The age-herald., 1901-01-27
Modjeska.

The appearance of the tragic actress, Madame Modeska, at the Jefferson Theatre on next Thursday evening in the tragedy of King John is an event the importance of which can only be appreciated by those who take a pride in the greater achieve ments of the American stage, and who LOOK upon the theater in the light of it's greatest utility in the improvement or soclal conu- tions Although America. has for many years been her adopted country, Madame Moieska is a native of Poland as most people are aware She had her early traln- ing and acquired her first fame on the stage of the Imperial Theater of Warsaw, the capital of Poland. At that time the Polish Dramatic Company of Warsaw could be compared with the Comedie Fran caise of Paris or the Burg Theater of Vi- enna, but since then the large subsidy IL enjoyed from the Russian government has been withdrawn, and to some extent the standard has fallen.
 The theater is the most popular institu- ton of Warsaw and acting is not only very enthusiastically patroniZed as a d. version, but is respected, almost rever- enced as one of the arts. So essential Is the theater to the social life of the city that it has never become a custom to plas- ter the city walls with pictorial announce ments. Nor do the newspapers make any charge for the space which announces the repertoire or the usual information regard ing any particular performance, such bull letins apparently being as necessary to the makeup of the paper as its regular news items. They are published gratis and oc- cupy the most prominent positions.
 Long consecutive runs, such as we have here in the American cities, are unknown, although a very successful play may be revived once or twice a week for several years. The theater enjoys a considerable revenue from both public and private en- downment and the management is there fore only administrative in it's functions. Such endownments are largely used to pro- vide prizes for new and original plays by native authors an idea which would seem to commend itself to wealthy patrons of the drama in America.
 Still after all is said and done the lead ing features of the stock company system which produced such geniuseS Madame ModjeslSa, Sara Bernhardt, Rossi and other European artists had their counterparts and were similar in many ways to the old system in America which produced our own great players, such as Forrest, Booth and Mccullough. But this system which still holds sway in Europe has long since passed away in this country, The combna- ton system, which replaced it, has brought improvement in one respect, but that the new system will evolve the great actors and actresses as did it's predecessor is per haps hardly likely. Players of this stand- ing are almost conspicuous by their hb- sence and as far as the tragic stage is con- cerned Madame Modjeska stands quite alone.
 Intending patrons may be assured every condition worthy of the fame of the star, notably SO in the excellence of the sccenic production and the supporting company, which is headed by the eminent players, R. D. MacLean and Odette Tyler, both of whom have an independent and ever in- creasing following. The organization is under the management of Wagenhals & KemDer a firm whose methods have long since won the confidence of the public.
 A special matinee will be given Thurs day, when Marie Stuart will be the bill with Modieska in the title role.