The Mormons and the Theatre Part 10

Stock played through conference dates as usual and up to the 11th when Laura Alberta and George W. Harrison hoisted the stellar flag, which they floated for two weeks, opening in "Uncle Tom's Cabin," which ran for three nights, and then gave place to other pieces in Laura's repertory. Then followed f.a.n.n.y Cathcart and George Darrell for a week, presenting "Man and Wife," "Woman in Red," "Masks and Faces," "Black Eyed Susan," "Stranger," "Happy Pair," "Mysteries of Stage," and "Mexican Tigress." Eight different plays in one week must have kept the stock company out of mischief, one would naturally think. The reverse proved true, however, in this case, for the leading man, "Bill" Cogswell, from over-study (we had no understudies in those days), was driven to drink; Bill got on a jamboree and didn't care whether school kept or not, and the managers were in a dilemma. Their next star was May Howard, who opened on November 3rd for a three weeks engagement of legitimate. It was essential to have a good, reliable leading man to help May through such a long engagement. Both McKenzie and Lindsay were away and a new leading man was considered an all important factor in this emergency. So a Chicago dramatic agent, Arthur Cambridge, was wired to and he sent out the "brilliant young American actor, J. Al. Sawtelle." Sawtelle opened on Miss Howard's second night, playing "Armand Duval" in "Camille." It was a part well suited to him and he made a satisfactory impression. Miss Howard played "The New Magdalen" (opening night), "Guy Mannering," "Romeo and Juliet," and "East Lynne." Harry Eytinge rendered support in most of her plays--he being the lady's husband this was a very fitting and graceful thing to do. After three weeks of Howard and Eytinge, f.a.n.n.y Cathcart and George Darrell came back as "Man and Wife," doing "Dark Deeds" and filling in four nights with a "Woman in Red," and doing funny things in "Masks and Faces."

On November 28th and 29th, an original historical play by Edward W.

Tullidge, ent.i.tled "Oliver Cromwell," had its initial performance.

Sawtelle was cast for the t.i.tle role. "Jim" Vinson, the venerable stage manager, was greatly impressed with the merits of Cromwell and cast and staged it to the best of his ability, with the resources available, but it was far from being an ideal cast. Sawtelle, tall and slender, looked as little like Cromwell as he did Napoleon, and he was as far from the character in temperament as he was in stature. The play with so many historical characters, Cromwell, Charles I., Ireton, Milton, Vane, Bradshaw, Harrison, et al., was very exacting in its mental requirements, and was easily greater than the company, yet notwithstanding this drawback and the fact that nothing was done for the play in the way of special scenery or costuming, it met with very fair success. A strong local interest was exhibited and the house was well filled to witness the first performance of a great play by a local author. Mr. Vinson said it was the greatest play that had been written since Bulwer's "Richelieu" and told John McCullough on his next visit, that if he would take Tullidge's "Oliver Cromwell" and play it there was a fortune in it for him. McCullough would have made an ideal Cromwell, and Vinson recognized the fact that he was the man to make a success of it, but McCullough, like Davenport, who read the play and made a contract with Tullidge to produce it, had already pa.s.sed the meridian of his fame and had not ambition sufficient left to engage in a new and venturesome undertaking; so Cromwell dropped back into oblivion. It was revived a dozen years later with the writer in the t.i.tle role. The play this time was costumed correctly and the cast, although still weak in places, was somewhat better than the original. It was played again in the Salt Lake theatre, at Ogden, Logan and Provo, and met with a hearty endors.e.m.e.nt by the press of those towns, but it needed more money to tide it to a financial success than the promoters had to invest, and so Oliver Cromwell has rested in honorable repose, waiting for some enterprising manager to unveil him on the stage as Lord Roseberry unveiled his statue facing Westminster hall only a short time ago; a late but fitting tribute to the genius of the uncrowned king.

