SEASONS OF '78-'79 AND '80-'82.
The season of '78 and '79 was opened on October 4th by Haverly's
minstrels, who filled the night of the 5th also, when the stock
company stepped to the front once more, and filled out the remainder
of the Conference dates with the "Lancashire Lass" and the "Hidden
Hand." On the 23rd Susie Spencer was a beneficiary, playing "The
Little Rebel." Susie's life was not without a spice of romance, and
its chapter of sorrow. Susie Spencer was a very pretty little girl and
talented; the managers found her very useful in parts where her petite
stature was suited to the character, and such occasions were not
infrequent. Miss Spencer was progressing nicely in her art and had
already become a favorite with the patrons of the drama, when she met
her fate in the person of Mr. Ed Marden. Marden was one of the
Cogswell party who came from California by way of Southern Utah, and
waiting on Brigham Young, informed him they had received a revelation
(via the Planchette route) instructing them to come to Salt Lake and
join the Mormon Church, as it was the only true and authorized church.
The party were duly baptized and confirmed into the Church, and at
once installed as members of the stock company. Marden became on very
short acquaintance infatuated with the pretty Susie and laid siege to
her young and guileless heart with that adroitness and dexterity which
come from much experience, with the result that Susie soon became Mrs.
Marden. Marden was a member of the stock here all during the "Jimmy"
Harris regime. He and "Jimmy" were fast friends, they both came to
Utah Gentiles, joined the Church and married Mormon girls. Soon after
the close of the Harris management in '77, Marden drifted off and left
his Susie a heart-broken little woman. He was through with Utah, and
through with the Mormon Church, and through with his little Mormon
wife, and cast them all aside as he would a worn-out suit. He never
came back, and Susie, after a year or two of repining, found
consolation in the affections of a better man. She became the wife of
Mr. Rice, a well-to-do banker of the mining town of Frisco, Utah,
where she lived happily in her new alliance until a few years ago,
when she passed away from earth, still young in years.
The next stellar attraction was Mrs. Scott Siddons, a niece of the
great Sarah Siddons, who appeared on November 22nd in a dramatic
recital; with what success the writer cannot tell, as he was away
again at this time. This lady had just closed a week's engagement at
Portland, Oregon, when I arrived there. I met her at the hotel before
her departure, and she impressed me as being an extraordinary woman
and a brilliant actress.
December 25th, Nat Goodwin and Eliza Weatherby opened a four nights'
engagement in "Hobbies;" they gave on the following evenings "Under
the Rose" and "Cruets." This was Goodwin's first engagement in Salt
Lake.
On January 10th and 11th, 1879, Alice Gates' Comic Opera Company
played to exceptionally large houses.
Barney Macauley in "The Messenger from Jarvis Station" was the next
stellar attraction.
There was a dearth of star attractions along about this time and the
stock company had plenty of time to fill in, but it had become so
depleted as to be unable to keep up the interest for more than two or
three nights at a time.
On May 2nd, "Buffalo Bill," Col. Wm. F. Cody, gave an exhibition,
assisted by the stock company. He called it "A Knight of the Plains."
On May 8th, Annie Adams (Mrs. Kiskadden) and her daughter Maude, who
were in Salt Lake on a visit, created some interest in her
reappearance here, and that of Maude who on this occasion played her
first _speaking part_ in Salt Lake. Miss Adams assisted by the stock
(what remained of it) and some amateurs, gave on the 8th, "A Woman of
the People." This was the old French play of "Madeline, the Belle of
the Faubourg," which Julia Dean had played some years before. Like
many another good play since, it was made to do double duty by
appearing under a new title. For the second night's bill, the comedy
of "Stepmother" and the farce of "Little Susie" were given. In the
farce Little Maude played the name part, "Little Susie." Maude was
then six years and six months old, and had already played several
parts in San Francisco, the most notable one, Little Adrienne in "A
Celebrated Case," which she played in the Baldwin production of the
play, and afterwards in Portland with John Maguire's production of it,
for which she and her mother were especially engaged. Afterwards with
the Maguire company _en tour_ through Oregon and Washington, when
"Little Maude" was featured in "The Case" and also in "Ten Nights in a
Bar Room," her mother and the writer playing the leading roles in
these plays. This second bill was repeated on the 10th inst., the
probability being that Maude had caught the public favor at that early
day.
The next attraction of note was Lawrence Barrett, who opened on July
8th (midsummer nights--no dream) for four nights, opening play
"Richelieu" followed by "Hamlet," "A New Play" and "Julius Caesar."
How the fastidious and exacting Barrett managed to cast these great
plays here has never been explained to me. He must have carried his
principal support with him.
In the fall of this year Miss Annie Adams revived "The Two Orphans"
with a complete cast of amateurs, excepting herself and Jimmy Harris.
