Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-27

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49, Woodward & Burgess. The au-
thorltative quality Of the news put aside
any element OF speculation. and the com.
ment was all in the nature Of congratula.
tory expressions. Omaha is congratulated
on having attained such Importance that
a second first-class theater Is not only
possible, but admitted TO be a real neces-
sity. Messrs. woodward & Burgess are
congratulated on having again Joined hands
after a short separation. and the Brandeis
people are congratulated on having secured
20 popular a firm to manage the theater
they have so long projected. The general
opinion is that the deal is a good one all
the way around. AS soon as the details
are adjusted with the architects. some.
thing more definite as TO the exact nature
Of the theater will be given to the pub
lie. All that can be said at present ls that
II will be modern In every particular,
f~ireproof and worthy OF its name. It will
express in itself the best of modern ideas
in thcaters and will provide Omaha with
an appropriate home for the art Of ex.
preston IN mimlcry
The thester can hardly be classed as a
necessary, and yet II is almost an essen
tial adjunct to civilized existence. Certain
definite impulses In mans nature tend d.
rectly to the stage. These impulses require
something that cannot be expressed by
words or deeds, and yet must be satisfied.
1t Is q craving, sometimes morbid, but
more often natural for experiences, sensa-
tions that are not offered in the routine OF
life, and which are best supplied by the
performances at the theater. Even among
savages this condition prevails, and the
ceremonies OF the medicine man, the occu-
patton OF the story teller, the song that
makes so large a part of the religious
ceremonial or the dance Of valor or love,
sorrow or Joy, are but the manifestations
OF the impulse that in the life Of civilized
man finds outlet in the theater, the lecture
room or the church. Poetry, music, paint
ing, sculpture, all we know of the outward
signs Of inward emotion, or aspiration. or
dreams OF beauty or thoughts OF higher
things, come from the same source. 1t is
mans soul trying to break through Its
bonds of flesh. Everybody cannot be a poet,
or q painter, or q sculptor, or a singer, or
a preacher, or an actor, nor can everybody
build q theater, but everybody does some
time feel the impulse towards this artistic
expression, and this impulse leads to the
admiration at least of the expressive arts.
OF course the most common perhaps, GER
tainly the most evanescent, Is the art OF
the actor. II has its advantage, in that IL
reaches more people, and more directly
appeals to the imagination. A painting
may convey much or little to the observer,
and a statue may impress its beholder
with the sculptoris thought, or 1t may have
no meaning for him. The poet, the preacher.
the writer. all meet the same difficulty in
conveying their message. But the actors
message is delivered under different and
more favorable conditions. With the aid of
.- Mediterranean l. --z.Haz g. IL.
efforts. and this direct appeal to the mag
ination does much to create the "'atmo-
sphere so essential to the proper trans
mission OF the thought. Then, with the
further assistance OF his fellow players,
ne proceeds to impress his picture on the
mind OF his auditor by the stimulation OF
various passions and emotions, showing
I how men conduct themselves under stress
OF various sorts and generally illuminating
the idea OF the author. The story is told
wildly. briefly, but impressively, and II
Il has any message at all, that message
is impaired in the way most easily under
stood. II the picture lacks in intrinsic per
nancy, It gains in that 1t has been pre-
scented go that some part OF 1t becomes q
portion OF that indefinabie thing called
memory, and remains in a more or less
distinct form with the individual recipient
forever. And IL mas Jne IuTlneT duNan'
tage In that It gives to each individual
Just what that individual Is capable Of as
similatlng, and no more. In this way the
art OF the actor is OF service to all tbs
other arts, for It serves to develop the in
tellect along lines that later lead TO 9
capacity for enjoying the art Of the poet
the painter. the sculptor, the preacher ane
thewriter.
So the building OF a new theater is an ev-
idence OF Intellectual growth In a com
munity. II means that the other theaters
can no longer satisfy the demand and al
this demand springs purely from the in
~ tellectual and not the physical needs o.
mankind, II must be accepted as proof Of
the development OF the people along linel
of advancement.
A splendid opportunity for determining
the advance made In her art by Miss Ell
y lott since she first came to Omaha was af
forded by her repetition OF las
week. It lie two years exactly since sh
first played the part on the Burwood stage
The great success she scored in the part a
that time would seem to have satisfied a.
ordinary woman. But Miss Elliott ha
proven In many ways that she is not a
ordinary woman, but one of apparently en-
haustless energy and ambition. It has bee
said that Camille" Is one OF the ambition
of every actress, and this Is not to be won
dered at, for the role offers peculiar posi-
bilities. It Is a part OF many contrasts
with its comedy. its pathos, it's great rang
OF emotions and It's underlying depth @
thought. Too many make the mistake o
classifying Camille Gautier with the wea
and thouEhtless women OF fiction, She
anything but that. She is typical in
broad sense OF q class OF wome
forced by circumstances into an exist
ence distasteful TO them. yet from whic
they apparently lack the resource Of 81
cape. It was offered to her TO esoap
through her love for Armand. but this
very low was turned to her destruction
When she saw that she was holding hi
down. she s%orrowfully relinquished ht
prospect for happiness. and even bore III
brutality OF the man she loved with a
her soul that he might not be hampere
by her presence. II is the very tragedy
love that is here presented, and this poir
was early discerned by Miss Elliott, VIII
made n n dominant nota Of her narfOru