rheatrical
r
SHEDS LIGHT ON
HISTORIC EVENTS.
TO MAKE SECOND,
VISIT OF SEASON!
"Quo
VadiisI", in Moving
Helps Explain Origin
Burning of Rome.
Pictures,
of
Howe's Travelogue is Expected
Duplicate its Success of
Two Months Ago.
to
ALSO TELLS OF EARLY MARTYRS.
George Kleine's wonderful photo-
drama production of "Quo Vadis?"
which comes to the Whitney theatre
for three matinees and nights, start-
ing Thursday, February 26, has arous-
ed a great deal of discussion among
readers and students of history, and
many have broken into print on the
subject. The particular incidents of
interest and doubt also, are the set-
ting on fire of Rome and the perse-
cution of Christians.
According to Mr. Kleine's photo-
drama production of Sienkiewicz's
novel "Quo Vadis?", Nero was a de-
spicable character, an incendiary and
a brute of the most horrible descrip-
tion. However, according to the most
reliable. historic authorities, he was
not quite so bad as he is pictured on
the screen. Tacitus, whose celebrated
annals were written shortly after the
episodes occurred, is loath to blame
Nero altogether for the burning of
Rome, as "Nero was infected
with the desire to shine as a construe-
tor" and "caused the city to be fired
FEATURES SCENES IN PANAMA.
Some one has said "how learned you
feel when you come away from an
exhibition of "Howe's Travel Festi-
val." Mr. Howe's exhibition surely
justifies such a statement. It is in
fact a veritable world festival.
In an entirely new program to be
presented at the Whitney theatre on
Tuesday, February 24, Mr. Howe
promises the finest reproduction that
his staff of photog'raphers have ever
produced for the enjoyment of the
legion of patrons in over 600 cities,
where his semi-annual visits are eag-
erly awaited. Mr. Howe's programs
are so varied in subject matter that
spectators are fairly lost in the dizzy
whirl of world events. The ever-in-
teresting itinerary is only stopped
now and then to view some new mar-
vel of science or some delightful little
farce in clever animated cartoons,
which is followed directly by some
natural wonder. Whatever may be the
nature of the subject, it is sure to be
interesting and equally sure to be
the pink of perfection photographical-
ly. So to "travel with Howe" is to
take a world jaunt of seven-league
"Little Lost Sister," which will be presented at
uary 16, 17, and 18, with daily matinees.
MAKES VIGOROUS
CRUSADE ON VICE.
Sister.
Virginia Brooks Tells Story of
Struggle in "Little Lost
Sister."
her
Divides.
'estival.
i -OHILO
Soothsayer and spy who betrayed
the Christians and didn't know why,
yet became one himself ere h, died-
in the marvelous Cines photo-drazm
BEORGE KLEINE'$ SENSATIO!AL 0U1ESS
At the Whitney theatre, February 26,
27, and 28, matinee and night.
the whole ensemble becomes a veri-
table inferno. The historic ruins of
Pompeii in the colors of nature, a
visit to Naples and to the Paris Zoo
where acquaintance is made with
numerous strange animals at close
range, the wood-turning industry at
Saint Claude, salmon fishing in Brit-
ish Columbia, tunny fishing near Pal-
ermo, Sicily, new "symphonies of the
sea," and a ride on the Chicago, Mil-
waukee and St. Paul Railroad Com-
pany's train de luxe "The Olympian"
through the Montana Canyon and over
the Cascade Mountains in Oregon are
a few of the many other features in-
cluded in the program.
When "When Dreams Conie True"
comes to the Whitney theatre next
month, the leading comedy role will
be played by May Vokes, who is pleas-
antly remembered for her work in
"A Knight for a Day" and "The
Quaker Girl."
ROBERT EDESON'
NEW PLAY COh
"Where the T'rail Diiides",
by Celebrated Actor, Wi
Appear at Whitney.
DATE IS SET 11OR FEBRUA
A beautiful love story in a
esque setting, with the centra
an educated Sioux Indian, is
"Where The Trail Divides,"
Indian play of which Robert
"the actor," is the author.