Following Oliver Cromwell, Shiel Barry, a clever actor of Irish character, filled the week, December 1st to 6th. On the 8th and 9th Oliver Cromwell was repeated, this making four performances in all, which spoke well for the popularity of Tullidge's play. On December 16th, Kate Denin took a farewell benefit and made her last appearance for this season. Mrs. Frank Rea took a benefit on the 19th and on the 22nd Jean Clara Walters reappeared after an absence of about three months in the "French Spy." Miss Walters had not appeared this season until now, on Kate Denin's retirement. They were both stock stars and two lady stock stars keep not their course in the same orbit. Denin had been shining refulgently since the opening of the season, and Walters, although in the city, had not appeared, but now she burst again into public view resplendent in green tights and spangles. On the 25th Eliza Newton, as the bright particular star, appeared in the "Nymph of the Luleyburg," a beautiful spectacular piece well suited for the holidays. Close following the holiday production with its nymphs and fairies our old friend "Jim" Herne opened a three weeks'

engagement on January 5th, 1874, in the now familiar Rip Van Winkle, following it up with a variegated repertoire, including "Bombey and Son," "Rosina Meadows," "Wept of the Wishton Wish," "People's Lawyer"

or "Solon Shingle," etc. Herne, during his previous engagement, established himself as a great favorite with Salt Lake audiences, and now he added new laurels to his wealth of fame. Herne was a great actor. He excelled in eccentric comedy all the actors I have known. On January 26th, John McCullough began a three weeks' engagement in "Jack Cade." Annie Graham, herself an attractive legitimate star, was especially engaged to play the opposite roles to McCullough. This made a remarkably strong company and Mr. John McCullough had every reason to be satisfied with his support and proud of the engagement he played. In addition to "Jack Cade," a long list of legitimate plays were presented, including "The Gladiator," "Damon and Pythias,"

"Virginius," "Hamlet," "Macbeth," "Romeo and Juliet," "Merchant of Venice," and "Oth.e.l.lo." He exhausted his legitimate repertoire and drew on his comedy resources, playing "Dr. Savage" in "Playing with Fire" and "A party by the name of Johnson" in "The Lancastershire La.s.s." This was a notable engagement and was followed by another great celebrity, Dion Boucicault, the author of so many successful plays.

Boucicault appeared as "Miles Na Copaleen" in his own popular play, "The Colleen Bawn;" also as "Shaun the Post" in "Arrah Na Pogue," and on his third and last night in "Kerry." His dates were February 16th, 117th and 18th. On the 19th Maggie Moore and Johnny Williamson of California theatre fame, opened a nine nights' engagement. We have no record of what pieces they played except one. They had a new play to exploit. They had feared to make the venture with it at the California theatre in San Francisco where they had been favorites, so they brought it to Salt Lake to "try it on the dog." This is a phrase thoroughly understood among theatrical people although it may savor of ambiguity to the uninitiated. It means simply that when a manager is at all dubious about the merits of a new production, he sends it into some comparatively obscure town to try its qualifications for pleasing in the metropolis. The origin of the phrase is obscure, but probably sprang from the similarity of trying a collar on a dog. Inferentially the play is a collar and the obscure town the dog. In this particular case "Struck Oil" was the collar and Salt Lake the dog. The collar happened to fit; the play was a howling success (no suggestion of dog intended here) and it ran three consecutive nights in the Salt Lake Theatre, and then with the Salt Lake stamp of approval on it the Williamsons, Johnny and Maggie, took it out into the theatrical world and made a fortune with it. Joe Murphy had the collar on us before with his "Help" and was successful, and that encouraged the Williamsons and others that have since come, until Salt Lake has won a reputation among dramatic people for being an easy and gentle canine on which to try the collar.

