The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-08
Sudden Bounds From Obscurity
Into the Stage Limelight.
Chorus Girls Who Answered
Knock of Opportunity.
WELLESLEY TO STAGE.
Helen Hale Went From College
to Comic Opera.
Lolita Faust and Anna Laughlin
Were Discovered.
WELLESLEY TO STAGE.

The prevalence of the starring
system and the constant demand for
new lights to supply the stellar short
age as it arises is responsible for many
quick leaps to fame on the part of OBJ
scure stage people. The sharp lookout
kept by managers, together with some
happy accident, has lately been the
means of the youngest people in the
profession achieving fame in a night
One of the least expected triumphs
was made in this way by Julia Sander
son, who was singing in the chorus in
the Chicago revival of Wang" year
or two ago. Marie Jansen, who was
playing AIataya, was suddenly taken
Ill, and in the absence of an under
/, study, there was a great running over
Of material to find somebody to take
her part. Nobody had thought of
Miss -Sanderson as possibility, when
she suddenly stepped forward and an
nounced that she knew the part. She
was rehearsed and put on at an hours
notice, and made such a hit that she
was Immediately engaged for the name
part in "Fantana."
Delight Barsch, who is Sally Lunn
IN Loves Lottery would have been
singing in the chorus yet if it had not
been for her own pluck and determi
nation to get along. She is only II
years old, and until the last year had
lived all her life in a little town. She
finally persuaded her father to take
her to Chicago, where he got her into
the chorus of Babes in Toyland.'
When Schumann-Heink was in Chi
cago last year the young woman
formed a bold and secret determina-
ton. She marched over to the Audi
tOrium, secured an audience with the
opera singer, and persuaded her to
test her voice, without SO much as
taking anybody into her confidence
The prima donna was delighted with
her, promised her a part in Loves
Lottery" and kept her in mind all the
time that she was arranging the opera,
with special reference to the ingenue
part. Within six months from her
first trial for the chorus she had Sc
cured an engagement for a prominent
part.
Another young actress who found
fame and an equally astonishing
change in her manner of life is May
Naudain, who, as Marquise Franziska,
the mistress of the robes to Queen
Elsa, sings the prima donna part in
Nordland." She first took a place as
stenographer with George HamIin.
Discovery was easy in this instance,
and he secured her place in the
chorus-this time, too, it was in
Babes of ToyIand." She went from
here into the chorus of 'NordIand,"
IN the New York production, and the
first night she sang she attracted the
attention of Victor Herbert. All win
ter he has given her solo parts at his
concerts at the Majestic theater, and
q few weeks ago she was given the
leading musical role.
Lolita Faust had no thought of going
on the stage when she was discovered
bJ Denman Thompson. She was young
and busy playing in the streets of
Brooklyn, and singing to a hurdy gurdy.
AT the time Thompson saw her she was
playing leapfrog with the boys, and a
few hitching posts, and one or two fire
MIGRANTS. He wanted a tomboy for a
new piece that he was staging at the
time, called Paradise Alley and which
ne was putting on at the Fourteenth
Street theater. Of the way he happened
tC find" her Miss Faust tells this story:
Mamma and lived little way from
George Ryer, who, you know, wrote the
old Homestead for Mr. Thomson
Mr.. Thompson had come up to visit the
Ryers on the particular night, when
was tearing around the streets. He ask
ed Mr.. Ryer who 1 was, and he told
him that lived across the street with
my mother
'Well,I think, she is just what want
Tor sunshine, said Mr.. Thompson.
Shes just the right sort of tomboy'
But she isn't a tomboy, only when
she's out on the street with the chill
dren.' said Mrs. Ryer. In theh ouse
she is the most quiet and modest little
thing.
Mrs. Ryer called me over, and went
" Tie hySE pOfCn. twisting my apron
and hanging my head.
How de like to go on the stage, lit
tie one?' he asked me.
I'm just crazy to- said.
Kin you dancer
I nodded my head, and then he got
me to show him my steps, and the next
thing was given the part of Sun
shine
Anna Laughlin was chorus girl and
dancer in THE New Workers." and was
singing in Chicago, at the Illinois, when
Townsend Walsh saw her, and immedi-
ately telegraphed that he had found
somebody to play Dorothy in the Wiz
ard of o." Mr. Mitchell came out to
see the little chorus girl, and she was
cast for the part.
Mabel Barrison was taken as sudden
iy out of Anna Held's chorus and given
the part of Jane in Babes in Toyland. -
Margaret Crawford, who has the part