Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 44, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1899 — The Cyrano De Bergerac Performance. [ARTICLE]

The Cyrano De Bergerac Performance.

H. B. Marks as manager presented tbat lately so celebrated play. Cyrano De Bergerac, at the opera house Monday night. It is a great play and it takes a big company of good actors, and any amount of fine scenery to produce it in good shape This is a big company apd a good one, and judging from costumes and properties such as could be used, it is well provided with scenery and accessories, but owing to the small size of the stage at oar opera house practically none of the scenery could be used. But even with that great disadvantage, the performance was a decided success. The actors are all evidently capable and well trained in their parts, while in the difficult role of Cyrano, Willard Newell does most excellently, and no less can be said of Miss Vail De Vernon, as Roxane In brief Cyrano De Bergerac is a great play and this company is well qualified to produce it in good shape. The play itself is of high literary character, free from every coarseness and vulgarity, and this company is one of sterling merit. The company really has no business in towns as small as Rensselaer and Monticello, and only happened to hit them because of having two spare dates. After Monticello they have few towns on their route smaller than Lafayette, Logansport, Kokomo, &c. The company had 27 members here and expected 10 more at Monticello. The attendance was very small, probably little more than 60 or 70 persons, in all. Probably the play is of too recent fame to attract a large crowd in a country town, and especially at such very high prices as were charged here. Very few dollar attractions can get a crowd in Rensselaer. The extreme coldness of the weather no doubt deterred many, and the the great discomfort of the audience from the cold, justified the wisdom of those who stayed away. It is evident that the present heating facilities of our opera house are not competent to deal with zeroic weather in a satisfactory manner.