Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-04-02

out a cent to pay our board. Uncle
Corse was champion boy roller skat-
er, and had a pair of silver mounted
roller skates he had won in contest,
that were the pride Of his heart. He
kept hiding them. Once he buried
them in the snow; then he dug them up
and hid them in mama's bed He was
SO afraid the landlord would seize them
for board. The leading lady had a
necklace of rhinestones and she hid
them in the bed, too, for the same rea-
son.
In tLose days 1 was tho child act
ress, and my sister, Edna May, the
soubrette. She was promoted to leads
when | got big enough to take the
soubrette parts. Between us think
We have played about every part ever
written.
About six years ago father died and
mother took charge of the company.
She decided to come east and she
picked out Brooklyn as the place for
us. We hired little theater there
that had been hoodoo. The last
managers had stock company with
Henrietta Crosman as it's head, and
they dropped $4,000 in twenty weeks.
We went in and made money the first
week. We have been making money
every since. In year or so we had
to move to larger theater the larg-
est in the city. 1t seats $4,000 and is
always packed. l am not boasting
when say that the Spooner company
is really an institution there. The
whole lower floor, with exception of a
few rows. is sold out for every per-
P<,, ~ hAf "a
first night. People have had the same
seats on certain nights for years. They
are all our friends. And, though
mother devotes all her time to run
ming the business end of the company,
our public literally makes her act
when anniversary week comes around
each year. That is the time we cele-
brate coming to Brooklyn.
We used to have so many invita-
lions to visit the audiences at their
homes, SO many letters from men and
women and girls telling us that they
wished to know us, that mother de-
cided to hold reception on the stage
TO have them get acquainted with US.
1t was such hit that she has kept 1t
up every since, and now we give one
after the first Tuesday matinee every
month. The maids serve tea and sand
| wiches and it is quite social func-
ton.
People used to say that it was for
the nice actors; they could flirt with
the matinee girls. But the boys hate
| it. They have to appear, though, for
it is a part of their contract. You'd
laugh to see them. They stand as stiff
and polSoy as they can till mothers
eagle eye lights on them, then they
soften up and begin to smile and talk
little. These receptions are good
business in moro ways than one.
That's why mother, who is the finest
business woman in the profession,
every one says, keeps them up. The
public feel personal. almostE a pos
sessive interest in the actors, and it
enables mother to got an idea of what
the people really like best in the way
Of plays. Every one that comes up
has some suggestion and when you
put them all together you get pretty
accurate idea of what the public likes
i best.
Oar people like good things. Just
imagine playing "Magda" four times
In one season. But that's because
Edna May Spooner, my sister, was the
Magda. She. is wonderful actress,
and there isn't manager in New York
but that has been after her with fine
contract. But no one can pay her
what she makes, because she has a
half interest with mother, She is a
marvellous stage manager, too. She
puts on all our plays and she can get
more out of the actors than any one I
know. ! Why, have seen her make the
extra" people. in mob act, really
act, after two rehearsals. Mr.. Daniel
Frohman came over to her just a few
weeks ago and asked her to put on
''The Spooners" for him and play the
principal part, but she declined.
Il It's easy to get plays for leading
lady like Edna May, but the supply OF
plays that had soubrette parts in them
ran short That's why am now away
from home a-starring That and anoth
er reason. wanted to get out in the
world and see If the Brooklyn verdict
was too kindly one. I have ambi
lions and Mr. Blaney promises me that
he will crafty them l want to play
better parts; things with touch OF
pathos in item. Ono of my most popu
lar roles in Brooklyn was Fanchon and
. next season am to do that at matt
nees. Maggie Mitchell saw me in II
once and wrote me sush nice com
plimentary letter.
Some Des Moines Players.
u Included in the list of Iowa Thesp
| ians are half dozen Des Moines men
and women who have won high hon
ors.
Foremost among these stands Mary
Norman, the monologue artist whose
success in refined vaudeville has beer
phenomenal. Matte Cope she was il
the old days. Mrs. Norman Jacobs now
I Mrs. Jacobs spends several months Of
each year on the vaudeville stage, be
ing topliner wherever she goes. Hel
great success was won by her imper
sonation Of typical girls from variou.
! large cities Of America-San Francis
CO. Boston, Chicago, New York and 81
!, on For great many years after sht