The cast included Mr. Laron Cummings as the Chevalier, Heber M. Wells
as the Doctor, Orson Whitney as Jacques, John D. Spencer as Pierre,
John T. White as Picard, W. T. Harris played Frochard, which fact
certainly denoted a great paucity of female talent here about that
time. Annie Adams played Louise and Delia Clawson, Heriette, which is
as much of the cast as we can gather from Miss Adams' own account of
this performance. So successful was the performance as a whole and so
meritorious the acting of the numerous debutants on this occasion that
Mr. Bud Whitney who was managing the business end of the affair,
proposed the organization of a "Home Club," which should comprise all
of the amateurs who had taken part in "The Two Orphans." The
proposition was readily adopted by those concerned, and out of this
sprang "The Home Dramatic Club." The time was most opportune, for
there was a dearth of dramatic attractions at the time; the old stock
had dwindled until there were but a few of its members left in Salt
Lake, and some new blood and talent was needed to give renewed
interest to home productions. "The Home Dramatic Club," with great
prudence and foresight, secured the ensuing April Conference dates on
which to make their initial bow to the Utah public. It was a good long
time to wait but they were sure of big results in a financial way, and
it gave them plenty of time in which to perfect themselves in their
opening play, which was "The Romance of a Poor Young Man." It was a
good selection, well suited to the young people, and scored a success;
only the older people in the community could remember George
Pauncefort opening in the same play in 1864, and scoring a great
triumph. The club had large and friendly audiences and their
introductory play was pronounced a genuine success, both artistically
and financially. It could not be otherwise than a good paying
proposition, as Conference nights are always a harvest time for the
theatre. So well encouraged were they that the club continued in the
business of playing _occasionally_, whenever they could secure
favorable dates, such as Conferences and other holiday times, for a
number of years. "The Home Dramatic Club" averaged about three or four
plays a year during their career of about ten years. The club being
more of a society affair than a professional theatre company, they
picked their times and opportune ones, and playing so seldom they
never were subjected to the tasks in study and rehearsals and dramatic
work which characterized the busy years of the old stock company. It
was a talented company, however, and no doubt could have made good
under different and more exacting conditions.
In March, 1881, the writer was back in Salt Lake after a two years'
absence, principally in Portland and San Francisco. On my return there
was nothing doing in the theatrical line. The "club" had been
organized nearly a year, yet had given only a very few plays. There
was a dearth of theatricals, and the writer with the acquiescence and
assistance of Mr. Clawson, who was again manager of the theatre, got
up occasional performances with such assistance as he could procure.
The first of these was "A Celebrated Case," in which he had the
assistance of Manager Clawson's daughters, Miss Edith Clawson and Mrs.
Ardelle Cummings. Other performances were given in connection with
David McKenzie, Philip Margetts and John C. Graham, with such support
as we could muster from the depleted ranks of the old stock, and what
new aspirants were in the field for dramatic honors. The "gallery
gods" honored the three gentlemen and myself with the somewhat
flattering appellation of the _big four_, the same title the New
Yorkers bestowed on Booth, Barrett, Davenport and Bangs when these
four stars formed the great constellation in the play of "Julius
Caesar." These performances, however, like those of "The Home
Dramatic," were few and far between, and to a person depending on
acting for a livelihood, did not prove very remunerative.
About this time another project which interested the writer hove into
view. Dr. D. Banks McKenzie, a temperance lecturer and reformer, had
succeeded after a considerable effort in organizing a temperance club
in Salt Lake City (a prodigious task to accomplish at that time). He
had succeeded in raising a fund of some thirty thousand dollars in
contributions towards the erection of a first-class lecture hall, with
library, and various other nice accommodations for the society. The
Walkers Brothers had contributed a building site where the Atlas block
now stands, 50x100 feet. This was put in at $13,000, making nearly
one-half of the $30,000 contributed. On being informed by one of the
Walker Brothers of what was projected, the writer with some
self-interest suggested that inasmuch as they were going to put up a
building of such size and cost, that they might just as well make it a
little larger, and make a theatre of it; that a theatre would answer
all the purposes of the proposed hall, and often rent when the hall
would not. The idea grew with them, and the Walker Grand Opera House
was the result. It occupied a year in building. It was opened on June
5th, 1882, with a vocal and instrumental concert, with Prof. George
Careless as conductor. As a matter of historical interest and to show
the musical status of Salt Lake at that time, a copy of the opening
program is here appended.
OPENING OF THE WALKER GRAND OPERA HOUSE.
Monday Evening, June 5th, 1882.
Lessee ................................ D. Banks McKenzie
Manager ................................. John S. Lindsay
PROGRAM.
1. Overture--"William Tell" ..................... Rossini
2. Quartette--"The Night Before the Battle" ....... White
Misses Olsen and Richards, Messrs. Whitney and Spencer.
3. Flute Solo--"Concert Polka" .................. Rudolph
Mr. George Hedger.
4. Aria--Il Profeta ........................... Meyerbeer
Mrs. J. Leviburg.
