Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-21

The summer season promises to blossom
like the rose. The musical comedy season
at Chase's has been far from being nipped
IN the bud 1t has from a rather fragile
beginning expanded into grandif1orescent
proportions. The management was evident
~ pleased with Ell Captain" for it has
once more posted in front of the lobby the
announcement that the entertainment with
In is worth $50 This is flight Of i'm
agination- The figures are not justified
even by the free ice cream served now and
the free ping pong promised later.
The opening of the summer season at the
Columbia Theater puts an edge of compe
tition on the season. The management has
succeeded in discovering a play which has
not become familiar to the point of aver
sion with Washington theater-goers. Lord
ChumIey" assuredly revives gentle memo
ries and Edwin Arden has a strong per-
sonaI following. The box office reports the
largest advance sale that has been known
for any week of a summer season.
Laura Nelson Hall, the leading woman OF
the Arden Company at the Columbia, is one
OF the players who learned their profession
from the ground up
Laura Nelson Hail. the leading woman of
the Edwin Arden Company. has had an IN
teresting stage career.
My first appearance" she said. was at
the Girard Avenue Theater in Philadelphia
/ Joined the company as an extra woman
Do you know what that means? L had been
leading the mob in The Little Minister
because there was no part for me in the
piece / had borne the insults of my friends
in the company who had called 'Supe' every
tine l passed them My salary was the
magnificent one of s. a week, and had to
work and dress with all the other Supers-
1t makes me i'll to think of it even now.
You know in big city like Philadelphia
the class of extra people Is very dl1erent
from what you must have here. one night
/ went to the theater and could not find my
clothes. After u time the maid who dressed
Valerie Beregere, the leading woman. came
and said Miss Beregere wanted to see me.
l went in her dressing room, and there was
a table for me. and all my things were
hanging UP on hooks. She said she was
going to let me share her room with her
/ blessed her with all the blessings l knew
how to pray for. After six weeks l was
given my first part, so you see il hash
been all plain sailing. Shortly after that,
while playing in Buffalo in stock company,
l attracted the attention of Daniel Froh-
man, who engaged me TO play leads in one
Of his AT the White Horse Tavern" COM
panies 1 then went TO California to play
q special engagement with one of the stock
companies in San Francisco. 1t was there
that Mr.. Arden first saw my work
Norma Kopp of the Chase Opera Com
pany frankly eonfesses that once upon
time she possessed a voice. but that now
she cannot sing even a little bit
You know" naively. said Miss Kopp. in
speaking of 1t. 1t would be impossible for
a woman TO play sOubrette roles and re-
tain her voice. Soubrettes have to dance,
smoke cigarettes and 'holler' and all that Is
not conducive to the preservation OF a good
voice. Then again We have to act, which is
quite the reverse of what the prma donnas
have to do There are very few who can act
and sing. too. particularly where you have
TO make new productions of opera every
week. In trying 10 act you forget to sing
and vice versa.
Il am Cincinnati girl and was educated
abroad. although / don't see now any rea-
son why il was necessary for me to cross
the ocean To have my voice cultivated
Yes. l am married and happily. too. My
husband Is Mr. William Danforth and with
him l played five or six years in Frank
Daniels company. We have lovely home,
or island. / should say. on the Thousand
Islands right near May Irwin. and in a little
while We will go there. fish, swim and dress
In rags and feel like we own the earth.
Don't you envy us?' gleefully asked Miss
kOpp she whisked herself on the stage of
Chase's as her cue came in Ell Captain. -