The times., 1901-06-02
THE PASSING SHOW.

THE PASSlNG ShUW.
Chase's Theatre has presented such an
attractive appearance in its summer at
,ire that on going through the long lobby
which leads to the theatre proper one
marvels at the resourcefulness and in
genuity of a manager The house is one
of the largest, most comfortable, ana
beautifully appointed in the country, and
in addition to presenting bills that are
notable for their merit, nothing has been
left undone TO render everything pleas
ing to the eye and ear during the time the
curtain is down. There are balconies
where the men may smoke. the draw
ing -room-like lobby for promenade, and
those who do not care 10 leave their seats
during the intermiSSion may listen TO a
Hungarian band, and rest their eyes on
picturesque floral decorations.
Could one close ones eyes and look
beyond, and beneath all this, one would
see woman's hand-and the secret is
out
The general manager of Chase's Thea
tire is a woman, and il needs but a glance
inside the house during a performance
TO prove that she is very clever one,
toe, She is Miss II. Winntfred Dewitt,
and is the only known woman manager in
the country. Miss Dewitt would never
be taken for anything so awesome as
theatrical manager. for she is slender,
rather delicate-looking woman, OF about
medium height, and suggestive of any
thing else in the world but just what she
is. This is her first experience as a
house manager, but having been in the
theatrical profession for seven years, she
has the benefit of her experience in
selecting the bills for the Grand. Miss
Dewitt greeted a Times representative
very cordially one night last week when
the latter invaded the little office to the
left of the lobby, and after chatting
pleasantly on theatres generally she was
persuaded to talk of herself and her con-
nection with local management
4 started out on the dramatic stage
and, after three years OF that. con-
cluded TO go into vaudeville for two rea-
sons, one practical and the other per-
sonai- There was more money IN Yaude-
vile, and 1 liked dancing better than
acting. So / arranged my own act.
planned and supeTintended the making
OF my costumes. got out all my print
| ing, booked my tour. and started out.
That was my first season. AS for the
rest, it was a case of history repeating
itself, for 1 did the same thing each
year. Yes. OF course. one must have some
idea of busin sss to do = thing like that,
but my father was a business man and
my mother a business woman, so / should
have some legitimate claim to business
knowledge. 1 could not do all wanted
to here during the past season, hut that
viii all come around in time. ! have
never wanted a gallery in the house. but
the custom had been established and it
was hard to do away with Next season,
however, the upper balcony Will be car
peted, refurnished. decorated, and cou-
poued just like the dress circle, and there
viii be no more gallery"
In answer to a query from the inter-
viewer, Miss DE Watt reluctantly related
an experience which she had last winter.
illustrating not only her determination
to sustain the reputation for good order
AZ the Grand, but which went TO prove
that she is more than 4 fgurehead, some
thing which a crowd of misguided youths
seemed to doubt for the space OF a very
few minutes.
Last November" said Miss Dewitt,
( Mr.. Chase went home to vote and cleo
tion night found me with the first big
crowd that ] ever had to handle by my
self. We had five extra acts and between
them the elections returns were read and
the bill ran until o'clock- Every seat in
the house was occupied and there were
just 9Sl people standing. The sight of
that immense crowd made me realize for
the first time my responsibility and I'm
afraid that / was a little nervous for fear
something would happen. / had my
hands fun receiving wires from the Bal
timere house. Keeping order here, and try
ing to prevent people from getting back
where the operator was receiving the cleo
ton news. About 10 o'clock / came out OF
the theatre, and as / reached the top Of
the steps / saw d crowd Of young men
coming through the lobby. 1t was a foot
BAH team, and each had a horn under
his arm. ! knew what II meant II they
once got inside the theatre and 50 told
the ticket taker not TO admit them, but
TO say that their money would be refund
ed at the box office.
1DA lildl time lDeS faQ FeaCheu the loot
OF the steps, and / was so afraid that
the man would not tel them in timo
that i stood in the little gateway and
said: You can't come in; there Is no
more room in the house The first one
looked at me rather disdainfuliy and said
to the others: Come on, boys and
. rushed past me, but he stumbled and
FELL / grabbed him by the collar and
se-ked him up so quickly that he hardly
realized what had happened He
reached back TO strike. evidently thinking
mat IT was one of the men. but when he
saw who had helped him TO his feet he
dropped his hand and the whole crowd
! turned and walked out of the theatre
without murmur. ! don't know how I
| did II. for ne was a big fellow. but all
I my strength seemed to go suddenly to.
my right arm. At any rate / always
/ felt sure that trouble had been averted
| bat I wished that some other means could
! have been employed.
! The Rogers brothers, the German come
dams, win commence rehearsais for their
! new musical farce, The Rogers Brothers
1 in Washington" early in August. 1t is
announced that the first performances
win be given in this city commencing
August Is, presumably at the Columbia
I Theatre, as the comedians have always
/ played AT the Luckett & Dwyer house
II is expected the newest of the McNaiiy
pieces viii he IKE the Wall Street" and
! Central Park ones, except that there
will be some new scenery. 1t doesn't
/ seem 10 make very great difference
! where the Rogers brothers are placed
! by the dramatist. Give them score or
more Of pretty chorus maidens and some
capable assistants In the fun-makiHg line,
and they are quite sure to provide q good
entertainment. Maurice Levi will have
/ some new music for the piece and
/ hopes 10 find suitable successor TO the
I "lnnocent Maid" and when Reuben
! Comes to Town.
| washingtonians Will early next season
witness some of the big successes of the
mast New York season Julia MarloWe