The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-27
TOPEKA ACTRESS HERE.
Miss Esther Cuff Seen in Her Own
Piav

E1dY.
One does not often have the emporium
ity of witnessing a play with the play
wright in the leading role and last
night when Esther Rujaero, who is Miss
Cuff, the Topeka actress, presented her
own play, "A Broken Heart at the
Cawford theater, she was greeted with
a large house.
The plot of the play has to do with
the mining towns of the Rocky Noun
tains
VIII S. Rising, the wandering min
strel. furnishes the amusement Rising
portrays with accuracy the broken down
actor who might have become famous
as a tragedian, an interpreter of Shake
spearean roles. had it not been for
drink
Mr.. Rising has visited Topeka many
times before last night. the last time
being about seven years ago when he
was at the head of his own company,
Tangled Up" For many years he was
with the Little Tycoon"
Mr.. Rising is an Elk, as are also sew
eral other members of the company and
social session in their honor was given
at the Elks' club rooms on jackson
street last night after the show:
Jules Kusell, as Walter Barridge, was
in Topeka earlier in the season with the
-Veronee Stock company. He does
not make a first class villain.
Lillian Kemble as Nellie Rowland, the
school teacher, deserves special mention
Miss Kemble played leading parts with
the Stock company at Elitch's Garden
in Denver during the summer season of
1900
Chas. N1y1ot who appeared last night
as Dave Russell will soon leave the
company to join Chas. b. Hanford in
Private John Allen He will be cast
as Col. Nat. Stone"
Jos. E. Nevac who appeared as Judge
Rathburn in the court room scene in
the third act is an old newspaper man
and was for 25 years connected with
various Kansas City papers.
Miss RuiaerO was seen bv State
Journal reporter in her dressing room
after the second act.
How did I happen to write Broken
Hearts I will tell you about it,"
said she. Last summer was in Dem
yer. had been engaged and had made
plans to go to South Africa as war COR
came sick and some one else had to be
sent in my place. I remained in Denver
and wrote for the Times
Zone day with a party OF friends
went to Elitch's Gardens and during
the afternoon / said something about
writing a play My friends began to
tease me about it and 1 made a wager
with them that / could and would
II sat down that night and wrote the
first act. 1 completed it by midnight.
It was not long after that I finished the
play. Later I selected a company and
opened the new popular price house in
Denver with it early in the season"
Miss Rujaero has the manuscript for
two other plays which will be produced
Maid of Money" and the other a his
torical romance called '-All in a Life
time The plot for the romance is laid
in Old Mexico during the time of the
reign of Macmillan
Miss Rujaero upon being asked how
she liked the stage, said: Il like it and
1 do not like it. I do not think that 1
shall go on the stage again next season.
The footlights have not the fascination
for me they once had and it is doubtful
if I play another year.
Miss Rujaero undoubtedly has abil-
ity as a playwright but her play
Broken Hearts is Woefully weak.
There is too much of the ''seamy side
in the play. DisreputabIe characters
are tiresome, even the stage The
atmosphere of the play is bad. Tt might
do for production in a Bowery theater
but it is out of place any where else. It
is almost a compliment to Miss Cuff to
say that she does not make an ideal
Marcel the bad woman" Mr.. Rising
relieves some of the stupid scenes with
his coInedy-he has some bright lines.
The play will be repeated tonight.