Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-08
PRETTY MAXINE ELLIOTT
ON PLAYS AND PLAYERS.
The Well Known Actress FaVOrS American Dramas
Written by American Authors.

New York, Jan. eff there is one
thing more than another in my profess
sion which have not been able to I'M
derstand it is the curiosity which the
public manifest in every detail OF
players life. Our art is to forget our
selves as much as possible-to be in
thought and action others-and yet we
are never allowed to get beyond the
prosaic realities Of our personal and I'M
Important Impressions We are con-
stantly being held up TO view as ex-
FOUNDERS of this or that theory of dra-
matte art as believing In some sort of
future for the American playwright, as
holding strange opinions about life and
death and the hereafter: we are feat
ured to tell over and over again that
game old story of an actors career, with
emphasis on all its hardships: we are
basleged to point out the pitfalls, that
those who would follow in our steps
may be wary, or to encourage the lag
CARDS by word of advice or a precrpt
from our own "wretched" example. We
are asked to write sermons, to report
murder trials, TO dress dolls-even to go
abroad in the world and sell them for
four times their value; we are got
NJ at daybreak to give our views on
ridiculous questions about which we
have no more idea than the man in the
moon-and the worst of 1t all, believe,
is that we do it.
! nave asked probably as often as
Others have asked me why we do it.
surely not to crafty the public's love
oil literature and art; hardly to perpet,-
ATE our name and fame, though 1t might
oiten seem that it was for this reason,
lest in the insignifcancei of our real
calling We feared we should be quite
forgotten.
anyway, we do It. I do not know
mat any one has told us that thus we
aie eievating the stage, nor do l know
nat any one doubts that 1t is to id
VeFuse ourselves, though should ques-
u'h the right OF any one to accuse us
OF cong It for that purpose.
~ must be that we have not consider
go Our art as seriously as we should.
me artists Of other fields the painters,
t'e poets, the sculptors, are not dis
'urped by these vagrnnt voices of the
Wihd that carry a players name broad
east In the seclusion of his studio the
painter creates his picture undisturbed
anu gives II to the world. People do not
ale What a sculptor thinks of the thou
anu ana one worries of life. do not
MO" even that he ever bothers himself
apout NE at all. nor is the poet besieg-
W p" write little verses and to sell them
.ur ehhflty. But the player, the ac:
uess' II seems to have become a part
q, her life to have views and to pro-
''alh them from the housetop.
MesreiiUly | am not an exception. l
"'sh We're. wish could be. That ia
.ne perniclous side OF 1t all-one can't
gracefully.
wen here am supposed to he
aunehed on the 'deeadenoe of the drn :
qua IN this country" Does any one
, lily thlnk there Is such a thing as
- what does 1t mean? What is the
tI.' vi my saying that i do not be-
1t means? s'e" MO" what
am told that the question is common
i'oush TO stamp one ignorant of its
a AZ as blind or foolish. Yet I
w not believe that the drama In th,s
s ~ Is suffering from anything SO
nm ue Steele as "decadence. Ara not
wi pays good? Do they NOT niaasa ara
rres, o, ahu as often us ever display
ap,hos e'eVerhess both on the part of the
ehaao, ana those who interpret his
tec, , Assuredly we are not per-
ma, neeadence would be all too made
ne 20 express our real condition wers
fa,., ,auy TO admit perfection. even 10
ns,s ss mat we had little to learn or Inn,
- we might rank first before long.