Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 286, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 December 1915 — OPERETTA PLEASED LARGE AUDIENCE [ARTICLE]

OPERETTA PLEASED LARGE AUDIENCE

k JLgh School Girls and Boys Acquit 'i'hemseive* With Great Credit Another Performance Tonight.

“My hat! My hat! Great Caesar’s j ghost where’s my hat, Bill Salt? “Can’t tell you, matey; one’s all I can keep my weather eye on!” “My middy! Who’s gone off with that middy?" comes the cad wail of the freshman hompiper who has not yet learned to cope with the wileß of the wily upper classmen. “Only five more minutes until the curtain’s up; everybody in place!” comes the warning. At this sound all noises cease as if by magic. But out of the chaos off white middies, tennis shoes, fitfh nets, ropes, oilskins, rouge, pomade, powder, gay sailors, lollicking hornpipers, cpy Bamstapoole misses, comes the most perfect order. The court house clock strikes eight-thirty. At the closing chords of the overture the curtain rises and the spirited ensemble of the opening chorus greets the audience. Happiness and smiles on every face. We’re glad because you are! You’re glad because we are! The 1915 operetta is on! Of course you know the story. All the sailors in Bamstapoole desert their tried and true sweethearts for Julia, the haughty belle of the town. Julia favors all of them until another suitor arrives in the person of Barnabas .Lee, an artist of the real Parisian type, who is in search of beauty. The sailors are now back numbers with the fair Julia, who has eyes for Barnabas alone. They are also scorned by their former admirers. To make matters worse Bill Salt, & jolly, rough, good-natured old sea-dog, has made the dreadful mistake of proposing by proxy to Julia, for his friend, Joe Stout, captain of the Bounding Billow. Joe Stout really loves Nance, a quiet, demure damsel of Bamstapoole. He little dreams that Bill Salt has bungled affairs so badly. Joe discovers it, however, just as the signal “All on board the Bounding Billow” sounds. He must leave Bamstapoole for a whole year’s voyage. Nance believes him untrue to her. At the end of a year the Bounding Billow returns. Bill Salt tells Julia of his error and encounters the anger and pride of this enraged beauty. He offers himself as a substitute. Julia is also very angry at Barnabas, who made a mysterious disappearance on the veiy day the Bounding Billow sailed. Truth is, the sailors, jealous of the “national pet,” stowed him safe under hatches and literally kidnapped him. Julia, to save .herself from mortification, accepts Bill Salt. What the career of this ill assorted pair might have been you are saved the trouble of conjecturing by the timely return of Bamaoas Lee. He has not forgotten his Julia. Apologies follow explanations. All ends happily. Daisy, Delia, Dona, the Bamstapoole girls, receive their faithless lovers back again, trust ing that they will never more follow alter haughty Julia. Nance and Joe are vibrant and warm of tone. Julia and Nance are exact opposites in type, which stimulates the action of the play and the interest evidenced in it. Nance is calm, gentle-hearted and wins by a kind word or gentle, glamce. Julia is proud, high-spirited and allurag. Elvyn Allman was splendid as Barnabas Lee, the temperamental artist in search cf beauty. His fastidious taste is satisfied with Julia. A tenor voice is necessary to this part and Barnabas carried it with ease and grace. Paul ißeam, as Joe Stout, was a splendid, manly appearing first mate. His solo “ Tis Then I’ll Think of Thee” was very well done. The duet, between Joe and Nance, “Arm 'n Arm We’ll Stroll On Sundays,” was without a doubt one of the most finished hits in the entire operetta. Carl Eigefsbach, as Bill Salt, a true old sea-dog, has awakened much favorable comment. Bill is a true comedian and as such the audience found him and showed their appreciation. The sailors’ hornpipe given by eight freshmen was one of the hits of the show. We are proud of our freshmen in this, their first appearance. “Innocents” Abroad,” we heard on more than one pair of lips, as the freshmen tripped it off to the light fantastic. Those taking part were Willard Zea, George Fate, Leland Collins, Walter Haworth, Lois Ham, Francis Ryan, Alice Wltham, Maude Reynolds. Inez Kiplinger, Alice Thomas, Bernice Long and Doris Morlan did meritorious work in the roles of Bamstapoole maids. Robert Loy was especially good in the role of a sailor and the devoted, if sometimes erring admirer of Delia. Howard York, Floyd Hemphill, Robert Reeve and Harry Moore also received well-earn-ed applause in their respective roles. Much appreciation was shown for the chorus, who have worked faithfully from the very beginning of the practices. The opera honse was filled and as large an audience is promised for tonight, judging (from the rapid sale of tickets. It was a tired but happy crowd of Students, a well pleased audience that left the opera house last night. We are looking forward to our final performance tonight. Do not miss the operetta. “It’s the best ever,” is the report coming in to us from tall quarters. So we think. —Contributed.