Now comes the prince of comedians, John T. Raymond, back again and stays a short week, during which he sprung on the actors and the confiding and admiring community the following plays: "Our American Cousin," "Everybody's Friend," "Toodles," "Serious Family," and "Only a Jew." In "Our American Cousin," Raymond starred as Asa Trenchard, the "American Cousin," and not in Lord Dundreary, the part Sothern won both fame and fortune in. In this instance my old schoolmate and present colleague, John C. Graham, was intrusted with the character of "Dundreary" and did himself and the company credit by his humorous and artistic rendering of it. Raymond was so thoroughly American (a Yankee in fact) that Dundreary was not in his way, while Asa Trenchard fitted like "ze paper on ze vall." Raymond as Major Wellington De Boots was immense, but it scarcely gave him the scope he was looking for so he was playing a half dozen different plays, none of which were making him any great fame or money. When "The Gilded Age" was ushered in by Mark Twain, people who knew John T. Raymond, on reading Col. Seller's peculiarities, were quick to recognize in Raymond the living counterpart of Mark Twain's imaginary hero. It was not long before Raymond was the only authorized stage edition of Col. Sellers and his popularity increased rapidly until it seemed "there was a million in it" for the genial comedian, but before he had time to ama.s.s a million or two "Atropos came with her shears and clipped his thread." "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him, Horatio. A fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy." Miss M. E. Gordon followed, playing from the 9th to the 14th, opening in "Divorce." Miss Gordon was closely allied to Raymond. Whether they divided evenly the profits of the two engagements we cannot tell, but we know that in many other places they played in conjunction.

Katherine Rogers opened a two weeks' engagement on March 16th, playing "Galatea," "Leah," "Hunchback," "Unequal Match," "Lady of Lyons," "As You Like It," "Masks and Faces," and "Love's Sacrifice."

A series of "benefits" followed this engagement, beginning with W. H.

Crosbie, April 3rd. On the 6th, Belle Dougla.s.s reappeared in the stock after a long absence. On the 7th Carrie Cogswell had a "benefit," and J. H. Vinson on the 10th. On the 13th Mr. and Mrs. Rea "benefited"

with the play of "Rob Roy," and gave out satin programs as souvenirs of the occasion. On the 14th Miss Annie Graham commenced an engagement of eight nights in the "Lady of Lyons," and played legitimate repertory. On the 24th Asenith Adams (now Mrs. Kiskadden) had a benefit and played "Elzina." This was some seventeen months after Maude was born, A. J. Sawtelle had a benefit on April 27th. On the 29th H. F. and Amy Stone opened a two weeks' engagement in "Under Two Flags," producing besides "Elfie," "Pearl of Savoy," "Fanchon,"

"French Spy." On May 11th T. A. Lyne had a benefit, giving scenes from "Hamlet" and "Macbeth." On the 12th Victoria Woodhull lectured. On the 13th William Hoskins and Fannie Colville opened four nights'

engagement in "The Heir at Law," "A Bird in the Hand," and "The Critic." On the 18th inst, there was a revival of Edward Tullidge's historical play, "Eleanor De Vere," with Jean Clara Walters in the t.i.tle role, the character originally played by Julia Deane Hayne, and on the 22nd another play from the pen of Mr. Tullidge had its first production. The play was ent.i.tled "David Ben Israel." As the t.i.tle indicates, the play is Jewish and commemorates the return of the Jews to England in the reign of Charles II. after a banishment of four centuries. John S. Lindsay played the t.i.tle role, and Miss Walters, Rachel the Jewess. The play made a very p.r.o.nounced hit and placed another plume in Mr. Tullidge's cap as a dramatic author.

On the 25th, W. A. Mestayer opened a week's engagement in "On the Slope," and with "The Octoroon" and "An Odd Trick" gave much satisfaction. "Bill" Mestayer for years was the heavy man at the old California theatre in its palmy days. As Jacob McClosky in the "Octoroon" he was simply great. On his last night he appeared as Don Caesar for the benefit of the Ladies' Library a.s.sociation. On June 1st, George Chaplin made his regular summer appearance in the comedy of "School," from which he graduated in one night and appeared on the following evening as Count Monte Cristo. He played Monte again on the 4th. On the 5th George took a layoff as the Lingards, Horace and d.i.c.kie, got in on that date with "The Spitsefields Weaver," and gave one performance. Chaplin resumed with the stock company on the following night, June 6th, and played the week out, giving his services on the last night for the benefit of the Theatre corporation.

The following week the stock company gave a liberal proportion of their salaries to the series of performances for the benefit of the corporation. Seven performances were given for this benefit. James A.

