Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-05

old woman of the company spoke up.
How silly for us to be sitting around
like so many statues of misery. rs Is
Christmas day. We all have our = , gifts
with us in our satchels. so why not cele-
brate here and now, as we can't go any
further?
Just the thing shouted our leading
man. And we'll drink good cheer in flow
ing bowls of steaming coffee
We can do better than that" said our
manager. John bring the two bottles of
champagne 1 told you to put in the prop
erty trunk for tonight
The station rang with shouts and cheers
as props started for the baggage car, and
instantly everything was hustle and con-
fusion. Satchels were ransacked, and the
check straps removed from their hooks in
the baggage room to make room to display
the gifts. Laughter, tears and expressions
of surprise followed close upon each other.
Speeches, toasts and healtfelt good wishes
were exchanged, and when, at 10 o'clock
that night, word came that the road was
clear. and we could proceed on our jour
ney, 1t brought to an end as happy a
Christmas gathering as that day saw any
where"
WARFIELD'S INTENTIONS. David
Warf1eld's achievements as an actor have
so far been In the field of character work.
He knows his capabilities and does not de-
sire to shine In other lines than those for
which he is fitted. Speaking recently about
his plans after he finishes with THE Auc-
tioneer," he said: Il expect in the future to
follow the general tenor of my work In the
past. 1t is true l want to do something
different from a Hebrew character. I do
not think 1t is good for a young actor to
conflne himself strictly to one line of work.
and there are many that l feel sure L can
do Characterization 1 regard as my forte,
and there are other characters l can play.
At least 1 am going to try.
I'm the Weber and Fields Company, when
they put on a burlesQue of Catherine
played the part of an old man, which my
friends said was the unqualified hit OF that
skit. You know the burlesques we used
TO do always were more or less patch
work at the outset and 1t took some little
time to get them going, as they are nearly
always greatly improved with few per
formances In this instance, L formed my
idea of the character and worked rather
hard on the makeup. but as 1t progressed
| did not seem to feel as If l were accom-
plishing much. After the first night
though, as 1 was leaving the theater,
friends crowded around me, and l was sur
prised to find them enthusiastic over my
performance. 1t was, however, nice re-
ward for some faithful study I had given
the part.
Speaking of character work that, think,
is the most difficult. l know so many peo-
make a character seem real, and the Dig
difference Is in getting this result without
stepping outside the bounds of reason. And
another thing that Is the most difhcult
thing of all to do Is to awaken hearty
laughter So many expressions of surprise
have been made because was able to give
those little sentimental and pathetic
touches to my present character, ana YET
truthfully they are not near so dihcuie
from the actors viewpoint as II ID 10 get
az we call It
ITO return to character work. when say
1t is the most difficult and Is true acting L
mean true characterize ton. There seems
to be a proneness to overdo It, and While
YOU may not readily recognize the defect
when a thing is overdone, still 1t Is felt al
most Immediately.
II find that 1t does not take proao
smile amounting almost to a grimace, to
make an audience feel what you want to
suggest The slightest twtching OF the
facial muscles. the handling or the eyes
or the simplest movement of the body in
gesture If 1t is in keeping with the lines
in the situation, Is a hundred-fold more
expressive
STAGE FIREFLIES.-How many peo-
nile know the real color of the light
shown by firefiies? 1t is doubtful II the
question will ever be settled. At least, so
Bayard WELLER, manager for Miss Isabel
Irving. asserts. Our lives are made
who complain that the FREELY effect used
In the second act of The Crisis is all
wrong. The lights as shown are a blue
ish white and are as near to nature s
own color as our stagecraft can devise.
Most of those who find fault are from
the eastern states, where the firefiies arc
not often seen. Many assert that their
sparks should be green Others insist that
the lights should be d yellowish red,
while others go still further and say that
the sparks should be almost orange.
LAS a matter of fact, the color is right
lust as we have 1t. Mr.. Hackett. who in
vented the frehies himself, spent many
nights in the open studying the little
creatures, and he Is quite sure that he is
scientifically as well as artistically cor
rect
Another thing that puzzles people who
are not well acquainted with these queer
little insects is that they do not show
their lights all through the scene. Why
should they? The FREELY only shows his
lights when he Is disturbed, so when
there is no action on the stage, and hence
nothing to trouble the firetiies, they are
still and dark. Then when people move
about the shrubbery they too move. and
the lights fash out once more.
A JUVENILE sINGER.-Cyril Tyler, who
has been especially engaged to appear in
this city with THE Price of Honor" which
comes to the Empire Theatre Monday night
for the week, although Just making his bow
as tenor has a record of which few ar
lists of years experience can boast. Ten
years ago he made a tremendous sensation
in this country and later in London and
Australia as boy soprano. whose phenom-
email voice and marvellous understanding
and execution had never been equaled. The
following are only few of the achieve
ments of this prodigy. who now returns a
young man with a tenor voice that Is said
to be phenomenal In range and volume. He
sang at Chickering Hall. New York, at a
series OF matinee concerts, at the Madison
Square Theater at the houses of many
noted society people, including Mrs. Grover
Cleveland. He went to England under the
management of the late Col Mapleson. In
that city he sang at Princess Hall, then
for seven weeks at the Covent Garden
promenade concerts. at the Crystal Palace
Saturday night concerts. at the houses of
Lady Randolph Churchill, Mrs. Ronalds.
Barness Won Reuter- Lord Alfred Roths-
child, and many other prominent society
people. He sang at a concert given for
Mime. Patti by her old accompanist Will
helm Cent?. He was kissed and praised by
the great diva and the next week was her
guest at Crafg-y-nos, her beautiful WEIGH
castle. He toured England, Ireland and
Scotland, and then made a six months tour
of Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania