Keene Evening Sentinel
Tuesday, June 27, 1911
Page 7
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES
Entertainment in Afternoon by Model School Pupils
Followed by Operetta “The Japanese Girl,” in the Evening
by Normal School Pupils –
Both Entertainments Draw Capacity Audiences at City Hall.
Two entertainments in the series of exercises comprising the commencement week program of the Keene normal school took place Monday afternoon and evening in city hall before large audiences which completely filled the floor and gallery. The afternoon entertainment was the operetta entitled “The Toy Shop” and was given by all the children of the model schools, consisting of four grades each in the Elliot and Lincoln street buildings. In the evening the normal school students to the number of about thirty gave the operetta “The Japanese Girl.”
“The Toy Shop” is a most attractive little musical play when well cast, as it certainly was in this case, there being about 175 children in it, comprising the first four grades of the public schools; the idea being to give something in which all the children in these schools, whether large or small, could join. It is always a pretty sight to see little children in scenes of this kind, especially when they are well drilled and prettily dressed. In this case the children worked together as so many well trained units. Both their singing and speaking parts were well taken and entered into with spirit. They could be heard distinctly and understood what they were to do. Their costumes were gotten up with skill and taste, and were nearly all of them made by the pupils and teachers, under the direction of Miss Blair, it being the purpose to have everything made under the direction of the teachers in household economy and manual training. The Indian costumes were picked up here and there, many of the boys having them, but their tomahawks of wood and stone. the guns for the soldiers and the like were made in the manual training classes as were the jack-in-the-box cases, etc. The cast follows:
Puck Elnora Poulin
Other fairies Grades 1 and 2, Elliot school;
Grades 1 and 2, Lincoln school
First Jack-in-the-box Harold Cahalane
Second Jack-in-the-box Donald Barnes
Rag doll Margaret Seery
Paper doll Marion Nims
French dolls Grades 1 , 2 and 3, Elliot
Japanese dolls Grades 2 and 3, Lincoln
Tin soldiers Grades 2, 3 and 4, Lincoln
Cooky men Grades 1 and 2, Lincoln
Indian dolls Grades 2 and 3, Elliot
Negro dolls Grades 3 and 4, Lincoln
Broken-down-toys Grades 2 and 3, Elliot
“Goo-goo” dolls Grade 4, Lincoln
“Bye-low” dolls Grade 1, Elliot
The stage setting representing a toy shop, was very prettily arranged. As the curtain rises the walls of the shop are seen covered with real toys and there are rocking horses, carts, wheelbarrows and the like, with plenty of smaller toys hung upon the walls. On the stage, also, are the animated toys, groups of soldiers, Indians, French and Japanese dolls, negro dolls, etc. all asleep. Puck and her fairies enter and begin to speak to the animated toys, who do not answer, being sound asleep. Finally Puck sets off the clock which awakens the toys, and the fun begins. There are dances and marches, and a large variety of different movements of the different groups of dolls, soldiers, Indians, etc. The jack-in-the-box artists get in their fun and have something to say, the rag doll makes lots of trouble and finally has to be put to sleep by Puck and borne off by the soldiers with loadings and firings, the cookie men sing and dance, the Indians have their war chants and war dance, the negro dolls do darkey stunts, the paper doll, the broken-down toys with their nurses, the goo-goo dolls or clowns, and the bye-low dolls, all do their parts, keeping up a lively and interesting change of scene. Finally Puck announces the near approach of morning and the toys return to the shop and take their places so that it is again arranged just as it was when it was locked up for the night. Miss Ramsdell and her assistants are certainly entitled to a great deal of credit for the excellent and thorough manner in which all children were drilled. The music was catchy and attractive and the children sang well. Mr. Hotchkiss directed this and composed some of it and Mr. Dudley presided at the piano assuring an excellent accompaniment.
______________________
THE JAPANESE GIRL
Evening Entertainment in City Hall by the Normal School Pupils.
An audience which filled practically every seat in city hall and which the applications for tickets showed would have materially increased in size had there been more room, greeted the normal school pupils Monday evening, when they presented the operetta, “The Japanese Girl,” with a cast and chorus numbering about thirty, under the direction of Clayton E. Hotchkiss, professor of music of the school.
A picturesque custom prevalent in some parts of Japan, by which a near relative or one much esteemed, who is about to be absent a long time, leaves with his friends a growing plant, a young tree or a singing bird, which is called by his name, regarded as his substitute and watched with the greatest care, suggested the text of the opera, which was worked out by Jeanie Quinton Rosse, the music being by Charles Vincent. Added to the Japanese chorus and soloists who take part are an American governess and her two charges, who give variety to the scenes.
While trained soloists in the leading parts would have given to the production an attractiveness and finish not otherwise attainable, it was decided by the faculty that it was more desirable to have all the work done by the school pupils, although none of the young ladies made any pretentions as soloists. The school chorus or glee club, however, is an excellent one. It has been thoroughly drilled by Mr. Hotchkiss and Professor Dudley., as the work of the evening clearly showed.
The stage setting for the opera represented a Japanese rose garden and was very prettily arranged. The young ladies of the chorus showed much taste in getting up their costumes, which were all Japanese in cut and design and comprised much variety in color and ornamentation. The scenes represented were at night, giving opportunity for brilliant stage illumination. The cast was as follows:
O Hanu San, a Japanese girl of position Miss Beatrice Agnese Wellington
(Beautiful Flower)
O Kitu San, her cousin Miss M. Leita Dodge
(Sweet Chrysanthemum)
O Kayo San, her cousin Miss Edith M. Cowper
(Tears of Bliss)
Chaya, her servant Miss Emma L. Knight
(Ten Server)
Nora Twinn Miss Blanche A. Browne
Dora Twinn Miss Ida W. Lindquist
Young American ladies travelling with their governess.
Miss Minerva Knowall, governess Miss H. Blanche Chandler
Chorus of Japanese girls.
The musical numbers comprised excellent choruses and numerous solos, trios, and duets, requiring rather difficult acting to give them a Japanese flavor. “Song O-hay-o,” the opening chorus, is set to particularly attractive measures which might easily become popular. The flower chorus, “With Nimble Fingers,” made a pretty scene and the “Lullaby” was another. In the second act the chorus “Hush,” was realistic, with attractive groupings, “Cheres Mademoiselles,” following in lively contrast. American flags were introduced in the song and chorus, “In Praise of America.” The Japanese dance by eight Geisha girls was well done and the finale and procession “All Hail,” with all the singers carrying Japanese lanterns, was rich in color effects and attractive in movements and groupings. The program of musical numbers follows:
Act I.
Overture
Chorus: “Sing O-hay-o.”
Recitative and air: “Thanks to You All” O Hanu San
Trio: “The Soldier, the Poet and the Artist,” O Hanu San, O Kitu San,
O Kayo San
Chorus: “With Nimble Fingers.”
Song: “What Shall I Do?” Chaya
Chorus: “Sayonara” (Good –bye).
Song: “O Tori-Kayo” (Singing Bird), O Hanu San
Chorus: “Lullaby.”
Act II.
Instrumental introduction.
Duet: “We Are Not Finished Yet,” Nora and Dora
Song: “When I Was a Girl,” Miss Knowall
Chorus: “Hush.”
Song and chorus: “Cheres Mademoiselles!” Miss Knowall and chorus
Song and chorus: “In Praise of America,” O Hanu San and chorus
Song and chorus: “Carmine Lips,” O Kitu San and chorus
Chorus: Japanese National anthem.
Japanese dance, Eight Geisha girls
Finale, procession of lanterns and chorus, “All Hail.”