The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-01-14
THE PLAYER R9LK.

Elgie Bowen. one OF the young women
who did so much 20 make the production
Of san Toy a success at the Columbia
theatre last night viii be recalled by
local theatre patrons as one of the priu-
cipal members of the AuKus+in DAILY
Musical comedy company that presented
a number Of musical pieces at lhe COluU-
bia theatre last summer. after the rcgu-
I lar season.
Miss Bowen's rise in the theatrical
world has indeed been very rapid. Scarce
a year ago. she made her appearance in
vaudeville, at the Academy OF Music.
this city, when that house was under the
management or The 3fessrs. Hashlms She
attracted such favorable notice for her
singing in this line OF stage work that
she was engaged for minor role i'm san
Toy at Days and in her song TO the
Moon scored one OF the big successes in
1 the original production of this very de-
iighttul Chinese musical affair.
Miss Bowen has aspirations and hopes
some day 20 become "a great pTima donna.
! she says she w0T ks very. very hard
AYERS that she practices for hours every
day. and this statement Is Substanli4ted
By her mother. who also has hopes that
her daughter viii some day be q more
conspicuous figure on the native stage
than she is at present
George Fortesque. the almost three
hundred pound comedian. who Is acting
out in san Toy" dates away back 20 the
time when burIesque became one OF the
popular institutions Of the American
stage The art o. the burlesQuer is rath-
or somuolent az present. and tins is the
reason. perhaps. why AIT- FOrteSque has
or late years been associated with must
cal comedy.
Fortesque enjoys an unique n .a- all 10
himself on the stage. tt is q rare thing
that man Of his generous proportions is
able 10 sing and act even with musical
comedy excellence. and rare that be can
even make the EFFORT az dancing that SIR
FOrtesque does He carries 2s3 pounds
OF avOidupois about with him
Until few years ago Mr.. FOrtesque
usually appeared i'm some feminine bur
lesque. To happened at one time that he
was hastily called upon 10 assume the
part OF female impersOuatOr. He
emerged from his dressing room. made up
and tho assembled company went into
ccstasiCs. His clerubic COUuteuance. his
sh8pely shoulders. and his streuuousIy
laced proportions made him rather a
striking woman. He went upon the stage
and the audience had a mild sort Of con-
yulsion. which increased when his heavy.
Infectious laughter rolled out FOrtesque
Was doomed 10 iemininity for seasons
afrerWart
During the Worlds Fair he portrayed
o grand dame who fen in love with Chris
TOPPER Columbus IN a spectacular thing
given in Chicago. and called The
Worlds Fair" Then he appeared as
little sirI Ina Babes I'm the Woods"
When Fanny Davenp0rt's Fedora" was
burlcauued Mr. F0rtesQue assumed the
title role OF the bUrIesQue. called well
Fed Dora" And when "EyalceIino" fell
into the hands of the burlesQuaTs George
FoTtesQue was. OF course. the Katherine
or the burlesque. and, by the way. me
is to 30 90 London. next season. uroba-
bly,, i'm revival OF "EVaugcIlue" which
IS being planned
When the popularity OF burIesquo waned
Mr.. Fortesque went into musical comedy.
and when the American production OF
"San Toy was prepared the manager
happened 10 see some FOrtesQue litho-
graphs being pasted on a wall and ended
a long mental debate as TO who would
do 10 give weight-acrual and influential
90 the role of the Mandarin.
Harry s. Fulton the Chicago littera-
teur. who is melting the interest . the
public i'm Kirk la SheIe's production OF
Arizona. relates an experience the
stage manager Of the company had when
the production OF the greater Arizona"
was being made ready ia Greater New
10TH III ne AYERS Us true
They haG advertised for -''Supers who
can ride horseback" and that section OF
Fourteenth Street between Tammauy Hall
and the stage entrance Of the Academy Of
Music. New York. was jammed by a mot
ley crowd OF men of all sizes. cOIors and
cOudi The stage manager. William
HaZels-e. ana Che equestrian director
Big slim Carr had formed the candi-
dates for membership in Augustus
Thomas Eleventh United States Cavalry
into line and were asking them ueedfuI
questions as 20 experience, qualifications,
etc.
One big fellow, still wearing the som
breTO and high heeled boots OF the plains.
was near the head OF the line In his
hand he carried folded open. the cur
rent number OF a popular magazine.
When he got to The stage managers desk.
by way Of introduction he laid down the
magazine. face up. Mr.. HaZeltine's eve
fell upon a half-page wash drawing OF a