The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-09-12
The Climax" Coming.

and "Ju Ju" girls.
1.-THE Climax" Coming.
Joseph NJ. Weber's novelty play,
The Climax, by Edward Locke, one
Of the most substantial successes OF
recent years, will be seen in this city
during the season. The beauty of
this little play lies in its simplicity,
the author gets far away from the
conventional idea Of cheap sentiment
and offers a playlet teening with real
heart interest, bright, sparkling COM
edy and a love element that is inter
esting enough to appeal TO the heart
of the most blase theatre-goeT. The
Climax" In point Of intensity and
heart interest is said to outrival any
other play within present range of
vision on the American stage. There
has been no drama produced In a de-
cade that has received so much IA
vorable comment from the newspaper
and magazine writer's, and this fact
alone is worthy of special mention, as
the theatre going public can receive
no better guarantee regarding the
merits of this charming play. The
piece is a decided novelty in its clever
combination Of music and dramatic
dialogue in such q way that the effect
Of each depends on the other. 1t is
the effect OF a song surrounded by a
very interesting story of Bohemian
HE in America. A most promising
young woman singer, to correct a
small throat defect, undergoes an op-
Grafton; a young doctor who Is in love
with her wishes to keep her from a
stage career. His suggestions that
the operation has been q failure, to-
gsther with the nervous shock, tenn
\ a 81 NJ hEaT-
voice, the discovery that she has re-
gained It, and the knowledge Of the
young physicians deception provide
the incidents Of the story. With
three of the four characters profess
sional musicians, the play is a tenn
peramentaI to a degree, rejecting the
moods and lenses of Bohemian life
with marked fidelity.
First Experience on Stage.
'I made my professional debut IN
a local stock company in Rochester,
N. Y. My first part was a small one
of four lines in The Two Orphans,
says Gertrude Dalton, who is to ap-
pear In Pensacola with The Travel
ing Salesman" on Sept. %.
Rochester was my home town and
Immediately or securing my engage
ment, 1 set out post haste to inform
nv large circle of friends OF my good
fortune. To go on the stage, which
is the ambition of 80 per cent. Of all
young girls, was also mine. When
the stage manager handed me my
part, nicely typewriter, l felt that
there was nothing else on earth 10
wish for. ReEc ais were called for
the following Monday, and I was there
long before the stage door was I'M
locked. In fact, during the entire
week that we rehearsed, l took no
chances Of being late. so l left in
structfons to be called every morning
at six. Like all new recruits, L not
alone memOriZed my part, but listened
intently to The lines of the other peo-
Dle- so that by the end of the week l
had nearly mamorized every part in
the play. l could hardly wait for
Monday might to come to make my
first bow to the public. l arrived at
the theatre at seven O'Clock that
evening and found the stage man
ager pacing up and down the stage
i'm a state Of excitement. He saw me
and said one of the principals had
been called away suddenly TO the
bedside OF a relative who was des-
perateIy Ill and as there was no one
available to take her place, on such
short notice. l would have to go on
instead The part, fortunately, was
not a large one, but was most I'M
rortant. Through the kindly aid OF
one of the ladies of the company, /
dressed and made OPP The stage
manager then called me over TO him
and said that I should not attempt 20
DEPEND on my memory, that l must
read the part, and he agreed to
prompt ME from the wings as 10 my
cues Just before the performance
began he went out in front of the cur
tain and announced TO the audience
the condition of affairs. When my
entrace cue came I was literally
showed out on the stage with the ad-
mention to be sure and read my part
and not attempt to speak it. So
startled was 1 by my sudden en-
trance. together with the glare of the
footIights and the dancing faces OF
the audience, that l was completely
terrified. so much so that I started to
run back. Gathering myself togeth-
er I stood perfectly rigid and in or
der to regain my cOmpOSure, L COM
menced tanning myself with my part,
but my stage fright was so great that
I could not overcome It. l began to
recite the four lines that had
heen originally given to ne in a
sing-song tone. I said them over
and over again to the huge enjoy
ment Of the audience and to the great
embarrassment Of my fellow players
on the scene. l was about to repeat
the lines for the tenth timeS when d
boy in the gallery, in a loud voice
shouted: 'Aw, sis, forget IT. Say
Little fishes in the brook, papa catch
EN- with a hook" etc. Then the
stage manager dashed on, grabbing
nv part away, and said the lines, and
led me OF the stage, while the sans
! boy in the gallery hOllered out: 'BacF
to the woods. Gertie.' It was over
year before 1 was able to obtain an
other opportunity.