Omaha daily bee., 1902-06-15

1t has become something OF q fashion
during the few days that intervene be-
tween the closing Of the plsyhouses and the
coming Of the hot spell to kill time BY de-
batting a. to who is Americas greatest
actress. Just at present this discussion is
waxing high and almost hot In New York,
where one faction supports Mrs. Carter,
another Miss Adams, another Miss Mar
lowe, and so on. An humble onlooker may
be pardoned for suggesting that the answer
is easy. Just at present America has no
greatest actress, for It has none who are
even great. Many there are who are charm
ing, who have dainty ways. winsome pres
ence and most attractive manners, but
great is an adjective not as yet required
to describe the condition OF any. Nor is It
likely to be, either, until some more
definite a"ttsinments are required Of the
actress than at present demanded. The
class OF heroines with which the public is
most familiar nowadays is not calculated
to urge even a conscientious actress to es-
pecial endeavor. Whose fault this is need
not now be discussed. as the fact is self
evident to any ordinarily observant person.
The American stage has many very clever
women and in some no doubt there exists
the elements OF greatness, the spark that
may be famed into real genius, but 1t will
require something more inspiring than a
Janice Meredith to develop these traits and
produce the American actress who may
be truly called great. One Of the eastern
writer's who has Joined in the debate is
Merri May Of the Dramatic News. In his
column last week he says among other
things:
Sometimes an actress, pretty, graceful,
possessed OF a modicum Of histrionic abil-
l afr,c rs selected Dd TSt ed. for a Leading part In the
ager, quick-eyed for profit, Immediately
announces that he viii star this genius
b%iities, as also her limitations, gets a
play written to specially suit her; she
becomes the rage and, again, behold a
There is no earthly reason why we
should not have an American actress as
world, but we go too fast; we are content
to accept mediocrity.
a month, a year, She is the product of
many years Of the very, hardest kind of
must be famed BY slow, iaborious degrees.
good ones at that, but they do not Seem
enough. There Is scarcely an actress on
the stage, at this moment who. to my
the correct reading of her lines. What
formerly was considered absolutely es-
seRtial seems re- nov a lost art
not only should he be able to point out
to an actress wherein lie her faults and the
- .NASCA u it 10 dlsp IL NtdCiltI U lie
public in dramatic knowledge and as such
should be held to book. Consequently 1
critics we would have better actresses and
a public better educated to a proper ap-
nrIeciation Of what is what in dramatics;
top Of his profession in this city, tells an
actress that she is the greatest ever, show
imitation of the real t%hing-with adulatory
notices, how can you blame her for think
Ing herself great? How can you blame the
public for rushing to see her en- masse?
In conclusion l say, oh, we who aspire
10 rnespian lame, work hard and ye will
not made in a day.
One Of the fights the managers made to
protect the public, because by protecting
the public they protected themselves, has
just come to a successful issue in the ap-
pellate division of the New York supreme
court. That tribunal has anded down an
opinion which sweeps the UNDERMINING en-
tirely from beneath the ticket spectators.
1t is held that tickets of admission to the
theater are personal, revocable licenses and
that managers have the right to refuse ad-
mission to those who have purchased
tickets from spectators. This is certainly
a righteous decision and one that managers
In New York and other cities should take
advantage Of. No more burdensome exac-
tion has ever been foisted on the public
ehoh u diputc ldheu Dy the DTlRanQS VINO
specialized In tickets. In Omaha the prac-
tice grew to such proportions that on the
occasion Of the coming Of any unusual at
traction the tariff was increased at the
will OF the spectators, who bought the
tickets In punches at the house prices and
sold them again at such advances as "the
traffic would bear" Acting on the sug-
gestion Of The Bee, Manager Burgess
adopted a system of selling tickets that
has practically eliminated the SPECTATOR,
In fact has rendered speculation decidedly
uncertain. 1t has been made possible for
people who wish to attend the theater to
have their seats reserved for them without
the inconvenience of standing in line and
without paying the added fee demanded by
the enterprising individual who had been
wont to stay up all night generally by
proxy In the form Of a boy) in order that
he might purchase the best seats in the
house. While the mail order plan may not
be adapted to the demands In New York or
Chicago, the decision Of the New York
court certainly is, and ought 10 result in
the elimination OF the sidewalk speculator.
At any rate, the managers who tolerate the
abuse In the future will have to look upI q
new excuse.
Among some religious circles the theater
is still held to be the aAte-room OF the In
fernal regions. These good people may be
interested In reading the following from the
New York Sun:
The union Of church and stage which has |
been the ambition Of so many enthusiastic |
members OF the theatrical profession as
well as of the church never came so near
fulhllment as II has come In the society l
known as the Actors Church Alliance.
which has now been in existence for two
years. The organization Is chiefly the crea- |
ton OF Walter L. Bentley, an Episcopal
clergyman OF this city, who has worked