Herne appeared in four of them, Chaplin in one, the company in all seven. Although Clawson and Caine were the nominal lessees and managers, they had a.s.sociated with them before opening this season, several partners in the venture and the concern was known as the Salt Lake Theatre Corporation. Mr. Thomas Williams was the treasurer and presided over the box office during this regime, and with such peerless _bonhomie_ as made "Tom" (everybody called him "Tom") the acknowledged prince of ticket sellers. It was evident from this benefit business that the corporation had not had the profitable season's business they had expected when they opened with such flying colors in the previous October. The truth was the corporation was very much in the hole, and this series of benefit performances were designed to lighten their financial burdens and did to some extent, yet the close of the season found them heavily in debt, and there were serious results threatening, but the leniency of the creditors averted disaster. The summer was now on but the stars kept on coming. Salt Lake was a regular resort for them. When they could do no business elsewhere, owing to heat, they made for the Salt Lake Theatre. It was the coolest place in the city in those days and before we had any summer resorts the people would go and see these midsummer night performances. Our old Hibernian friend, Joe Murphy, was the next in line, opening on the 15th inst. with more "Help," which he worked for all it was worth three nights and filled out the remainder of the week with a new Irish drama, "Maum Cree." This was Joe's debut in Irish character work and he had come to Salt Lake City again to "try it on the dog." He had good support and "Maum Cree" received a favorable verdict from the Salt Lake theatre goers and Joe Murphy was successfully launched onto the dramatic sea as an Irish comedian.

Following Mr. Murphy came the Coleman Sisters for a week. They opened on the 22nd of June in Charles XII and played besides this piece, "Day after the Fair," "The Deal Boatman," and "Pouter's Wedding." In common with many others the Colemans flitted across our dramatic horizon and never returned. On the 30th inst. John S. Lindsay had a benefit on which occasion he appeared in the character of Rolla in the play of "Pizarro." The farce of the "Lottery Ticket" was played after "Pizarro" to make up a good full evening's entertainment. "Billie"

Crosbie was the star comedian in "The Lottery Ticket." The stock played only a few nights after this, closing the season on the 4th of July.

On July 18th, Victoria Woodhull drew a large audience to hear her lecture on "The Beecher Scandal." The Beecher trial at that time was the sensation of the day. The lecture drew a crowded house and Victoria took occasion to fire red hot shot at Beecher and the clergy in general, getting in some hard blows on the perfidy of the men in general and the advantage they took of poor, confiding women.

It seemed impossible to keep the theatre closed for more than a few weeks even in the hottest portion of the summer, owing more to the anxiety of the "strolling players" to put in a portion of their summer in Salt Lake than any feverish desire on the part of the theatre patrons to see them. Companies going to and from San Francisco were always glad to get in a few nights at the Salt Lake Theatre as it broke the long jump between the coast and Denver and was pretty sure to be profitable. Accordingly the theatre was reopened on August 3rd with the Vokes family for one week. The Vokeses were great favorites here and did a very fair business despite the hot weather prevailing.

CHAPTER XIX.

SEASON OF '74-'75.

To open this season the stock company were brought into requisition again and played up to the 5th of September. On the 7th and 8th Howarth's Hibernica, a panoramic show with specialties filled in the time. The Vokeses returned on the 9th and filled out the remainder of the week, making ten nights and two matinees they got in during the heated term which was sufficient proof of their popularity. Close on their heels came the Hoskins-Darrell combination, consisting of William Hoskins, his wife, Fannie Colville, George Darrell and his wife. They were supported by the stock company and played from the 14th to the 23rd inclusive. Hoskins was an English actor of great and varied experience, and in high comedy roles was greatly admired. He was a man of sixty years of age and had been in Australia for a good many years. His wife, Fannie Colville, was very much his junior, in fact, it was a May and December alliance and apparently bore the usual kind of fruit. f.a.n.n.y was not a great actress but was very pretty and attractive, in fact, too much so to prove comfortable to her much senior lord and master. The Darrells were clever and talented. The combination proved fairly successful. They toured about the country for a year or so and then returned to Australia with more experience than money, wiser if not richer. They wooed content in their former home.

