Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-16

ever the bookings for this city promise
some highly attractive entertainment. and
are not likely to be materially disarranged.
THE DUTY OF AUDIENCES.-"Th
first duty of actors is to amuse. and per
contra, the first duty of audiences is to be
amused"
Miss Marie Tempest made this somewhat
startling statement a few days ago.
"Of course" she continued, that is
broad generalization, and like all such, re-
qures qualification or explanation. Now l
don't mean that audiences should be bound
to enjoy or pretend to enjoy bad acting or
bad plays. but that they should go to a
theater expecting amusement, and prepared
to testify visbly and audibly to their en-
ioyment If they see or hear something that
pleases them.
"Apropos of aristocratic and cold au-
diences. the late E. H. Sothern related this
experience. He was playing Dundreary' in
q small town where the manager of the
theater had recently been to New York.
He had visited the Madison Square Theater,
at that time under semi-religiouS manag
ment, where dim light prevailed in the
auditorium and loud applause was deemed
decidedly indecorous The manager re-
turned to his town and gave quiet tip
on what was the real thing in New York
theater manners. Well. Sothern and his
company played the first act without evok-
ing laugh or hand When the curtain
fell he listened for the customary call. but
there was only silence-awful silence Then,
before the second act he gathered his COM
pany and said: We don't seem to be hit
ting EN- at all. We must pitch in for all
we are worth in this act Star and COM
pany worked like Trojans. but apparently
without result. At the end of the second
act the local manager went to Sothern's
dressing room and began to congratulate
him on his success and to tell him how
delighted his audience was
"Sothern interrupted him, Don't guy me-
he said, why, haven't heard any laughter
or applause.
"Laughter-applause.' returned the man
ager. proudly, as he drew himself to his
fun height and thrust his hand behind the
breast folds of his coat, I should hope not,
indeed There was one man snickered but
We put him out
Fortunately" continued Miss Tempest,
lone isn't likely to encounter quite such a
cold shower bath as this. but there are. l
am informed. some communities that are
apt to be trifie icy. 1 know, however,
that Washington is not one of these. for
/ have many pleasant recollections of for
mer appearances here"
THE DISCOVERY OF A SINGER.-While
camping out last summer in the woods of
Missouri, where Grace Van Studdiford has
bungalow, the charming singer. who is
starring in Red Feather" made quite
discovery. On a very still evening, Miss
Van Studdiford was swinging in a ham
mock singing to herself one Of the compost
tons of the new opera, when voice that
seemed near by started an aria of Gou-
mods 1t was quite a young voice. of
quality that caused Miss Van Studdiford to
stop her own song Immediately. Without
moments hesitation. the prima donna start
ed away in the direction of the voice.
Rafn Tho -
singer the aria was finished. and that night
Miss Van Studdford failed to find her. She
listened anxiously several evenings after
ward, but the aria was not repeated. The
night before she was called to New York to
select the voices for her new production.
she was trying another solo. THE Merry
Cavalier, one of the most beautiful num-
berS of Red Feather" when the experience
was repeated Again she started off Voices
travel far in such quiet sylvan spots at
night, and after miles tramp through the
woods the voice had again ceased. Miss
Van Studdlford repeated her solo. 1t sound
ed strangely to hear herself in such de-
serted, still region, and it is possible it was
heard by those who We're camping out for
miles around. Almost instantly her own
melody was repeated in contralto tone
Miss Van Studdiford, still singing con-
tinued and very soon she came upon the lit
tie camp where the voice was found. 1t
was young girl who had 50 charmed Miss
is
hammock. She explained she had heard
the prima donnas song, and that is why
she was tempted to sing.
The young singer in question is Miss Cora
Tracy, who is now a protege of Miss Van
Studdiford. She Joined the Red Feather
company as an understudy. meanwhile be-
ing coached by Miss Van Studdford: today
she is singing one of the principal roles in
the opera. and, although not more than
eighteen. she is likely to prove one of the
best singers in the country.
LONG RUNS.-The appearance in this city
| of Lawrence D'Orsay in THE Earl of Paw
tucket' and the unusual measure of success
dealt out to this play by delighted public
during its New York engagement lend inter-
| est to a review of other notably long runs
| in New York and London. The remarkable
| thing about the run of 1.-The Earl of Paw
tucket' was not that it broke all records in
I the matter of length, but that this is the
only non-musical play that has ever sue
ceeded in keeping the boards of a Broadway
theater throughout one of those hot sum
mers to which the American metropolis is
subject. Long runs by no means a
modern institution, though what was re-
| garded as phenomenal engagement a hun
bred years ago would not come up to the
requirements of today. The stay of THE
Provoked Husband" at the Drury Lane for
| one month in the early part of the last CEN
| fury was an unprecedented feat. few
| years later "Duenna" ran for seventy-ff
| nights. Money ran from December G.
/ 1910, to March IA, 1s41 Hamlet ran at
| the Winter Garden in New York for one
| hundred performances "Cyrano de Berge-
rae" had the longest run on record in Paris
over five years. '.Humpty Dumpty' had
| 4S3 performances at the Old Olympic II
l was revived at the same theater August 81
1871, and had 333 performances. George l.
| Fox played the role l,o0l times, for it was
| revived In February. 1873.
| The phenomenal runs in comparatively
recent times in America are, of course
| BLACK Crook" 1.-THE Old Homestead
| "Adonis," Erminie, "A Trip to China.
town" and "Charley's Aunt. THE Black
Crook ran for 475 times and .Adonis' COB
| The longest run of THE Old Homestead
| was at the Academy of Music, New York
| beginning August 3d. 1888. and ending june
| I, 1882 embracing more than three hundred
performances. The Following season II
reached 260 performances and again upOr
| the succeeding season 1t had a run of 23t
| performances. "A Trip to Chinatown" was
first acted In September, 1890. at Decatur
III. On November o. 1891. 1t reached Hoyts
| Madison Square Theater, where 1t lasted