Evening star., 1897-03-27

Columbia Theater next week ana tne pres
ence of the veteran actor. c. W. Couldock.
in the city at this time, recalls an inter-
esting incident in the early career of the
accomplished young actor, In which the
veteran assumed the gift of prophesy,
which subsequent events have verified. Mr..
Miller determined upon the profession of
an actor early in life. He Joined class of
eloeution. conducted by the old actor. He
WAS one of those big overgrown boys.
whose coat sleeves are constantly shrinking
from the wrist and the bottom of whose
trousers always seem to be endeavortng 10
escape from contact with his shoes Other
members of the class were won't to poke
finn at him Their conduct attracted the
attention of Mr.. Couldock one day ana
he interrupted them suddenly by thunder
ing In his forceful. characteristic way:
You young don't want to laugh at
him. he will yet outshine you all some
day
Mr. Miller has certainly vindicated the
Judgment of his old instructor. His com
manding ptsition on the stage today mas
been won by earnest ard consistent enort l.
conscientious study and healtEful ambition
No better evidence of the substantial quaH-
ties of Mr. Miller's professional advance
,uent need be adduced than the TACT that
ne is being starred under 'he lllahas ma az
ment of Charles Frohman. in whose ceie-
brated Empire Stock Company he was
the leading man for several seasons
One of the first engagements that Henry
Miller obtained was with the famous
beauty Adelaide Nelson, at Booths Thea
ter New York Even then his engaging
personality graceful figure. resonant ana
melodious voice. ard intense earnestness.
attracted attention. and 1t was not long
before he became identified with important
theatrical companies. His years OF sue
cesses in the Lyceum Stock company. III
society drama his subsequent aenis'e.
he
Leicester in "kenilworth,' and his more
recent successes with the Empire Theater
Stock Company In Guage0hs, me
Masauera6 ers,' Bohemia sowing the
Wind" are too familiar to Washinston
theater goers to need more than passing
mention. His present engagement here as
a star Is q very welcome event. ana IS
certain to attract the warmest interest
of the stage Mr.. E. H. Sothern is just
as charming a personality as he Is on the
stage. There Is gentleness In his manner,
a magnetism In his nature. quiet dignity
and grace In his bearing that are sure to
attract and win admiration Mr. Sothern is
one of the most artleSs of men. Ihere Is
not the least bit of affectation about nlm
His large grayish-blue eyes are full OF IN
teIiigence and sympathy. and his aquiline
nose and mouth betoken force OF character.
He is deliberate in speech. and ms pro
nuuciation Is marked with 81 slight Engl1sh
accent that adds to its charm. In con-
yersation Mr. Sothern said: The best actor
and the most successful actor today Is the
one who most nearly approaches nature
We are all searching after this perfectlon
The actor who does not Diogenese-like
hunt after ii all the time Is not worthy OF
his noble calling He should study to be
natural, but II is difficult thing TO do,
because after ALL 1t is hard for actor
to be simple. There is SO great tempta-
ton on the stage to exaSgerate situation
OF an emotion To be sure, there must be
some exaggeration in order to give the
pprSppCtlVe to a Characterization,
but as far possible one should adhere
closely to simplicity. which is, after all.
truth. and truth Is nature. / think that
the tendency of the stage today Is toward
simpler methods in action and expression.
Those companies that are the most success
ful are those that conscientiously adhere to
this rule II you will study life closely you
will find that the deeper the emotion the
more quietly it is expressed
The rise of an actor Is not always smooth
and easy. even though he has the prestige
of family renown to aid him. In 1879 Mr..
Sothern made his first appearance In his
fathers play Sam" He had but one line
to say. and that one easy, but when he
faced the crowd he could not say word,
and his father whispered frantically. Go
on: go on He could not go on, and did the
only thing left-went OF His father. who
did not want him to become an actor. would
not give him another chance. Mr.. Sothern
Is one of the hardest workers in the dra-
matte profession Speaking of the results
Of his tendency he said: 81 love my pro-
fession. take pride in perfecting my work
until IL is reduced to fine a point as pos
sible. and watch the effect upon my audi
enceS- One must be constantly on the
alert for that sort of thing to get the best
of results. and in the dramatic profession,
where so much Is left to the imagination,
and suggested rather than done. the slight
est thing makes changes that one can
hardly imagine who has not seen It,"
sothern lives the quiet life of a student.
haa haa1 tod
with a scandal of any kind. In the dra-
matte profession many actors point to him
as an instance of what luck will do for a
man But the actors are in the wrong The
only secret of Sothern's success is work
and the hardest kind OF work. Sothern is
a clever artist. and many of his friends are
In possession OF choice paintings by him
that money couldn't buy. He is generous
TO fault. He can never listen to a brother
actors tale of without going down
deep into his pocket. His company is COM
posed Of ladies and gentlemen who are
thoroughly and entirely devoted to their
young leader
Lafayette Square Opera House.-Mr E.
H. Sothern will make his appearance here
al the Lafayette Square Opera House next
Monday as Ernanton de Launay the Hu-
King" by r n. Stephens 1t is one Of the
most beautiful and pleasing productions
ever presented by Mr.. Daniel Frohman;
and having. as usual surrounded his star
Itself a guarantee of its success here as II
was al his beautiful theater in New York
where II was the reigning succeas FOR three
months The time OF the play is that his
torical and picturesque period of the six
teenth century. with Its political and love
intr.gues constantly mixed together, as
one seemed to go with the other when men
Carried their sword always ready at their
sce 20 defend the honor OF the ladies' II
is the best scenic production that Mr.
Sotnern has ever had and he will hav.
MS usual strong company. Miss Mary
Hampton will be the leading lady this
year The ending of An Enemy to the
kiES Ii much happier than that of THE
Prisoner Of Zenda.'' for in the last act OF
the Former play love is the only thing
The kings enemy is the father of the he.
rome, and he IS IN danger of losing his life
The heroine undertakes to save him by in.
cucing the hero. who is in love with her
TO meet her. intending to have at tha,
meeting men-at-arms to betray him to the
governor Of the province. In the course o.
her Vaccinations she falls in love Will
h.Ii. and everybody is happy before tn,
last curtain.
columbia Theater.-Henry Miller will un
uDNDteiiy receive n warm welcome from
W as hington theatergoers at the CoIum
Ola Iheater on Monday night when h,
makes his first appearance in this cIty
as = star IN the successful new romantic