The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-17

and kilograms, and turning to my maid. I
SAD; Strange, isn't it2 There is moth
ing here from mother?" A few minutes
aIterward the maid left the dressing room.
and not long after that a telegram from
my mother arrived But she managed
at very badly, for when I examined il
Iouhd that II was dated from the telegraph
once at the Waldorf-Astoria. Then I
Knew they mad been playing a trick on
me-that mother was in the house ana
that my maid had gone 10 tell her 10
SEND me a telegram. Mother told me after
'ile performance that she couldn't stand
1t on Long Island. so she came up in the
afternoon and took seat in the gallery
Where would not be able to see her.
Up Goes the Curtain.
At last the curtain was up, and when
the time came near for my entrance /
was in the wings with Mr.. Fordhau Mr.
Humphries and Mr.. Seymour, all OF whom
We're whispering all sorts of nice things
TO encourage me. But. on my soul. 1 had
as acute an attack of stage fright as
though were an amateur. We all get it
When we are facing a New York house
III a new play or new role. Ii may be silly,
but we can't help it,
On the stage I've no doubt I was least
frightened where I seemed most so 10 the
audience. 1 know 1 was nervous on INV
nrst entrance, but I knew it had to be
done, and controlled myself to a certain
extent. But I'm told that 1 seemed all
a-tremble as came on 1 was really more
nervous after I'd begun talking.
TIL 1t Wore off, it seemed as though the
next word would be my last. But the
applause gave me time TO pun myself
together' take good long breath-and
recover. Then it went easier, and affer
a little l felt something like composure
return.
But at the end of each scene. though
mad no end of calls from the audience. l
IeIt an indescribable longing to make a
rush to my dressing room and lock myself
IN. This may all sound queer and i'm
possible, but no one who has not been
through it can imagine swhat il is 10 go
through such an ordeal.
They tell me that l didn't want TO come
down from the balcony after the balcony
scene to take a curtain call. and that it
looked as If l intended staying up there
the rest of the evening. But they made
me come down after a while
AT the end of the potion scene 1 tried
TO escape to my dressing room without
going before the curtain. But when I got
in the wing I found Mr.. Fordham barring
my way, and when I turned to go out on
the other side there stood Mr.. Seymour.
looked imploringly over to Mr.. Fordham,
but all he said was, I'VE know your
tricks But L avenged myself by drag
ging these two men on with me-
My most comfortable five minutes dur
| ing the whole performance was when I
was lying in my shroud in the tomb of
! Capulet; for the first time since O'Clock
l felt at rest
Mary AndersOn's Visit.
1 was delighted to receive Mrs. Navar-
! Ind
! AS Mary Anderson she was such a great
! Juliet that praise from her was like balm
| to my nerves. After The performance she
| came back and kissed me so warmly and
| affectionately, and said so many sweet
| things which felt came right from her
! heart that l gained confidence in the re-
suit of my efforts She kept urging me TO
go on and take more curtain calls, which
I finally did, I only wish L could have
| induced her to go out with me- tried to
! hard enough
A great many of my professional friends.
| including Mr.. John Drew and Mr. Gillette,
| came back to congratulate me, and when
| it was all over 1 drove home with my
| mother. The next morning l received a
| letter from Mr.. Frohman saying: 1.-THE
unexpected has happened. The press has
Endorsed the audience. We are all right.
| Let us think about your next role"
When l went TO see him that afternoon
he burst out laughing as soon as I entered
the room. well" he said, what a COM
bination-a 32-cent straw hat and a fur
| lined coat" You see 1 was in such a
maze that I had just put on the first
things I found handy
How She Behearsed.
would like to say something in regard
to the manner in which we rehearsed
Romeo and Juliet" In doing this 1 will
| largely repeat views which Mr. Frohman
expressed to us while we were preparing
| the production. They viii show you the
! standpoint from which it was made We
took the play, dsregarded and broke
through all traditions and played it from
the human side. and from that only.
This is what Mr.. Frohman said THE
/ people of the South and the people of the
| North had a war. During the war a girl
from the South fell in love with an officer
| from the North-an invader There were
| all kinds of obstacles to their love, but
finally they triumphed over them. Now
let's play Romeo and Juliet as we would
a story like that-just as we would mod
/ ern play"
Disregarded Traditions.
We took our cut from the fact that
Shakespeare never left prompt copy. We
| nut the play on exactly as If it were a
new manuscript accepted by Mr.. Frohman
! for production. Mr.. Frohman's constant
admonition was: Get it from your heart
! get it from your heart. We want this to
! he human. sympathetic and heart throb-
! bing. That is what l want to get out of
| plays, Shakespeare or no Shakespeare"
| Now that il is all over I'm deeply CRATE
| full TO Mr. FTohman for offering to let me
| play this role, and for the care with which
| he has made the production; and l also
wish to express my gratitude to Mr.. Fa-
versham, Mr.. Hackett and the other mem
bers of the company for the cordial sup
port they have given me, for all they have
| done to aid me in my first Shakespearian
| venture.
And. above all, l wish to thank the pub
lie for the welcome they gave me, which
| almost overpowered me by it's great heart
ed generosity and which made me more
than ever determined 10 strive always and
earnestly 10 win and keep their kind In
terest and esteem.
Ga ~A zsuw u4Eu "a Ew IN