DIY History | Transcribe | Keith-Albee Collection | Keith-Albee manager reports, September 2, 1902 - September 3, 1903

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Keith-Albee manager reports, September 2, 1902 - September 3, 1903

Page 205

205

NEW YORK SHOW: WEEK MARCH 2nd, 1903:
. . . . . . . . . . . 
STEREOPTICON:- Usual collection of views. 9 minutes in one.
KR-THE CARLONS:- Man and woman in an acrobatic comedy act interspersed with music entitled "The Texas Girl and the Circus Man". This is about the same act that these people have always done. So far as the acrobatic part of it is concerned they are quite good, but the rest of it is rather poor and there is a lack of finish to it which will always keep it in the smaller grade of acts. 15 minutes; full stage.
GRE- DORSON & RUSSELL:- Two men in a muscai comedy act, using their own special stage setting. So far as the musical end of it concerned they are really first-class, and the stage setting is something in the way of a novelty, representing a country railroad station, one of the men impersonating a station agent and the other a tramp. There is consderable novelty about the instrumental part of the act, but the comedy is extremely bad. In they succeed in securing a good line of talk it will develop into one of the best acts in the busuness. 22 Mins. open full stage; closing withabout 3 minutes in one.
GNH-REED BIRDS:- About the same calibre of act that they have always done. The two boys are quite good. The rest of the act, except for the ensemble would be very poor. As it is it can be called a fair act. 20 minutes; full stage
YER- CARON & HERBERT:- This is the same acrobatic act that they have been doing for the past two or three years, and would be an exceptionally good act if a person could forget the lamented George Caron, but I presume the audience does not notice his absence so much as we do. 22 minutes; open full stage; closing with about 4 minutes in one.
YYH- WILLIS P. SWEATNAM & HARRY MAXWELL:-In a negro act called "The Rivals". This is the first time that these people have appeared together in several years, and Maxwell as the straight man was somewhat nervous. I think Sweatnam is about the funniest man in a negro act in the country, and after one or two performances it will be a strong turn. As it was it went with a howl from beginning to end. Very good. 23 minutes; full stage.
GRE- LeROY & WOODFORD:- Man and woman in a comedy talking and singing act. The criticism from the other houses apply here: man being very clever and the woman very poor. The man, however, is capable of carrying the act and making it a good one. 14 minutes in one.
GNH- ROTO-GIRL:- Repeated her success of the previous week and went very strong. 12 minutes; full stage.
YRR- MARY HAMPTON & CO:- One woman and two men in a comedy sketch. It is about the most novel thing in the sketch line that we have ever played, and I think is destined to make a big hit for our audience. This afternoon's audience was composed largely of suburban people and while they laughed immoderately I think, failed to appreciate many of the fine points in the act. It is a sort of travesty on the modern melodrama, and introduces some very clever acting, as well as a strong vein of comedy and some exceptionally good violin playing. I don't think there is any question but that the act will be a big hit anywhere. 25 minutes; full stage.
GYH-GEO. H. WOOD: "The Somewhat Different Comedian:. Wood has at last accepted suggestions that have been offered to him for the last two or three years and put on burnt cork, and he has also adopted a style which brings him down close to his audience, and he has really got a very good act. He does not tell any 'gags' at all, but has a running fire of talk pertaining to the peculiarities of physicians. He closed with some burlesque verses that are really very funny. In a hard place on the bill and 20 minutes later than his scheduled time he made a very strong impression, and I look for him to make a big hit to-night. 18 Mins. in one.
YHR-LEON MORRIS' PONIES:- Morris is introducing six very handsome ponies. He opens his act with a drill which is somewhat conventional, but he closes with the wrestling pony and the coon, which is very laughable, and makes a big hit. 20 minutes, full stage.
KH- COOK & SYLVIA:- Man and woman in a dancing act, the woman doing a couple of coon songs. They are both good dancers, the man being especially clever. It makes a good strong act in one. 13 minutes, in one.
NH- NAOMI ETHARDO:- Equilibrist and contortionist: This is a pretty act, but I think Miss Ethardo is getting just a little bit too fleshy for this style of work, however, it can be classed as a good turn. 9 Mins. full stage.
GRE- SPRAY SISTERS:- Two rather pretty and neat looking girls in a straight singing turn, one of them singing Soprano and the other a heavy contralto. There is nothing especially brilliant about the act, but they are pretty fair singers, especially the Soprano. As it is seldom that we play an act of this kind it went very well. 13 minutes, in one.
GRR- SWAN & BAMBARD:- Two men in a grotesque acrobatic comedy act. About the same sort of act that they have always done, and a good one. 12 minutes; full stage.
AR- TOM MOORE:- Coon songs. Rather a good [illegible] of songs, and I think about as good a singer of this class of songs as there is in the business. 10 minutes in one.

