St. Paul daily globe., 1895-12-15

performance will be considered ef-
fectiYe. In other words, all COM
Bine TO make the performance sue
cessful, while, on the other hand, the
speciality artist must alone please.
nTfe must of course be able to cope
with the many other specialists that
surround him and may at any time
be called upon to change his entire
portion of the performance. A vau-
deviller or burlesquer must in every
sense of the word be an artist and
must be more versatile than an out
slider can imagine. At the same time
he must be original. Take; for in
stance, the celebrated J. w. Kelly.
He, of course, is called "top notch
err Now should some one attempt
to initiate him what would the public
say, but were he a dramatic actor
he would be copied by hundreds and
no attention whatsoever would be
paid to it. Burlesque is variety, and
variety can only be interpreted by
vaudeville artist. A musical director
of some grand opera company, al
though he be a musician of great
ability, could not direct an orchestra
for a vaudeville performance.
The line is so separate and apart
from any other department of theatri-
cal amusement that it has been set
aside as. a business of itself. True it
is a great deal easier to begin as
vaudeville artist than in drama, but
one thing is sure, and that. is that if
you are not good as dramatic actor
you may, from the surroundings, be
able to get along, depending solely ON
the help of others, but if you are not
up to the mark as a speciality artist it
shows itself so plainly that you are at
once condemned, and, as a matter of
course, your contract is Cancelled. I
do not in any way mean to say that
vaudeville artists are better than those
who follow the drama, for such is not
my idea.
went on the stage quite young and
played with Lewis Morrison, William
Redmund and Mrs. Thomas Barry and
the ST. Charles Theater (New Orleans)
Stock company in many high class
dramas 7 was fairly successful, but
not advancing in my profession as
rapidly as I should have liked I start
prima donna and soubrette roles in
the popular works and was in many
new productions of that order. My
salary-for that is what all are striv-
ing for-still remained about the same.
1t seemed that I could not better my
self.
& 1 took to farce comedy, and then to
sensational melodrama, Being starred
i fy,, nj
progress was about the same. 1 was
then married to Mr.. Joseph Barrett,
and he at last conceived the idea Of
vaudeville and burlesque. I started,
of course, on small salary, and have
ever since been on the raise all the
time Engagemsnts at any of the
high-class vaudevilS> theaters and roof
gardens are now easily obtained by
me, and, in fact, I can always be at
work, whether with a travelling COM
bination, or what the variety people
call playing dates" which is getting
engagements at different houses your
self and paying your own expenses and
railroad fares. I only cite my case as
a proof Of my argument that the adj
vahcement in the vaudeville line Is
much more rapid and the pay better
than in any other branch of theatrical
amusement. At any rate, have found
1t so, and am sure there are many
others who are of the same opinion.
Look at all Of our comic opera stars,
and then go back to their beginning as
actors. You will find that nine out Of
every ten of them were once in the vau-
deville and burlesque, and, what is
more, they made their impression while
there, and it was through their indl-
viduality and originality that they be-
came celebrated. Then, Of course, the
field is easy once one becomes IA
vorite, for, no matter what the line he
is in, he at once finds a field where the
returns for his ability will be greater.
In other words, he starts his own COM
pany and plays the higher class thea
ters. In many cases he Is successful,
and of course as success favors him he
becomes more and more firmly INSTALL