Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-30

A NEW T-Charles E.
Blaney. who is exploiting that truly ciever
little woman Cecil Spooner in The Girl
Raffes" has decided to present Laura
Jean Iibbey as a playwright. The ques-
ton is how Miss Libbey came to be over
looked so long by theatrical enterprises
Her books. while consistently ignored by
The literary critics, have had an enormous
vogue and with Ella Wheeler wilcox con-
tributing fully to the stage there Is
no good reason why this no less dlstln-
guished artifcer and superheated sentiment
should not be placed behind the footllghts.
Miss Libbey can surely be depended on TO
provide an abundance of the heart inter-
est which the popular playgoer so rlgor-
ousy insists on. Under the arrangement
with Mr.. Blaney Miss Libbey will drama
TIE her most popular novels, receiving, II
is stated a bonus of $4,000 in addition to
the usual royalties.
WANTED TO SEE SANTA CLAUS
Howard Herrick, press representative Of
1.-THE Clansman," tells OF an amusing incl
dent that occurred shortly after last Christ
mas:
II happened to be in Dallas, Tex, the
night that serious play Of Hall Game
was being presented said Mr.. Herrck'
land l went into the theater to see por-
ton of the performance. One OF the char-
acters. a father OF the church, wore long,
flowing beard and the proper Vestment He
had lust maze MS exit III tHt iIlINsl VI a
most serious scene, when boy about four
years of age, who was sitting with his
father among the audience, piped IN a
most penetrating treble: on. papa, make
Santa Claus come back The laughter
that followed from both audience and ac-
tors quite broke up the scene.
AN ACTRESS BY CHANCE-''How
much of our time IS spent in making
plans" said Viola Allen, and how seldom
do those plans become realities! Especially
Is this true in the matter of choosing ones
life work. Some OF the most success1u
people | have ever met, men and women
who have made names for themselves II
various walks OF life have told me tia
At was chance that started them In career
that have proved so succes'fui that one can
think OF them In no other connection M
Ia the rule rather than the exception Wit
members OF the dramatic profession. o
course there are few noted families VIII
follow the stage generation after genera
ton to whom the dramatic instinct seem
to be q legacy. But such instances are rars
OF the countless young people who feel ina
they have a mission in life, and that thi
mission is the stage. how many ever nm
a permanent position beyond the foot
lights? on the other hand, ask Il score @
the most noted players picked at random
how and why they adopted the stage as
profession and the chances are that IN
majority will tell you it was quite by acc
dent
MY own case Is. perhaps, a good illustra
ton As a girl the possibility of my becon
ing an actress never considered elthe
by my parents or by myself. However,
made my debut at almost the proverbii
moments notice was attending ,
time and my father was member of III
company playing Esneralda ut The Mad
son Square Theater. Annie Russell, VIII
was playing the title role. taken sue
denly III, and William Seymour. the stag
manager. surprised both my father and N
by proposing that ! take her place unit
some one could be found for the role. Tn
was because l had seen the play FRI
qeutnly that practically knew It by hear
After few buried rehearsals | made n
appearance and even when my success IN
been SO pronounced as to delight all. W,
surprised when Mr.. Seymour proposed II
continuing for the remainder of the II
of the play. | still thought, however, tn
my first stage experience would be my las
but one night after the performance q
great John Mccullough, who had been
the audience. astonished me by offering
an engagement in his company. or cour
such an offer could hardly be declined al
the next year l was playing Desdemon
Cordelia. Virginia and Parthenld
AN AUDIENCE OF TwO.--A scene
remarkable contrasts was recently enact
in the Grand Opera HOUSE of Milan. cor
monty called La Scala the most famo
theater of Italy. young American prin
donna. from Duluth, Mimi, who had coz
Melted her vocal education under Wet
Maurel advanced across the huge stage
the footlights for a performance, compile
in every respect, with full orchestral a
COMMANDMENT before one Of the smales
but probably most critical audiences eV'
seen III Europe. The singer was Ken
Vivienne, and her audience consisted
Giacomo Puccini, the Italian composer an
his friend and publisher, Tito Ricordi
Milan, who staged the formers oper;
Madam Butterfly" at Covent Gardel
london Miss Vivienne sang the title rol