Walter Damrosch, Kelley, who won his spurs on the Pacific coast, and Del Puente, the bariton Gen. Fremont will attend the dinner, and other prominent gentlemen have been invited. H. C. MINER has closed a contract with Aug. Mr. Daly by which he takes the tour of William Terriss and Jessie Milward in the French success "Roger La Honte," from Mr. Daly, and assumes control of the American season. Daly will engage the company and direct the production of the play at Niblo's, commencing Oct. 7 next, and at the expiration of that engagement will turn the organization in its entirety over to Mr. Miner, who is now engaged in booking and arranging an extension of the originally intended tour through W. W. Randall. Mr. Daly has been at work on the translation and adaptation of the play for some time, and has had artists employed on the models for the scenery, which will be new and will closely resemble that now being used in Paris. Mr. Daly some time ago had arranged this tour, intending to direct it himself. his home, 146 East Ninety-sixth St., Feb. 14. Mr. Willett came from St. Louis, Mo., several years ago, and had been with The Dispatch for some time. He was ailing when his predecessor died, and had done little work since that time. He was forty-nine years old, and had edited Drake's Magazine and written many special articles for the New York Sun. He was the father of Mittens Willett, the well known leading lady. * ** MARCUS R. MAYER arrived in London, Eng., Feb 16, from Craig-y-Nos, Wales, with the contract which was signed by Adelina Patti to sing at thirty opera performances in this country in December under the management of Mr. Abbey. It is a condition of the contract that this shall be absolutely the farewell tour. Mr. Mayer would not state the price agreed upon, but said that it was a larger sum than Patti had ever got before for the same number of performances. Patti goes to South America this week, and returns to London in August to sail for the United States in November. After the close of her New York season she will go to Boston, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Chicago and San Francisco. She proposes to open in New York either in "Juliet" or "Lakme," but will give both operas during the engagement. A SUIT has been begun in the Supreme Court by Octavia A. Moss, through her counsel, ex-Judge A. J. Dittenhoefer, against the executrix and heirs of John Lester Wallack to foreclose two mortgages, amounting together to $212,000, on Wallack's (now Palmer's) Theatre and the adjoining buildings, Nos. 31 and 33 West Thirtieth St. One of the mortgages, for $192,000, was executed on April 14, 1887, to Frederick A. Lovecraft, and the other to the same person in May, 1887. These mortgages were assigned to the plaintiff. A. M. Palmer says it cannot affect his position, he taking his title from Mr. Moss. "It is simply a friendly suit to perfect my title." ** THE About Town" man of the New York Star says: "I saw Louis James on the street to-day, and the incident recalled the gossip which separates him and his wife from each other professionally next year. The announcement has caused a great deal of gossip. These two successful people on the stage linked their fortunes years ago, and have traveled along so smoothly that the announcement that Marie Wainwright is to star on her own account next season, and that her husband is to go on the road with a company of his own, has caused a great deal of surprise. Ambition is a cruel master. People who have won applause and money behind the footlights in pairs are apt, sooner or later, to grow dissatisfied with the twin reputation and to desire to show the world how great they can be by themselves. Robson and Crane are examples. Now come Mr. James and his wife. She is convinced that she can make a great success in Twelfth Night,' and her husband is going to try to help her and then go out for himself. As between fame and husband, it is fame. Why?" * ** THE HE Buffalo Express says that "The Brass Monkey" is redolent of pathos and "A Bunch of Keys" is permeated with simple pathos! This in all seriousness in a criticism on a new play by Hoyt. Well, the man who can find any pathos that diffuses itself like a sweet scent in either of these pieces would doubtless be able to detect the faint perfume of violet in a butcher shop. THIS HIS same writer thus speaks of the production of Hoyt's new "comedy," "A Midnight Bell," at the Buffalo Star Theatre, Monday night, February 18th. Mr. Hoyt has not overloaded his vehicle, and the consequence is it has not broken down in transitu. The transportation has been successfully effected, and as a result we are treated to a combination of clever word-painting, backed up and supported on all sides by a wealth of originality. Not only is this original treatment noticeable in the lines, but Mr. the situations are pleasantly tinted with it. Hoyt has succeeded in weaving a compact dramatic web from slender material. The plot is light, but the greatest ingenuity has been exercised in the development, and this in conjunction with the originality of character creation forms a combination of such material as successful plays are made of. "A Midnight Bell" has its faults, but they are such faults as can easily be remedied. The author does not lay claim to