The October conference approaching, the stock company were put in rehearsal for some suitable plays and the "Royal Marrionettes" were put in as an additional attraction for the conference season and continued for nine nights from October 5th to the 13th inclusive. The Marrionettes proved to be highly amusing and interesting entertainment and combined with the efforts of the stock company in drama gave the conference visitors the worth of their money and replenished the treasury to a considerable extent.

The next attraction also worked in conjunction with the stock company.

This was Laura Honey Stevenson (now Mrs. Church), a lady of some celebrity as a reader. She was a.s.sisted in her entertainments by a brilliant young baritone singer, Mr. John McKenzie, whose singing proved to be quite taking and this conjunction lasted for eight nights.

It was during this last engagement that there occurred quite an exodus from the Salt Lake Stock company to John Piper's theatre at Virginia City, Nevada. Mr. J. A. Sawtelle and wife and daughter, a girl of twelve or fourteen years, Miss Adams (Mrs. Kiskadden), her daughter Maude, now two years old, accompanied by Mr. Kiskadden, Miss Carrie Cogswell-Carter with her son Lincoln J., then about ten years of age, and the writer went to Virginia City, all with the exception of Mr.

Kiskadden and the children being under engagement to play with Piper for the ensuing season. There is much of interest connected with this exodus from Salt Lake. It materially weakened the stock forces, taking away the leading man, Mr. Sawtelle, the leading heavy (the writer), and leading juvenile lady, Miss Adams, and Miss Cogswell, the princ.i.p.al heavy woman; but their places were filled in a little while and the stock pushed along in the same old way.

The combination system, however, was now gaining ground and the stock companies throughout the country began to suffer correspondingly, their engagements becoming more and more intermittent as the traveling combination became more numerous.

At the opening of the season of '74 and '75 there were so many combinations booked that the managers of the Salt Lake Theatre could not offer the stock company a season's engagement, but only brief periodical engagements between the dates of the various combinations.

It was in consequence of this that the above mentioned members of the company took a season's engagement with Mr. Piper of Virginia City.

The Comstock was booming in those days and the theatre ran every night, Sundays included. At the close of the Piper season, Miss Adams went to San Francisco taking Maudie with her. There they made their home; Mr. Kiskadden having preceded them there and obtained a good situation as a bookkeeper with the firm of Park & Lacy. Mrs. Kiskadden played occasional engagements at the San Francisco theatres and there in due time little Maude made her first voluntary appearance on the stage, her first appearance which occurred at the Salt Lake Theatre when she was yet in long clothes, having been an involuntary one in which her feelings or inclinations were not consulted.

The writer's stay in Virginia City was brief. Receiving an offer from James A. Herne, who was managing stage at the Bush Street, San Francisco for Tom Maguire, and being anxious to visit the Golden Gate city, I got Mr. Piper to honorably release me by showing him how he could get along without me and save my salary. So, after playing a week at Sacramento during the State fair, I left the Piper company and went to San Francis...o...b.. steamboat which was running opposition to the railroad, giving very low rates--only fifty cents from Sacramento to San Francisco. Mr. Kiskadden, who had been with his wife and baby Maude since leaving Salt Lake, decided to take advantage of this low excursion rate on the steamer and go to San Francisco also in the search of a situation. "Jim," as he was familiarly called, was always ready for a little sport in the way of a game of cards or billiards, so as soon as the boat got under way, he got into a game of cards with some kindred spirits and although a crack player and usually a winner, on this occasion he lost every cent he had moreover he likewise lost his hat, a nice new summer one he had recently purchased. The wind was blowing strong upstream and a sudden puff took his hat into the river, leaving "Jim" bareheaded and dead broke; not a very desirable plight to be in going a stranger into a strange city. Moreover, to add to his discomfort, he was wearing a summer suit and as we approached San Francisco the weather was cold and foggy, and "Jim's" clothes were decidedly unseasonable when we reached our destination. Fortunately he had his trunk along and as soon as he got located he effected a change of costume, but he was in a dilemma for money to live on till he could find a job and he appealed to me to lend him a certain sum, which I was unable to do, having barely enough to see me through till I would have a week's salary due, but I let him have enough for immediate necessities, and he was not long in finding friends and a good situation.

