The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-04
Otis Skinner and Ada Rehan.

Otis Skinner and Ada Rehan
Otis Skinner and Ada Rehan. who will be
seen at English's this evening in THE
School for Scandal" have joined forces this
season for a series of revivals of classic
plays in which both have in times past
won recognition. The artistic and educa-
tional value of such an effort by two of the
most finished players in America is beyond
estimation.
Otis Skinner was born in Boston June 2,
1857, and was the first son of the we'll
known Universalist divine, the Rev. Charles
Skinner, still preaching there. Like so
many ministers sons, the stage appealed to
him irresistibly, and in 1879 he made his
first appearance as an actor in the stock
company at Woods Museum, in Philadel-
phia. Twenty-Five years old and a hand
some boy, the management naturally cast
him in Juvenile roles, which he much dis
liked. He wanted to play character parts,
'heavies' and old men. In the season of
1SS0-S1 he appealed to Mrs. John Drew,
mother of the present star of that name,
and was enrolled as a member of her stock
company in Philadelphia. But he did not
better himself, and when he asked for other
parts the famous actress-manageress would
shake her head and say: mo, my dear
Otis, you are far too good-looking." AT
this point he decided TO get out of the stock
work altogether, and. meeting Bolossy XII
rally on Chestnut street, he asked him for
an engagement in a new spectacular piece
just about to be produced at Niblo's Gar
den, in New York. Kiralfy said: Eyes.
I'm looking for a handsome young fellow
fl -.A,ss XKrAoro,Don Clx;pnar ropIia1.
Then L don't want the job" Fate must
have arranged matters then, for Skinner
soon after was given a chance to make
his New York debut in Entertainment"
He played a grotesque character with a big
putty nose and scraggy Whiskers all over
for old-men parts, and in the following year
secured an engagement to appear in the
supporting mpa of Edwin Booth in ro-
mantle and tragic characters. His great
success dated from this engagement.
r
Ada Rehan was born in Limerick, Ireland,
April %, 1860, and was brought to this coun-
try at the age of five. Her childhood was
passed in Brooklyn, N. Y. One night in De-
cember, 1877, she first attracted the atten-
ton of Augustin Daily while she was playing
Blanca in 1.-The Tanning of the Shrew' at
Albaugh's Theater in Albany. Two years
later he took her into his famous stock
company, and until his death her name
was identified with his managerial career.
She returns this season to the stage she
always adorned after an absence of three
years, and the beautiful words of welcome
William Winter wrote when she came home
years ago after a triumphant season abroad
are worth recalling once more:
The name of Ada Rehan IS to-day the
brightest and most distinguished upon the
roll of American actresses. No other native
actress of this period has shown herself
possessed in an equal degree of personal
distinction, intellectual character, technical
equipment, versatility and the power to
charm. Many others are able and accom-
plished, each in a special field. but Miss
Rehan is unique, distinctive and pre-emi-
nent, for she has succeeded In every line
excepting that OF high tragedy, which she
has not yet attempted. and she ranges with
ease from the joyous levity of exuberant
farce 10 the fine and fluent comedy Of man
ners. and TO the imagination and sensibility
of the poetic drama. She has acted Til
burma with perfect success; she has eX-
celled her contemporaries in Oriana, Julia
and Lady Teazle; she has made Shak-
speare's shrewish Katherine a natural wom-
an-which never before was done in our
time-and she has made the contrasted
characters of Rosalind and Viola complete
ly, perhaps exclusively, her own