Tony Pastor’s Opera House

“Sam Collyer, the clever little representative of the P. R., appeared at Tony Pastor’s Opera House the past week as Joe Kidd in a drama of that name. This was the first appearance of Samuel in a speaking part in this city, although he played the character of Bob in Brougham’s local piece of ‘The Lottery of Life,’ in Baltimore, and made a favorable impression. Mr. Collyer deserves great praise for launching out boldly in a new line of business, and, taking all things into consideration, he did remarkably well. His voice is very much against him and will be his only drawback as a ‘speakist.’ He is a little awkward on the stage but after he has a little more practice will overcome all that. The piece afforded him every opportunity to show off, as he had several sets to in the gymnasium scene with T. G. Riggs and G. W. Thompson. On Friday evening, Sam set to with Dick Hollywood and there was a large attendance, many of whom were ladies, who enjoyed the manly art of self defence with as much gusto as the old sports.”