Sheila Terry and Co.

Singing, dialogue and music.

"Three's a Crowd."

A newcomer is Sheila Terry, a dainty little miss, with that unmistakable advantage, "the bloom of youth." In addition, she is reinforced by the skillfull technique and experience of William B. Friedlander, who supplied the music, lyrics and staging of "Three's a Crowd," which is a tabloid musical romance in three scenes. She has the assistance of a special musical director and two stage artists, Ben Bard and Gattison Jones. The act opens in "one" before a special drop, where the two young men -meet, one asks for a light, they recognize each other as old friends, and it develops they are both seeking the hand of the same girl. "If you win her hand you're a better man than I am," they each lyricize to the other and go off to call on the girl. The drop in "one" should be made practical for entrances as they are standing before the house of the girl upon whom both are calling. There should be two other practical entrances in the drop, one on either side, as will be developed later. On raising the "front cloth," what is supposed to be the young woman's home is dressed up in a silk cyclorama. In a trio song the boys make a simultaneous proposal of marriage. She brings forth a crystal ball and sings to it: "Which one shall I marry?" One of the men is a singer and the other a clever eccentric dancer, each paying assiduous court in his own fashion, the girl meantime changing costumes for her dances and responses. In the end "I must choose one of you, but I don't know which one to accept." (To audience:) "Decide for me whose bride to be and I'll do what you say." Spectators decide by applause that it is the dancer she should favor and the drop is again lowered for a finish in one. On the right is painted a recruiting office and on the left "Apartments to Let." The rejected suitor reads the recruiting sign and exits, which was designed to convey he had enlisted, while the loving pair peer at the "Apartments to Let" and exit in the other direction, as the young woman appeared to have set up housekeeping. The cutting of practical exits through the drop would carry this idea much more clearly. This absence of doors and one or two minor details would give the impression the act is still crude and also the fact that for applause acknowledgment they are all three discovered in the full stage set. Both men are competent in their respective roles. As to Miss Terry, she is, as before mentioned, young, also pretty, and dances very well, singing fairly, A whole lot more will probably be made of the act before it is many weeks older.

Variety, 54:5 (03/28/1919)