The Mormons and the Theatre; or, The History of Theatricals in UtahLindsay, John S. (John Shanks)
Religion
The Mormons and the Theatre; or, The History of Theatricals in Utah
Lindsay, John S. (John Shanks)
Latter Day Saints; Theater -- Utah -- History
It may be of interest to note the fact here that "The Danites" has
never been played in Salt Lake or anywhere in Utah.
About this time George B. Waldron turned up again in Salt Lake, and
was installed as leading man to strengthen the company and ease
somewhat the labors of David McKenzie.
Rose Evans, a lady who was enamoured of "Hamlet," and made a specialty
of playing it, was introduced to Salt Lake soon after Waldron's
accession to the company, and we had during her engagement which ran
through the April conference, "Hamlet," "Twixt Axe and Crown,"
"Ingomar;" Miss Evans as "Parthenia" and Waldron as "Ingomar;" "Lady
Audrey's Secret," "Romeo and Juliet;" Waldron as "Romeo." Rose Evans
established herself very strongly in the favor of the Salt Lake
theatre goers. Her "Hamlet" was liked, and she played it intelligently
and perhaps as well as a woman could play it, but no woman can ever
play "Hamlet" satisfactorily to the critical mind; and very few men
out of the thousands of actors ever reach and handle it
satisfactorily. Her "Juliet" was very acceptable, but Waldron's voice
was' too basso profundo for "Romeo." It was hard to imagine him as the
youthful love-distraught Romeo with his deep set vocal organ.
Miss Evans closed on April 8th and was closely followed by Mlle. Marie
Ravel, who opened on the 10th, supported by Waldron and the stock
company and played an engagement of twenty nights. On May 4th Herr
Daniel E. Bandmann and his wife (his first one) opened an engagement
of five nights, presenting "Macbeth," "Hamlet," "Merchant of Venice,"
"Narcisse," and "Richard III." Bandmann, at this time, was a very
popular tragedian. He had played as early as '65 in San Francisco a
very successful engagement. He was now returning from his second visit
to San Francisco. He spoke with a decided German accent, which was,
however, not disagreeable to the ear, his voice being musical and his
reading very artistic and finished. Bandmann bought a ranch near
Missoula, Montana, some ten or twelve years ago and went into
semi-retirement. He had a curious advertisement in the Dramatic
Mirror, about as follows: "Daniel E. Bandmann, Tragedian and breeder
of fine horses and cattle." He also bred a large family of children on
that same ranch. When he went into retirement he took with him his
latest "leading lady," Mary Kelly, as his wife, and they have a number
of heirs to succeed to the tragedy and breeding business. His first
wife, Millie Palmer, still figures in London theatricals, and she has
a son who is conspicuous in theatrical management. Herr Bandmann still
makes spasmodic incursions into the surrounding country with an
improvised dramatic company and plays his favorite characters.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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