The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-05-12
Mrs. Ada Dow Carriers Efforts
for The Stage.
the DISCOVERY Of mARlOwe
Bringing Out Q Star Usasr Difficulties : Is.
per,ssse win Miss wslsors
kssee O'ken.

Mrs. Ada Dow Currier, known TO old
New York theater goers as Miss Ada
Dow, is a very interesting person. She
attained especial fame as the instruct
lress OF Julia Marlowe. Besides this
she trained Miss Maud Hoffman, who
went from her hands directly to the pO-
sltion OF leading lady for Wilson Bar
ret Miss Maud Adams. who became
famous in the Little Minister" Nora
O'Brien, now with Wilson Barrett;
Mr.. Frederick Paulding, and now she
has Janet Waldorf In charge. 1t is
very interesting to hear her chat about
her pupils and others. She says that
the story of Julia Marlowes early
training has never been published.
Mrs. Currier said:
In 1883, | think II was, my brother
in-law, X. L. J. Miles. who has the b.
jou theater, New York. was inspired
with the brilliant Idea Of organizing
a company of children to sing light
opera. and ! was made directress. We
had a great many things to contend
with. ] had to get dwarfs to carry the
bass parts. All my BASES had TO be
lcarefully shaved every morning and be
kept pretty well in the background to
lpass as children. The second difficulty
Twas the great care that had to be TAX
len Of the children's voices. We had TO
have two sets of children, as 1t would
not do 10 let them sing two nights in
succession. In the chorus Of one OF
the sets was Julia Marlowe, rather
bright child. who had a fine voice and
La good idea OF music But there was
nothing in the child to indicate the
genius she afterwards displayed.
One day. after We had been on the
lroad sometime, the girl who sang the
Lord High Admiral in Pinafore, was
taken i'll and | did not know what to
do. While in this predicament little
Julia Marlowe came to me and said
that she could sing the part. begging
me to let her try 1t. 1t was very risky.
There was no time for rehearsal but !
had TO take the chance. She did the
part we'll and looked very pretty in II
. too, and let her have the role through
| tout the season.
When the juvenile season broke up
in the West, Julia begged so hard to
stay with me that ! taught her minor
= parts so that she could be useful
laround the theater. Her possibilities
had not yet dawned upon me. When
started for New York ! thought 1t best
to send the girl home, as had no per-
] mission from her mother to keep her,
. and feared getting into trouble. She
said her step-father did not like her
and insisted that she would not dare
I L. Z I al r.
2 ing that the girl might go astray
q lsent for her mother, who stated that
, lher husband liked all of her other
: children but Julia, and II would take
< her she would consider 1t a favor.
Y After reaching New York began "a
v realize the girls possibilities and
= lgaye up everything else to her instruc'
- ton for four years. ! then began tc
j. Think of her debut. All the managers
: Iof the legitimate stage laughed at me
= for attempting to star poor and I'M
known girl. then appealed to my
lbrother-in-law, Mr.. Miles. He said
c that | could have the Bijou theater
that had never been known to play
lanything but burlesque. II was rather
appalling to attempt debut in Rosa
Lind under such circumstances, but
:, lhad no other alternative. ] knew al
1.-The newspaper men in New York and
!, got her doomed. My brOther-ln-laN
had run away TO Chicago, thinking me
a fool. but finding that had commit
|. ted him TO a debut in the legitimate II
. the Bijou he was compelled to return
land help me out to save his repuia
Il ton.
: Julia Marlowe's debut was a grea
success even at the Bijou and the grea
Abby then came to our assistance. NJ!
brother-in-law also helped us iinan
lcially. From that time on Julia Mar
loves star never waned. She had tn,
greatest power OF application and t
that as much as her genius Il due he
success.
My other pupils have all done we'll
as their records show, but ! have hop,
for the future of Miss Janet Waldorf
She came to ME shortly after my re
turn from Hawaii in 1891, where
had come for my health. | told he
that | would not take her in hand un
less she was willing TO work. | pu
- her through four years hard training
, and found that she has the same pow
= er Of application that Julia NARROW
NJ had, and have great hopes for her fu
Is ture After the trouble had had wit
n a debut in New York, and as NeN
10 York had been surfelted with debut
~ antes. decided TO bring Miss Waldor
~ out in Hamilton, Ontario. We hav
- now been two years successfully tour
% ing in the West with this company an
a. ! propose to take my pupil through tn
"a Orient ana India and then bring he
"A out in London before facing a Ne'
NO York audience.
Nv am perfectly delighted with on
,a reception in Honolulu, and hope W
"a shall meet with equal success all IN
- way to London. knew the delights q
n these Islands from my former Wis
"a here and that Is why ] decided 20 sto
here on the way to the orient do no
claim that | have got the creates
company that Is on the road but
no tried TO select them so that they woul
Nc harmoulze In the roles ! have chose
en- for Miss Waldorf.
al "What do van think OF Nant