The Daily Notes -- October 1, 1902 OPERA HOUSE OPENING WAS A GALA AFFAIR

Remodeled and Enlarged and Now One of the Finest Play Houses

Completely remodeled, resplendent with decorations and brilliant with hundreds of electric lights, the Morgan house was reopened Tuesday evening, the attraction being "Our New Minister," one of the strongest plays depicting rural life in New England ever given to the stage. The audience was a large one, and those who had not seen the hall since the close of the season last spring did not recognize the room as being the opera house. Manager J. C. Morgan has expended a large sum of money in remodeling and enlarging the house, and has given Canonsburg one of the finest play houses in Western Pennsylvania. The decorations are works of art, the lighting and ventilation greatly improved, the new scenery provided, a balcony and boxes erected, and the seating capacity greatly enlarged.

"Our New Minister," as presented by the original New York Company, is a scenic production of real merit. The scene is in the fictitious town of Hardscrabble, in New Hampshire, whose inhabitants are thrown into great excitement by the advanced views of Thaddeus Strong, the new minister. The usual characters of a small community are faithfully represented. There is just enough comedy interspersed with love and a touch of tragedy, to interest but not tire.

The characters were well impersonated. John Terriss as "Thaddeus Strong," the new minister, Charles Sedman as "Lem Ransom," a returned convict, Joseph Conyers as "Darius Startle," a country detective, and Ethel Brooke Ferguson as "Nance Ransom," the convict's daughter, ably maintaining their parts. There were few weak points in the play and the large audience will remember the opening attraction of the season with pleasure. Coming attractions at the opera house include: "Side Tracked," Oct. 3; Frank Davidson Oct. 7; "One Night in June," Oct. 10; Dilger Cornell, Oct. 13-18.