Tony Pastor’s Opera House

“Tony Pastor can congratulate himself that he has secured for his opera house one of the best variety troupes that has ever appeared in this city. The principal feature of the present programme was the debut of Ella Wesner as a character vocalist, who has been for some years upon the dramatic stage, and has won distinction for the impersonation of boys and fast youths, and during that portion of her professional career she has appeared in many of the principal theatres of the west and south. Previous to her embracing the dramatic profession she had appeared in several variety halls, but only as a dancer. Therefore, Monday the 25^th July, may properly be chronicled as her debut in this line of business. From the moment of her first appearance she ingratiated herself into the favor of the audience, and at the close of her first song, her success was assured. She gives three songs with rapid changes of costume, viz.—‘Waiting for the Train,’ ‘Careless Jack,’ and ‘New York Joe.’ In the first she was elegantly and tastefully attired in a suit of plaid male costume, which was quickly changed in the second to lavender pants, dark vest, fancy coat and white hat, which in turn gave place for the third song to a full suit of white flannel and neglige hat. Nature has liberally endowed her for this specialty with an almost faultless form, a face quite masculine and jet black curling hair, which she wears cut short. She might easily walk Broadway in male attire without her sex being suspected. Her voice is melodious, and would be classed as a mezzo-soprano. The Hernandez troupe, comprising also the Leon Brothers, have appeared in the burlesque upon the Japanese as performed by them at the Olympic Theatre, also in a comical act entitled the Cow-bell-o-gians, and in the pantomime entitled ‘Vol-au-vent,’ in which A. M. Hernandez in the serenading scene performed upon some seventeen different instruments, including a finely executed solo upon the guitar. Kathleen O’Neil made her first appearance since her return from California and sang ‘Bridget Marooney from Ballynafat,’ sufficiently well to gain three re-calls. Tony Pastor was warmly welcomed and sang quite a budget of his popular songs. All the old favorites received a substantial recognition. A double song and dance by Connor and Bradley is deserving not only of especial mention, but high commendation. The entire performance was pleasing, the acts were of the right length, sufficient to create a desire for more, and there were no waits to beget a tedium in the minds of the auditors, for which the stage manager deserves due praise. The house is admirably ventilated, and during the brief recess has been thoroughly cleaned and put in good order, and the orchestra has been enlarged by the addition of some four or five rows of chairs. Considering the heated term that has prevailed the business has been satisfactory.” 

Poole’s withdrawal as acting manager.