Love stories, no matter in w
ting, always make attractive
The audiences seem never to
seeing the hero clasp the b
heroine in his arms and whis
oft repeated-"I love you"-a
stories are all the more fase
when the hero is a romantic an
ly type of American.
Mr. Edeson, whoso "Stron
will always be remembered
greatest characterization of the
ican Indian, in writing "Whe
Trail Divides," made How Lan
educated Sioux Indian, a m<
cinating figure. lle received t
gestuon for his play from Wi
bridge's novel of the great '
ranch country. He has tran
the characters from the book
stage, taken a suggestion of th
and written a play that fairly b
the spirit of the West.
There is no character on the
ican stage that is exactly lik
Lander, yef' it is a charact
might have been taken from r
The late henry B. Harris n:
original production of "Whe
Trail Divides" for Mr. Edeson
it comes to the Whitney thea
der the management of C. S. Pr
Monday, February 23, matin
night, a scenic production mo
orate than the original will b
and the cast will be one of ex
al merit.
Jack Trainor Heads Comp
"Henpecked Henry," a robu
pestuous comedy, good for five
a minute, will be presented 1
Trainor and a company of 18 1
at the Majestic theatre for thr
commencing Thursday, Febru
The story is that of a retired
"of Kalamazoo,where the celery
from," who, with his wife and
er, visits Chicago on a shoppin
The banker is a gay blade, a
sues his artful schemes, with ci
able success, under the very
his wife. In the title role, Mr
or keeps the audience in co
laughter.
Theatre.
Vaudeville.
-Henpecked Henry.
I NUMBERS
LR PLAYERS,
NOVEL IS TlEN DRAMATIZED.
Perhaps there is no girl in the coun-
try today who has had such a severe
battle with vice as Virginia Brooks,:
and no one is more able to describe
graphically the inner workings of
"The System." Her life reads more
like fiction than reality.
I
hick
day,
Comes
is
to
MORRISSINI TO STAR.I
For his production of "Romance,"
iich will be presented at the Whit-
y theatre, Friday, February 20,
arles Dillingham was fortunate in
curing an excellent cast, by reason
"The Great Adventure" and Belas-
's "A Tempermental Journey" term-
iting their season.
From the Belasco company, he en-
ged Miss Gertrude Morrissini, who
admirably suited for the part of
Ldame Cavillini, the opera singer.
ss Morrissini, though of American
rentage, was born and educated in
ly, where she received an excellent
ining in the leading dramatic com-
nies of that country. Her know-
lge of the Italian language gives her
wonderful advantage over the role
e is playing.
NIr. Edgar Kent, who impersonates
a Rector, is considered one of the
verest actors on the stage. He'
ne to this country from England
th Mrs. Patrick Campbell to suc-
d that admirable actor, George Ar-,
s. Later he played the leading part
"Pomander Walk," both in New
rk and in London. Last season he
s with Mme. Simone, and this year
was with "The Great Advanture,"
til it closed.
Another excellent actor in "Ro-
nce" is Richard Lumley, who plays
part of Van Tuyle. Mr. Lumley
s brought to this country by Win-
op Ames, on the recommendation
Bernard Shaw, in whose plays he
a frequently acted. Others in the
;t include Miss Rillie Deaves, at
o time leading lady for Richard
nsfield; Harry Hanlon, who has
n engaged to head one of the "Po-
h and Perlmutter" companies next
About four years ago Virginia
Brooks, coming of age, inherited from
her father some real estate in West
Hammond worth nominally $30,000.
At this time the village was run by
a board of trustees consisting of sev-
en men who operated tough saloons,
where gambling and vice flourished.'
They taxed the property of Virginia
Brooks just as hard as they taxed
everybody else without a pull. That
was where they made a mistake.
When they assessed her $110 for im-
provements on a $100 lot she retained
a lawyer. When she discovered that
the improvements for which she had
been taxed had not been made she
moved to West Hammond to live.
It didn't take her long to see that
she couldn't make any headway
against the seven trustees while West
Hammond remained a village. The
board of trustees was a self-perpetu-
ating ring. So she fought to change
the form of government. About two.
years ago the village became a city.
