The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1907-05-03
Copyright by J. B. Bowlss.)

American actress, was born in the lake
country of England. She was but chile
of four years when her family removed
to farm in Kansas. At ~ years of age
she Joined juvenile "Pinafore" company
and soon attracted attention by her cleve,
acting and her rich, clear voice. Othe,
engagements followed; then she retired
from the stage and studied dramatic ART
for three years. Reappearing as Par
thenia in ''Ingomar" at the Bijou thea ter
in New York, she won instant recognition
as a splendid actress. Still, she struggled
for several years longer with disappoint-
ments of various kinds before she was
accorded the high place on the stage
| which her merit gave to her. In such
roles as Juliet, Viola, Rosalind, Barbara
| Frietchie, Colinette and Mary Tudor she
has won the warmest admiration of the
public.)
think few people can realize how
fierce has been the strife in regard to
women on the stage and how difficult
1t has been for them to convince the
world at large of the Importance of
their hard-won position and their
beneficent influence upon dramatic art.
I am speaking now of the past. Hap
PLY at the present stage of dramatic
development woman's standard is as
| high and her position as assured as
mans.
1t was not always so. Looking back
to the age of oppression and intoler-
ance when in 1860 woman first ap-
peared In dramatic representations.
we find her entrance marked an era
In dramatic advancement. The first
record of womans appearance upon
The stage is December 6, 1860. The
play was Shakespeare's "Othello," and
the Desdemona was played by wom-
an There has been considerable doubt
as to whom this honor belongs Some
have given it to Anne Marshall. The
more general supposition is that Mar
garet Hughes deserves this right to
immortality. We have Pepys' author
ity for it that women appeared in Kill
ligrews company in London on Janu-
airy 3, 1861, in Beaumont and fetch
er's "Beggar's Bush" !
Their early appearances were re-
tells us that the writers of the time
denounced the, first actresses as "un-
womanish and graceless not meaning
that they were ungainly and unfemi-
nine, but that play-acting in itself
was below their dignity. "Glad am
to say" remarked Thomas Brand,
speaking Of these actresses, that they
were Kissed. hooted and pippin-pelted
from the stage, so that l do not think
they will soon be ready to try the same
again" He adds that well-disposed
people were righteously indignant at
these women, whom Pyrnne, a rigor-
GUS puritan Of the time, called mon
sters."
Notwithstanding the marked dis
favor with which they were first re-
ceived, reasonable and serious minded
persons could not fail to see the pro-
priety of Juliet and Desdemona being
acted by girls rather than boys 1t
would appear that Immediately upon
this important progressive step the
artistic need for woman's appearance
must have been generally felt.
We read that soon afterward ac-
tresses were in great demand. 1t was
found that they not only increased the |
popularity of the theaters in which |
they performed, but that their COOP
Grafton was indispensable to the prop
er preseh..-.lon of any play. They
made possible fullness and beauty |
of Interpretation which had not been
dreamed of before.
Take for single example the wom-
en- Of Shakespeare. They stand as
vivid types of truth and beauty. They
are so alive with the warmth of fem
ininity that their expression by other
than women is in itself monstrous
sacrilege. A play performed by men
can hardly be imagined to-day and
the wonder is that such an absurdity
ever existed.
The realization of the necessity of
cooperation with man in dra-
matte achievement grew rapidly, for
mems minds were at this time too high
ly susceptible to advancement to re-
main in ignorance of this need. So
it was not long before actresses were
recognized and highly respected. This
was so true in the case of Mrs. Better
ton that when in 1874 "Calista" was
performed at court the actress was
chosen as instructress to the princesses
Mary and Anne, and much Of the sub
sequent graceful elocution and dig
nifty of bearing of these ladies was ac-
credited to Mrs. Betterton Perhaps
40 finer compliment was ever paid
% woman in any walk of life than
she received, for we read of her that
n company with her distinguished
husband she made her home the abid-,l
ng place of charity, hospitality and
lightly"
What vast work has been accom-
,lished by women in the drama since
hen, and what lasting monument of
lrt she has reared for herself in the
annals of the stage To those whose
ouls are filled with sacred reverence
or creative genius what wealth of de-
light in looking back upon the daz- ;
ling record Of the theater when tho I