5. Selection Favorite ......................... Donozetti
Orchestra.
INTERMISSION.
6. Overture--Pique Dame ........................... Suppe
7. Aria--E. Puritane ............................ Belline
Mr. Robert Gorlinske.
8. Piano Solo--Trovatore ..................... Gottschalk
Mrs. Helen Wells.
9. Song--"My Own Dearest Child" ..................... Abt
Mrs. George Careless.
10. Selection ...........................................
Croxall's Silver Band.
Conductor ......................... Prof. George Careless
Thursday, June 8th--For Three Nights. Louis Aldrich Company in his
very successful play, "MY PARTNER." Superb Star Company.
In the spring of '82, when the Walker was approaching completion, Dr.
McKenzie hied him to New York to secure attractions for the new
theatre, for the erstwhile temperance lecturer had developed into the
sole lessee and manager of a $100,000 theatre. He had already chosen
me to attend to the local management, for which I was to have 5 per
cent of the gross proceeds of everything we played there, with the
privilege of getting up local performances in the interims. I had
worked eleven months, superintending the construction of the building
and was quite in favor. "Doc" was very successful in securing
attractions, his somewhat extravagant and florid descriptions of the
Walker Grand, as they chose to christen it, and its superiority to the
old theatre, caught the agents and managers, and he secured so many of
the attractions going to the coast the ensuing season that he
virtually had the Salt Lake Theatre out of business.
The first dramatic performance given in the Walker was the Louis
Aldrich Company in "My Partner." The house was well filled but not
crowded; there was a very strong prejudice against the Walker among
the Mormon part of the community, and a malicious report to the effect
that the galleries were not safe was put in circulation with a view to
injure the new theatre. Such mischievous whisperings, however, only
had a temporary effect.
One of the earliest attractions at "The Walker" was Haverly's
minstrels, and the house was crowded to its utmost capacity; as the
galleries did not give way on that occasion, the reports which had
been so industriously circulated were seen to be "a weak invention of
the enemy."
The new house continued to get the attractions to such an extent, that
the Salt Lake Theatre was virtually out of the swim. This was
accomplished by Dr. McKenzie putting The Walker under the direction of
Jack Haverly. Haverly at the time was one of the foremost managers of
the country. He controlled more companies and theatres than any one in
the field of amusement; so he booked everything in his control at The
Walker, and the house during his _regime_ was called Haverly's Walker
Grand Opera House. "What's in a name?" In theatrical business much; it
is everything. So serious indeed was the situation for the Salt Lake
theatre that Mr. David McKenzie, who was at this time the acting
manager of the house, found it necessary to go to San Francisco and
have a business interview with Mr. Fred Bert, who was Haverly's San
Francisco manager.
The result of his visit was an agreement on the part of Haverly to
play his attractions alternately between the two theatres, thus giving
the Salt Lake theatre one-half of their Salt Lake bookings. In the
agreement it was stipulated that the Salt Lake Theatre must also float
the Haverly flag, and while this contract lasted the old house was
called "Haverly's Salt Lake Theatre." Here was an interesting
situation; both theatres flying the Haverly flag. Haverly's name at
the head of every bill and program. It was not at all pleasing to the
Mormon people to have their theatre, in which they took so much pride,
pass under the direction and management of a Gentile manager. Many of
them didn't know but what Haverly had bought it. The Walker Brothers
did not relish the idea either of their house being called Haverly's;
but such were the exigencies of the theatrical business. To the Walker
it was a great advantage, as without Haverly's prestige the new house
would have had a hard time in getting first-class attractions.
These circumstances go to show what an immense influence Jack Haverly
wielded in the theatrical business of this country at that time. He
was almost as potent then as Klaw & Erlanger of the syndicate are
today. These conditions did not last very long, as the managers and
agents came to learn that the Salt Lake Theatre was the only one that
the Mormon people would patronize, and they being so largely in a
majority of the theatre-goers, the older theatre gradually won back
the great bulk of the traveling combinations, and the Haverly
agreement having expired, his flag was hauled down, much to the relief
of a great many, to whom it had always seemed a reproach to have
_Brigham Young's_ Theatre called Haverly's. Jack Haverly had too many
irons in the fire; his numerous theatrical enterprises were managed by
a corps of lieutenants, too numerous for Mr. Haverly to keep in line.
Some of them proved shrewder, more adroit, and less principled than
their general. He trusted them too implicitly, and this was his
undoing. Some of them managed his enterprises into their own hands,
while he was giving his personal attention very largely to his mining
interests. These, too, turned out disastrously, and Haverly's star,
which had been so prominent and bright in the theatrical firmament,
began to wane and in a very few years was totally eclipsed. After all
his great enterprises, he became a bankrupt in 1898, and he died poor
in 1901 in a Salt Lake Hospital. He was reduced in health and
circumstances to such a degree as to be unable during the last year of
his life to manage even a minstrel company, and others paid him for
the use of his name.