The Stage

February 10, 1926, Wednesday
The Bay City Times Tribune, Bay City, Michigan

---

THE STAGE

“My Girl”

“Abie’s Irish Rose” after a full week did not take away from Bay City all of the spare theatrical pin money lying around loose, neither did it have a monopoly on laugh producing features and situations. There was enough cash left to give “My Girl” a hearty reception at the Washington last night in exchange for an evening of pure enjoyment.

“My Girl” is called a musical comedy or a musical farce. It is both and more. It is a special edition of clean fun and a Vesuvius of laughter.

The story deals with a young [Unreadable/Missing Text] who sells hymn-books and [Unreadable/Missing Text] himself with all the atmosphere he thinks such a trade should call for. He never has taken a drink, and doesn’t smoke. Moreover, his young wife supporting him in this highly moral stand. He essays to entertain his boss—the man who publishes the hymn-books—and soon discovers that his elder has no such scruples against wine when ’tis red. In fact, he learns with surprise that the old chap has a side-line to his publishing business, in which hymn-books are carved out to fit half pint flasks. The young man’s well meaning attempts at acting the host go by the board and his party is voted a sad affair by the very folks he is seeking to impress. The timely arrival of an itinerant boot-legger with an unlimited supply of contraband liquor created a series of complications. From the time of his arrival, everybody steps on the gas, and its jazz at top speed. The young host saves the day and his job.

At the outset the company did not promise much. The stage setting was rich and the costumes bright and fetching. The singing was merely passable but the dancing was superb. It was a case where the feet outshone the vocal cords. However, after the company got acquainted with the audience it unbent, and from that time it was a whirlwind of jollity, with each of the main characters pronouncing its importance in clearer and stronger tones. The company was very generous with its encores, working overtime to satisfy the applause.

George Sweet, as “Bob White”, Jayne Auburn as “Cynthia Redding”, John Bynam as “Harold Gray” and Frances Upton as “Betty” answered every demand of their parts. Roger Gray, as “Pinkie”, dropped into the show at the proper time to save interest in the situations, and to give a clear and original interpretation of the gentry who ply an illegal bottle business between the United States and Canada. He is a natural comedian who does not overdo, or, compared with the layman, a humorist who does not laugh at his own jokes. Harriet Ross, the mother-in-law, stood well out in her character, especially in the second act in her rough and tumble with “Bob.”

The chorus girls gave a number of graceful dances, and a demonstration of the Charleston. There were also several catchy solo dances.

Much of the success of “My Girl” can be attributed to the splendid orchestra under the direction of Paul Parnell. It performed between the acts in a generous way, bringing rounds of applause. The graciousness of its members in responding was appreciated. The orchestra in fact, was one of the big features of the entertainment.

The Stage

February 4, 1926, Thursday
The Bay City Times Tribune, Bay City, Michigan

---

THE STAGE

“MY GIRL”

(What the Press Agent Says)

“My Girl” come to the Washington theatre for one night on Tuesday February 9, fresh from its long  and highly successful run of an entire season at the Venderbilt theatre, New York. It is pronounced by all who have seen it in the Metropolis as the snappiest and jazziest musical comedy produced in years.

The story of “My Girl” concerns a newly married couple named White—of the goody-goody type—who are anxious to break into suburban society; but their ideas following closely the teachings gathered from the fireside companion stories are at varience [sic] with those of their friends, who are members of the Rainbow club and disciples of hootch. At first the Whites are very unpopular but a careless bootlegger appears, and in the finish the Whites are just as “Long Island” as the Browns, Grays and Greens.

Harlan Thompson, who furnished the book, is said to have supplied a wealth of bright lines, noticeable for their cleanliness; and Harry Archer has written an unusually well balanced series of melodies and several swinging, jingling and stepping songs. The radio, hotels and cabarets have already popularized some of the hits, such as “You and I,” “A Fellow Like Me,” “A Little Place of Our Own,” “Desert Isle,” “Fifteen Minutes a Day,” “Before the Dawn” and “Love-Sick.”

———

ABIE’S IRISH ROSE

Ann Nichol’s play, “Abie’s Irish Rose,” has the distinction of already breaking all theatrical records in Bay City as it has done in New York city and all other places where it has been presented. It has gone six performances with almost capacity houses at each entertainment, and every time the final curtain went down, it closed upon an audience that was heartily satisfied with what had been submitted. The closing performances will be given Saturday afternoon and night, when the company will pass on to Saginaw to entertain the people of that city for a week.

The story of the play is built around the ludicrous complications following the triple marriage of one couple, Abie Levy, the Jewish youth, and Rosemary Murphy, an Irish colleen; the fighting opposition and racial antagonism of their respective Jewish and Irish fathers, the antics of Isaac Cohen, and the whimsicalities of his dominating wife—all those afford a riotous carnival of merriment which taxes the pacific endeavors of the associated rabbi and priest. Not to have seen “Abie” is to be unaware of how much one can laugh at a performance and still have the strength to stagger home.