My engagement at the Bush Street did not last very long. The house was doing a struggling business when I went there. Emerson's minstrels just across the street were doing a phenomenal business, turning people away every night, while "Jim" Herne at the head of a good company, was playing to very meager houses. "Zoe the Cuban Sylph" was the reigning star when I opened there and my opening part was an Indian--Conanchet, chief of the Naragansetts, in the "Wept of the Wishton Wish."

The Bush Street theatre season ended rather ingloriously soon after the New Year holiday. I had on the very morning preceding our closing night, received a telegram from Mr. Piper of Virginia City, offering me the leading business for the remainder of the season, but declined it, believing the Bush would struggle along. That night we had a new piece on, "The Circus Queen," and it proved such a failure that Tom Maguire decided to close, which he did without any previous notice, so the entire company were out of a job. Next morning I lost no time wiring to Piper to know if the engagement was still open to me and in a few hours I had received the agreeable answer "yes" and took the train the same day for Virginia City. I had been there about three weeks when I met T. B. H. Stenhouse, who was there writing up the Comstock mines for the New York Herald. He said to me, "They need you in Salt Lake badly; why don't you wire them? Katherine Rogers opens there Monday night for a two weeks' engagement and they have no competent leading man to support her." "Well," I said, "they know where I am. If they want me why don't they wire me?" "Will you go,"

said he, "if I wire for you and get you the engagement?" "Yes," I replied, "I shall be glad to go, for I am tired of this." So he went right off and wired, and the next day I left for home, but did not arrive in time to open with Miss Rogers in the opening bill, but got in on the second night and played throughout the rest of the engagement.

I had been absent from October 14th, 1874, to January 26th, 1875, a little over three months, during which time the following attractions appeared at the Salt Lake Theatre: The Wheeler Comedy troupe, October 29th to 31st. On November 2nd, Risley's Panorama "Mirror of England"

opened for a week. On the 13th and 14th the Infantry combination. On the 16th Frank Mayo and Rosa Rand opened a week's engagement presenting "Davy Crockett" and "Streets of New York." On the 25th Agnes Booth and Joseph Wheelock opened in "Much Ado About Nothing,"

and filled out a week with "King John" and the comedy "Engaged." On December 2nd R. H. c.o.x, familiarly known as "Daddy c.o.x," among professionals on the coast, opened a four nights' engagement with "The Detective," which went for two nights. The other two nights he gave "The Bells That Rang Nellie a Bride." Daddy c.o.x had recently left Piper's theatre in Virginia City, where he had been stage manager for a time.

On the 9th, Harry Rickards, an English comic singer of great spread and self importance, opened for a week's engagement in conjunction with the stock company. Rickards was recently from Australia and put in a week at the Bush Street during the writer's engagement there. His singing and style did not catch on with the San Franciscans. He was too "awfully English, yer know." He did not prove any great attraction in Salt Lake. On the 21st a grand concert was given for the benefit of the Catholic church. On the 22nd, W. J. Florence opened for a week, supported by the stock company. His opening play was "Dombey and Son."

He gave besides "No Thoroughfare" and the "Colleen Bawn." Each piece ran two nights, carrying the season through the Christmas holidays and the house closed with his last performance on the 26th until New Year's day. January 1st, 1875, the theatre reopened with the stock company, who, without the a.s.sistance of any stellar attraction, played two weeks when the house closed again until the 25th inst.

Of the people who had comprised the stock company the previous season, the following members had drifted away: J. Al. Sawtelle, leading man; Mrs. Sawtelle, general utility; John S. Lindsay, leading heavy; Asenith Adams (Mrs. Kiskadden), leading juveniles; W. S. Crosbie, comedian; Arrah Crosbie, characters; J. H. Vinson, first old man and stage manager; Buck Zabriske, prompter. The uncertain and spasmodic nature of the engagements this season, which had caused this strong contingent of the company to seek other engagements, also prevented the accession of new people to the ranks of the stock company, so that it was in a rather dilapidated and weakened condition, especially for the support of legitimate repertoire, such as Katherine Rogers presented for the patrons of the drama.

