The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-09-17
MARY ANDERSON .

From the Terre Haute Ledger.

Rehearsal
From the Terre Haute Ledger
Miss Mary Anderson, the gifted young
tragedienne, is spending the summer al
Long Branch, and exposing her precious
self 10 Il sensational neck breaking, by
riding thai fiery young colt overthe beach
Miss Anderson is said to be the most
successful star before the American pub
lie, and having thrifty step-father, he
generally manages 10 have a sock full of
ducats for summer expenditure. The
success of the young actress has been
truly phenomenal Five years ago she
made her first appearance at Macauley's
| thealer, in Louisville, and since that
| time has held prominent position on
| the American stage. One who Was
present, and an actor, at her first sp-
| pearanee, gives us an ACCOUNT "a 1t:
1t was in November, and the stock
company at the theater was playing,
with Mines Leyic as star. On Saturday
morning a modest notice appeared in
the Louisville papers TO 'he effect that
| Miss Mary Anderson, well known So
cietv lady, would make her debut in
Romeo and Juliet" that evening. AT
! 10 O'Clock the rehearsal began Miss An
/ derssn was on hand, accompanied by her.
mother. She was then tall, ungalnIy
! woman and took steps nearly yard
Z
looked haggard and worn. The stage
manager danced attendance upon her
with mock gallantry, to the great amuse-
ment of the company. Whether or not
| Miss Anderson noticed that she was being
''gayed" we cannot say, but at all events
she paid no attention TO 1t. She gave her
stage directions in masculine voice,
and no representations on the part of The
| manager had any effect-the traditions
| The Young actress went through her part
of The rehearsal with as much serious
ness as if she were the real daughter of
the Capuiets, and was much annoyed at
the listiessness of the regular players,
| who simply "walked through" their
parts In the rehearsal of the balcony
scene she wanted the balcony up and de-
coraied as at the regular performance,
much TO the disgust OF the stage carpen-
ter. From this elevated spot she show
cred upon her Romeo, 4 bald headed old
man, all the honeyed words of the text
and threw at him the most loving gri-
maces In the scene with Friar Law
renee she created much merriment
for the 'old stagers." She
portrayed the widest grief
and filed the empty theaier with her re-
sounding voice as she offered to leap
from off the battlements of yonder tow
err" nor does she hesitate in the scene
with the friar to cast herself upon the
floor just as she intended to do at night.
Stage floors during. rehearsal are not
clean, being usually covered with dirt
from muddy boots, sawdust and shaw
, ings. So the rehearsal continued. the
star sighting her part none the least,
| and going through the business" as
she would do at night. This was in
ludicrous contrast with the rehearsal
of the actors All of them walked
through their parts, merely mumbling
their words, without regard to decla
nation or effect. The star was far
from pleased, and wanted her Romeo
to throw himself upon the floor, as
in the regular business of the play
but the dignitied leading man pro
tested against spelling his clothes by any
act of that kind. During the rehearsal
; she was quite complimentary, neverthe
less, and gave the actors "taffy" on some
: performance of theirs she had witnessed
They took it in for "taffy." In the even
; ing the performance was witnessed by
quite select audience, composed prin
cipally of the debutante's friends. i
. was like the rehearsal, rather an origiDa
performance, filed with crudities, bu
displayed those flashes of genius which
: have won for her great reputation
: Notwithstanding the prejudice of pro
:, fession3ls toward those who step from
= the parlor to the stage, old actors wer'
9 forced to admit that she had ''stuff il
: her" After resting a few weeks thu
, young actress played whole week a
7 Louisville with remarkable success, an(
thence at New Orleans, where her meri
was recognized for the first time by tn
outside world. Since then her histor,
/. is well known.