Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 175, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1918 — HIKING GIRLS MAKE BIG HIT [ARTICLE]

HIKING GIRLS MAKE BIG HIT

PRODUCTION OF COMEDY ONE OF THE BEST EVER GIVEN IN THIS Mrs. Briggs made a big hit in the “Poulty Yard,” or rather at the Gayety theatre Friday evening. The Girls Hiking club made good on everything except the promise they made through their manager, Major Moses Leopold, that after the last act they would kiss all the men present. This would have been some job as there were more than eight hundred people present and possibly the crowd ran about fifty-fifty men and women. Why the military gentleman would want to put such a thing as this up to the young ladies is more than we can understand. The play was a very clever comedy and every member «of the cast was an artist. Nell Drake, who as Mrs. Briggs, had the heaviest and leading part, was in costunje and action a typical widow washer-woman. She had an ambition to be a woman of business and dreamed of running a "poultry plant.” She'was, with all, a woman of large heart, as was shown by her treatment of her adopted son, a ßalph, taken by Martha Ramp, in a perfect boy make-up, was exceptionally well taken. Maurine Tuteur, in Jimmy, Mrs. Briggs’ own son, was a regular Charley Chaplin. Edna Robinson, as • Elvira and Angelis Kolhoff, as Melissa, daughters of Mrs. Briggs, were so delightfully true to the charaielers of bad girls, that one could hardly realize that it was these, two girls who are always so well behaved in real life. Aileen Allman, as Silas Green, a near relation, about forty-second

cousin of Mrs. Briggs, had such a winning why about him that he won Mandy Bates, (Mildred Briggs), and both of them won great-praise for the splendid manner in which they acted their parts. Mr. Lee, represented by Harriett Shedd, took the house by storm in her first appearance and she had a make-up of a rich-old man that was surely unique. The audience simply went wild in applause when she came upon the stage, and her pdrt could not have been presented better. Catherine Watson as Virginia Lee and Marion Parker as Daisy Thornton and Virginia’s friend were perfectly natural as lovers of the most enthusiastic and constant types. Nell Meyers as Mrs. CFConnor, in the splendid way she acted the part of a troublesome Irish neighbor, was so natural that many thought she had just arrived from Ireland rather than being a sweet high school mam. The girls deserve the greatest praise for the ability., they exhibited and also for the excellent spirit shown in doing so well the herculean task of preparing costumes and training for the product of Mrs. Briggs of the Poultry Yard, that funds might he given to the War Mother and the Red Cross. ' During the performance a large boquet was presented to the cast by admiring friends and delivered by the young gallant, “Say” Skinny Grant, Jr. The card attachdH to the boquet reads as follows: To the leading lady, whoever she maybe. Excuse, no designation, for it is pretty hard to see who is the leading lady among so many fair. But one thing is certain; she does not wear false hair. Nor trousers, shirts nor collars, nor anything that’s rare. So accept this little (tribute, it took but little care. { YOUR FOND ADMIRER. The gross proceeds amount to about S2OO, which after expenses and paid, will be divided fifty-fifty between the War Mothers and the Red Cross.