Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In 1916, Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio also produced scenery for a production entitled, “At Ocean Beach.” The show was billed as “a sprightly tabloid musical comedy” and “a breezy musical comedy.”
The “Dodge City Daily Globe” reported, “It is a wholesome musical comedy…some high classed elaborate scenery is utilized to dress it, and girls who not only possess and astonishing degree of personal pulchritude, but real singing voices as well. It is in comedy that the piece is strongest, however. Don Adams as Augusttus Klutz, proprietor of the hotel, is the funniest Dutchman seen here since the palmy days of Joe Cawthorne. He reminds one of the notorious ‘Hans Nitz’ of ‘The Telephone Girl’ fame. His makeup is so good that it looks like the real thing, and his comedy tickles the risabilities of the audience until it roars in appreciation. ‘Billy Batchelor plays the burlesque characetrs of a dop fiend, under the title of ‘Daffy Dill.’ When Batchelor comes on the sage at first he looks like a dressed up ‘rough nut’ abiout to make an announcement. He improves as the minutes go by, until the final drop of the curtain. He and Adams make an exceedingly strong team, in fact, and are deserving of heavy patronage while they are here. ‘Blanche Oliver,’ played by Norine Robinson, is a startling good character. Miss Robinson has an excellent voice and knows how to use it” (1 Aug. 1916, page 1). Here was the program posted in the article:
Daffy Dill – Billy Batchelor
Miss Getrich – Hazel Vert
Augustus Klutz – (Proprietor Ocean Beach Hotel) – Don Adams
Count Jean Campeau – Ed Smith
Blacnhe Oliver – Norianne Robinson
Italian Street Singers – Smith and Robinson
Guests of the Hotel
Adeline Guild – Mildred LaRae
Thelma Palmer – Joy Lynn
Claire Summers – Norianne Robinson
Edithe Vandergould – Evelyn Sintae
Alice Astorbilt – Miriam Bennett
Nina Beach – Billie Douglas
Place – Veranda, Ocean Beach Hotel, California.
Time – summer evening.
(Costumes by Chas. Stevens Co., Chicago; shows, by the Aiston Co., Chicago; scenery, the Sosman & Landis Co., Chicago; stage settings, the Pacific Coast Ratan Co., Los Angeles, California.”
MUSICAL NUMBERS
Prologue and opening – Billy Batchelor and Guiests
In the Valley of the Nile – Count Jean Champeau and Guests
Let Me Be Your Husband – Augustus Klutz
Are Your From Dixie? – Blanche Oliver and Guests
Moonlight on the Rhone – Miss Getrich and Guests
Ah Marie – Ed Smith
Ciribiribin – Italian Street Singers
Finale – Entire Company
To be continued…
