The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-20
Copyright. 1861

1t WAS the first night of ,he opening cf
fb. regular theatcr season III town -Four
new plays wcr. booked Tor four separate
lheaters. and the Inv.teratc "first-uiGnt-
ers'' were in despair. How, for>o"'h' can
a person lie III four theatcrs al one! HOW
clap out applause to four faF"rite> III i''''
widely separated theat"rs;
In one of the boxes, with N" curtains
drawn to shield all hut lis face, >a' tte
old Timer Not Il first night had ne hlIs>'H
since Mrs. John Ioey electrified INN "a
lsi. and Laura Keene dazZied him III 1861
pALY.s CELEBRATED CURTAIN
Il came here tonight SAID lie, Pc
cans, there - a new Cror-Curtaln, and
# there Is anything IN which am inter
e.rel II Is the curt ain of a thcater.
always think OF what bon Boucicault
,nco said to me when rehearsing for
MAY NV friend sad BOuCicault. with
ms rIch IRISH twinkle. i am going I"
lake. a hoIiday every day III TIC wee"
during these rehcarsals- nv tiehd'
they've bought a cropcurtatn 'fat an
Cupids and lovers sitting on rock WIN
a stream batbling past, and the audience
would rather sit on the rock than see ih"-
-BouCicault knew what he was tdlhint
about when he cNtOlled the virtues III
good tIrop-curtaiD. Look at \ ugusiin Dhiy-
He thinks not hing Of pa wing $50 600 inr an
embroidered curtain. which he brings all
the wav from Milan for his New York and
London theatcrs. He will have No paint
in his house. Paint breaks, he thinks,
The curtain must be done 10y girls. si:ch
\. work IL ut
once, Expense is nothing Ia him. and he
employs Garibaldi TO design and pain'She
curtain before it is embroidered. That
is the value he puts on d good drip II
pats the audience in such charming
huinor' he says. His curtains now have
the fac" of Ada Eehan. Tie lady Sit or
the clouds receiving a wclLde>erve'l crown
from the Cupids. Mr. DAILY Call~ it The
Growing OF Comedy" Hcpaid GaTihdldi
$4,000 for the subject.
Il well rcCUlIcCt." said the Old Timer.
1.-The first handsome drop-cuTtain that
WAS ever used III this country II was put
up i'll the theatcr in which FanuI' k"mhlc
was laying The scenic artists had worked
upon 1t for months. and the stage car
pentcrs had the most minute directions
about raising and lowernri It.
On the night If the play all WIS ~
pecta;ion bchiad the scenes The stage
hands felt that the success If the even
ing depcndcd upon them a feeling care
fully f"siered 10y the manager. who told
hem that half the city had turned out
to see the wonderful new curtain.
MISS KEMBLE's STAR ACT.
at one stage of the play Miss KrnIblr.
made her appearance upon high rock.
from which she Threatened to leap and
dash out her brains if her lover would
not make certain promises to her
SLOWLY but surely Tn" curtain lifted
and the lover dashed out upon the stage.
a, that same minute = Tair Of tiny feet
appeared upon Il rock above. Lift that |
curtain mere. whispered the heroine
"'Oi can't do il. niHm' whispered hack
the stage carpenter There's 4 nail in
The roller that will break the angels |
back if we pull it any higher
ID IL the angels back Kissed back |
the now Crazed heroine Lift that cur
tain higher or youll rue it,
IAN this tine the amazed audience sat
gazing upon a Iair Of fec; hiGhtn air,
toward which tho frantic lover cazcd in
desperation.
- Blank your souli' exclaimed Miss
Kembla. then here goes. and I'll sue You
IL I'm hurt And. jumping full upon the
stage. she landed AT the feet Il her
amazed lover. while with ready wit she
exclaimed See. ! risk my life for you,
"A friend of mine. a little actress. who
was then doing a thinking part in Days
tells this stage-Curtain story
of Miss Rehan:
THE goo'l-,empercd Ada was standn.
upon the middle of the stage at rehearsal |
showing several of the younger members
Of the company how to GO through their
lines and perform certain stage busiucSs. |
In the orchestra sat John Drew and James |
Lewis.
"'You take this piece Of embroidery in |
your hand said Miss Rehan to the Struc- |
Cling yourg actress. 'aud YOU dra n stitch |
it. You hear noise. You look |
up and see Herbert at the window You |
have not seen him in n year. Herbert. |
You cry. and flinging the en-