virility. He relies on his originality. Viewing it as a dramatic venture, the attempt is as bold as it is successful. The sphere of action has been confined to a country village, and the author has deemed it unnecessary to step outside his limited province for material with which to form this dramatic entity. In this case the material used is sufficiently strong, and the story that holds it together, slight as it is, possesses those two great requisites continuity and consistency. As a matter of fact, a plot might be dispensed with. It is a sketch from nature so complete in design, delicate in finish, and simple in treatment that the story it tells is of little consequence. The first act is purely explanatory, but it serves to introduce the principals. The second act shows us a pretty picture of a country school-house with a cleverly-arranged toboggan slide in the background. The third act introduces us to the sewing society at its regular weekly meeting. The fourth act opens on a realistic stage-setting, showing the interior of a village church. The second act is the most effective of the four. The last is the weakest and could very easily stand retouching. Its fault lies in the sudden denouement. It is too hurriedly led up to and the climax is unexpectedly thrust on us It is true that the story does not call for lengthy explanations, but the business that precedes the final situation might profitably be elaborated. Now this is rather extravagant writing and it is to be hoped that when the play is produced in New York it will be found to merit the praise thus given by the usually well-informed Buffalo Express. * ** ON Miss Rosina Vokes' return, which will take place at an early date, she will bring in her company, in place of Miss Isabel Irving now in Mr. Daly's forces, Miss Beverly Sitgraves, a young Englishwoman of whom the outside press has spoken in the kindest manner. She is described as being young, pretty and talented. THE AMATEURS. THE performance given at the Lyceum Theatre on Friday afternoon, February 15th, by several noted " amateurs" in conjunction with Henry Miller, a 'professional," proved a distinguished success, It was for the benefit of the In the audience were a number of notable theatrical people, including Mrs. Agnes Booth, Mrs. James Lewis, Miss Georgia Cayvan, Mr. Roland Buckstone (who was, naturally, interested in his famous father's delightful little comedy), David Belasco, Henry C. De Mille and Daniel Frohman. As a matter of fact and record our amatoors" did splendidly in both these pieces. The Misses Lawrence were especially good and indicated that their living might be comfortably earned on the real stage if necessary. Mr. Nicholas' fine voice shone out with fine effect--by all odds the best reader of the afternoon. Mr. Coward, who is the best of the amateur actors now before the public, did not appear to good advantage. His "pants" were thoroughly suggestive of "Willie's brother," being entirely too large and giving him a light roofed appearance that was decidedly awkward. If he had taken his gloves off during the act and not been so particular about his cuffs it would have been better. As for Mr. Nicholas he ought to make up better. That's his particular fault. He ought to wear a wig and lighten up his eyes. The second piece was most excellently well done. A frequent contributor to THE THEATRE, Mr. Valentine G. Hall, made a hit as Timid and did some finished acting. Messrs. Camp, Landon and Conrad were very good. Fileur. FAME. IMPATIENT to attain the height, I strove to gain the distant light An ideal work, apart, complete. And marks each progress with a star. THE Cushman Monument Association has already met with good response to its proposal to erect in the Park a statue to Charlotte Cushman. No statue has yet been raised in this city to a woman and the association thinks that it is time to correct this omission. Miss Cushman is selected for this high honor because of her pure and noble life and her national fame and because by reason of her stature and bearing and her identification as an actress with heroic expression she is especially adapted to statuesque representation. The association which has this laudable project in hand is officered as follows: President, Kate Sanborn, 1700 Broadway; vice-presidents, Mary L. Booth, Jennie Cunningham Croly, Mrs. Elizabeth B. Custer, Marquise Lanza, M. Louise Thomas, Lilian Whiting, Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, Mrs. Lippincott, (Grace Greenwood), Mrs. Annie Sheldon Coombs and Elizabeth M. Champney; members of the board of advisement, consisting of both sexes: Edgar Fawcett, Moncure D. Conway, Mrs. Roger A. Pryor, Mrs. Edmund Clarence Stedman, Mme. di Cesnola, Mrs. Egbert L. Guernsey, Mrs. Prof. Boyesen, Mrs. E. Marcy-Raymond, John Bloodgood. A. M. Palmer and Mrs. H. Herrmann; secretary, Mrs. Ingersoll Lockwood, 499 Fifth Avenue. It has been deemed advisable to have no treasurer, but to deposit all contributions directly with the Farmers' Loan and Trust Co., 20 William street, where, until utilized, the fund will draw interest. Another peculiar feature of this organization is that it calls for no dues or financial obligations, only sympathy and pledge of co-operation. Applicants for membership may address the president or secretary. |