The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-02-03

The part is strong one, ard should give
Miss Moretti splendid opportunities fer
the display of her undoubted talent as q
portrayer of adventuresses.
Miss Moretti will be remembered as the
leading lady OF Charles Frohman's big
melodramatic production OF Hearts Are
Trumps," which was seen at the National
Theatre early this season. 1t will be the
policy Of Mr.. Bellows to engage from time
TO time well-known actresses for roles
that are especially adapted to their abili-
ties, thus ensmring :::ssSsv finished and COM
plete performances.
Manager Janette's patrons at the Acad-
envy of Music last week viewed for the first
times a new drop curtain, from the studio
OF one of the largest firms in New York
1t is an artistic bit OF canvas, and ranks
among the finest specimens of its type in
Washington.
The management OF the National The
atre has added second box Office window
for the convenience of the patrons Of the
house. where tickets ordered in advance
may be secured without the loss OF time
in waiting in line at the main window.
Such tickets will be held until o'clock
for the evening performances. and until 2
O'Clock for the matinees. after which time,
II they are not called for. they will be sold.
This step was determined upon by Man.
ager Rapley after noting the inconvenience
and discomforts to which persons who or
dered seats for the Bernhardt performances
were put. In many instances those who
had written for seat reservations were
compelled to stand in line for over an hour
before they could be served at the regular
hAy off fDda eli ,l.r knr
was no other provision for handling the
mail orders. The new box office window
will prove a great accommodation to Mr..
Rapley's patrons. and will undoubtedly
very materially assist the National bust
ness stan In negotiating larger volume
OF business than has heretofore been pos
sible.
An extreme exhibition OF the quality
that has been termed nerve" In lieu of
better word, was never better illustrated
in the case Of a young man wanting
to view a theatrical performance from
the realm behind the curtain than at the
Columbia Theatre last Wednesday night.
At the end of the second act of Hodge,
Podge & Co." a well-groomed young fell
low approached Business Manager Will
Gray and said:
~ say, old chap: I'm an English journ-
alist, and I've never watched PERFORM
ance from the stage; can't you arrange
1t for me. And that's d blooming nice
lot of beauties you have with Mr. Daley"
Mr.. Gray was for the instant quite
stunned. but he had been in his early
days in the profession an advance agent,
and so Immediately regained his som-
posture, and projecting a glacial glare in
the direction of the Briton manager to
reply You may be an English Journal
list all right, but you have certainly got
your English nerve with you. No. decid-
eddy no. you cannot see the show from the
stage. Now get out. and quickly, too"
concluded the angry manager. pointing
In the direction of the box office door
The young man was evidently not at all
daunted by his setback, for the next
mornings mail brought to Mr.. DALEY the
following letter, written on the station
cry OF legal firm of high repute. with
offiees In New York, Paris and Washing
ton:
Dear Sir: After reading the following. no
doubt you will think that have got great
amount OF nerve but as you will acknowledge
It taxes nerve to get along in this world you
VIII Prooaoiy grant my request. / had the pleas
ure OF seeing you and your company last evening
ana pronounce ii, as ali who witness the same
must simply superb In order that you will
not thinS am 'iollying,' will proceed i'm
have great desire to see play from behind
the scenes, Fever having been allowed this privi-
iege before, and will ask if it could be possibly
arranged so that might see your Hodge, Podge
& Co. from this point of view.
Thanking you in advance COR this favor, beg
to remain, etc. etc. 9 led
When Mr.. Daley showed the commune
cation TO Manager Gray. and the latter told
OF his experience with the English youth Of
the night previous, the comedian was for
the moment in favor OF granting the re-
quest, and giving the young fellow sam
pie OF the hazing musical comedy COM
pany is capable of administering, along
side OF which West Point entertainment
is as mild and sedate az Sunday school
picnic.
The success that has attended the eff
forts of Miss Amelia Bingham to estab-
lish herself as an actress-manager on
Broadway has led her to seriously consid-
er the erection of theatre to be devoted
to the production of plays similar in char
acter to The Climbers" which she has
used to signalize her entrance into the
managerial field. Miss Bing-
ham has the very desirable advantage of
almost unlimited financial backing in her
new enterprise Her husband Lloyd Bling
ham. formerly an actor of but ordinary
merit, is private secretary to one If
the tobacco kings and has made a little
fortune himself during the last three or
four years-enough, anyway, to enable
him to satisfy the ambition of his wife
The rise or Miss Bingham has been me-
-eoric, II anything. 1t was not SO many
years ago when she was the belle of an
obscure Ohio village. where her father
was the proprietor of the town tavern.
She was then known to the good folk of
he neighborhocd as Amy Smiley, and to
his day the stranger in the town is asked
I he has ever seen Amelia Bingham ION
he theatre stage" An affirmative reply
will elicit the information, We'll,
'he was born in this here town and her
atEer still runs the tavern down the
'oad a bit. Nobody hereabouts used to
hink Amy Smiley would be great actress
md have her pictures in the newspapers"
One day, SO runs the story, a Lochinvar
anne into the quiet hamlet. He was an
ictor named Bingham. He was roper
ORE player perhaps no better than most
# his kind who today entertain the people
If the same place for the modest sum of
o., 20, or 80 cents for a seat, according
o the location. Speedily following the
nuptials at the Smiley hostelry the Bling
lams came to New York, where the good
ooks of the wife and an inclination to
light on the drop of hat on the part Of
he husband brought the couple a good
leal of advertising. Mrs. Bingham was
by a newspaper vote to be the
actress in the metropolis, ard
rom that moment the struggle was prac-
ically over.
Local theatregoers will best remember
Amelia Bingham for her work in Sport
ng Life" seen at the National two years
go. She evidenced at the time but little
eal ability except an expertness in
wearing some fetching gowns very effec-
iyely