Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 223, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 September 1920 — COMING TO THE ELLIS. “ABE MARTIN” [ARTICLE]

COMING TO THE ELLIS. “ABE MARTIN”

Now that Abe Martin, Kin Hubbard’s famous and genial newspaper cartoon character is cavorting on the stage in a musical comedy called “Abe Martin,” produced by Boyle Woolfolk, and which comes to the Ellis Opera House next Friday night, Sept. 17, it is particularly appropo that theatregoers become acquainted with Abe’s biography as set forth by Mr. Hubbard, who says: “Abe Martin was born at Roundhead, Hardin county, Ohio, some time between the first and second Seminole wars. He got his early education in a general store and played a yellow clarinet in a band on Johnson’s Island, Lake Erie, dur-, ing the Rebellion of which we have all heard so much. After his outing was broken up he went to Brown county, Indiana, to reside with his wife’s folks. Mr. Martin votes the Democratic ticket for nothing, and is a student of the film and drama. He eats sardines between the acts and boasts of having seen “The Hidden Hapd” twen-ty-one times, and Julia Marlowe in “Pinafore” once. He says that politics is just one five-cent cigar after another, and that the Union was preserved so ball players could practice in the South.” Mr. Wollfolk’s production of “Abe Martin” is the only distinctly rural musical comedy ever staged. It is considerably more pretentious than the average cartoon musical show in point of book, music, scenery, costuming and principals. The book, which is the joint work of John P. Mulgrew ariß C. G. Mercer contains a logical story' replete with “Abe Martin” humor, and Felix Rice, who is well known in Renseslaer, has provided a melodious score that contains a number of tuneful song hits. Mr. Rice will be here Friday with the company, which comes directly from English’s Opera House, Indiahapolis, where “Abe” played "wo weeks to capacity business 4 - —