The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-27

We're looking for"
A contralto who goes on the stage
must make up her mind to wear tights,
There is a sort of tradition that con-
traltos must be cast for mems Or
boys roles. The ltbrettist naturally
chooses the soprano for his heroine
the tenor for his hero. We have come
to regard 1t altogether wrong for a.
basso to make love to: a : contralto
When I first went into vaudeville in
Chicago I wore skirts for the first
time on any stage. And they were a
great annoyance to me-always get
ting in the way. 800 -
Once a meeting Of women-I think
1t was at Chautauqua-chose me for
their ideal stage woman. But they
said: What pity that Mrs. Davis
wears tights!' This was published
| In some of the newspapers and
brought a reporter to me. He asked
me how 1t seemed to wear tights
how I felt when I was playing mems
roles. . ~ -,
II never think anything about it,"
| was my reply. when play a mans
part I am a man for the time being
I never think anything about the cos
tune"
One gets used to wearing tights as
| one grows accustomed to wearing long
dresses. It makes no difference to a
singer. Of course it might worry a
person to, don feshings after she had
been appearing in long skirts for many
years. In that regard it is to ones
advantage to begin early on the stage,
before the age of Inconsistencies
begins. 3 For that matter, the Ameri-
can public is now so used to seeing.
women in tights that an audience is
surprised not to find some Of the prin-
c1pals, or, at least, the chorus, thus
appareled.
Success on the stage is not without
it's annoyances. One is often made
Music publishers besiege you with new
songs which they hope you will sing
in public. And such trash as they
send you! Scarcely a day passes with
| out the receipt Of a request for a do
nation for this or that purpose. I
wonder if the general public realizes
| how really charitable the people of the
stage are. They are always helping
one another, giving their time and
| their talents for benefits Of one kind
| or another. ..... ...s-.,.
| Last winter a woman called on me-
! my daughter wants to go on the
STAGE" she said. "She has a splendid
voice. What shall do with herr"
Send her up to my house." I re-
pHTdd; a and da, I'll see what she san d.
1lC uduSIllcE. CdlIlSs' ''0l1lS some
| thing" said to her.
II can't" .E....
well, sing the scale, them
She confessed she couldn't even do
that.
| I struck middle G on the piano.
Strike that note" said I. She said
she couldn't.
! What do you sing at home to make
your mother think you have such a.
splendid voice?" I asked, by this time
waxing a little warm.
oh she said. II go around the
house singing La, La"
| My indignation could stand no
| more. I gave her good, sound lee
ture for taking UP my time on such a
foolish errand as that. She broke
| down a little and at last confessed that
| her folks thought I was SO kind
! hearted that I would take the girl and
give her an education.
IF should do that for all the peo-
| pie who call on me as you have"
| told her, II wouldn't be making a
! thousand dollars week In vaudeville.
L would be hoein6 corn.
People often ask if it is possible for
| a woman on the stage to be a society
parsonage. To this question I always
! one thing at a time. A singer on the
stage can't stay up late at nights, at
| tending to social duties. She needs
most of all sleep, rest, quiet. She can
keep her friends, if they really like