The Stage

January 30, 1926, Saturday
The Bay City Times Tribune, Bay City, Michigan

---

THE STAGE

“NO, NO, NANETTE.”

“No, No, Nanette” sang and danced its way into the hearts of Bay Cityans at the Washington theater last night when a full house greeted this much heralded musical comedy. It went swimmingly along from start to finish with rich, modest and span [Unreadable/Missing Text] new costumes, and scenery [Unreadable/Missing Text] which have not suffered from the ravages of road travel. It was peppered with snappy songs and comedy hits. The dances and marching of the chorus, were given in quick succession, and all were of the unexpected order. The ensemble singing was up to the average of musical comedy companies, but in the solo parts there were no outstanding voices. The rest of the performance was so well presented, however, that the weakness of the solo parts was forgiven. John Hyams, as “Jimmy Smith,” had the responsibility of carrying the greater load of comedy, but he was capably assisted by Eulalia Young, as “Pauline” the cook, and Roland Woodruff, who took the part of “Billy Early,” the lawyer. This trio carried the laughter along to the drop curtain. Mary Vaughn as “Nanette” was a pert little creature who lived her part which called for singing, dancing and more of less tumbling about the stage. She is in no need of her daily dozen in order to keep “reduced”.

There seems to be a well defined plot in the play, which the audience can quickly grasp. It is the curiosity to know how it is all going to come out, that maintains interest to the end, and as everything finishes satisfactorily the audience goes home in a contented frame of mind.

The company was generous with encores, and the audience called for many of them.

H. H. Frazer has built this one of his companies with a view to youth, comeliness and vivaciousness.

The Stage

January 7, 1926, Thursday
The Bay City Times Tribune, Bay City, Michigan

---

THE STAGE

“IS ZAT SO.”

An organization has been formed in New York city to carry on a propaganda in the United States for the propagation of laughter. The association, in its publicity or promotion copy, wanted everybody to join in laughing throughout January in order to drive dull care away.

There is no need for such an organization in this country. All that is required are a few more companies presenting the laughing hit entitled “Is Zat So,” which came before a sold-out house last night at the Washington. Fifteen hundred persons laughed until their ribs ached, and they are laughing today as they recall some of the scenes and the humorous and unexpected lines which bubble through the entire play.

Bay City had the pleasure of seeing and listening to one of the co-authors of the piece, Richard Taber, who took the part of the champion prize fighter. His partner in the laugh factory was James Gleason, who heads the company in New York which finished its first year on the night of January 5 at the Central theater. In that company, the part played by Mr. Taber is taken by Robert Armstrong, a grandson of Captain Richard Armstrong, who, prior to the Chicago world’s fair, operated a line of passenger steamers on Saginaw river. There was a striking resemblance between Mr. Norcross, the portrayer of the champion’s manager, and Mr. Gleason. They look alike, and their voices are similar. Mr. Taber is the counterpart of Mr. Armstrong. The various other parts of the play were well maintained, in fact this (the Chicago) company is quite the equal of the original New York organization.

“Is Zat So” scored an immediate success in Bay City last night. It is built along original lines with the unexpected always happening. It has a wealth of witty lines, typically human characters and ludicrously funny situations.

The Stage

October 19, 1925, Monday
The Bay City Times Tribune, Bay City, Michigan

---

THE STAGE

The Regent’s Program.

“The Coast of Folly”, picturing Palm Beach and one of its many love affairs, is the feature of the Regent theater’s program the first four days of this week, and in it Gloria Swanson doubly lives up to her enviable reputation as the “Bernhardt of the Screen”. Playing a dual role, with three characterizations, she exhibits, as usual, a rare genius. First she is a mother of 40 years ago, who wearied of her millionaire husband, braves scandal and runs away with one whom she loves. Second, she is the 20-year-old daughter of this woman, and cleverly does she play the part of this high spirited debutante whose lack of caution draws her before the cruel eye of the society public and involves her in a $3,000,000 divorce suit. Third, the inimitable Gloria represents the mother, once more, a woman showing the results of living in Paris society. The story is delightfully interesting, full of action, and with good acting on the part of every performer.

Included on the vaudeville program are three very good acts. Selma Padula, a winsome young woman with a clear, sweet soprano voice, appears alone and sings a group of charming numbers.

She is followed by Cole and Carr, comedians, whose skit entitled “Catching a Car” brought them bursts of laughter and applause from the large and good natured Sunday audiences.

The Four Higgie Girls have a clever line of chatter and song and their offering was also highly appreciated yesterday. Vivacious and full of fun, they know how to keep their audiences entertained every minute, and their musical selections—ensemble and solo—are typical 1925 numbers. One of the girls is a violinist of ability, and she leads her companions in the first part of the act by directing in the orchestra pit with “Buck” Buchanan’s Harmony Boys.