acts and seven scenes, with a dash of novelty. Return of Guy Bates Post. Ever since Guy Bates Post closed his recent engagement in “The Mas- querader” at the Shubert-Belasco Theater. Manager Taylor has been en- deavoring to induce him to return to Washington in this play, inasmuch as this is to be the last season of this well. known actor in the drama in_America. Word came Friday that arrange ments had finally .been made for the farewell appearance of Mr. Post in “The Masquerader” at the Shubert- Belasco the week beginning Monday, April 11. The engagement, a few weeks ago, taxed the capacity of the theater. | mos Forbidden Fruit,” the noted photo- ! tion at the Strand Theater next week. | | soloist for the concert. WALTERJ SCANLAN Shubert- Belagco GLEN WALSE: Capitol King ‘Concerts an¢ | Lectures Mario Miccu This Evening. Mario Miccu, pianist and a £rad uate of the Royal Conservatory Naples, Italy, will be heard in a con- cert at the former Masonic Temple. 9th and F_streets northwest, this even- ing at 8:15 o'clock. Mr. Miccn belongs to the romant school of players and is particular individnal in his interpretation Chopin. He will be assisted Roberto Vittorio, the Italian v linist, whose concert experience Europe established him as a master of the bow. Rose Pollio, the Ttalian soprano, also will be heard. Elveira Katzman is 10 be accompanist. Samaroff-Philadelphia Orehestra. The Philadelphia Orchestra, under the direction of Leopold Stokowski. will be heard in the final concert of its Washington series at the New National Theater Tuesday afternoon 4:30 o'clock. Mme. Olga Samaroff, who ranks with the pianists of the concert stage, also will her final bow here this season as the he will be heard in the Schumann *“A Minor Concerto.” In an effort to make the concerts of his organization the out- standing feature of the Washington musical season, it is announced, Con- ductor Stokowski has arranged an orchestral program which will in- clude the Tschaikowsky symphony, “Pathetiqu claimedhy many to be the most popular work in the sym- phonic repertoire, and Webe “Obe- ron” overture. Tickets may offices of T. Arthur Smith, street. Rachmaninoff Thursday. Rachmaninoff, the great Rus: pianist, will be heard in recital the National Theater, for the last time this season, Thursday afternoon at 4:30 o'clock. His_program will include: conne” (Bach-Busoni), Mozart) : 8 “Nocturne,” S (Chopin); suite, “Children’s Corne (a) *Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum. (b) “Serenade of a Doll” (¢) “The Little Shepherd,” (d) “Golliwogg’s of [ in be obtained at the 1306 G Romantic Plays. ALTER SCANLAN expresses an optimistic view on sentimental drama. U “Drama, like ladies’ gowns, has its | seasons of style,” he declares. The | public alwa catches a’' passing | fancy from an unusually successful | type of entertainment, but the style goes out of fashion & season, never to be heard of again for years. At one time” he says, “‘we get a flood of so-called ‘crook plays'; then it is the bedroom farce; next, an epidemic of musical comegi: nd S0 it goes. But there are two pes or classes of plays, which, when well written and well staged, are al- ways popular. They are romantic drama and melodrama. “Melodrama _comes to us under warious disguises, but is always popular. Romantic plays, especially romantic comedies, are more diffi- cult to write, as the author must avoid the temptation of crossing too far the line of probability, and so we see them more rarely than we do the melodrama. There are fewer writers, too, who are capable of pro- ducing good romantic plays, and this accounts for their scarcity. “Irish ptays are usually of the ro- mantic type, and this accounts in a great measure for their popular ap- eal. 3 “] would like to see the romantic drama given a greater place in our theater. Why should it be allowed to become extinct? s it because our _everyday life becoming s0 intensely practical and _ utilitarian and . girls, young men and women, with good, wholesome red blood in Lles,” a laughable comedietta, their veins, there will be romance Cakewalk” (Debussy): two preludes, “G Major,” “B-Flat Major” (Rach- maninoff). Tickets are on sale at Mrs. Greene's concert bureau, 13th and G streets Paul Kochanski Friday. The program selected by Paul Ko- chanski, the violinist, who recently created a sensation at his recital in Aeolian Hall, New York, and who will close the Ten Star Series of con- certs in the New National Theater Friday afternoon. at 4:30 o'clock, in- cludes many numbers of interest to the violin student as well as the music lover. The concerto will be the “A Minor™ of Ant. Vivaldi-Nachez. Mr. Ko- chanski also will play three arrange- ments by Fritz Kreisler—the “Mel- odie,” by Gluck} ciliano et Rigau- don,” by Francoeur; “Praeludium et Allegro,” Saint-Saens’ “Rondo Capriccioso”; a Chopin-Sara- sate “Nocturne” and a “Spanish Dance, by Sarsate, as well as Kreisler’s “Caprice Viennois” and Wieniawskl's “Le Carnaval Russe™ Tickets sold for the January 7 con- cert will be good for the Kochanski recital. Tickets for this concert are now on sale at 1306 G street northwest. Tarasova April 5. A veturn appearance of Nina Tara- sova, the brilliant Russian character singer, who is remembered with T Arthur Smith ten-star series. announced for the New Theater Tuesday afternoos Continued on F