Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-18

OTIS Fl inner sat in his dressing room al
th1. academy of Music and talked 10 me
entertainingly Of matters mice anrf men,
Il was after the first act OF Iazafre,
TINT I found hin hurTiedly. changing the
costume and eliminating the war paint OF
an Oneida Indian for velyets and iaces
betting The rank of the rightful Dauphin
Of france.
Skinner, whose name has been closely
Identified with the romantic and costume
drama for the past decade. whose #idyllc
love making on the stage has caused more
than one matinee girls heart to futter,
is ipn,ancer after he leaves the glamour
Of tie foptiights, ard seeks the Seciuslon
sr.i retirement afforded by his dresSlrG
room He is an interesting man to fa!R
to- Scarcely above the medium helght,
with dark, flashing eye, and clear-rut lea.
tpres, ..e is living exempliiication OF
Many of the heroes whose characters he
has conceived and portrayed upon the
mimic stage.
he greeted me cordially, and begged me
to :.e seated The dressing room was dis
arranged, an Indian roccasin was thrown
.careiessly here, and 2. courtier's dieamond
hl.ckled slipper was there. There was a.
congJomerate mass Of redskin toggery. OF
hesnangled velvet.ne. spider-webbed
laccs. wigs innumerable. tilmy kerchiefs.
ro,lge grease paints, powder puffs and
other characteristic accessories to an act
or's makeup, resembled theatrical jun
o,.s burner, resem;led q, theatrical JUNK
Eli, .. Skinner was busy applying the
powder with the aid of a large putt TO
his Redeemed cheeks as yentured to
question him about the drama, ana more
particularly about 'Lazarre
old chap, i. you don't mind talking to
mo while dress. will be very glad to
give you my opinion on any subject Win
which ] am cpnversant, and which you
rnsv think will prove of Interest TO the
readers Of the Dispatch. But you VIII
have to take my talk in Homeopathic
doses. as 1t were. as ! have to make q
81 al many changes during the acton OF
LsEarre,' which manages to keep m
on the jump every minute the curtain IS
down.
soME REMARKABLE TRANSITIONS.
To begin with you know ! am an ln.
dias, In one act, a. Eword-thrusting Napo-
leon esfT!ng the 5oauphip in another. asfd
!ndtan missionary at the close of the
play. ! travel from New York State on
Heres in Paris. thence TO the frozen do
.nliiens of the Tar. and back again TO
Green Bay. Wis. All this must do with
II, the space OF a brief three hours. so you
can really see that have not much time
70 call my own.
3ets = ~ttH SO iona OIL |'Lazagrc,ss that I
never tire Of talking OF the possibilities
and wide scope of the character. For
ears before my larnented friend. Mary
f,atherwood wrote the charming story,
] conceived the idea of writing "a play
around the adventures Of the kidnapped
Dauptin of France Shakespeare. and
other rlays to which have given my
attention IN the past, SO absorbed my at
tentfo that could find no time Il
weave a play around my ideal. u azarre.
When learned that Mrs Cathcrwood
I'D written the story AZ ssnd the life q
lazarre,s' was much astonished, hui
at the same time delighted. rs q strange
coincidence. she sent for me, before he,
book had found its way INTO the handi
Of her publishers. When she greeted me
she said: Mr. Skinner have .ong p pictured
you in nay ndna $ eye az the one man !!
all the world to aerrecti., portray. lsa2aTre
rpoa tho, stag e Now, mind you, aic
Skinner 6spastinE for y mnmsnt from ms
rlstp line Of thou s. tye,ild not fof
W world have you constr1ie what have