Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-30

II
viile which will get all the patronage in
that line which Mr.. Chase does not claim
with his summer season at the New Grand.
Mrs. Gilbert has been publishing her REM
inisceuces in series of magazine articles.
In reference to Augustin Days discipline
she says: eff there is any one word that
can express Mr.. Days system it is watch
fulness. The French saying that, to insure
success the eye of the master should be
everywhere, could be applied to him From
whatever source he got his play, whether
1t were one of his own, one of his adapta-
tions Shakespearean or otherwise, or an
original work of some other man, the first
thing Mr.. DAILY did was to read it to the
company. He read very well, indeed, too.
Then he gave out the parts and rehearsais
began. He was not a severe rehearser, as
far as long hours went. We were usually
called for IL in the morning in the early
days but later when Miss Rehan was not
so strong. and had to be spared, we would
often not begin until after latter MI:
Days own lunch-and then things Wodia
drag on rather. Often, of course, re-
hearsals would be called for the general
company only, and then we principals
would not have to go. Mr.. Daily was very
exacting in his training of the subordlnates,
and would not tolerate any one standlng
piece I have no wish to set myself up as
a critic of his methods, but 1t sometimes
seemed to me that he had even TOO muci
movement in some of his scenes. with us
principals he rarely 1uterfered seriously,
letting us work out own own ideas OF our
parts although everything had to pass MS
final approval before it could stand, and he
would cut out our pet lines at the last mo-
ment if he saw mt.
During the long run of Arizona at the
Herald Square Theater, New York, last
season the members of the company be-
came inveterate golf fends. Playing golf
is not a desirable quality in actor folk be-
cause it is very likely to lead to d1sre-
gard of afternoon rehearsals and other
such prosaic duties. But that Is not why
golf playing has been prohibited In the
ARIZONA" company. Mr.. La Shelle and
Mr. Hamlin, the proprietors of the COM
pany, are both enthusiastic golfers, and
their embargo on the sport for the men,
bers of the company does not include
themselves In fact, it does not include the
ladies of the company either-only such Of
the gentlemen are cast for officers and
soldiers in the 18th United States Cavalry
The reason of this seemingly UNJUST dlS-
elimination is to be found in the fact that
a new physical idioSyncrasy due to per-
sistent golfing has been discovered by an
eminent eastern scientist. everybody Ia
miliar with the game knows all about the
golf wrist and the golf shoulder, but
the golf stand is the latest discovery of
science and the one which has caused golf
to be taboo in the Arizona company.
The popularity of the golf stand is that
it inclines it's victims to point the toe of
his right foot inward instead of outward
at the proper angle of forty-fve degrees.
The tendency of soldiers and officers, or of
actors who simulate soldiers and officers,
limo at al
toeing in, was too painful for contempla-
ton.
I'VE hear a great deal nowadays about
the high price charged for theater tickets
says Charles Dalton, the leading man of
the Sign of the Cross" company, but al
though So is now the rule rather than the
exception in the New York theaters, it is
not at all an uncommon thing for a man to
pay thousandssof dollars in order to see the
performance of play. This is the case
when a theatrical manager invests a lot of
money in elaborate and beautiful scenery.
expensive costumes and the hundred and
one things that go to make a production; ;
sees fiat failure.
I'VE are constantly reminded that exptri-
ence does not always teach even the oldest
and shrewdest managers which manuscripts
TO lay aside worthless nor the one that,
if produced, means fortune for it's pro-
Queer One of the strongest proofs of this
is found in the instantaneous and prolonged
success of The Sign of the Cross, a play
that has been running for over five years,
and in which l have appeared more than a
thousand times. When Wilson Barrett Of
fered the manuscript to various managers
they would have none of it. They laughed
at the idea that a religious drama could be
made financial success. Mr.. Barrett,
however, had faith in his play and he back
ed his faith with money His friends, the
critics and all who are considered an au-
thorIty matters theatrical, shook their
heads and deplored such prodigal waste
That was five years ago, however, and to-
day the same managers are bidding for the
rights of the piece for the one and two
night stands"
An incident in connection with the death
OF w. n. Griffith. who played the part of
Pistol in Richard Mansfields production
of Henry W is the combining of tragedy
and comedy. The actors sudden illness was
announced from the stage, and the indul-
gence of the audience was craved for any
defects in the work of quickly acquired
substitute. An old lady in front. who was
rather hard Of hearing, conceived the idea
that 1t was Mr. Mansfield who was unable
to appear. and upon being questioned after
the performance as to the play, she said
tudt IL was very beautiful, Dut that the
man who took MIR. Mansfield's part was a
disappointment. She gave it as her regret
ful opinion that ''he didn't do any better
than the rest of them"
Something about myself?, repeated Della
Fox at Chase's Theater last night
Its not time for my obituary yet, is 20
she continued well, I'm just beginning
to like this business of living You know
am married and 1T has made all the diff.
ference in the world in me. Not that I'm
not the better half either, but then I've
a husband to anchor 20. He's a good fel.
low. is Jack. BY the way, "A Good Fellow
il the name Of musical comedy he
bought of Klaw & Granger and gave me
for a wedding gift. Wen, to go back-oh
not SO many years. rly father was a pho
tcgrapher in st. Louis, and when I was
seven. imagine me. 1 was the midshipmite
| In Pinafore.' Later, / played In a COM
pany that numbered such people, now emf.
nent. as Gus Thomas, w. T. Dickson and
w. G. Smythe, who brought out My Friend
from India and Willie Collier. too. Then
became the prima donna of the Bennett