Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-15
THEAT RICAL G OS 81 P

Last week was one of patronized en-
tertainments at the theaters. Joseph JEFF
ferson has drawn a class of people who
rarely visit the theater, as well as those
who admire him as the dean of the Ameri-
can stage. and the young people whose par
ents want they should see him before he
abandons his life behind the footlights
Francis Wilson has demonstrated that nc
matter at what house he is booked, or
what opposition is brought against him, he
has following in this city that insures big
receipts at the box office. 1.-THE Girl From
Paris has been very naughty. but nice of
its kind. although 1t is essentially New
York production. and Marie Dressler has
beeH "Courted Into Court each night at
the Columbia in a very boisterous manner.
This week the bills are of more
varied character. 1.-THE Sign of the Cross"
will be sandwiched between THE Belle OF
New York and Ned Harrigan's Grip
SO that those who desire to see a play
founded on the sufferings and prosecutions
of the early Christian martyrs can have
the opportunity, while those who want to
be amused by the glitter, brilliancy and
Wit of a Casino production as well as those
who delight in witnessing quaint and artis-
tic character work such Mr.. Harrigan
always gives will also find something to
their taste.
Perhaps you are rot aware that I made
my Gebut an actor in this city" said Mr..
Charles Jefferson the other evening. Char
lie. as he is Familiarity called by his friends,
has been taking on flesh in recent years,
and now boasts of the fact that he weighs
more than any Jefferson in the history OF
the family. He doesn't act any more. but
he is just as jolly as when he did, and he
inherits the faculty of telling a good story.
q M nv flrSf
appearance in the National Theater here.
My father and l were talking about it only
the other day Cinderella was the attrac-
ton. and my father was playing Pedro.
That was back in 1860. 1 think. The boy
who played the coachman was suddefsly
taken sick, and my father thought that 1
could do the part j was asleep where We
boarded. i'll house across the street. and
they sent for me. My mother took me out
of bed. just as / was. in my night gown.
wrapped me all up in blanket. and
brought me- to the theater. Then they took
me down in the cellar underneath the
stage, dressed me for the part and in
structed me in what had to do. You may
imagine how dazed i was. walked out of a
sound sleep. and being hurriedly told what
1 had to do. and all the while being rushed
into my clothes. The real. distinct recol-
lection / have of the event is where 1 was
shot up through a trap TO the stage. and
found myself in all the glare of the foot
lights and scenery. and in the presence of
by the coach that 1 was 70 drive i got on
the box and did my work all right. how
ever. and my father praised me for what
j had done
All theater goers are familiar with the
various kinds of stage screams. The
scream Of beauty III distress Is always the
same shrill, earpiercfng sound. and there
are half dozen other screams all we'll
Known and time honored. This week, how
ever, comes to this city pretty little
American girl. WHO has a scream that is
alt her own. No one ever heard the like
az il before Miss Gertrude Boswell Is the
young lady with n scream that should be
patented. II is heard twice in the Sign
of the Cross" in which she plays the part
of Stephanus, a Christian boy who in the
second act of the play Is put upon the rack
and tortured IN order to make him reveal
the meeting place of the Christians. That
Is where the celebrated scream is first
heard IL attacks at once the spinal mar
row of everyone ir the audience. In the
last act IL IL heard again. this time caused
by the sight of the wild beasts awaiting
the boy as he goes out to tie arena to
meet the fate nat adherence to his faith
brings him
Miss Boswell Is still in her teens. al
Though she has been On the stage since
she was n year old Il was carried on -
said Miss Boswell to a reporter the other
Cay. and became an actress without even
giving my consent. played. Eva in
'.ITncie Toms Cabin" when / was three
and a half. and after that chiIdren's parts
with many companies. You wish to know
how / learned my scream" she continued
with a laugh. Quite by accident. / assure
you. When Mr.. Barrett sent me the par,
of Stephanus It seemed very simple, bu,
when ] came to the last act and the scream
ne said. kindly but firmly: Very bad. You
must remember you are going to death
you have not pricked your finger What
to do I did not know. could not practice
screaming In my New York home. because
the Eeighbors and police would be sure tc
Interfere. At each rehearsal ! grew more
absurd and II began to look as though
were going to make a failure of the part
Ny inability to scream began to trouble
me no. only by day. but by night often
dreamed of the rehearsals and of openina