The Washington times., 1901-10-15
THE WAY OF THE WORLD. I"
Successful Dress Rehearsal of Elsie
de woIfc's New Play.

Everything is in readiness for the first
/ pubic performance on any stage tonight
at the Columbia Theatre of 1.-THE Way
of the World.
The final rehearsal of this newest issue
from the prolific pen of Clyde Fitch com
menced last evening at $50 sharp At
that hour everyone connected with the
play awaited, ready and eager for the
signal that was to begin the last prepa-
ratory repetition preliminsry to the in
itial public hearing tonight.
a Times representative, who was privi-
/ legged to witness this private final re-
hcarsal found it more interesting in Gu
rious features than. any public presenta-
] tion could possibly Be.
I Standing in the farther aisle of the au-
diturium, wei down toward the stage
as the minutes neared the commencement
hour, was Clyde Fitch, the author, non
chalant, but alert. watch in hand In
the near aisle. equally vigilant, lounged
George W. Lederer. In the boxes to the
right and left were groups of players who
do not appear in the opening act, and in
chairs in the front row at the orchestra
sat Miss Elizabeth Marbury, the authors
play agent. and Nat Roth, the business
manager OF the production.
Seven o'clock. Ready?"
The voice was Fitch's.
Ready! answered the stronger voice
of lieutenant positioned behind the cur
tain to see that none of the Fitch minu-
tiae strayed from the rigid lines outlined
by the author from time to time since
the first rehearsal OF the play in New
York five weeks ago.
Ring up! 1t was Fitch who sroke
again.
And the play was on. A condition of The
Times mans privilege to witness the re-
hearsal was that none of the matter of
the drama should be divulged in advance
of the public hearing tonight.
But enough happened to make equally
interesting comment and justify The
Times reservation of the description of
the play itself until tomorrow.
Go back and change your costume.
please, Mrs. Bloodgood-and hurry.
Mrs. Bloodgood, who has n leading role
in support of Miss de Wolfe. it seems,
thought her own street attire good
enough for the rehearsal. G'he author
thought otherwise. Although the first
scene was out o doors, the time was
morning, and Mrs. Bloodgood wore cos
tune suited rather to evening wear.
Then the light went wrong. The action
Va Nllt INST act iIldi WIS Iully
twenty minutes before the electric and
calcium light operators got the light tones
to suit the playwright.
Ten minutes later there was another
halt. There is a mechanical effect in this
act and Immediately after its introduc-
tion on the scene Tommy" the Columbia
Theatres cat, ventured from the wings
out to the centre of the stage to do a
little play acting on his own account A
stage hand who sought to chase Tom
my started on his mission the instant
that another helper started on the same
errand from the opposite side of the
stage. The forces confronting the cat on
the right and left, supplemented by a
volley of "scats!" from the wings, fly
lofts" overhead, and boxes in front. be-
wildered the cat 1t was fully five min
utes before Tommy made his exit.
The scene proceeded maybe five min
utes further when it was discovered that
one Of the characters was violating the
proprieties Of the situation by being sans
gloves.
And so it went, the author detecting
and adjusting slips. big and little, of
players and mechanics, until the five acts
of the play had been carefully. intell;-
gently and-so The Times man thought
wonderfully well rehearsed. III