John B. Ratto

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JOHN B. RATTO
Redpath




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The John B. Ratto Company
of Eminent Artists Featuring The Patriotic Review

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JOHN B. RATTO
Mr. Ratto's performances are full of action and life with not a dull moment.  They consist of the types of characters one meets in the average American communities or of noted men, past and present, as in the case of his Historic and Patriotic Review.

In Mr. Ratto's programs depicting the different phases of every-day life each number naturally and logically follows the preceding one, making a panorama of associated characters.  He presents his characters in make-up, penciling in full view of the audience, telling an appropriate story the while.  Penciling finished, he turns to the table mirror, adjusts his wig, and faces about to surprise you with the accuracy of a character distinct in appearance, speech and actions and with a personality all its own.

Mr. Ratto ranks as one of the Lyceum's standard attractions, a place won by genuine ability and faithful work, and he justly deserves the respect and esteem in which he is held by his co-workers.



Twenty Five Hundred Engagements
The Redpath Bureau heartily endorses Mr. Ratto as one of the most consistent successes on its list.  This statement is based on the record of ten years' business and the booking of approximately 2,500 engagements.

Supplementary to his appearance on the Lyceum platform, Mr. Ratto never allows an opportunity to pass to use his talents to bring joy to the unfortunates in the various institutions of the country.  He often gives his services to sanitariums, hospitals, penitentiaries and asylums.



Return Dates 20 Per Cent of His Bookings
To the communities where Mr. Ratto has appeared and who care to consider him for a return engagement the Bureau heartily recommends him, not only as presenting an excellent program but as an unusually good drawing card in door sales.

Nearly 20% of Mr. Ratto's bookings are returns.  In many places he has appeared from three to six times.




Ratto's Historic and Patriotic Review
An important and impressive feature of John B. Ratto's Lyceum program for the coming season, in all halls where stage and lighting permit, will be an Historic and Patriotic Review—striking impersonations of the great characters in the national life of not only the United States but of our allies.  This review was given during the past season with great success on the Redpath-Vawter Chautauquas.

The photos of Mr. Ratto in make-up appearing on another page, give some idea of the faithfulness of the likeness to the characters presented.

The actual cost for equipment of this sketch was over $700.  No expense was spared in the material to secure the best results.  The forehead of the wigs was made of the finest kid, carefully stretched over a mold which was the exact size and shape of Mr. Ratto's head.  Mr. Carl Kettler, his wig man, who was in the personal employ of Joseph Jefferson as costumer and dresser, personally superintended their making, and Mr. Kettler says it is the finest set of wigs ever made by him.  The make-up is done in Mr. Ratto's usual way, in full view of the audience, and only thirty seconds to a minute are consumed in each change.

The speech of each character is up-to-date and timely, featuring the war from Peter of Servia's answer to Austria's demand, to the welcoming of the United States as one of the allies by President Poincare of France.  In the presentation of Washington, his acceptance of the command of the Army of the Revolution is used; for Lincoln, an excerpt from one of his speeches concerning sacrifice in support of the constitution; for Grant, his response to Lincoln's appointment of him as commander-in-chief of the Northern forces; for Lee, his decision of loyalty to his state; for Uncle Sam, a typical speech with a plea to back Wilson as the old folks did Lincoln.

Some newspapers have referred to the review as a classic, and all have been very enthusiastic in its praise.  Mr. Ratto himself says it is being received the best of anything he has ever done.

From the professional standpoint it runs twenty minutes, and it has averaged twenty genuine bursts of applause.  The characters of Lincoln and Washington, as well as Uncle Sam, have been especially applauded, and none of the characters has ever failed to receive an enthusiastic hand.



Comments of Newspapers and Committeemen: Not a Dull Moment

The M. E. church auditorium was filled to listen to John B. Ratto, impersonator.  His company of artists, imaginary, were impersonated perfectly; his rapid changes of costume and facial expressions were done with smoothness and grace.  There was not a dull moment.  The audience was turned from bursts of laughter in the comedy scenes to solemnity in the court scene and sentencing of the old gray haired man, all of which were impersonated and acted out true to life by Mr. Ratto. Mr. Ratto is an artist in his line.
OLEAN (N. Y.) EVENING HERALD



An Unqualified Success

A program of an exceedingly pleasing and entertaining nature was that given by John B. Ratto, at the Y. M. C. A. auditorium last evening.  It was one of the numbers of the Star Course and drew an audience that very nearly filled the auditorium.
As an entertainer Mr. Ratto is an unqualified success.

PIQUA (OHIO) DAILY CALL



Wholesome View of Amusing Characters

John B. Ratto, impersonator, fulfilled all promises of his talent as an entertainer and gave the audience, which filled the Armory last evening so much of the humor and such a wholesome view of the amusing characteristics of all nationalities, that they enjoyed the evening from the start, and with each succeeding number added to the warmth of their appreciative laughter and applause.
ROCKFORD (ILL.) MORNING STAR



Fulfilled All Expectations

John B. Ratto fulfilled all the expectations of local people.  The house was one of the largest lecture course houses known in Washington, and all enjoyed the entertainment to the top notch.
Mr. Ratto impersonated a great variety of types, and did them all to perfection.

WASHINGTON (IA.) EVENING STAR



An Ideal Platformist
D. D. DUKES, Findlay, O.

Well, the expected has happened.  Ratto bombarded the old town Tuesday night for the second time and we all surrendered after the opening gun was fired.  We are all his.

In my opinion his program is just right.  Attack it from any angle and you will find no weak spots.  Ratto has all the qualifications of an ideal platformist.



A Master Stroke
JAMES PICKERING, Lancaster, O.

I desire to say that John B. Ratto made a master stroke here last Friday evening.  The audience was very cordial in applause and went away delighted.  I never received more expressions of appreciation and praise of the work of any lecturer or concert company, than came to me from many of our best patrons concerning John B. Ratto.  We took in $79.70 for reserved seats.  This was the largest amount ever received for a lecturer or entertainer since the course started.