The Somerset reporter., 1896-08-06
MAYO AT REHEARSAL
HOW The FAMOUS ACTOR TRAINED
THE MEMBERS OF HIS COMPANY.
His Fondness For "Pudd'nhead Wilson
Ambitious Attempts as "A Manager Which
Failed-His Besetting Penchant For AR.
guing Was His Worst Fault.

Ku4Dg Was HIS worst Fault.
1.-The late Frank Mayo, whose sudden
death on a train near Omaha was such
a painful shock to the whole dramatic
profession, was one of the most severe
and at the same time most Just man
ayers that it has ever been my pleasure
to act UNDER said Henry Davenport,
son of +. L. Davenport. the tragedian,
and one of the managers of the Girard
Avenue theater of this city. He knew
how part should be played and in
sisted ON the actor playing it in that
way if it took so rehearsals to perfect
the role according to Mr. Mayo's ideas. "
Mr. Davenport created the role of
Judge Driscoll in "Pudd 'nhead Will
son, " Mayo's last success, and played it
during the New York run of the pro-
duction. During the rehearsals previ-
Gus to the first production of 'Pudd'n-
head Wilson, g" continued Mr. Dayen-
port, Mr.. Mayo acted every role in the
play for the purpose Of showing the
members of the company how he wanted
it played. He took infinite pains to
see that every line was perfectly read,
every accent properly placed and every
hit Of hnsiness brought ont CLEARLY. Of.
feetivelv and naturally I wonld not
have II understood that in this matter
Mr. MAYO was martinez or one who
assumed to know it all. No one admired
originality more than he. He liked to
see an actor give his own contention of
a mart. Int when this was done he de-
manded a reason for everything
.This was one of his peculiar traits
If a member of the company made n
gesture or n pause or emnbasizea a
word in a new or original manner Mr.
Mayo would say. Now. why do Won do
that?' He would get TO the bottom of
the idea and if a good reason was nd
yanced for il il found ready accentance
He was this way in everything I ro.
member that he tanpbt me fencing
when 7 was a mere hoy and in return
taupht him what I knew ahont hoy.
mo 7 nsnallv boxed nhont ono minuta
and exnlained II. wonld make a lead
or n counter or n pnard and Mr. Navo
wonld say. .Ston. nov Why do Won do
that And when he WAS teaching me
fencing he would make thrust ar a
marry and then ston to say. Nov Won
see. l do this because, etc
"Rnt tn come back ia .pnda'nhead
Wilson Mr. Mayo loved that nlav as
he loved hischildren. | remember some
time before the MAY was nrodneed he
became convinced that If needed nrnp-
inp Something had To he clIt ont. Int
| he hadn't tba heart IN do II So ha
went tn my brother.in.law and said .
Here is this play of mine know il
moods emitting down lint I cont do II
1t is almost as much To me AS one of
nv children I have gone over line aft.
or line and said. Il can't emf this ont.
nor this. nor this. !can't cut ANYTHING
ont So want some disintercsted ner-
son to do il for1 And when the play
was nrodnced. though he alone WAS re-
snonaible for the decentralization. he gave
all the credit for the success In Mark
Twain in an address he made before the
curtain fine first night. That WAS his
natnre
cts prcat success was very crafty.
ing to Mr. Mayo. and he deserved II
He wasted several fortunes in the effort
to give the pubIic first class profalr-
tions of the classical drama. winch thy
would not receive Mayo.s famous
Forty was one of the best eau#Hfs45
companies for the production of ~6.6 u
neare and other standard NAV 4 !
ever left New York. We carried every
thing, even suppers, but tn pearla
woul1 have none of ms. The same treat
ment was accorded Mr.. Mavo's .Norz
deck. his admiration of The Three
Guardsmen' and several other classical
efforts But he rose superior to all these
setbacks 1t was hard that his life
should end lust as he was once more on
the road to fortune.
Mr.. Mayo's county seat at Canton.
Pa adioined that of nv father 1t
was at his home that the noble man was
seen at his best-and his worst His
worst consisted of n penchant for arpu-
ing. Mr.. Mayo loved to argue. and he
would never let I'M until Won acknoWl-
edged yourself convinced or fell into ST.
lepce in admiration of his earnestness.
his sincerity and his marvellous COM
mand of lanpuape and voice Mr. MAYO
had ON the grounds of his estate n little
French chalet. which he boupht Mt the
Centennial exposition in this CITY. He
used it for d study. and there he would