It had been a desperate fight. There
was no expedient known to political
politics, bribery, miscounting, repeat-
ing, which the seven trustees didn't
use to beat Virginia Brooks. But in
spite of all she beat them.
She has made the city fit to live in.
Of the 5,000 inhabitants of West Ham-
mond she is the best "man" in town.
She wrote "Little Sister," a serial
fact story, soon to be published in
book form. Then Edward E. Rose,
realizing what a great play. the story{
of the Lost Sister would make, set
about to dramatize it.
There have been many persons who
doubted the sincerity of Virginia's
motives and methods, particularly the'
transgressors she sought to rout, but
even they were forced to admit sooner'
or later that if she was trying to rout
the devil as a pastime, she was pas-
timing with a vengeance. The story
of "Little Lost Sister," dealing with
the "System" and pitfalls into which
the stray girl from the country is
forced, is vividly portrayed in the play
and brings to light the transgressors
with which this young girl has strug-1
gled.
in order to clear the ground
might build a new Rome."
Mr. and Mrs. Edward Esmonde, dramatic stars at the Majestic, Monday,
Tuesday, and Wednesday.
that he
Tacitus
makes it perfectly plain that improve-
ments Nero sought to make had been
bitterly opposed by the property own-
ers of a certain class who never be-
came reconciled to the changes made
after the fire, although they were all,
admittedly, vastly beneficial hygien-
ically and otherwise.
Although Augustus made the boast
that he had found Rome a city ofi
brick and left it one of marble, it was
still filled with wooden houses when
the confiagaration occurred. More-
over it was insufficiently provided
with fire protectors. The regulations
established by Nero after the great
fire show that previous to that event,
it had been peculiarly subject to dan-
ger from flames. Apparently fire
walls were not common. On several
occasions before, the city had been
nearly destroyed by conflagaration,
and in every instance the charge ap-
pears to have been made that the dis-
asters were caused by incendiaries.
One of the most extraordinary features
of Tacitus' narrative is the manner in
which he treats the rumors that the
Christians set fire to the city.
The Christians of Rome were in the
habit of denouncing the corruption of
its people, and were constantly pre-
dicting the destruction of the world.
The Apocalypse, attributed to St.
John the Divine, but which was prob-
ably written toward the close of the
first century of our era, had been pre-
ceded by prophecies equally lurid, and
the aggressively proselyting disposi-
tions of the Christians no doubt, led
them into indiscretion of utterance
which was misconstrued and remem-
bered when the predicted disaster
overtook the city. .
boots. It is a globe trotting exper-
ience that would fill volumes of mind-
diaries. His exhibition by sheer force
of its realism and excellence serves to
"bring the mountain to mahomet"-
and does it most delightfully. If, for
instance, you have longed to see how
and why Uncle Sam spent $400,000,000
to dig "the big ditch" at Panama and
business or finances kept you from
going there, why, Lyman H. Howe
will reproduce at the Whitney theatre
on Tuesday, February 24. So for a
mere pittance, you can see exactly
what represents the work of the most
expert photographers for months and
months and an expenditure of thou-
sands of dollars. You will find it all
reproduced so vividly that the. im-
pressions you receive will be as in-
delible as if you had made the trip
at an expense several hundred times
more than it will cost you to "travel
with Howe." Moreover you will get
all the thrills, without any of the ma-
laria chills with which the photo-
graphers were afflicted periodically.
It is true that many attempts have
been made by camera men to film the
wonder story of the Panama Canal, but
it is universally admitted that Howe's
reproduction is the only one recorded,
which "covers" the subject adequate-
ly. It begins where all others stop.
The fiery geysers of Yellowstone
Park which act as a "safety valve"
for mother earth, also constitute a big
feature of Howe's new program. At
every turn, water is seen boiling fur-
iously either in vats carved by nature
or is being ejected to great heights
by fierce explosions underneath. Mas-
ses of steam rush from openings in
the ground. Terrible convulsions of
nature ensue and monstrous cauldrons
b'ecome more and more active until
t
y{.
L: ..
..
,.
N.
"Little Lost Sister," at the Whitney