The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-11-16
THE GIRL FROM KANSAS
That is the Name Of a New
Piece
To Be Written for the Star of
the Company
Who Played "My Friend From Ind az
Last Night-Best Piece of
the Season.

If Topeka people hear of a comedy
called The Girl From Kansas making
big hit in New York city at the COM
mencement of next season, they need
not be surprised. A comedy, not yet
written, will be presented in New
York city early next season under the
MANAGEMENT of Smyth & Rice, of My
though a name has not yet been Sc
lected, the only one under considera-
ton is The Girl From Kansas
The comedy will be written for Miss
May VOkes she of the revolving braids
and inimitable walk in My Friend
From India" who said: Two thou
sand years ago 1 was a Geese" and if
it is called The Girl From Kansas,
it will be in accordance with a request
made by her some time ago. Two years
ago while playing with her own roper
toire company in Leavenworth, Miss
Vokes, in gIancing over an eastern pa
per, spied the headlines Girl From
Kansas" The article was about
something awful a girl from Kansas
did in the east said she last night,
but what attracted my attention was
the headline. 1t was catchy and tax
ing. don't you know, and L then and
there made up my mind that if eV-
er had a play written for me- I would
have it named The Girl From Kan
sas.' I incidentally thought in con-
nectiOn with the article that any girl
that had to live in LeaVenWOrth could
that wasn't awful, because there was
something like sand storm going on
the day I was there, and the people
had Murray and Mack just the night
before, and couldn't appreciate my
piece. But ever since Mr. Rice decid-
ed to have a comedy written for me,
I have been begging him to call it The
Girl From Kansas and I'm sure the
name would be novel enough in itself
to attract attention"
While to the most casual observer it
would be at once apparent on witness
ing My Friend From India that with
the exception Of the character of Mrs.
Beekman Streete, Miss NOkes had the
only one of the female parts that re
quired and degree of talent. 1t is not
generally known the important rela-
tiOnship Miss VOkes bears to the com
edy Had not the firm of Smyth &
Rice started out to find a comedy eS-
peciaIly for Miss Vokes, My Friend
From India might yet have remained
unheard of in the hands of the author,
and the theatergOers of the country
lived on in ignorance of one of the
most laughable farceS of several sea-
sons. In other words, My Friend
From India" was selected for Miss
Vokes, and in turn turned over to her
for the selection of part. She chose
the character of lilly, the German
maid; the other characters which are
all conventional, were easily selected,
and the piece staged at the BijOu thea
ter. and inside of a week it was at the
height of favor in New York city.
The story of the selection of MY
Friend From India" entails the story
of Mr.. Du Souchet's early experience
as a playwright. and this was enter
tainingly told by Miss NOkes, aided
here and there by Mr.. MyrOn B. Rice,
of the. firm of managers, at the ThrOop
hotel last night.
Mr. Du Souchet is a dear, modest
old fellow of about As said Miss
Vokes, with the funniest expression
on his face that you could possibly
imagine. When My Friend From In
dia' was accepted and staged, he was
pegging away as telegraph operator on
one of the New York papers at sala-
~ of about $50 month He had writ
ten the piece several years before. and
for some time made a business of
showing it to every theatrical manager
that set his foot in New York city; but
none of them would have anything to
do with it. and when he brought the
play to Mr.. Rice he was thoroughly
discouraged and had no thought of
well, Mr. Rice took the piece, and
a few days afterward he got Mr.. Smyth
into room and started him reading it
to him. 1t afterward turned out that
Mr. Smyth had been shown the piece
by Du SOuchet several years before,
and had refused it, but this fact he
kept to himself until after the play
was staged"
Yes, and when I found it out. adj
vised him to consult specialist on
the brain" put in Mr.. Rice.
BY the time Mr.. Smyth finished
reading the first act" continued Miss
Vokes Mr. Rice was shaking with
laughter, and when the mirror scene
was reached in the second act, he lay
back in his chair and fairly rOared-"
INDUCED in a few fits or commissions
would express it better" interposed /
the manager.
when he recovered sufficiently to
speak, after considering the dilemma
of the pork packer in the third act
where he is forced into the conviction !
that he is full MI Rice declared it to !
be the best thing he had ever heard, /
and at once declared his intention of
staging it,
And the financial success of the |
production proves this intention to
have been a profitable investment" |
remarked Mr.. Rice.
But l want to tell you about Mr.. !
Du Souchet'S wife" said Miss NokeS. /
She is a very large woman-weighs !
between 200 and 800 pounds-and they /
look so funny together. 1 am always |
nervous when I see them together be /
cause I am continually in fear that /
she will stand on him or fall on him or |
do something else that will crush him. |
and 1 feel relieved when I see him /
alone. We are all very fond of mod |
est little Mr.. Du Souchet-'
Miss Vokes has been on the stage /
only five years. While studying music !
in the Chicago conservatory she took |
part in a number of amateur theatre /
Gals. and from this step entered the |
profession. One of her first engage
ments was with Smyth & Rfce's /
Faust I'D to Date and in this she /
displayed so much ability that Mr.. |
Rice decided to secure a production es- /
pecially for her when the opportunity |
presented itself This decision led to /
the discovery of My Friend From In
dia."
MY FRIEND FROM INDIA.