The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-02-23
CORDRAY's NEW SOUBRETTE.
A Short Sketch Of Miss Mamie Giiroy's
Dramatic Career.


Miss Mamie Gilroy formed a very at
tractive and extremely interesting picture
to PosT-INTELLIGENcER reporter yester-
day, as she reclined on convalescent's
pillow at the Rainier hotel. Masses Of
dark hair strayed at pleasure over low,
broad forehead, whose whiteness was
rendered more intense by recent illness.
White rows Of symmetrical teeth cleaned
at intervals from between ripe, red lips
that formed shapely and sympathetic
mouth. The dark eyes had the languor of
the sick room, but the brilliancy of the re-
covering invalid. A face of unusually
sweet expression and delicate complexion
adds the finishing touches to what is but a
feeble pen picture of Miss Mamie Gilroy,
the leading soubrette of Cordray's recently
formed combination.
This lady, it may be said, had the stage
for nursery. Born in New York, in 1872,
she made her first appearance, when only
3years old, at Days Princess Royal, now
the Fifth Avenue theater. Her father, a
prominent Democrat of that city, paid
more attention to politics than to his
business, which resulted in failure, and
the mother was obliged to secure COM
petence for the family by turning the
native brightness of her children to ac-
count. In children's parts Miss Gilroy
appeared successfully under the following
managers: Messrs. A. M. Palmer and
Shook, MOdjeska, Agnes Robertson, and
Shook and Collier. During the following
two years she starred with w. H. Bishop,
and appeared as Mugg in "Mugg's Land
ing. For the last seven months Miss
Gllroy was under the management of
Harry Hamlin, of the Grand opera-house,
Chicago: Here she appeared as Pattie
soubrette - to At the leadership anH piaye Of
Miss Alice Harrison, the well-known Paci-
fic coast favorite.
Miss Gilroy has rich contrato voice,
and plays the piano and banjo. She has
scored innumerable triumphs by her
dancing, and is skilled in the Carmencita,
the Hungarian, the tambourine, the wing,
hOrnpipe, Highland and other dances.
In charming and modest manner Miss
Gilroy spoke of her profession, and
showed herself highly intelligent and
thoughtful woman for one of her years.
Ian. ~ am proud Of my profession" said the
odium which has fallen on the stage to the
unprincipled conduct of women who only
use 1t as mask to afford them greater
license. What can be higher
than the power to portray
character, so that the creation
OF the author may walk, talk and act like
living entity, possessed of all the virtues,
faults and whims common to poor human
nature? Is it an easy task to forget self
and become some one else. so that the sor-
rows and trials of the real self are lost
sight of? have been obliged to assume
my character, all smiling, gay and frolic-
some, just q few minutes after l had re-
ceived intelligence of the death of dearly
loved sister. It is said that the highest
success Of art is to conceal art, and the art
which enables one to present character
while the real self is wrung by sorrow and
grief, is surely not gift to be decried.
When women on the stage learn to pre-
serve the dignity which natural gifts
should intensity to the possessor, the pro-
fession will be exalted and its members
honored."
Miss Gilroy will be able to sppear for the
first time on Monday, March 2.