On January 25th she opened in "Romeo and Juliet." Mr. "Mike" Foster was the Romeo for the occasion. The "leading men" were all out of the way and this was sudden promotion for Foster one of those opportunities that come but rarely to the ambitious young actor, and nearly always bring new honors and distinction. "Mike" struggled manfully with his task, but he did not make an ideal Romeo. On the following evening the writer made his reappearance with the company, after an absence of three months. He played Master Walter in the "Hunchback" on the occasion and was warmly welcomed by the audience.

Miss Rogers played in addition to "Romeo and Juliet" and the "Hunchback," "As You Like It," "Love's Sacrifice," "Pygmalion and Galatea," "Lady of Lyons," "Leah," in which the writer played the following characters respectively: Jacques, Matthew Elmore, Pygmalion, Claude Melnotte, Lorenz. Such a repertory, where each play ran for but two performances, put the company on high tension. Those who had new parts, and particularly if they had never played in the pieces, found it very exacting work. Fortunately for the writer, he had played most of the parts before, yet it was a busy time for him during that engagement.

Following closely on Miss Rogers with her legitimate plays, came the English comedian known professionally as Willie Gill and his wife, Rose Bain. These co-stars had recently been a.s.sociated with the writer at Piper's theatre at Virginia City, where they played for a month or so in stock and it was a little of a surprise to me to find they had suddenly materialized into stars and were billed for a week at the Salt Lake Theatre. With sublime a.s.surance, especially for a play writer, which Willie even then professed to be (as well as a comedian), he put up Mark Twain's "A Gilded Age." The piece had been but recently dramatized and had made a marked success with John T.

Raymond as Col. Sellers. Raymond had played several engagements with us at the Salt Lake Theatre and was a great favorite, and was looking forward to another visit in the near future with his greatest success, Col. Sellers. Some one apprised him by telegram that Gill was billed to play the piece here and he promptly wired a well known law firm to enjoin Gill from playing it. The managers, Clawson and Caine, were also warned not to play it, so an emergency bill was prepared in the event that they should be stopped. The law firm had taken the necessary proceedings and just before "ringing up" time, as no change of performance had been announced, they appeared on the scene with the necessary officer and papers and the performance of "A Gilded Age" was formally and effectually enjoined. "All That Glitters Is Not Gold" was subst.i.tuted. This was a lesson to the English comedian late from Australia which he possibly never forgot, especially as a few years later he retired from the stage and settled down in New York as a professional writer for the stage. He was a clever adapter and dramatizer, as his version of "A Gilded Age" bore witness, and he no doubt found plenty of materials to use in his craft, whose authors were not so well known as Mark Twain nor so particular in regard to their copyrights. Willie learned the truth of the axiom that "All that glitters is not gold," even _"A Gilded Age"_ on that memorable night, for it materially injured the business during the remainder of his engagement.

"Built on Sand" was the next evening's offering and it was probably too suggestive of Willie's hopes in respect to "A Gilded Age" to be a good drawing card, so it only went the one night. The company had their work cut out here also; the next play was a new one with them; he called it Madge of Elvanlee; it was a dramatization of Charles Gibbons "For the King," a very powerful story of the Restoration period, and gave Rose Bain, his wife, the chance of her life to make a hit as a leading actress; but she failed to score any marked success, giving only a pa.s.sable rendition of the character. Fortunately again for this individual, he had during his absence played in this play at the Bush Street Theatre. Jim Herne used it as the vehicle for the debut of a talented San Francisco' lady, who created a little ripple of excitement by her advent on the stage. I afterwards played the leading character in it at Virginia in conjunction with Miss Bain and Mr. Gill, so that it was comparatively easy for me in regard to study.

