The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-02
Stories of
The Stage.


the unsophisticated. After the per
formance one or the leading men OF IN
town called on the actor, patfed him on
the shoulder and said
thought i knew you tonight. Mr..
barrett, when saw you on the stage.
put now. when 1 come TO look at you.
tnnk II must have been your father"
MY father?' said Mr. Goodwin. not
clearly understanding for the moment
"nat the man was driving at
Yes. your father. Lawrence Barrett"
ne replied. Il used TO know him some
years ago. But have this to say 10
you' young fellow--you are a better ac-
tor than the old man ever dared to be-"
In one or the Boston newspapers OF
sept. 2, 1873. appeared a little mention
OF concert which took place in the
town nall or Swampscott, Mass. for the
beneht OF Miss Gregory. 1t stated that
the beneficiary was suffering from a Sc
we're cold and was unable 10 sing more
than one OF her selections. Cherry
Ripe" Continuing, the article read:
Nine. Rudorsdorff. who kindly con-
sented to sing, gave two selections
adapted to the taste of the audience. A
young gentleman who was mentioned
on the programme as Mr.. X. M sang
a German song and ''rhe Young Noun
taineer.' by Randigger. At the end OF
the concert this same young gentleman
informed the audience. with much ap-
parent delight. that Miss Gregory was
too indisposed 60 sing and instead was
glad TO say that he was going to sing
for her, and much to the astoniehment
OF everybody he sang i'm high falsetto
oh. Dear, What Can the Matter Be?'
after the style Of Nine. Liebhart, and
for an encore, as he made quite q HIT
he rendered the Carnival of Venice .
la Carlotta Patti"
"Mr. r.. M" was the great Richard
Mansfield OF today.
Nine. Rudorsdorff, who gave the con-
cert for Miss Gregory. was the mother
of Richard Mansfield and at that time
she was music teacher In Boston.
John Mcguire. the veteran theatrical
manager, tells a number of entertaining
stories of the early days when the
drama was first presented In the Ne.
vada mining camps. Mr.. Mcguire was
at one time a member Of stock COM
pany at Virginia City. New, and a
young lady who has since mounted high
upon the ladder of fame played child
parts with him. She was none other
than Miss Maude Adams. the genuine hit
OF the present New York season in THE
Little Minister" The veteran says that
those were the days of Mark Twain and
Dan de Quille. OF the latter widely
known writer Mr. Mcguire recalls enc
very interesting criticism. Junius Booth
and Agnes Booth. according TO the vet
eran. arrived in Virginia City and an
nounced a production of Romeo and
Juliet" Mcguire was engaged to play
Capulet He enjoyed a wide reputation
| in the mining district as an Irish comes
dian, and this doubtless prompted the
| following observations from the humor.
Gus Dan de Quille:
Romeo and Juliet was played by
the Booths to large and appreciatve
Virginia City audience. The characters
were all well taken. but Capulet had q
touch OF brogue. Upon consideration we
are inclined to think this was all right.
for Capulet not more than week ago
was Miles Ma Coppaleen In Colleen
Bawn' The Ma Coppaleens were horse
thieves, and so were the Capulets.
The Ma Coppaleens had to leave Ire
land for their country's good. What
was more natural than that they should
settle in Italy? There the name became
Cappullini and was finally corrupted
into Capulet. We don't know but that
1t is proper to interpret the character
OF Capulet with a touch Of the brogue."
Mr.. Mcguire relates another interest
ing incident which occurred at Virginia
City when he was playing Miles Ma
Coppaleen In colleen Bawn." He was
supposed to be standing at one side OF
a rocky pass and to discharge gun
at a man on the opposite side. The gun
failed to go off. but the man, without
waiting for fash. report or anything
else. feIh Mcguire turned to the audi.
ence and said:
"what a great thing these air guns
are! They make no noise and no smoke
but they kill man instantly" The
house thundered with applause.
"Claudia Carlstedt had something
very swift and very sudden happen to
her a short while ago." says her press
agent. ssIt was in the second act OF
1rhe Idols Eye She as Chief Priestess
of the Temple has occasion to order the
bottomless pit to be prepared. There
upo,, one of the priests stamps twice.
and the stage trap drops and leaves .
hole behind.
Just prior to this cue on the night In
question Miss Carlstedt happened to be
standing over the trap. Beneath 1t was
the stage carpenter waiting for the sig
nal to draw the bolts. To give bit OF
emphasis to her line Miss Carlstedt
stamped upon the stage. The man be-
low mistook the tap OF her foot for the
signal and yanked the bolts. Down fell
the trap and on 1t the astonished Priest
ess of the Temple.
Fortunately she kept her head and
balance at the same time. and not only
did she escape unhurt, but ordered the
stage carpenter to raise the trap at
once. He pulled his frightened self to-
gether with jerk and, complying
raised the trap and the actress TO the
stage in time for her to pick up her pexl
cue without any one in the audience be-
ing aware that anything not down OF
the bills had happened"
John McWade. the one armed be
tone, years ago was in Professor 81
church I'm the Chicago Music hall.