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205 NEW YORK SHOW: WEEK MARCH 2nd, 1903: . . . . . . . . . . . STEREOPTICON:- Usual collection of views. 9 minutes in one. KR-THE CARLONS:- Man and woman in an acrobatic comedy act interspersed with music entitled "The Texas Girl and the Circus Man". This is about the same act that these people have always done. So far as the acrobatic part of it is concerned they are quite good, but the rest of it is rather poor and there is a lack of finish to it which will always keep it in the smaller grade of acts. 15 minutes; full stage. GRE- DORSON & RUSSELL:- Two men in a muscai comedy act, using their own special stage setting. So far as the musical end of it concerned they are really first-class, and the stage setting is something in the way of a novelty, representing a country railroad station, one of the men impersonating a station agent and the other a tramp. There is consderable novelty about the instrumental part of the act, but the comedy is extremely bad. In they succeed in securing a good line of talk it will develop into one of the best acts in the busuness. 22 Mins. open full stage; closing withabout 3 minutes in one. GNH-REED BIRDS:- About the same calibre of act that they have always done. The two boys are quite good. The rest of the act, except for the ensemble would be very poor. As it is it can be called a fair act. 20 minutes; full stage YER- CARON & HERBERT:- This is the same acrobatic act that they have been doing for the past two or three years, and would be an exceptionally good act if a person could forget the lamented George Caron, but I presume the audience does not notice his absence so much as we do. 22 minutes; open full stage; closing with about 4 minutes in one. YYH- WILLIS P. SWEATNAM & HARRY MAXWELL:-In a negro act called "The Rivals". This is the first time that these people have appeared together in several years, and Maxwell as the straight man was somewhat nervous. I think Sweatnam is about the funniest man in a negro act in the country, and after one or two performances it will be a strong turn. As it was it went with a howl from beginning to end. Very good. 23 minutes; full stage. GRE- LeROY & WOODFORD:- Man and woman in a comedy talking and singing act. The criticism from the other houses apply here: man being very clever and the woman very poor. The man, however, is capable of carrying the act and making it a good one. 14 minutes in one. GNH- ROTO-GIRL:- Repeated her success of the previous week and went very strong. 12 minutes; full stage. YRR- MARY HAMPTON & CO:- One woman and two men in a comedy sketch. It is about the most novel thing in the sketch line that we have ever played, and I think is destined to make a big hit for our audience. This afternoon's audience was composed largely of suburban people and while they laughed immoderately I think, failed to appreciate many of the fine points in the act. It is a sort of travesty on the modern melodrama, and introduces some very clever acting, as well as a strong vein of comedy and some exceptionally good violin playing. I don't think there is any question but that the act will be a big hit anywhere. 25 minutes; full stage. GYH-GEO. H. WOOD: "The Somewhat Different Comedian:. Wood has at last accepted suggestions that have been offered to him for the last two or three years and put on burnt cork, and he has also adopted a style which brings him down close to his audience, and he has really got a very good act. He does not tell any 'gags' at all, but has a running fire of talk pertaining to the peculiarities of physicians. He closed with some burlesque verses that are really very funny. In a hard place on the bill and 20 minutes later than his scheduled time he made a very strong impression, and I look for him to make a big hit to-night. 18 Mins. in one. YHR-LEON MORRIS' PONIES:- Morris is introducing six very handsome ponies. He opens his act with a drill which is somewhat conventional, but he closes with the wrestling pony and the coon, which is very laughable, and makes a big hit. 20 minutes, full stage. KH- COOK & SYLVIA:- Man and woman in a dancing act, the woman doing a couple of coon songs. They are both good dancers, the man being especially clever. It makes a good strong act in one. 13 minutes, in one. NH- NAOMI ETHARDO:- Equilibrist and contortionist: This is a pretty act, but I think Miss Ethardo is getting just a little bit too fleshy for this style of work, however, it can be classed as a good turn. 9 Mins. full stage. GRE- SPRAY SISTERS:- Two rather pretty and neat looking girls in a straight singing turn, one of them singing Soprano and the other a heavy contralto. There is nothing especially brilliant about the act, but they are pretty fair singers, especially the Soprano. As it is seldom that we play an act of this kind it went very well. 13 minutes, in one. GRR- SWAN & BAMBARD:- Two men in a grotesque acrobatic comedy act. About the same sort of act that they have always done, and a good one. 12 minutes; full stage. AR- TOM MOORE:- Coon songs. Rather a good [illegible] of songs, and I think about as good a singer of this class of songs as there is in the business. 10 minutes in one.