This play was forced two nights, meantime the company had another new play sprung on them for Friday night. Miss Rose Bain was evidently bent on being the bright particular star of this engagement. Willie had failed in his Col. Sellers scheme, and Rose saw her opportunity and pushed it to the utmost. "The Sphinx," a mythological play, taxing the powers of no less an actress than Annette Ince (one of the greatest of her time) was the next offering to the public, and an exacting task for the company. Here again I was lucky, as I had only about six weeks before played a week in the piece with Miss Ince at the Bush Street theatre, and although I had now a different part, I was sufficiently familiar with the play to make my task easy, as compared with the rest of the company.

"The Sphinx" did not prove popular, owing largely to Miss Bain's inadequacy. So "Madge of Elvanlee" was restored for Sat.u.r.day night, and so ended a very unprofitable week, both for "stars" and management. Willie Gill afterwards acquired fame as the writer of several successful comedy sketches. Rose Bain we have never heard of since. From the 13th to the 22nd of February, the theatre was dark, which gave the overworked stock company a rest they no doubt enjoyed, but cut off their salaries, which they did not relish.

On the 22nd, Washington's Birthday, the theatre was used as a ball room--the Firemen gave a "Grand Ball" and for the occasion the theatre was transformed, as it had been a number of times before, to accommodate an enormous crowd of dancers. The entire parquet was covered with floor made in sections, making the stage and the auditorium into one vast dancing hall. Hundreds who did not partic.i.p.ate in the dance paid admission fees to sit in the circles and watch the dancers go through the bewitching and bewildering figures to the strains of a fine orchestra secured for the occasion. By the following evening, the floor was removed, the chairs back in place, and the theatre had resumed its normal appearance. On this date, the 23rd, The Alleghanians, a company of Swiss Bell Ringers and Vocalists, opened and played throughout the remainder of the week, five nights and a matinee. The company had now had a three weeks' rest and were anxious to be doing something again, so a series of "benefits" were put on. Commencing on March 6th, Clara Jean Walters took a benefit, playing Edward Tullidge's "Ben Israel," a very powerful play commemorative of the return of the Jews to England. On the 8th Mr.

Lindsay "benefited," played "Jack Cade," and on the 10th E. B. Mar den, who had been in the stock for several years, took a benefit, playing Featherly in "Everybody's Friend." The theatre was again closed until the 22nd inst., when The Lingards came in and, supported by the stock, stiffened up business to some extent; continued until the 31 st. The April Conference being close at hand, it was decided to play the stock through the Conference in some of the old favorites, and they continued right along after the Lingards left. That is the marvelous part of it that they could do _any_ business after dropping out a strong stellar attraction, but on they played through the Conference and on up to the 1st of May, when the _season_ closed and with the season the management under the "Salt Lake Theatre Corporation" closed.

Their second season had not proved sufficiently profitable, although they had severely curtailed expenses by cutting down the company, to clear them of indebtedness, and the corporation quit badly in the hole.

The close of the Clawson and Caine management and the end of the Salt Lake Theatre Corporation was virtually the retirement of the stock company, which had been playing from the opening of the theatre in '62 up to the present date, May 1st, 1875, a period of 13 years. Of course a great many changes had taken place during those years in the personnel of the company, but a few of the original members remained, and the organization or _ensemble_ of the company had been kept intact. Now, however, the gradually encroaching combination system made it impracticable for the managers to offer a season's engagement to those who were willing and anxious to engage. The necessity for a stock company became rapidly less from this time on, until in the year 1878 it had become defunct altogether.

Two entertainments were given after the closing of the stock company, before the corporation relinquished the house--on May 4th, Petroleum V. Nasby lectured, and on the 8th Mr. Mark Wilton rented the theatre and put up "The Ticket of Leave Man" for a benefit. To show the status of the company at this particular time, the program for the benefit performance is here appended:

SALT LAKE THEATRE.

Salt Lake Theatre Corporation ............... Proprietors Clawson and Caine .............................. Managers

SAt.u.r.dAY EVENING, MAY 8TH, 1875.

Mr. Mark Wilton has engaged the Theatre for this night and will produce the great drama of