Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 118, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 May 1918 — MAKING A HIT IN THE SOUTH [ARTICLE]

MAKING A HIT IN THE SOUTH

POPULAR RENSSELAER ARTISTS DELIGHTING LARGE AUDIENCES. The following article is clipped from The Chronicle, of Houston, Texas: “The discussion of theatrical costumes in the age and generation challenges the criticism of making ‘much ado about nothing,’ but, with propriety and judgment, one may turn to the headdress feature and find therein, the special instance here here fixed upon material for pages and pages of information and comment upon the feathered denizens of the forests. “Reynolds and Donegan, champions in ’’skatorial,’ art to quote phrasing of Mr. Reyuolds’ coinage at the Majestic this week call forth the preceding paragraph. “Miss Donegan’s headgear is worthy of as extended comment as has grace and skill in her profession is of admiration. Miss Donegan, in private life is Mrs. Reynolds, and her daughter, Miss Helen Reynolds, appear in the closing act—one of most artistic design and splendid achievement. Miss Donegan wears the most elaborate feathered costume accessories known to be in existence. In the opening number of the act a coronet of rhinestones holds an arrangement of 3500 aigretts in white with shadings of yellow tones, the head ornament being valued at several thousand dollars and requiring an average outlay of some SSO a week to cover the demands made by breakage in the act. The elaborate feathered piece is worn with a costume of white, showing’ the emblematic red balls, designating the skating pastime, and finished by balls of white fur in snowball simulation. The costume shows a vest of or a paneled front of iridescent beads, giving the effect of the prismatic colorings of icicles in response to the light’s caress. The headpiece valued at several thousgad dollars, is even surpassed in monjetairy value by the black feathered /crown used in the final number, the bird of paradise feathers, the bands showing the gold touches and coming down across the ears in most attractive fashion, giving the finishing touches to a costume of black velvet.

“Miss Donegan has also a wonderful lyre bird headdress, which she is not wearing at present because of needed repairs, which are made by jewelers. The lyre bird is native to Australia and is now almost entirely extinct, hence, of all her wonderful feathered accessories, Miss Donegan prizes this most highly. She herself is a native of Australia and the lyre birds contributing the plumage were mounted and sent to her by an uncle residing in Australia. After receiving the attention of the taxidermist, they found place in Mr. Reynold’s den at his pleasant farm at Rensselaer, Ind., which is close to the summer home of George Ada. As the birds became more difficult'to secure (they will not breed in captivity) and more attention was attracted by the effective feathered toilet adjuncts featured by Miss Donegan, the birds were required to yield the much prized plumage for another piece of stage elegance. The aigrette is as soft as silk, of snowy tone, with equisite bits of delicate brown colorings in arrangement much like that of the peacock. “Most effective is the costuming in the act now closing the program at the Majectic, which has as background a curtain of imported Italian silk plush, the entire drapery weighing but 90 pounds, so exquisite is its texture. “Contrasting forcibly therewith is

the weight of the footgear worn by the skaters who take the same steps as those taken by ballet dancers, with grace equal to any, wearing footgear which weighs almost 12 pounds. x “Mr. Reynolds directed the ballet of the skaters at the revival of Meyerbeer’s opera, ‘The Prophet,’ at the Metropolitan in New York in January, with pronounced success. He and Mrs. Reynolds have toured the world, filling long engagements in London and appearing in all the great art centers of continental Europe. They were in Jerusalem shortly before the outbreak of war, where they saw German officers training Turkish soldiers and appeared in Brussels immediately prior to the declaration which has set the world at strife. “With them on the present tour is their daughter, who does the perilous volplane stunt closing the act, but who seems to have no fear of danger. She is one of twin sisters, the other being a musician of talent and ability, and who will be graduated this season. “The music to* the act is the composition of Mr. Reynolds, who has composed a number of songs. One composition, ‘My Hoosier Rose,’ Mr. Reynolds hailing from Indiana and this furnishes music used in the act as now given. Another recent song publication is entitled, ‘Jerusalem is Free,’ and commemorates the liberation of the Holy City from the power of Turk and Hun.”