The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-19
A THOUGH this Is her first sum mer with
"A the stock company, Miss Edythe Chap
man has established herself as
favOrite with the stamp OF pernla-

LIHDCGd this Is her 1trst sum mer with
- the stock company, Miss Edythe Chap
man has established herself as
favOrite with the stamp OF pernla.
nency and popularity which many
less accomplished artists would be several
years iii approaching. This pleasant
achievement has a singular side to it.
Since she has been here she has pla ed
only light comedy roles, In fact, no pro
ductiOn has been made in which the lead
ing lady's part is of any other style. Yet
all her previous experience has been in
tragedy and her sudden flight to the first
round OF the tragic ladder was as much
surprise to those watctin g the beginning
of her career as has been her recent sue
cessful excursion into comedy. But will
let her tell that and several other inter
esting things which She related after a
midday rehearsal while She and her caller
sat in the wreck of scenery on the hall box
which hid the Rev. Robert Spaiding fort
night ago.
ITO go back to the beginning said Miss
Chapman, as she took the cue, ..means to
skip back about eight years to the days
when / studied at the Lyceum School of
Acting. have never played other than the
leading lady's roles even when we gave
the school matinees. My first appearance
was in Sophocies' Electra in which
played Clytemnestra. They told me that
after utitbcEtI tue Sfedi curse scene that
Daniel friedman turned To his Companion
and compiimented me nicely. Will Gillette
was in that select but famous audience and
he remarked TO Henry C. DeMille: There's
a girl that has future, we will hear from
her.
Just before / left the school We pla yed
Charles Matthew's The Dowager,' I in
the title part. When the audience had
left the Lyceum after the regular evening
,x,rFr. t,aA
hearsal. Frank r. Stockton and his wife
the two Frohmans, Nelson wheatcroft,
Henry DeMille and many of equal fame
were preent. As / made my grand en-
trance in Empire gown carrying the fash
ionable STAFF, 1 felt / was very fine until
Beiasco's voice came from a dark corner.
60 back and try not to come on like q
cow 1 went back and cried bitterly for
4 moment. then bTacei up and determined
to show him 1 could.
Il was re W arded by hearing him remark.
That's something like it, Next day he
sent me box OF beautiful violets. and came
back aud said .Edythe, your forte will be
high comedy. You will step into Ada Re
hans shoes And We been deep in tragedy
ever since until this spring. when Sydney
Resented gave me two days and one re-
hearsal to play Mrs. Stevens in The Two
Escutcheons." 1t was my first professional
made the greatest impression of anything
l have ever done. and imy offers for next
season have been for high comedy.
Il wasin hopes you would let Mr.. Belasco
out. she said in reply to query as to her
association with the famous stage in
structor. Yes, he trained me. If every
girl who studied with him had been per-
mitted to go on the stand in the recent trial
he would have won his $50. 900 instead OF
$16.p0p. Everything he said was true He
is wonderful. His method is primarily gym
nastic. He literally bends the pupils double
and lfmbers every joint and muscle. Then
he discovers to the subject her latent strong
point.
He will make her respond. remember
little, iron-bOund, iminutable Sarah Bing-
ham. He could not get any emotion out
of her. He read TO her, he acted at her;
detained and raved until our eyes stood
out. but she would not succumb. One morn
ing he began to berate America and land
England. She was up in a moment. and
the stripes waved and the stars flashed
about in a most exuberantly enthusiastic
manner. When sla had spent herself, he
smiled suavely, and said coolly: There;
that is just what 1 want. Now do that in
your part Then She and we realized with
what artfrl trickery lie had stirred the
soul OF the staid little Puritan maid. ,
ITO get back to my promise from Mr.
Belasco Of high comedy career. dropped
at once into sedate Ann Cruger in THE
Charity Ball, and from there l stepped
into the Ward and James company as lead
ing lady in their first combination year,
and it was great event then. By the why,
/ played my first tragic part here In WASH
ington at the New National. 1t was the
name part in Francesca da Rirnini."
"A 1unny incident occurred 1t is the
general rule that stage doors swing in.
Ny first exit was made while cried hys-
terically to my maid, Come, Rita The
door had become turned and twice I re-
peated the line. The third time, a assisted
by some unaccountable strength, drew it
open, but at the expense of two hinges
and four screws, and the door lay on the
floor. The house, OF Course, went wild
Fred Warde, hearing the applause and not
seeing the incident, thought 1t was my
acting and congratulated me warmly. Mr..
Rapley said to Arthur Warde In the Of
flee: "A very strong leading woman you
have Arthur hadn't seen the incident
and he took the cue beautifully. Yes, said
Mr.. Rapley, she is ripping up all my seen
cry
Louis James has the reputation of being
one OF the greatest practical iokers in the
profession. You cannot look him in the
eye in a serious scene. Have you ever no
ticed Marie Wainwfight's habit OF looking
over her lovers head?
.'She took on that hafdt when with James,
He wfnks at you and nakes faces an
through yourspeeches. No one Ia ever secure