Donna has “Pleasing Voice,” at the Orpheum Theater – Ogden, Utah – Nov. 26th, 1919

The Ogden Standard 22 November 1919

Pre-show hype began on November 18th with a paragraph in the “Theaters” column which said, “Manager Goss announced today he has booked “Chin Chin.” the musical comedy event of the season, which with its company of 65 people, will be here on thanksgiving eve. Charles Goettier, business manager of the show, was in Ogden Sunday, completing arrangements for the company’s appearance.”

The Ogden Standard – November 24, 1919

On November 24th, the Ogden Standard ran a new (for us) photo, this time of “The Four Chinese Blossom Girls.”  Unfortunately, the quality of the photo is again insufficient to be sure if Donna is there or which one is Donna.  I believe that the two middle women are other people but Donna could be either end person.  Hopefully, we will find a better image of the four another time.

“CHIN CHIN” DRAWS GOOD CROWD TO THE ORPHEUM THEATRE

Ogden Examiner – Nov. 27, 1919

“Chin Chin” an oriental fantasy, gorgeous in its investiture and colorful settings attracted a good house in the Orpheum theatre last night, dispute the gale that blew on the outside. There were lots of girls, some beautiful and some just girls, but ensemble they made a good impression as their voices blended harmoniously. The costuming showed discriminating taste — Charles Dillingham’s hand plain enough — and the __??__ went over with a bang, but—- And here’s the fly In the ointment– did you ever go up to a soda fountain and asks for a gin fizz or something like, and when you tasted it found that the dispenser forgot to put in the “fizz,” the drink was flat, you know. Well, that was just the matter with this production of “Chin Chin,” the dispenser forgot to put in the fizz –the seasoning was a little short.

However, on the whole, the show went by good after the f!r«t act, and picked up well just about the time the clown band got going strong.

There is  practically no plot to the variegated performance. In the first act there were Aladdin and Violet Bond, a charming young American girl who drops in Pekin in search of a magical lamp, and the action is centered about her adventurer.

Carlton Reiger, well known in Ogden since he first came here with “Mickey” last summer was Aladdin. He joined the show in Denver and despite the short time has been with the show gave a creditable performance.  He had a good lead voice and really was one of the shiny spots in the show.

Roy Binder and Walter Wills were the two dashing comedians who did extremely well in their specialities.

Others who carried their parts better than average were Donna Montran as “Goddess of the Lamp,” Neva Larry as “Sen Sen” and Irene McKay as “Fan Tan,” and Ethel Lawrence as the “American Girl.” Both Miss Montran and Miss Lawrence have pleasing voices.

The Teddy Bear dance was an Irish number and the clown saxophone band was the hit of the evening.

Popular song hits of the evening were: Violet,” “The Gray Moon,” “Love Moon,” “Go Gar Gig Gang Jur,” and “Good-bye Girl.”

Manager J. P. Goss announces Chaundey Oleoit in “Mascushla” on December 3, his first appearance here in ten years

Despite a very bad blizzard a large attendance was registered at the Orpheum theatre Wednesday night to witness the performance of the musical melange “Chin Chin.”

Unfortunately, however the production was in now way one to call forth very hearty applause or admiration. Much of the music was very old without being at the same time good enough to be worthy of a long remembrance. The costumes and srake [?] settings were fairly attractive. The singing and acting, with one or two exceptions, were not on high grade.

Roy Binder and Walter Wills were the principal comedians and in most of their work did well.

Carlton Reiger, who appeared here as soloist at the first production of the moving picture, “Mickey” was not seen to advantage in his part. By far the most amusing and interesting items of the performance were contributed by the Saxophone Sextet, whose number would be a considerable headliner by itself on any vaudeville bill.

In extenuation of a poor performance it is to be borne in mind that the artists were most probably suffering greatly from cold on the stage.

The Orpheum Theater

The Orpheum Theater – Photo courtesy Utah State Historical Society

The Grand Opera House in Ogden, Utah, was build in 1890.  It was a Romanesque style building with a seating capacity of 1,600 people. In 1909 its name was changed to the Orpheum Theatre after the Orpheum Theater Circuit which was a chain of vaudeville and theaters.  The chain ultimately became the RKO – Radio Keith Orpheum.

It became exclusively a cinema in the 1940s and operated until 1982.  In 1983 it was torn down to provide additional parking for the Ben Lomond Hotel.

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