The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-05-11
Mrs. Ada Dow Curriers' Efforts
for the Stage.
THE DISCOVERY OF MARLOWE
Bringing Gut Star Under Difficulties - Elk.
per.nce with Miss Waldorf
Nance ONeil.


attained especial fame as the instruct
ress of Julia Marlowe. Besides this
she trained Miss Maud Hoffman, who
went from her hands directly to the DO
sition 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 Marlowe's early
training has never been published.
Mrs. Currier said:
In 1888, / think it was, my brother
in-law, r. E. J. Miles, who has the BIZ
lou theater, New York, was inspired
with the brilliant idea of organizing
company of children to sing light
IOpera. and | was made drectress. We
| had a great many things to contend
with. l had to get dwarfs to carry the
bass parts All my basses had to be
carefully shaved every morning and be
kept pretty we'll in the background to
pass as children. The second difficulty
was the great care that had to be TAX
! en- of the chiIdren's voices. We had to
/ have two sets Of children, as it would
not do to let them sing two nights in
succession. In the chorus of one of
| the sets was Julia Marlowe, a rather
bright child, who had a fine voice and
a 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
road sometime, the girl who sang the
Lord High Admiral in Pinafore, was
taken i'll and I 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 it. 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 it
too, and let her have the role through
out the season.
When the Juvenile season broke -Sp~
in the West, Julia begged SO hard to
stay with me that l taught her minor
parts so that she could be useful
around the theater. Her possibilities
had not yet dawned upon me. When I
started for New York i thought it best
to send the girl home, as | had no per-
mission from her mother to keep her,
t.
said her step-father did not like her
and insisted that she would not dare
to go home if I abandoned her. Fear
ing that the girl might go astray 1
sent for her mother, who stated that
her husband liked all of her other
children but Julia, and if 1 would take
her she would consider it a favor.
After reaching New York I began to
realize the girls possibilities and
gave up everything else to her instruc-
ton for four years. l then began to
think of her debut. All the managers
of the legitimate stage laughed at me
for attempting to star poor and I'M
known girl 1 then appealed to my
brother-in-law, Mr.. Miles. He said
that I could have the Bijou theater,
that had never been known to play
anything but burlesque. 1t was rather
appalling to attempt a debut in Rosa
lind under such circumstances, but l
had no other alternative. | knew all
the newspaper men in New York and
got her doomed. My brother-in-law
had run away to Chicago, thinking me
fool. but finding that l had commit
ted him to a debut in the legitimate in
the Bijou he was compelled to return
and help me out to save his reputa-
ton.
Julia Marlowe's debut was a great
success even at the Bijou and the great
Abby then came to our assistance. My
brother-in-law also helped US finan-
cially. From that time on Julia Mar
loves star never waned She had the
greatest power of application and to
that as much as her genius is due her
success.
My ooher pupils have all done we'll,
as their records show, but I have hope
for the future Of Miss Janet Waldorf.
She came 10 me shortly after my re-
turn from Hawaii in 1891, where II
had come for my health. I told her |
that l would not take her in hand I'M
less she was willing to work. l put /
her through four years hard training
and found that she has the same pow
er of Application that Julia Marlowe
had, and l have great hopes for her fu-
ture. After the trouble I had had with
a debut in New York, and as New
York had been surfeited with debut
antes, l decided to bring Miss Waldorf
out in Hamilton, Ontario We have
now been two years successfully tour
ng in the West with this company and
propose u take my pupil through the
Orient and India and then bring her
out in London before facing a New
York audience.
l am perfectly delighted with our
reception in Honolulu, and hope we
shall meet with equal success all the
way to London. l knew the delights of
hese Islands from my former visit
lere and that is why l decided TO stop
lere on the way to the Orient. 1 do not
lain that l have got the greatest
company that is on the road. but I
ried to select them so that they would
larmoniZe in the roles 1 have chosen
or Miss Waldorf =
What do you think of Nance
)'Neil ,,