Gregory Thimblewell (the tailor of Tamworth) .. H. E. Bowring Robert (his son) ............................... R. H. Parker Master Hugh Neville ........................... S. D. Sirrine Calverton Hal ................................... W. H. Miles Humphrey Hedgehog ............................. Phil Margetts Maud Thimblewell (tailor's wife) ............... Mrs. Bowring Letty Hedgehog (with song) ............... Miss Maggie Thomas Such was the superb comedy bill with which the Salt Lake Theatre was auspiciously and successfully launched into the great dramatic sea on which she has made such a long and splendid voyage. The company played a few other plays between the opening date and the 15th of April, catching conference, which closed the first season of about six weeks' duration. They gave fifteen performances in this time. The company during this first short season scarcely found its bearings, much of the best talent was in the background and it took time and opportunity to discover it and place it to the best advantage. During the first season of the Theatre, Miss Sarah Alexander, in addition to playing many of the soubrette roles, was the _premiere danseuse_ of the company, and gave exhibitions of her skill in the terpsichorean art between the plays almost nightly; she was eventually superseded, however, by Miss "Totty" Clive (a daughter of Mr. Claud Clive, the costumer), who became so proficient in the art of dancing that before she was 15 years of age she was an established favorite with the public, and a feature of the theatrical entertainments. CHAPTER V. The isolation policy peculiar to the Mormons at this period, found expression in a discouragement of all Gentiles (as all non-Mormons were called) and Gentile enterprises in Utah. This feeling also found expression to some extent, for a short time in the sphere of the theatre, and it was boldly announced by some who were close in the councils of the Mormon chief, that he would have no Gentile actors in his theatre. A policy which was much more strongly emphasized at the time, however, was as to the character of the plays that should be presented. President Young set his foot down very firmly against the presentation of any tragedies, or plays of tragic character. The people he said had seen and felt too much of the tragic side of life; he wanted them to be amused, and not have their feelings harrowed up by tragic representations. This policy obtained for a short time only; gradually the general growing desire for the higher class of plays had to be taken into consideration by the managers, Clawson and Caine, who were running the house in the interest of the box office, chiefly, and this initial policy of the founder of the theatre was gradually abandoned, as well as the isolation policy which was to debar Gentile actors from the stage of the Mormon Theatre.